Provincial route 11: The way to Victoria.

September 3, 2010

Wed !st Sep. Parana to to grove along stream. 52km.

I've been slumbering here since nightfall. I'm so comfortable it feels like a good bed even though I'm in a tent. It's a shame though the weather out is so wintry. I've not seen the sun since it made a brief appearance Sunday afternoon.

Last night I did not lay down to sleep till 2am consequently I didn't rise til quarter to nine which is quite late and with one thing or the other didn't get on the road till eleven. The morning was damp and grey which didn't provide much motivation to being out early either. It was one of those bad weather days which you just want to get over with.

I took directions for the way out of town from Julio the owner of the hostel. I wish I'd just followed my own initiative as his directions proved to get me lost. I when first up one street on to an avenue which continued south from the city centre. Good, I thought the way I'm going. The avenue however soon ended on wasteland. Trying to find a way to some big road with signs I cycle along the first potholed narrow street which led to a dead end. Then another street and another which were to lead nowhere. 'Oh no' I though and also many words which I cannot print. I cursed the terrible potholed streets which because of the wet weather were covered in muck which were like a maze and I's cycling round in circles unable to find my way out of the maze. It's well Parana is only a small city with out rough dangerous areas otherwise I would've been screwed. I asked quite a few people the way but no one seemed to know or if they did gave long complicated directions which seemed to confuse me even more. In fact most people looked just as lost as me so I didn't bother asking anybody else instead trusting my own initiative.

I cycled down a street with a drop off embankment at the end which turned out to be as I'd wished the hill down to the Parana river. Good now I can use the river as a reference so I continued along a street south with the river in view below. That ended and I'd to cycle inland but I knew if I tried to remain at a right angle to the river sooner or later I'd cross route 11, the road south to Victoria.

I pasted a green grocers who actually looked sensible looked as if he would know the way. I's to be proved right. My initiative. He'd nicely groom black hair and neatly trimmed beard, a green face as he had been ill recently. His wife was behind the counter drinking mate. There was a thermos and an open bag of yerba on the counter beside which was a block pad of paper. He took a sheet of this paper and drew a map writing in all the street names and explained it excellently. So I returned the good will by buying enough fruit to do a couple of days.

At last it was such a relief to be cycling out of town, though the weather which was not so noticeable in the streets was inhibitingly cold as the wind blew from the south east blowing fine drizzle into my face. The sky and the road were the same shade of grey. I soon stopped for lunch under the shelter of a tree eating the pasta leftovers from last nights dinner from a plastic container. I didn't linger longer than the time it took to eat as it was bitterly cold.

The scenery was a big improvement on the other two provinces I've recently passed through being gentle rolling hills nothing too must to climb on the road except the wind became stronger inhibiting progress and continually blowing me off onto the mucky verge.

Stopped sitting in a service station at four it reminded me of Patagonia out. The trees waving furiously back and forth and the light blue and white Argentine flag fluttering at full sail. I's glad to see a sign for camping a few kilometres on as the landscape had deteriorated in terms of niceness with groves of trees likely places to camp to a treeless continuous sea of wheat. It was five kilometres of the main road along a country lane where hedgerows and groves returned. I's Thinking when I'd eventually reach the camping site it'd be closed as it's winter or they'd charge me full price even though the services would likely be closed, so I's on the lookout for some place to wild camp. After 2kms the lane led into a small village then another of the same camping sign pointing me down another narrower lane which went downhill into a hollow where it crossed a stream which had woodland along it's banks.

So here I am. It's good for a chance to be away from the noise of traffic. Here the only noise is the sound of the stream and the call of birds. I'm well sheltered from the wind too blowing in the treetops.

Thur 2nd Sept Camped by stream in wooded grove.

The wet weather continued today when I awoke the rain was pouring down. Of coarse it sounds worse in the tent but in any case it would've been a miserable day on the road added to the danger of poor visibility. No thanks. So I stayed put as the place in the woods where I've camped is well hidden. It was a day to catch up on reading, though there is only so much reading you can do before you become bored and restless.

In the afternoon when the rain had eased off I took a walk up the lane to the village. It was still a damp grey day and there was no one about. The streets completely deserted. Nor was there any thing open either not that there was any thing to be open as there were no shops. The place consisted of a couple of streets of nice houses, a big agricultural supply merchant and an evangelical church. On the green where there were old farm implements there was some plack with something inscribed on it about it being a German protestant community.

I was hoping to find a place with internet and buy bread but I returned down the lane empty handed having seen no one and I believe without being seen. When I returned I moved the tent a little as where it was was a bit uneven. I'd just done when it began to rain again.

Seens I'm not the first here from Ireland.

Distance accumulated cycling round looking for the way out off town.

Thanks to someone who just happened to be passing.

Returning from the village. My tent is in the wooded area in the dip to the left.

There it is. Pity though I've to ford that stream.

Fri 3rd Sept. Stream bank to Victoria. 85kms

There was one downside to where I'd camped two nights, the necessity to ford that muddy stream which couldn't be done without getting wet feet. So this last two days I've had to put up with wet feet.

Breakfast this morning was a choice between polenta flavoured with soup and a satchel of grated hard Italian cheese or soup and bread, I chose the later as it is much quicker to prepare.

I's on the road at eight thirty facing another sad sunless day. At lease the road was dry and the wind had turned round to the west which was partly to aid me though on some stretches it was a cross wind but luckily not too strong. I was prepared for it being cold and wore my alpaca wool hat, thermal full finger gloves in addition to a thermal vest, a cycling jersey, a thick warm fleece and a wind proof water proof shell. I kept all these clothes on all day as it remained bitterly cold all day.

I struck lucky at lunch time, when at 12.30 I just happened to be passing a PetroBras service station which as well as having good coffee, descend food reasonably priced, have wifi and power points to charge up the battery. So when I'd satisfied my hunger I spend two hours up dating Wednesday and Thursdays happenings for the journal.

There were only 33kms remaining to Victoia when I left PetroBras at 3.30 after a lingered cup of coffee which I's anxious to reach this evening as three days is rather a long time to spend covering a distance of 125kms.

I'm now checked in to a hotel in said town. It's 80 pesos or 13.30 sterling, 16 euros which I don't mind paying as it's a reasonable sized room and breakfast is included.

Entriano countryside. The verge is a quagmire after the recent rain.

Everytime I step off the road this happens.

The intimidating sight of wheat as far as the eye can see and grey skies.

Today's ride: 137 km (85 miles)
Total: 1,403 km (871 miles)

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