This route was found in an old magazine in Patagonia.
For the most part the route has been followed. So far such an enjoyable ride.
19 /4/2014 El Soberbio to San Pedro
D115, T7, Av18.17, Max 60, 1431, Tot 27,043, 1546
Overcast, cool, showers later.
The couple of days rest in El Soberbio was excellent. The ride to the falls was really hard work in the humidity and heat.
The forecast for yesterday was rain, not a drop fell.
This morning it poured heavily with thunder activity. By the time I was ready to leave about 0930 it had ceased.
Leaving town was a steady climb, into thick cloud.
My rear light was used.
Riding again was just up one hill and back down.
Some 50 km on, I reached San Vicente and rejoined Ruta 14.
This is the main road and the gradients were very easy, great time was made. The weather was holding and energy levels were high. There was a real possibility of reaching San Pedro.
The roadside was always occupied by people walking or waiting for someone.
So, it was a day of greetings.
Having been wet, the shoulder near driveways was always littered with the red dirt here.
For the first time I was having problems with my legs.
My left ankle was aching and my right leg was giving me trouble.
The ride up to the park may have stirred up the knee. The ankle was rolled a week ago whilst camping.
I just hope these problems don’t persist, fingers crossed.
It might be time for a good break.
Really today was non eventful.
I stopped in San Vicente for a fresh water melon and kept going.
Last night I had eaten two huge pork chops and salad in a restaurant.
This was still giving me energy.
Nearing San Pedro, a police road block was set up.
Here they stopped me, the first time for ages.
He asked a few idle questions and told me to proceed.
Nearing town a guy and his girl on a motorbike I had seen earlier were stopped up ahead.
Mauricio told me of a cheap hotel.
The American.
He was waiting in town at the hotel to introduce me to the owner.
This was great after such a big day.
Once settled in here the best hot shower for a long time was enjoyed.
The extremes in temperature here are quite amazing, one day thirty plus the next in the low twenties.
The temperature today coupled with the easy climbs allowed for good k’s.
The owner’s wife took me to a restaurant at the bus terminal. There was no one dining there so I wandered back to town and bought salami, cheese, tomatos and onion to have on crackers in the room.
My right knee was still sore and grinding on climbing into bed.
20/4/2014 San Pedro to Jaunita
D76, T9, Av14.72, Max60, Tot 27,119 1622
Cloudy mild
Camping in church
Upon arising in the morning , it was found my right leg was still sore. It is muscles behind the knee, though not the hamstring.
I’m slowly shedding little things not being used to decrease weight it all helps, here a pack of cards and the instructions and maintenance documents for my stove were left. Aftershave lotion was left at the last motel.
I decided to ride in my x trainers so as to give the leg every bit of support I could.
Nine km out of town the roundabout with exits to Ruta 14 or 20 was arrived at.
I decided to take Ruta 14. I knew it was not paved.
Wel,l once on this red brown surface that had no gravel in it, the going got difficult.
In the higher patches no problem, but in the wet patches it was almost impossible to negotiate. The mud was like ice and at slow speed it was mayhem.
Once stopped, and trying to get going again the rear wheel was just spinning. This happened a few times.
Some 3 km, I decided to give it a miss and head back.
More rain would have made even pushing the bike impossible.
On the way back to Ruta 20, I dropped the bike in the red slurry.
Getting back on the asphalt, probably half a kilo heavier with mud, it was nice to be just ambling along again.
Though it got me thinking that up north, once off the asphalt and onto these surfaces, any rain will make the passage impossible.
Ruta 20 was a pleasure, it climbed into the ranges and when up here in the sub tropical forest there were stalls on the side on the road with handmade baskets and wooden carved animals. The owners were Indio Nativos,Guaronias.
Their huts were in amongst the forest. It made for interesting scenery along the way.
I had no idea Argentina contained lands and people like I have been riding through and meeting up here in Misiones. It is quite amazing.
All this area is around400- 600m. Pozo Azul was 530m. Piray mini was at 474m.
Coming down a reasonably long descent from where these people lived. A small community was arrived at. Here a stream was accessible with my bike.
I took it down here to wash the remaining mud from the frame and panniers that couldn’t be removed earlier.
There was a climb up out of here to the intersection at Pozo Azul.
It was Easter Sunday, good in that the road was almost truck free and bad in that all the tiendas here were closed.
After turning right onto Ruta 17, a sign showed an Heladeria, the door was open in the house so I pulled in.
I sat on the front porch and ate the ice cream talking with a couple of people.
An older man came out and asked me if I would like to join them for lunch.
Out through the house on the back porch was a typical easter family gathering with lots of food at a long table.
This was unreal.
I helped myself to homemade empanadas, beef asado, chicken stew and a lovely fresh squeezed pomelo juice.
The family were great.
They gave me heaps of info on the roads ahead.
They lived on 70 acres some with forest.
Three families shared it. After a couple of hours I left there well feed.
A nice interlude into an otherwise hilly day’s progress.
From here, the road passed through large pine plantations. At most homes people were having lunch in big groups.
Many people were playing futbol on dirt fields near the road.
Soon the need to top up my water supply for the night arose.
The house I stopped at said they had no town water but well water. It was so sweet.
By this time it was getting late.
There were lots of evangelical churches in all the pueblitos.
So, I wasn’t too worried about finding a campsite.
The padres are always friendly.
Once I got to a tiny pueblito Juanito I spotted a church off the road up a track.
They allowed me to camp in the pavilion.
I was even allowed to move into the lock up kitchen area with power.
It was a cool evening.
When camped under shelter like this I only use the tent inner and use the fly as a blanket it works really well keeping me warm and cosy.
21/4/2013 Jaunita to San Antonio
D70, T8, Av16.39, Max60, Tot27,189, 1699
Overcast, late drizzle, 25°, little wind
Hotel
For breakfast I finished off some pasta and tuna, as well as having my porridge.
Again my leg ached. It is not good.
The aching saps a bit of energy from my right leg and puts a burden on the other leg.
I thanked the pastor and left some potatoes with his wife.
They lived in a tiny one room timber hut next to the church. These kind of dwellings are all through the tropical places I have visited in Asia.
Once one the road it was all hills, small properties, people on the roadside and brown dirt in lumps where someone had driving out of a property.
It was great riding again, always something to see.
Once at Dos Hermanas. I pulled into the general store there.
There were people everywhere.
They sold absolutely everything.
All at really good prices. Here alcohol to prime the stove was bought and some shaving foam along with fruit and the obligatory coke.
I also bought some local ointment for my leg and applied a lot of it to my right leg before leaving.
From here, it was an enjoyable less undulating ride to Bernado de Irigoyen, a border town with Brazil.
There were Brasilleros everywhere, they all drive over the border to go shopping. They buy all sorts of stuff, especially perfumes and wine, it is all alot cheaper here.
People had trolleys full of cooking oi,l you name it.
There were shops everywhere catering for this trade, every second car was registered in Brazil.
Here I had a leisurely lunch in the park.
Time was spent speking with Brasilleros, they kind of understood my Spanish, I understood little Potuguese. Though we worked things out.
After a couple of hours here i headed off for San Antonio.
It was an easy ride with the last part all down hill.
I arrived in the small border town where people just walk across the border. There are customs and immigration here also.
I hung around the motel chatting with people till the owner got back.
It was a laid back place. Mate was shared with the owner of a moto shop next to the hotel
Thunder rolled in on dark. Again, I am having to play cat and mouse with this rain.
I have been told there is no real dry season here. The driest months are December and January.
It was a basic motel but sufficed, washing was done.
I wandered up town in the rain to grab an ice cream or two Menta Granazada of course!!
A pedestal fan was left going all night in an attempt to dry the washing.
22/4/2014 San Antonio to Andresito
D70, T4, Av18.36, Max60, Tot 27,259, 1769
Mild and overcast, no wind
Apartment
All my clothes were dry, thanks to the pedestal fan on high speed at close range.
Leaving town, some bread was bought.
The ride was easy going, again all forms of agriculture kept me occupied.
People were planting Yerba, carting tobacco, hand slashing Barner grass among other activities.
I recently compiled a bunch of new music to a play list on my ipod.
This was being enjoyed along the way on my speaker. It is great, I can still hear approaching traffic from behind.
The road is narrow with no shoulder, most people are really courteous. When coming into towns I turn the music off, or if it is local music it is left on.
Evangelical churches were still much a part of the landscape.
They are an indication of an areas economy, sadly where people are struggling, at least in their eyes. They tend to seize the opportunity to offer their kind of hope.
Obviously, some people find this worth clinging to.
Time was spent chatting to a few guys, who were sitting on the side of the road with a load of dried tobacco.
It is sold to the big players.
There are lots of rural schools along the way, each is named with only a number.
The students wear white lab type long shirts and coats. They really contrast with other clothing worn by most people.
Interestingly back in the states I was at a game of gridiron watching a hosts son play at Sulpur in Louisiana. I started to take a photo of some young school girls practising their cheer leader routine. The lady teaching them came and told me to stop.
It never even remotely dawned on me that she may have thought I was taking a photo for a reason other than fascination of a different aspect of ones culture.
I am now very conscious of taking photos of school children in that it may offend some. It is sad that all people are judged by some.
Lifes colour is defined by the red dirt, it is everywhere, on vehicles, streets, dogs, shoes, walls and floors. It is part of each day.
Arriving at the roundabout, the option was to go to Andresito, Wanda or take or Ruta 101. This ruta is dirt, it goes through the park. I would love to have taken it, but if in there, and the rains come, you literally couldn’t get out unaided with a loaded bike. If you managed to, the mud coming along for the ride with you doesn’t bear thinking about.
I headed into Andresito. Stopping at the corner to get water from a construction yard, there was an avocado tree at the gate, avocados were all over the ground, here I had a feast of fresh Palta. Aguacate is the name for avocado up in Peru.
Further down the road a track was seen, here I pulled in. The surface had some grass on it.
Though, it didn’t take long to gather a layer of mud on my shoes.
It was great to lunch in the bush away from the road. Just me and the mosquitos!
Soon in Andresito, a young town, I headed to the restaurant opposite the plaza and used their wifi.
I noticed my front rack had a crack in it.
Asking about an engineering shop, one was found, here the guys braised the pieces back together.
Most motels were booked. So hunting about I found an apartment above the shop Bicimundo, it was a modern two bedroom setup with full kitchen.
All this for $13 the night, again I was spoilt.
I needed a haircut so wandered into town for a clip. Like all good hair dressers the guy was on for a yarn.
Dengue is a problem here, there were twelve cases in town last year.
Dinner was had back at the restaurant.
These small towns are always so easy to get things done in and people are always friendly.
Here in my blog, I like to express my feelings, opinions and thoughts about various aspects of our existence here.
In doing so, I can well imagine many of my ideals are not shared by readers leading “normal” lifestyles.
I do this, in the hope that it may make people question some of the things that control their lives.
I also do it as a record of my thoughts and feelings, it is going to be so interesting to look back on these words in many years to come. A great window to a past time in my life, a time for reflection will be afforded by this document.
Life really is quite short when you get to 57. Now on the home straight, as far as physical pursuits are concerned. I am doing my best to make the most of this time left in my life.
Out here on a lonely road in a foreign country on a bicycle with all I need, for me is like an addictive elixir, the unknown and the freedom each day provides is a privilege I never take for granted.
The people along the way are the spices that make the recipe even more enticing.
There is plenty of time for more work and just hanging about.
I admit, I am somewhat lucky in having few responsibilities back in the world that most people participate in. Achieved not by accident, I might add.
My desire to let go of many luxuries, and the company of old friends does at times come with difficulties. Though everything comes with a downside.
I am also fortunate that I can fund this adventure. Luckily, the funds needed, are very little compared to funding a life in the consumer world.
I think most people could do this, but either they don’t want to, or are just scared of change and loss of routine that it could bring to their lives.
Peer pressure among adults to fit in can be overwhelming for some, the media and marketing also reinforce this. This subject is taboo for most people, but many let their lives be controlled by the opinions of others.
In saying this and following this pursuit, I admit I am quite different from many people. There are not too many 57 year olds riding a bike around carrying panniers, which is a bugger.
I feel people sometimes spend too much time preparing financially for their future and forget about making the most of the present in an exciting way.
“The memories of an old man in his old age are the deeds of a man in his prime” Pink Floyd, so true.
D115, T7, Av18.17, Max 60, 1431, Tot 27,043, 1546
Overcast, cool, showers later.
The couple of days rest in El Soberbio was excellent. The ride to the falls was really hard work in the humidity and heat.
The forecast for yesterday was rain, not a drop fell.
This morning it poured heavily with thunder activity. By the time I was ready to leave about 0930 it had ceased.
Leaving town was a steady climb, into thick cloud.
My rear light was used.
Riding again was just up one hill and back down.
Some 50 km on, I reached San Vicente and rejoined Ruta 14.
This is the main road and the gradients were very easy, great time was made. The weather was holding and energy levels were high. There was a real possibility of reaching San Pedro.
The roadside was always occupied by people walking or waiting for someone.
So, it was a day of greetings.
Having been wet, the shoulder near driveways was always littered with the red dirt here.
For the first time I was having problems with my legs.
My left ankle was aching and my right leg was giving me trouble.
The ride up to the park may have stirred up the knee. The ankle was rolled a week ago whilst camping.
I just hope these problems don’t persist, fingers crossed.
It might be time for a good break.
Really today was non eventful.
I stopped in San Vicente for a fresh water melon and kept going.
Last night I had eaten two huge pork chops and salad in a restaurant.
This was still giving me energy.
Nearing San Pedro, a police road block was set up.
Here they stopped me, the first time for ages.
He asked a few idle questions and told me to proceed.
Nearing town a guy and his girl on a motorbike I had seen earlier were stopped up ahead.
Mauricio told me of a cheap hotel.
The American.
He was waiting in town at the hotel to introduce me to the owner.
This was great after such a big day.
Once settled in here the best hot shower for a long time was enjoyed.
The extremes in temperature here are quite amazing, one day thirty plus the next in the low twenties.
The temperature today coupled with the easy climbs allowed for good k’s.
The owner’s wife took me to a restaurant at the bus terminal. There was no one dining there so I wandered back to town and bought salami, cheese, tomatos and onion to have on crackers in the room.
My right knee was still sore and grinding on climbing into bed.
20/4/2014 San Pedro to Jaunita
D76, T9, Av14.72, Max60, Tot 27,119 1622
Cloudy mild
Camping in church
Upon arising in the morning , it was found my right leg was still sore. It is muscles behind the knee, though not the hamstring.
I’m slowly shedding little things not being used to decrease weight it all helps, here a pack of cards and the instructions and maintenance documents for my stove were left. Aftershave lotion was left at the last motel.
I decided to ride in my x trainers so as to give the leg every bit of support I could.
Nine km out of town the roundabout with exits to Ruta 14 or 20 was arrived at.
I decided to take Ruta 14. I knew it was not paved.
Wel,l once on this red brown surface that had no gravel in it, the going got difficult.
In the higher patches no problem, but in the wet patches it was almost impossible to negotiate. The mud was like ice and at slow speed it was mayhem.
Once stopped, and trying to get going again the rear wheel was just spinning. This happened a few times.
Some 3 km, I decided to give it a miss and head back.
More rain would have made even pushing the bike impossible.
On the way back to Ruta 20, I dropped the bike in the red slurry.
Getting back on the asphalt, probably half a kilo heavier with mud, it was nice to be just ambling along again.
Though it got me thinking that up north, once off the asphalt and onto these surfaces, any rain will make the passage impossible.
Ruta 20 was a pleasure, it climbed into the ranges and when up here in the sub tropical forest there were stalls on the side on the road with handmade baskets and wooden carved animals. The owners were Indio Nativos,Guaronias.
Their huts were in amongst the forest. It made for interesting scenery along the way.
I had no idea Argentina contained lands and people like I have been riding through and meeting up here in Misiones. It is quite amazing.
All this area is around400- 600m. Pozo Azul was 530m. Piray mini was at 474m.
Coming down a reasonably long descent from where these people lived. A small community was arrived at. Here a stream was accessible with my bike.
I took it down here to wash the remaining mud from the frame and panniers that couldn’t be removed earlier.
There was a climb up out of here to the intersection at Pozo Azul.
It was Easter Sunday, good in that the road was almost truck free and bad in that all the tiendas here were closed.
After turning right onto Ruta 17, a sign showed an Heladeria, the door was open in the house so I pulled in.
I sat on the front porch and ate the ice cream talking with a couple of people.
An older man came out and asked me if I would like to join them for lunch.
Out through the house on the back porch was a typical easter family gathering with lots of food at a long table.
This was unreal.
I helped myself to homemade empanadas, beef asado, chicken stew and a lovely fresh squeezed pomelo juice.
The family were great.
They gave me heaps of info on the roads ahead.
They lived on 70 acres some with forest.
Three families shared it. After a couple of hours I left there well feed.
A nice interlude into an otherwise hilly day’s progress.
From here, the road passed through large pine plantations. At most homes people were having lunch in big groups.
Many people were playing futbol on dirt fields near the road.
Soon the need to top up my water supply for the night arose.
The house I stopped at said they had no town water but well water. It was so sweet.
By this time it was getting late.
There were lots of evangelical churches in all the pueblitos.
So, I wasn’t too worried about finding a campsite.
The padres are always friendly.
Once I got to a tiny pueblito Juanito I spotted a church off the road up a track.
They allowed me to camp in the pavilion.
I was even allowed to move into the lock up kitchen area with power.
It was a cool evening.
When camped under shelter like this I only use the tent inner and use the fly as a blanket it works really well keeping me warm and cosy.
21/4/2013 Jaunita to San Antonio
D70, T8, Av16.39, Max60, Tot27,189, 1699
Overcast, late drizzle, 25°, little wind
Hotel
For breakfast I finished off some pasta and tuna, as well as having my porridge.
Again my leg ached. It is not good.
The aching saps a bit of energy from my right leg and puts a burden on the other leg.
I thanked the pastor and left some potatoes with his wife.
They lived in a tiny one room timber hut next to the church. These kind of dwellings are all through the tropical places I have visited in Asia.
Once one the road it was all hills, small properties, people on the roadside and brown dirt in lumps where someone had driving out of a property.
It was great riding again, always something to see.
Once at Dos Hermanas. I pulled into the general store there.
There were people everywhere.
They sold absolutely everything.
All at really good prices. Here alcohol to prime the stove was bought and some shaving foam along with fruit and the obligatory coke.
I also bought some local ointment for my leg and applied a lot of it to my right leg before leaving.
From here, it was an enjoyable less undulating ride to Bernado de Irigoyen, a border town with Brazil.
There were Brasilleros everywhere, they all drive over the border to go shopping. They buy all sorts of stuff, especially perfumes and wine, it is all alot cheaper here.
People had trolleys full of cooking oi,l you name it.
There were shops everywhere catering for this trade, every second car was registered in Brazil.
Here I had a leisurely lunch in the park.
Time was spent speking with Brasilleros, they kind of understood my Spanish, I understood little Potuguese. Though we worked things out.
After a couple of hours here i headed off for San Antonio.
It was an easy ride with the last part all down hill.
I arrived in the small border town where people just walk across the border. There are customs and immigration here also.
I hung around the motel chatting with people till the owner got back.
It was a laid back place. Mate was shared with the owner of a moto shop next to the hotel
Thunder rolled in on dark. Again, I am having to play cat and mouse with this rain.
I have been told there is no real dry season here. The driest months are December and January.
It was a basic motel but sufficed, washing was done.
I wandered up town in the rain to grab an ice cream or two Menta Granazada of course!!
A pedestal fan was left going all night in an attempt to dry the washing.
22/4/2014 San Antonio to Andresito
D70, T4, Av18.36, Max60, Tot 27,259, 1769
Mild and overcast, no wind
Apartment
All my clothes were dry, thanks to the pedestal fan on high speed at close range.
Leaving town, some bread was bought.
The ride was easy going, again all forms of agriculture kept me occupied.
People were planting Yerba, carting tobacco, hand slashing Barner grass among other activities.
I recently compiled a bunch of new music to a play list on my ipod.
This was being enjoyed along the way on my speaker. It is great, I can still hear approaching traffic from behind.
The road is narrow with no shoulder, most people are really courteous. When coming into towns I turn the music off, or if it is local music it is left on.
Evangelical churches were still much a part of the landscape.
They are an indication of an areas economy, sadly where people are struggling, at least in their eyes. They tend to seize the opportunity to offer their kind of hope.
Obviously, some people find this worth clinging to.
Time was spent chatting to a few guys, who were sitting on the side of the road with a load of dried tobacco.
It is sold to the big players.
There are lots of rural schools along the way, each is named with only a number.
The students wear white lab type long shirts and coats. They really contrast with other clothing worn by most people.
Interestingly back in the states I was at a game of gridiron watching a hosts son play at Sulpur in Louisiana. I started to take a photo of some young school girls practising their cheer leader routine. The lady teaching them came and told me to stop.
It never even remotely dawned on me that she may have thought I was taking a photo for a reason other than fascination of a different aspect of ones culture.
I am now very conscious of taking photos of school children in that it may offend some. It is sad that all people are judged by some.
Lifes colour is defined by the red dirt, it is everywhere, on vehicles, streets, dogs, shoes, walls and floors. It is part of each day.
Arriving at the roundabout, the option was to go to Andresito, Wanda or take or Ruta 101. This ruta is dirt, it goes through the park. I would love to have taken it, but if in there, and the rains come, you literally couldn’t get out unaided with a loaded bike. If you managed to, the mud coming along for the ride with you doesn’t bear thinking about.
I headed into Andresito. Stopping at the corner to get water from a construction yard, there was an avocado tree at the gate, avocados were all over the ground, here I had a feast of fresh Palta. Aguacate is the name for avocado up in Peru.
Further down the road a track was seen, here I pulled in. The surface had some grass on it.
Though, it didn’t take long to gather a layer of mud on my shoes.
It was great to lunch in the bush away from the road. Just me and the mosquitos!
Soon in Andresito, a young town, I headed to the restaurant opposite the plaza and used their wifi.
I noticed my front rack had a crack in it.
Asking about an engineering shop, one was found, here the guys braised the pieces back together.
Most motels were booked. So hunting about I found an apartment above the shop Bicimundo, it was a modern two bedroom setup with full kitchen.
All this for $13 the night, again I was spoilt.
I needed a haircut so wandered into town for a clip. Like all good hair dressers the guy was on for a yarn.
Dengue is a problem here, there were twelve cases in town last year.
Dinner was had back at the restaurant.
These small towns are always so easy to get things done in and people are always friendly.
Here in my blog, I like to express my feelings, opinions and thoughts about various aspects of our existence here.
In doing so, I can well imagine many of my ideals are not shared by readers leading “normal” lifestyles.
I do this, in the hope that it may make people question some of the things that control their lives.
I also do it as a record of my thoughts and feelings, it is going to be so interesting to look back on these words in many years to come. A great window to a past time in my life, a time for reflection will be afforded by this document.
Life really is quite short when you get to 57. Now on the home straight, as far as physical pursuits are concerned. I am doing my best to make the most of this time left in my life.
Out here on a lonely road in a foreign country on a bicycle with all I need, for me is like an addictive elixir, the unknown and the freedom each day provides is a privilege I never take for granted.
The people along the way are the spices that make the recipe even more enticing.
There is plenty of time for more work and just hanging about.
I admit, I am somewhat lucky in having few responsibilities back in the world that most people participate in. Achieved not by accident, I might add.
My desire to let go of many luxuries, and the company of old friends does at times come with difficulties. Though everything comes with a downside.
I am also fortunate that I can fund this adventure. Luckily, the funds needed, are very little compared to funding a life in the consumer world.
I think most people could do this, but either they don’t want to, or are just scared of change and loss of routine that it could bring to their lives.
Peer pressure among adults to fit in can be overwhelming for some, the media and marketing also reinforce this. This subject is taboo for most people, but many let their lives be controlled by the opinions of others.
In saying this and following this pursuit, I admit I am quite different from many people. There are not too many 57 year olds riding a bike around carrying panniers, which is a bugger.
I feel people sometimes spend too much time preparing financially for their future and forget about making the most of the present in an exciting way.
“The memories of an old man in his old age are the deeds of a man in his prime” Pink Floyd, so true.
 great shelter Juanita church, I had the little lock up area.
 These casinos are in all the towns up here, this is more is less a shed.
 Cocos Palms are everywhere in the bush here.
 Indio Nativo home and typical environment.
 Impassable when wet on a loaded bicycle Ruta 14 between El Soberbio and Dos Hermanas.
Just red sticky mud with no aggregate
 Such a contrast, old Peugeot
 The second crack (repaired) in my Tubus titanium racks, After 26,000km I can cope with this.
 Up here, it is always a hunt for wifi to keep the blog up to date. Something I enjoy immensely.
here a restaurant in Andresito
 Shades of brown
 This #12 Opinel is unbelievably handy
|
 I love seeing chooks just scratching about. Free as can be . Here, mum and a couple of youngsters
 leaving El Soberbio, it did improve.
 tea plantation
 Not a problem!
 At last a chance to wash the mud from the pedals, panniers and wheels
 Planting yerba cuttings
 The guys with freshly dried tobacco ready to be sold
 Lunch in here saw me leave with a little more than a full stomach, namely red dirt on most things that touched the ground.
Insignificant compared to the peacefulness away from the road.
 A bit of luxury
 Typical landscape
|
When the going gets a little difficult or I just want to bathe in the experiences here in South America, my minds eye always takes me back here to a very special campsite high in the Peruvian Andes on the way from Chachapuyos to Cajamarca.
The mountains in the distance were crossed to reach this most magical of places above the pueblito of Limón.
This view from the farmers property truly was a time for an inspirational epiphany in my life.
Emotions always run high, thinking of the passage and the beauty of this locale.
Peru, its landscapes and the friendly relaxed people there, have had this effect on me.
