October 1, 2010
Route BR293: The lack of hills so far was made up for today.
I didn't wait around this morning when I awoke at 5.35. I's sure to keep my word and be gone early. A half hour after getting out on the road I stopped for breakfast at a grassy entrance to a gate into a field of cows beside a grove of trees. It would've been an ideal place to camp but how was I to know just like where I did camp there were no signs to say keep out, so I's not to know.
The plan for the next few days is to cycle west dipping into North West Uruguay. I've realise that I need to post home stuff that I'm not using and get some bike repairs done. The posting will be easy in a country where I can read forms, fill them in in the local language as well as ask directions and give direction on what's needed for the bike.
Yesterday evening I missed my turning for BR293. I think I would've had to pass through the middle of Capao do Leao, a town I just wanted to get out off. I'm now on BR166 heading south so I could be back in Uruguay quicker than planned. But there is a secondary road to a place called Pedro Osorio then onwards to join up with BR293 which I think I'll take.
This was a better road for cycling which meandered through the countryside, paved all the way until it reached the village of Pedro Osorio which had very rough cobbled streets. The people most of them are big with broad shoulders and many have fair hair which would suggest German decent. The road onwards to BR293 was unpaved which isn't a problem as it is quite smooth though ahead there are roadworks which means the regular passing tipper truck shaking up dust. The side of the road too is all dug up making finding a grassy spot combined with trees for shade to stop for lunch difficult.
Having found a place to have lunch I discovered when I got on the move again there was only a kilometre more till joining up with BR293, so now I's back on coarse heading west.
I'm now pen and diary in hand at a hilltop crossroads. The view back the way I came is of low rolling hills many of which are wooded the others have small fields divided by hedgerows. It's so different from the flat monotonous stretch to Rio grande earlier in the week. Unfortunately on the road the hills are long slow drags as the road is very straight. These are the first serious hills I've encountered since leaving the Andes six weeks ago.
It was very warm around lunch time but now allot of cloud has gathered and when the sun is covered over by one it gets quite cold as I'm wet from sweating climbing those hills which have increased in length. As I write I'm partly up one. I keep thinking the end will be the next rise but on reaching that there's still another long slow drag. The vegetation has changed too and now resembles a jungle making finding a place to put the tent this evening that bit harder. Not to worry though as I'm now sitting where I intent to camp 20 metres above the road on top of a cutting well out off sight of traffic. The access was hard. The first obstacle was hauling bike and trailer up over the concrete storm drain at the roadside which went well until a twig sticking out off the long grass stabbed my bare ankle. I shouted out and cursed as the blood showed. It was only a little cut and it was more the stinging sensation that annoy me most. When I recovered my pride I had to push the bike up an overgrown track having to go ahead to see the best way through. On the way I noticed how mush play there's in my front hub a job of rectifying which can wait till I get to a bikeshop in Uruguay.
At seven this evening as I looked out of my tent just after sunset all the cloud of the afternoon had cleared and there was a good red after glow. Perhaps a good omen for the weather tomorrow. This morning was the first day on this tour that I've worn shorts but put my tights on again at lunch time as my legs began to burn.
The reader may think this journal Northbound is a misnomer as so far I've been cycling any direction but North, but the direction I'm cycling in aside the title is more to do with Brazil being located North of Argentina and that's where this long meandering journey by bicycle shall end.
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Today's ride: 101 km (63 miles)
Total: 3,143 km (1,952 miles)
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