The route - Why am I tracing the route?

Before posting more about the routes I should clarify something some people have been telling me lately about my route planning. I have been posting drafts of the routes I would like to take while on the route and how many kilometres I have to cycle in each of the countries I would like to visit, but this are drafts, not the actual route I'm going to follow while traveling.

A lot of people have told me that I'm going to change my route and that planning it's kind of nonsense, and yes, I agree with them partially, certainly if I reach a town and somebody tell me, you should follow this route, is going to be way more beautiful and shorter than the one you have planned, yes, I'm probably going to do some research and follow the advice, or if I meet other cyclist and he/she/they tell me it's better to cycle till some point and then take another route, again, I'm going to do some research and evaluate what to do.

So then, why am I spending time on tracing the route if afterwards I'm going to do something else maybe? Well, I've found out it's quite informative to do this, I have been finding some hidden gems and some problems I would like to have solved before I start the trip, mostly have clear information of what I'm going to find while on the road, for example I have found out that there is a really long distance between 2 cities in the Argentinian patagonia (from Comodoro Rivadavia to Trelew, around 3 or 4 days of just cycling with no towns in between and no water maybe). Also I found out that there is no bridge to cross the amazonas river and that I have to take a boat in one of three towns only to be able to reach Macapá. I've found out the guianas is going to be quite straight forward because there are no many roads to follow. I've found out it's way shorter to cross Brazil through the middle rather than following the coast but despite this I will have to extend my tourist visa because it's going to take me longer that 90 days (which are the days I'm allowed inside Brazil with no visa). I've found out that google maps sucks in some countries and that I shouldn't rely on this but on other sources of information for following maps (openstreet map maybe). And other kind of interesting information about places.

So this is why I'm tracing the route, mainly to get more info of the places I'm going, what to visit and where to head next. Because as long as I'm tracing I see pictures and find more info the places, when I find a problem I go to the interweb and try to find someone that have already been cycling in the place, info, tips, pictures, whatever info I can find. Also I can get an estimate of how long is going to take each country and the complete trip and decide if I need to find out how to extend my free 90 days visa in each country or not. So yeah, I will keep doing it till I end up with a round of the South American continent, because it helps me keep thinking about the travel, things I need and how to do it in case I encounter natural barriers, it helps me to imagine the gear I will need and what I should buy/get and so on.

So yeah, that's it, in case you are wondering why I'm tracing the route, I have some reasons and I've found out it helps, beacuse I've done it for previous trips.

My Shelter.

Tent or Hammock?

It took me a while to decide what kind of shelter to use, options were only 2 though; basically I would go either for a tent or for a hammock.

Hammock.

Tent.

Despite the fact that the hammock looks extremely comfy, light and useful in the jungle, specially for places like Brazil, the Guyana and Venezuela, I won't have all the time 2 trees or poles where to hang the hammock. This will be mainly when beginning my trip through Chile, the Argentinian Patagonia and then Uruguay. Therefore I think the best option is a tent.


I looked a lot in Chilean retailers and mountain stores for a tent but none of the ones I found would have what I want/need, something light, that would protect me from A LOT of rain and that can be used in warm weather. Sadly most of the things I can get here in Chile are for high mountains or extreme good weather.

Lucky me, my friend Jota is in Canada now and he can bring me a tent from there which as I expected, had more options where to choose. 

Mec and their tents.

Mountain equipment coorp offers a nice variety of tents and hammocks, among these the famous hubba hubba tent, some MSR, Big Agnes and their own Mec tents.

What I chose for the trip is the Mec Volt A/C 2 Tent for CAD$299. Is not as light as I would like but for the prices is quite OK I think.

Among the reasons why I chose this tent are:

• Is free standing, meaning I can camp anywhere.
• Has 2 doors, pretty good for the heat if I need a breeze to get in the tent.
• Inner walls are mostly mesh fabric, so in good weather I can use it without the fly and still not get mosquitoes in.
• Floor is 10000 mm waterproof.
• Fly is 1500 mm waterproof.
• It has 2 vestibules, one for the things one for me.
• I can use just the fly without the actual tent so If I need temporal shelter I can use the fly and protect myself.
• Because of the price I can also get a footprint.
• Reviews seem good and point to a good product.

Mec Volt A/C 2

The color of the tent is quite light for my like but at least is not orange or red, which makes stealth camping a bit more difficult.

Together with the tent, as I mentioned before, I'm getting a footprint to use the fly as shelter:

Tent's Footprint.

This will allow me to easily mount shelter for things and me if I need to wait some time or cook or I just feel like sleeping like that.

So that will be. My friend Jota will buy me the tent in Canada and bring it back with him. I got really lucky he's there now otherwise I would have had to buy it and then ship it which would cost lot more.

Eight Months till I start my journey!