January 11, 2011
Remaining sane while the countryside is maddening.
On waking up, I saw it was 4.57 when I looked at my watch. There is the thump thump of a disco in town and the first light of day is dawning. The thought is, it is 30km back to Route 3 at Viedma, then 185km South to the next town, San Antonio Oeste. It's for this reason I's out of the tent immediately, begin to pack, have breakfast of porridge and tea, and get on the road by six.
The disco had now closed and groups of girls and boys from it loiter along the main seafront street as I ride through. I had a maddening crosswind during the 30km back to Viedma and the landscape didn't look any better in daylight either on the same road whence I came in the dark on Sunday evening. I spend an hour using the wifi in the cafeteria of the YPF service-station in Viedma, glad to escape the monotony of the landscape outside.
As I set off again, there is now nothing between Viedma and San Antonio, so I'm determined to ride it all in a day if I can. I now had the wind on my left side causing me to lean out on that side, though it wasn't as strong as it hitherto had been, and eventually it became calm.
By late morning, all signs of human activity, there had to this point been pasture, the occasional house and wind-pump, were now less and ahead was barren scrub-land, dark green to the horizon which wasn't too far off as the dead straight road passed over long creases of what seems to be ancient old sand-dune extending far inland.
At some point before noon, I pass around a great big roundabout, an empalme of Routes, wherein a road from a place called Choele Choel, joins from the right. It was exiting this roundabout that I met Pablo and his girlfriend, cannot remember her name, two young hike-hikers from Buenos Aires. I halt on the grass by the sign with distances which their backpacks stood against, glad just to talk to someone as they were and would be the only people I'd see all day. Pablo was rolling a cigarette with one hand while he waved at cars, as at that moment along came alot. After a few minutes talking we say goodbye as perhaps the drivers would think I's with them and so wouldn't stop because of no room for the bike.
The day got more and more tedious as it went on. I was glad the wind had dropped so I could make good progress and spend no more time than is necessary in this monotonous place.
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I take some photos in the afternoon just to fulfill the need to have something to show on the journal page. Most of the rest of the time I past as best I could. I look ahead along the white line at the side of the road as it runs off and disappears in the distance. I think over alot of things, I sang songs and I mimic funny voices. I love to do the funny Bono outburst line in the BandAid song "tonight tank gad tis dem inst-ed af-yeew". But I was really getting bored now.
And still the dark green scrub-land rolled on seemingly without end. I had already drank all my nice drink and half the tap water leaving scant water left should I need to wildcamp.
I had seen a while back a sign for an empalme de Ruta _ 79km, which is a crossroads of two major roads and almost always the location of a service-station. Now there was only 30km or so till that empalme and sufficient time left before nightfall to get there if I put my head down and ride hard. At this stage there was a big bank of rain off to the left and it's cloud was making the evening gloomy and prematurely dark as it blocked out the sun.
On cresting a fold I could see the ocean ahead and off to the left. That rain was now moving off East allowing the sun to glow brightly on the water. So perhaps the landscape wasn't all that awful after all.
The sun again sank into cloud banks in the West making a dramatic evening sky, but making me a dark silhouette and prompting cars to beam there headlights full. I was beginning to worry would I make it safely in daylight.
I reach a Shell station at the crossroads just as the sun sank. I buy and drink a well earned beer. I take a look at the back to see could I camp but it was dirty. I then spot the blue and white logo sign of a YPF station farther along on the other side of the road. Here, was mush cleaner at the rear and there was already a family pulled in for the night camping as well as the usual trucks parked up for the night. But best of all it had a restaurant. And after eating a nice big hamburger complete with eggs and bacon, and a basket of freshly cut chips, washed down by more beer, I can say it was good.
Today's ride: 211 km (131 miles)
Total: 8,669 km (5,383 miles)
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