Desert Ride to San Luis

I know this blog is called Andes Bike but this week maybe it should be Desert Bike. After studying maps and getting a bit restless in San Juan, legs weary for the last mountain segment, we headed east away from the Andes towards the Central Sierra mountains in the provinces of Cordoba and San Luis on routes 20 and 147.

Day 1 out of San Juan - We knew we would be fighting a head wind most of the way but didn't think it would be too tough as it had been quite calm for several days but as bad luck would have it woke up to curtains blowing wildly in the open windows of my hotel room on the morning of the starting day - winds blowing directly from the east where we were headed. Oh well it was sunny and warm anyway. Actually the first part of the ride was nice peddling through the vineyards of San Juan province, passing endless vineyards growing Muscat grapes for Cinzano's vermouth distillery (located in the city). The vineyards in that area are all sheltered by big cottonwood windbreaks making the ride easier but also were an indicator of the perennial tortuous winds that come in off of the desert.

Stopped for a nice lunch of sliced meat and cheese on fresh bread and watched the one and only train that I have ever seen working pass by - only 8 cars and the bright yellow locomotive of the Alliance Latino Logistica?. By early afternoon we were past all civilization well into the desert heads down pedaling into the hot wind - felt like riding uphill back in the mountains. We were both wondering why the hell we were doing this. The only civilization out here was a couple of dying government sponsored agriculture projects consisting of hundreds of acres of vineyards and olive groves that were in really poor shape. Wondering if the water out here was too salty or if it was just too hot for anyone to care. Dead cattle by the road did not give us a reasuring feeling.

Finally made it to our destination, the little oasis of Encon, by early evening. Just a rough truck stop with a gas station, a police check point (more bureaucracy), a little restaurant, and cold BEER. Camped just out of town in the prickly desert in a storm of flying bugs. Safe and protected in out tents but were kept up all night by noisy trucks passing by and nosy (maybe lonely) farrel horses walking by looking at us in the night.

Day 2 Encon to San Antonio - Mornings come early in the desert and the tents get hot about 5 minutes after the sun comes up .... no chance to sleep in even if the muscles hurt. But the good thing is that most of the bugs are gone when it gets hot. Checked our shoes for scorpions, packed up camp, and made that oh so important pot of Starbucks coffee (yep still have a bit left).

Another tough morning riding into the wind but scenery was getting better as the San Juan river (brown and shallow as it is) flowed along side of the road for most of the day creating this broad green swath through the otherwise brown desert. By mid day the river had fanned out to form a huge marsh attracting birds, wild horses, and foxes (zorros). There was no lake or continuing stream, the thirsty land just sucked up the river here and that was the end - I guess it is similar to the famous Etosha (sp?) pans in Africa where rivers just end in Botswana's northern deserts attracting thousands of animals.

After riding up and into the wind gradually gaining about 400 meters we finally came to the fork in the road that would take us south to San Luis and best of all maybe a bit of a tail wind. The scenery improved too as we approached the Quihadas national park http://welcomeargentina.com/paseos/parque_las_quijadas/index_i.html with its orange sandstone cliffs and rugged peaks. Camped just past San Antonio in another pricky site but further from the road and sheltered by some Acacia trees. Watched satellites cross the moonless sky and marveled at the southern cross through the mesh window of my tent before crashing to sleep.

Day 3 San Antonio to San Luis - Nothin like a tailwind to lift your spirits. Nothin like a tailwind and down hill to make for a great day....we rode for 3 or 4 hours with only a couple of quick stops (to fix my flat tires) and finally stopped for lunch at around 2pm. Well all good things must come to an end, started the 30 km hill into San Luis after lunch but tailwind made it bearable and the thought of refreshments in a big town was the carrot we needed. Got into San Luis about 4 pm, nice little town of about 100,000. Quiet provincial capital, some small factories, nice old buildings, and friendly people. 300 kms behind us (1500 total so far in the trip) and time for a break.