North Bariloche to Aguada Florencio Day 46 Jan 25 14

 

Spent the early part of the morning drying out our tents and enjoying the surroundings of this scenic camp site….little did we know how this night would be spent. Likely on the road around 10 am with sunny skies and warmer temps. Our destination was Zapala about 400k away….we wouldn’t make it. The route took us through some great paved roads…then the dreaded Ripo…..with heavy weekend traffic headed to the Resort Town of San Martin…..the ripo lasted about 60k…..they are currently paving this stretch…so it will likely be completely paved by year’s end.  San Martin is at the end of this Lake. San Martin is a large Centre with Hotels, Restaurants and Bars scattered amongst it many blocks….what I found nerve racking was driving in these towns….no stop signs at intersections…not sure who has the right of way……seems like the most daring…  A dormant Volcano near La Rinconada… The landscape is mostly Pampa/ gaucho land…….we are about 70 miles from our destination when we see a couple with a Honda Translap at the side of the road….we turn around to see if they have a problem…yes out of fuel…..Antonio gives them his 4 litres and we bid them CHOW…Antonio says he got 500 pesos for about 70 pesos of fuel……..we don’t go 1 k and Antonio is wiggly up ahead….the bike has a rear flat…… We spend 1/2 hour in repairing it only to find that the tube is not properly in the tire…..another hour passes, we cannot break the bead and get the tire off….a car passes then turns around and 2 young lads ask Antonio in Espanol of course can they help….YES… they take over and in 20 minutes have the tire fixed with a spare tube that Antonio had..which also needed a couple patches……Antonio had screwed the original trying to get the tire off the second time…….Great kids…they refuse any money for their help…..though I am sure they could use some cash…their car had completely bald front tires….but here again is the kindness of strangers……We manage about 10 k and Antonio is doing a wobble again….he stops and puts more air in…..500 yards again more air…another 100 yards it is flat……we pull over in the middle of basically a desert with small shrubs and a house across the road.……its getting dark…..the tire is not going to be repaired tonight….Antonio asks if we can sleep in the building next to the road…..Yes…so we camp under a star studded sky without our tents. Antonio has taken my bike and gone up the hwy…apparently their is a mechanic about 4 k away….hopefully so…its Sunday who knows….if not its 70 miles up the road….and here I sit leaning against a brick wall typing this blog while plugged into Antonio’s bike for power.No mechanic…..Antonio is frustrated but the son of the kind home owner who let us camp shows up and takes over the project…more tomorrow as the problems continue……….LOL