May 22, 2016
Crossroads: route 23-km32 to San Pedro de Atacama.
I went down to the crossroads, fell down on my knees.
Down to the crossroads, fell down on my knees.
Asked the lord above for mercy, "save me if you please"
I went down to the crossroads, tried to flag a ride.
Down to the crossroads, tried to flag a ride.
Nobody seemed to know me, everybody passed me by.
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It is a frosty start, making it difficult leaving the sleeping bag, so I wait for the sun to rise well above the hills.
I've discovered in this dry climate the valve of drinking a lot and often to avoid fatigue and help recovery. I couldn't have been more hydrated leaving Calama yesterday afternoon, having stocked up on six litres of fluids, comprising water, coke and orange juice for the remaining 90 kilometres to San Pedro de Atacama.
I break camp and wheel the bike back to the road for nine. The road ahead one long straight uphill, the reason for stopping where I did yesterday evening. It goes on seemingly without end toward an escarpment . Then, eventually up a steeper section through a cutting in said escarpment, out upon a high plateau, having covered 25 kilometres from camp.
I take a break in a bus shelter before the start of a great downhill, upon which, I meet a touring cyclist coming up and veering over to his side, we exchange tales of the road for a while before continuing.
I reach town at half one and head for a backpackers hostel.
I am the only person in a four bed dormitory, until later a young couple arrive and briefly dump their backpacks in the room without a word before leaving again. Then in the evening a group of us sit round a fire in the courtyard common area when the same couple sit down. The young man asks "so where y'all from?" I laugh, politely, as I love his southern US ascent. "I'm Mat from Texas" he shakes my hand and his friend, Maria from Portugal. They met in southern Chile and have been travelling ever since. They will be my roommates during my stay. Such is hostels' way of bringing people together.
San Pedro de Atacama brings together all the gringos, situated roughly at the crossroads of three countries, Chile, Bolivia and Argentina. The economy here is based on providing services to this itinerant community. There are lots of restaurants, most are pricy, though quite a few are reasonably priced, which offer world class cuisine. The other service provided are excursions to places of interest. The most popular an early morning affair, where people from the hostel have been picked up at 4 AM to visit Geysers pre-dawn, something I may consider before leaving, as they arrive back at midday having had a good day of it. The other big thing to do is visit "La Valle del Luna" or "Valley of the Moon" late afternoon to see the sunset.
The town itself is centred around its plaza with church and colonial feel. I think the conquistador Pedro Valdivia passed this way on his way south cross the Atacama desert in 1540, hence the name Pedro.
Most of my time here has been taken up with journaling. I had a mega two weeks to catch up, which almost drove me insane sitting at the computer so long. So it could be said,
And I'm sitting at the crossroads, believe I'm sinking down. Ba-ba-ba, ba-ba, bop bah.
Today's ride: 58 km (36 miles)
Total: 10,323 km (6,411 miles)
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