Today was the reason I came on this trip. We rode along Lago Nahuel Huapi, a 50-mile long lake surrounded by spectacular mountains with fresh summer snow on the peaks. San Carlos de Bariloche is built like a Swiss village at the bottom of the Alps of the Andes. Not only does the scenery remind people of Switzerland, but the buildings copy Swiss architecture. Itīs really refreshing here with its blue skies after Chile.
Chile started with good weather and rides through what looked like California wine country. Then it became rain riding, wet camping and bathroom going. I was among those struck by the Revenge of the Incas. After my attack, wherein I lost all energy within a few hours and had to use the toilet a lot, someone asked me if Iīd lost any weight, yet. I replied, "The other night, I lost six pounds in seven hours."
After days of wet riding, I barely had the excitement to take an added detour. Estelle Gray of R&E Cycles in Seattle, told me about a kiddie slide in Entre Lago, Chile. It wasnīt very impressive when I first spotted it, until I realized it kept going down a hill for a total drop of about 30 feet. In spite of the rain, I had to go down the slide. I was lucky. My butt is large enough to get me stuck at the bottom. Another rider, Jim Trout, wasnīt so lucky. With his skinny butt, he hit the bottom at full speed and slid ten feet thru the mud. The groundskeepers thought we were nuts. It was tempting to say, "Itīs o.k., weīre tourists."
The weather cleared up enough climbing over the Andes to see that we were missing some spectacular scenery behind the clouds. Once over the top of a 4290ft pass, the clouds cleared so a lot of photos were taken on the way down - over the WORST gravel road Iīve ever ridden. I had to deal with three flats while taking three hours to go 20km. Tomorrow, we have an overnight ten-hour flight to Johannesburg, South Africa. Iīll remember the dry side of the Andes and Chilean corn. One night at dinner I announced, "Some people judge sexual prowess by the size of a personīs (harumph). I think this is incorrect. People should be judged by the size of their hearts and the size of their corn." At that point I held up an ear of Chilean choclo 12" long and 3-1/2" in diameter.
My legs are getting strong enough to stand on the pedals for most hills (not mountains). The food, when the vendors didnīt run out, has been good, but the group is ready for something other than Chilean hockey puck bread for breakfast. South Africa is eagerly anticipated in spite of the reports of flooding in Kruger National Park. At least it should be warmer than the chilly Chilean mornings. At least in Johannesburg, we get a night in a hotel after two weeks of camping.
Because this was composed at an internet cafe rather than at camp, I didn't have my notes or the editing ability to write tighter prose. As one of the few riders who actually rode thru Chile (one newspaper article said riders took taxis to the next destination), I'm tired and need some recovery. Iīm sure my next expose from somewhere in South Africa will be better.
Happy Trails,
Bruce