This trip certainly exceeded my expectations - so I am very happy indeed. From my experience as a participant & sometimes as an organiser, on many motorcycle, mountain biking & road cycling, golfing tours - I offer the following:
1. GROUP DYNAMIC 9.5/10.0 weighting 60% - this worked well because the number was not more than 8 - everyone sat at the same table & got to know each other - so there was more tolerance for the slower & less confident / competent riders. Ulli has the right demeanor to handle such a group of disparate ‘A’ types - and to keep a sense of humour - although I would say he was sorely tested (always there is ‘one’ that fails to listen & heads off in the wrong direction from the get go! - and towards the end when fatigue was taking it’s toll & the pressure was on the laggards leading to mistakes & grumpiness). Elke, his very good wife, provided exceptional hospitality at the welcoming dinner and again in the beautiful home at the conclusion of the tour - which added a dimension of a very much more intimate friendship.
2. WEATHER 8.0/10.0 weighting 15% - we got the rain that we was indicated in the outline of the Tour - it was on 2 days only out of 9 so I think we were lucky.
3. ROUTING 9,5/10.0 weighting 15% - Patagonia was a display of the best of Nature in ABUNDANCE! Endless wonderful landscapes of snow capped mountains, dramatic volcanoes, magnificent lakes & rivers, beautiful trees & fertile valleys - and very little population. Also 9 days is enough riding for most people.
4. ACCOMMODATIONS / LODGINGS / MEALS / BACK UP - 7.0/10.0 really only count for the remaining 10% weighting. The Rangi Hotel in Pucon was fine but there is a lot of disturbances throughout the 3 nights I was there from a staff/delivery entrance to a building to left & across the road. The other hotels were very good [and some] were rather rustic but acceptable & in keeping with the locations. It was a bit surprsing that so many dinners were not included in the overall package - it would be best to take these out altogether & reduce the package price - but food was very acceptable. Back up from Christian was very thorough & unfailingly cheerful - and he came to the fore to deal with the unfortunate injury.
OVERALL 9,025/10.0 - which is really EXCELLENT.
MOTORCYCLE RENTAL 10,0/10,0 - I was provided with a brand new BMW GS 1200 with shift assist - which is what I ride in SA - so I was very happy. The inclusion of the 650cc Kawasaki KLR’s was a mismatch in terms of those riders keeping up the pace - but was appropriate for the limited experience of those riders.
CRITICISM - would be of myself - and that would be that I should seek a better match of riding capabilities amongst the other participants - but I appreciate there is an offset for the benefits of a guided tour, especially given my inability to understand or to speak any Spanish.
