After a (ok, very...) long winter break, I eventually jumped back on my bicycle. I cycled on beautiful roads and tracks from Bariloche, Argentina, to Pucon, Chile. The wheels bumps over gravel, steep rises the road towards the border. On the only rainy day I reach the "Epulafquen" hot springs, just before the border. An abandoned luxury spa replaced the tent for the night, I lay in the hot pool for hours and let the rain falling on my face. Fast downhill on gravel into the Chilean lowlands. Every two or three curves the Villarica Vulcano appeares on the horizon, every two, three curves slightly larger. My route takes me directly through the same named national park. The ranger at the entrance looks skeptical on my bicycle. The road is "muy dificil", very difficult, not for cars and hardly suitable for bicycles. I grin "es bueno" and the tires crunching through the dark volcanic sand. Steep and washed climbs the road through old, natural forest. Downhill on the next day, rather trail riding than smooth downhill. At the very bottom eventually waits a fine paved road which leads direct to Pucon. Roughly twenty thousand habitants live here, can marvel at the almost perfect volcanic cone from anywhere in the city. And the volcano is not only beautiful, it is also easy to climb and hence the tourist top attraction. At Pucons main street, tour vendor beside tour vendor court for customer attraction. The National Park Service supports the business, solo climbs are theoretically possible, but the effort - required permits, certificates and equipment - is so high that it is hardly worth.
With two mountain experienced swiss guys and a guide we start early in the morning our way up. Much faster than the other groups we reach the top, have it all to ourselves. Acrid vapor rises from the crater, it stinks, scratching in the throat. But the view is awesome. The descent is fast, the majority is sliding down on the bum, extremely fun! Back at the hostel, the summit is celebrated with a beer or two.
A lot lonelier but no less beautiful is Mirador (viewpoint) El Cañi. Steep and exhausting path leads up onto a rock on almost 1600m. Who takes the effort will be rewarded with incredible views of three beautiful volcanoes: Lanin, Villarica, Llaima. I stay overnight, gorgeous sunset, starry sky, perfect sunrise. A perfect place.
My thanks to Thomas_U who sent me here!

Heinrich said: "Well, at last it works even further, Stefan was already getting fat and lazy from all the steaks, chocolates and red wine in Bariloche. But I did not understand why he didn't bring some red wine to the hot springs. Thats unprofessional! And the whining because of gravel and steep and so on... come on! Now he sits again in a hostel and waits for the next asado. And although there are not even some elk girls here for me! Grrrr!"