Argentina & Chile: gas availability? Help needed.

[Sergio Fonseca]

Hello folks, great site.
We are going to Atacama desert from Brazil, crossing Argentina, via Paso Sico. Due the arduousness of the Altiplano, we are a little bit concerned with availability of gas in the region between Salta (AR) - San Antonio de Los Cobres (Ar) - Cachauri (AR) Catuá (Border AR and CH) up to San Pedro de Atacama (CH). Going back, the same problem, but in the region Copiapó (CH) - Paso San Francisco (border AR and CH) - Fiambalá - Tinogasta - Chilecito. Does anybody know the availability of gas in such trip branches?
Sergio

[GlobeBusters]

Back in 2000, we rode from Salta up to Susques and crossed by Paso de Jama, then down to San Pedro de Atacama. We met a German couple on this road who had come up from San Antonio de Cobres, on Teneres. They had no fuel issues.

Above is a slightly different routing, but I do not recall we had an issue with petrol. Susques, the border town, did have a pump and we filled up there.

This route was awesome, remote, salt flats, but left us cold and breathless. At the time we were on an old R80GS and it struggled no more than 25mph at altitude (but we didn't fiddle with carbs or anything).

[This message has been edited by GlobeBusters (edited 08 January 2005).]

[Sergio Fonseca]

Thanks GB.
We intend to cross the border through Paso Sico and seems that "fueling up" in San Antonio de Los Cobres we will not have fuel issues. Since our major concern will be in the trip back, in the branch between Copiapo and the border, we decided to buy a 10 liter extra tank. This will provide extra +/- 150 km, and we can reach a gas station in the Argentinian territory. How was your trip? Any other tip that you can give to us?
Thank you very much.
Greetings from Brazil
SF