Rio Collón Curá Wildcamp

November 9, 2022

We had an easy start to the day. We had the campsite to ourselves so we were able to take in the lovely surroundings without any of the distractions that often accompany the usual Argentinian experience. Leigh's mattress had picked up a puncture and with the lake at our doorstep it was the perfect place to trace the hole and repair it. At about eleven o'clock we set off on what we thought would be an easy ride.

This Great Grebe (Podiceps major) spent much of yesterday evening and this morning feeding in front of our tent.

Looking back at our campsite as we hit the road.

There were two short climbs to negociate at the start of the ride but after that it was a flat ride up the valley. However, within half an hour a strong wind started blowing down the valley and our progress stalled to a crawl. After battling into the wind at single figure speeds we finally arrived at where we thought we would camp for the night, a fishing spot marked on the map, only to be greeted by a sign indicating that camping was prohibited. It wasn't even worth risking it because was the site was pretty dreadful so decided to carry on.

The place at which we had hoped to camp wasn't good but it did have lots of these pretty flowers.

About half a kilometer on we came across an open patch under some trees that had clearly been used before with a firepit and lots of less pleasant human detritus. It was pretty bad but we have spent nights at worse places. I scouted the area over the fence on private landd that lay between there and the river but there was nothing worth risking upsetting some land owner for. So I hopped back on my bike and carried on down the road to look for something better.

A couple of kilometers further on I found a track that split with one fork going down to the river. The area at the bottom next to the river was too steep on which to camp but it gave us sufficient privacy to be able to wash and cook some supper. The other fork ended up at a sandy but flat piece of ground between the fence and the road, just shielded enough so that most of the passing traffic wouldn't see us. I went back to call Leigh and we split the evening, having a wash and supper at the river fork and pitching the tent just before dark at the flat sandy spot on the other fork.

Leigh filtering water at the fork that ended at the river.

Enjoying a cup of coffee while I cooked supper. I had found a wooden box that I used as a table. Some well sized and shaped stones served as chairs.

Today's ride: 47 km (29 miles)
Total: 3,426 km (2,128 miles)

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