Temuco – Collipulli – 102 km
Albeit a mild headwind in the afternoon, the day remained a super day of biking.
The cold south had softened us up, and loads of sunscreen were required.
However, being in warm weather without a howling wind was indeed a pleasure.
The small town of Collipulli was up next and came with the historical Malleco
Viaduct, today a national monument. The bridge consisted of a railway bridge built
in 1890, the highest such bridge in the world. I loved these little villages where
people went about their lives without the tourist influence. Collipulli had a central
park/plaza, colourful wooden houses, a market, a church, and a town hall. A
guesthouse in the centre made it an excellent place to chill out after a day on the
bike.
Collipulli – Los Angeles – 77 km
Blue skies abounded and the sun was out, making biking the Pan Americana
Highway (Route 5) a delight. The route to Los Angeles ran through a wooded area
with substantial rivers and a few camping areas.
As the previous days, we encountered plenty of roadside food stalls, frequented
mainly by truck drivers. Closer to Los Angeles, the countryside became more rural
with vast farmlands. Not to be confused with Los Angeles in the USA, this was an
agricultural town with the highest rural population of any Chilean municipality.
Los Angeles was close to the Laguna del Laja National Park and, consequently, a
jumping board for those wishing to visit the park. The previous year’s earthquake
hit the region hard, and the town was still recovering. Rebuilding was in progress,
but sadly several buildings were still in ruins. Our abode came with a TV and a
BBC news channel and it seemed not an awful lot was missed. It was amusing to
see what the BBC considered world news.