Day 34 - The cycle touring pessimist is born

Cafayate to Santa Maria (80km) Wednesday 21st September


Despite our tired heavy legs we both agreed
that it felt good to be back on the bikes and on the move.  On the way out of town we bumped into two crazy cyclists (one Polish one French), brandishing sheep's skulls on their handlebars (we didn't ask!!) who were unfortunately travelling in the opposite direction (figured they would have been fun to hang with for a bit!). The polish guy had come all the way from Tierra del Fuego in 7months (eeek!) and the French guy had taken a year to travel up from Buenos Aires, apparently due to making a video?! Both were wearing very little and had a dusty hue to their clothes, kit and bikes making us look positively vibrant. They also left us contemplating how long we should leave it before we start to delayer and attempt to even out the cycle tan - suns out guns out and all!! To the relief of the onlookers we kept our pasty white bodies hidden for at least another day!
As for the road today, it was long, curvy, dusty, sandy, gently rolling, and the trees got more crispy and less green, but thankfully were still present. As the day went on and the sun got hotter and hotter (lower altitude and clear skies!) the trees earned their worth by being shady as well as punctuating our landscape.


After days of challenges in Peru I promised myself I'd try to stay as positive as possible when writing these posts. A good way to do this is to ask Ant to summarise what he thought of the day - he usually picks out some interesting and quirky detail I'd missed. So I will give you his report from the day:


"suffering, pain and misery... Followed by more, bumpy, suffering pain and misery"


Well there you go!


In fairness it wasn't anywhere near 'Peru' bad, the road was pleasant (initially), the distance manageable, the scenery beautiful if not a little deserty - we both just found it hot and difficult. Perhaps our bodies were suffering from hamburger for breakfast' withdrawal symptoms - the fruit and pastries were good but seemingly not enough.
So we suffered along for the first 55km until our first major decision of the day: Take routa 40, positives: a back, quieter, flatter road towards Rioja; negatives: Less towns and amenities, more camping and carrying supplies in days to come; or take the main road towards Tucuman, positives: Food, water, places to stay; negatives: Main road, traffic, less adventure, oh and a bloody big climb over a mountain.
For me the decision was easy (I'm not climbing over that thing!), for Ant the decision was easy, (bloody hate traffic), so we turned onto routa 40...
...which turned into rippio...
25km of bumping and grinding (no not like that Tom... Waaaay!!) - our heads down, our bikes rattling, our hands numb, the sun boiling hot - and even I started to think that climbing might have been preferable.
But the rippio got firmer and more manageable, and the road at times even showed signs of its 'paved' past. (I'm not sure if Ant was more annoyed that there WAS rippio, or that his map told him there was definitely NOT rippio... He's just summarised his feelings about the map: Turns out he's not angry just " disappointed with its sloppy Portrayal of reality... I mean it's not hard is it!!").
As the road progressed it unveiled that it's actually the purgatory between the old and the new. A half attempt to resurface this section, clearly abandoned some time ago, with the pot holed paved road hidden underneath the flattened gravel, just waiting for its friend Tarmac Adam to come along. I fear he will be waiting rather a long time!
5km before Santa Maria and our eyes lit up - a new province and perhaps a new road budget? Either way the tarmac not only helped us reach out destination for today, but gives us (probably false!) hope that the next 500km to Rioja might not actually be the suffering bumpy hell we've resigned ourselves to... Cross your fingers and toes and we shall do the same! Perhaps mappy can redeem himself in Ant's eyes after all (Ant shakes his head... Perhaps not!).
So after a cycle around town to find its centre, we came across hotel plaza (650pasos), a quaint but comfortable, if not slightly smoke and sewer smelling room, with an awesome shower! All we needed now was a long cold beer to wash the day away...
... Oh yes of course... Today is the day of no alcohol in this province!!
Dinner was expensive, with all the promise of taste and tenderness, but again displaying the arrogant mediocracy we've come to expect (this nation sure have perfected adding essence of rubbery leather to their world renowned beef... For the record, Ant is again not angry... Just disappointed!!), oh and they didn't even have a large bottle of water to wash it down with... (Ant might be angry at this point!).