I have always loved a quote by Lily Tomlin,,,”I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific”. I thought about it many times in reference to this trip. My versions is…”I wanted this trip to be incredible, but now I realize I should have been more specific”. Yes, there was incredible scenery some of the time. Incredible climbs, incredible food, incredible flowers, incredible companions. But way too often the notable features of the ride were not so positive: Incredible winds, incredible rains, incredibly bad camp sites, incredibly bad roads and an incredible ending.
You may recall in the last post I mentioned that my lungs were hurting from the incredible winds. Well…it turns out that it was not the winds but Covid!! What a shocker!! After avoiding infection since the start of the pandemic, I contracted Covid very near to the end of the trip. As I mentioned in an early post, the tour company has a policy that if you test positive for Covid, you have to isolate from the group for 7 days. Not an easy thing to accomplish in the remote areas of Patagonia and there was no feasible way to meet up with the group again to ride the last few days as they were to be traveling in areas without towns or airports. So I decided that once I was less contagious, I would “simply” make new travel arrangements and travel home. Thank goodness Jim could help me make the arrangements from home. So 5 flights later I am back home 2 days before the scheduled end of the trip.
Although sad to miss the end after such a long journey, I am very happy to see Jim and Star as well as the comforts of home: warmth (indoors!), a bed, my morning coffee ritual.
After I have some time to recuperate and settle in, I will try to send out a wrap-up post. In the meantime, thank you all again for your comments, encouragement and companionship along the way of this “incredible” journey!
oldfolkswithbikes 
Way to go Barbara! Bummer after all you went through that Covid was what did you in. And nothing you could do about it.
Either way you were epic!
LikeLike
Well how about them apples! What a turn of events, and STILL what a journey, you should be very satisfied with the whole experience regardless of the surprise ending. I must admit to you that I was counting down the days…it has been a long time to be so far away. Jim and Star must be ecstatic to have you back at home.Do rest up and get that Nasty Virus behind you. (We are both coping with RSV it seems and it’s just about as bad as Covid, although we do have more energy this time.)Diseased air-hugs all around, and a pat and a scratch for Star, tomas & Anne
LikeLike
This is gre
LikeLike
what an amazing trip!!
hope you are well, look forward to meeting up for dinner soon!
Maureen
LikeLike
Oh no!! Gutted for you – what a way to finish but you have been (yet again) a superstar on a bike! Goes without saying you should be soooo proud of what you have done… I loved reading your posts albeit with a feeling of relief that I wasn’t with you on this one!! Looked bloody hard work … need to arrange a visit to the warmth to see you and the gorgeous Jim xx
LikeLike
Barb,
Oh My! What an incredible ending to your journey! So glad you found a way home! Rest up for a few days and then we can connect !
Love you!
Jan
LikeLike
I am so glad that you are home again, and so is Jim I am sure. Now I hope that covid doesn’t treat you badly, take good care of yourself. And don’t pass it on! Enjoy warmth and baths, one can’t take it for granted.
Love, Jutta
LikeLike
Glad you made it home safely, I enjoyed your updates on the trip. I know Jim will make sure you are taking care of yourself and hope your experience with COVID is uneventful..
Lynette
LikeLike
Ooof! What an ending. Both anti-climactic and uber-climactic at the same time. That was a serious test of a trip, Barb. Glad you made it home to rest and heal. Thank you for this blog!!
LikeLike
Incredible indeed! As I’m sure your family agrees, I’m glad you are safe and sound at home (well, safe at least. :)) I bet it will take a year to process this incredible journey, maybe more, and it has now become an intimate part of who you are. You’ve always been stellar. I have a feeling though that this accomplishment is so personal that only you will know fully what it means to have done it. You’ve got a lot of fans here, and you know I am one, but we can only imagine – through your very well written blog and photos and maps – how difficult this was. I look so forward to hearing some recaps in person. And yes, I view this as a completion, from start to finish, all the way to the finish line, no matter what the unforeseen circumstances in the middle and the COVID at the end. You never, ever gave up. There’s always luck, both good and bad, with something epic like this, and you gave it everything, plus some! You persevered with all you had and through everything within your control. That, my friend, is incredible! Rest up, enjoy your well-deserved R&R, and please let the self-satisfaction flow free. You did it.
LikeLike
Hi Barb,
A pity that the trip ended that way but in no way does it diminish how incredible you were to do what you did.
Well done you.
Thanks for enabling us to share in the ups and downs!
LikeLike
Wh
LikeLike