The following day involved a leisurely start from Villa La Angostura, along the shores of the lake, and on into the outskirts ot Bariloche.  The intent was to reach the Chilean town of Futaleufu, and the fine condition of Argentine highways made this a possibility. The scenery reminded everyone of Montana in the U.S., with lakes and forests that could have come from Glacier National Park, to the open grasslands on the way to El Bolsón and Esquel. As in so much of Patagonia, there were times when the wind blew in hard gusts, making riding a tall dual-sport bike somewhat uncomfortable. With so much ground to cover, this day was consumed in a long, droning afternoon ride. As the long shadows of evening fell upon the riders, they worked their way through the choking dust of a gravel road that led into the mountains, toward the Argentine customs and immigration post on the Futaleufu River.  The border is supposed to be open 24 hours, but in fact the customs contingent packs up and leaves at about 8 pm.  It was theoretically possible to make one's way around the Argentine post, perhaps without shots being fired, but it was determined that spending New Year's Eve camped on the banks of the mighty Futaleufu River just might be a nice diversion, and provide a memorable spot to bring in the new century.

 

They were right.  It was a splendid evening, spent in various pursuits, from washing clothes in the river to preparing a campfire. Just before midnight the obligatory champagne was poured, and everyone toasted what had become an excellent adventure.  Just after midnight, from the direction of the Argentine and Chilean border outposts came the sounds of automatic weapons being fired. In the morning, both sides denied having had anything to do with it.