KM 430 - LaRioja

We´re now three days cycling north of San Juan and just yesterday crossed into the desert province of La Rioja. Its been and scorching, sweltering, baking hot every day. Somtimes feel like one of those poor shriveled hot dogs you see on the carosels in the 7-11 with beads of sweat on them. We´ve had to carry as much as 8 liters of water on some longer empty stretches of road.

Its beautiful country though mostly desert with amazing multicoloured mountains and outcropts bordering the dry valleys. The only green is where run off from the mountains have been dammed to allow irrigation where vineyards and olive tree flourish in the heat.

Camped in the desert for the second time the night before last. We had ridden 90 kms and the next oasis was another 50 kms away...too hot and late to go any further. Remembered then that camping is a lot of work especially when you´re tired from riding. Found a nice spot behind a tree to set up the tents but had to kick the ground clear of cactus and cactus spike. Also wanted to find spots clear of the slither marks in the sand made by snakes. Then Al started getting food out of his pack and found that the small wax covered cheese ball that he had in his pack had ¨melted´ into clothes, bike tools, etc (yaaa that´s why the dogs were sniffing the packs in the last town). Took him almost an hour to clean up the mess and bat away the bees that had also found the cheese. Finally got dinner going and poured the hot boxed wine into cups...not very refreshing but still a nice quite setting. Sleeping was another struggle the sand was hot and even with sleep mats it was like sleeping on a heating blanket turned to high. Finally cooled by 1 or 2 am and woke late to make fresh coffee.

The next day rode to ....(photos and more when we get to a non-dialup internet commection)