Perito Moreno is a small town in the north-west of Santa Cruz province, on the edge of the Patagonian steppe, and it has nothing to do with the famous glacier except the name. Both honour Francisco Moreno, the nineteenth-century explorer who mapped much of southern Argentina and was given the title perito, expert, for his role in settling the border dispute with Chile. The town is a service stop with a handful of low houses, a plaza, a few guesthouses and a petrol station, set in dry grassland with the green blue of Lake Buenos Aires, the second largest in South America, not far to the north-west at Los Antiguos.
The main attraction in the region lies to the south. The Cueva de las Manos, a rock shelter in the canyon of the Río Pinturas, is covered with stencilled hand prints made roughly nine thousand years ago, along with painted scenes of hunters chasing guanacos. The stained walls glow orange and red, and the canyon, with its steep sides, is an astonishing place in the silence of the steppe. It is recognised by UNESCO, and is reached by a gravel road that leaves Ruta 40 south of Perito Moreno.
For riders, this is the start of one of the loneliest and most spectacular stretches of Ruta 40. The road heads south across the empty plateau, sometimes paved and sometimes gravel, with the wind a constant companion. It can blow at gale force from the west, enough to push a bike across the lane, and the key is to lean into it and ride calmly. Guanacos graze beside the road, rheas run in the distance, and the horizon seems endless. Traffic is rare, so be prepared to be self-sufficient.
Fuel is the crucial point. There is a station in Perito Moreno, and the next reliable fuel is far to the south, with only tiny settlements between, so fill the tank, carry a spare can and check the distances. Pack warm clothing, water and food, since weather can turn cold even in summer. The best months are November to March, when days are long.