October 16, 2016
Sun 16th Oct: San Martin de Los Andes to Lago Villarino
Javier was saying how posh San Martin de Los Andes seemed to him as we walked to La Anomina supermercado Friday. Sure enough its got the impression of extravagrance everywhere along its large wood cabin main-street, which blend nicely with the wooded hillsides around. There are lots of expensive cars such as BMWs. And we walked by a residence for well-healed old people who were happily inside enjoying a multi coarse dinner.
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Anyway, this morning I'm running late. I couldn't get to sleep last night. Eventually I must've dropped off and overslept, cause, on waking up my watch showed the time 09.00.
There wouldn't be any taking my time at breakfast, though I got talking to a young English couple driving a hire-car, who'd crossed the border from Chile, late yesterday. They're finding Argentina expensive in comparision to Chile. He saying "We get screwed both ways, as the pound is still down in value."
We looked out on a grey morning, puddles in the street and intermitent drizzle. But shortly before leaving it began to brightening up.
I set off at half ten, calling at La Anomina for a couple of cans of sardines, more bread, more alcohol fuel, and bin-liners to use as pannier wet-day covers. There's holes in all my panniers. I've spent 470 pesos over the weekend and have enough food for four days.
The rain is keeping off rightly as I round the head of the lake (Lago Lacar) on the southwestern edge of town. In Summer in warm weather the lakeshore becomes a beach crowded with sunbathers and sun-parasols. Not much sign of that today.
Continuing with the lake below to the right, the road cut into the hillside that rises vertically on the left. There's a good shoulder for a few kilometres out of town where I regularily meet joggers and fitness walkers, a sign of affluence, people interested in their welbeing.
Further I see a cyclist coming on the other side of the road, a girl who calls out "Sean!" when we meet.
It takes a moment for me to twig who she is. But then I remember its Nancy, a Canadian I met in Mendoza. She and a friend who takes a minute or two to catch up, are on hired mountain-bikes. We remark on it being a small world...
The way on is a long climb taking an hour until eventually going downhill again. The day a mix of drizzling rain and brighter spells. The low cloud enveloping dark forest clad mountain-slopes to the side, lifting to reveal fresh snow whitened trees higher up.
Shortly after three o'clock I descend to a deep lake filled valley that stretches off to the left of the road, Lago Falkener. Here there are Mereno sheep with their bleating newborn lambs grazing freely upon roadside pasture that follows along the head of the lake.
I cross a bridge over Rio Villario just on from the lake, a river that emptys into the lake behind me to the left, and is wide enough to be called a lake on the right immediately before the bridge; with a large area, a mix of sheep pasture and woodland along its reedy shore, open to the road, which is actually a designated free campsite with a sign saying so at a turn in off the road.
From the road I ride along a car track across the pasture to the edge of the lakeshore woodland, with a single-track trail further in over short-cropped sward in amongst widely spaced beech trees. I ride until I can't ride further. Then push the bike on and around deadwood tree-trunks lain flat, pass bright red blosom firebush, also an orange blosom scrub with a sweet smelling fragrance after the rain; until finally halting at a huge mature tree with level sward underneath. Here I decide to pitch the tent.
The tree's outstretched canopy is almost like a house underneath, important as the rain will soon be on. My tent no longer totally waterproof.
Well, the rain has come on again, and I wait in shelter underneath the tree until it passes, before starting to pitch the tent.
Later, having cooked supper I go for a short walk further along the lakeshore.
Well I'm back now, its late and I'm turning in. The tent feels luxurious.
The changeable weather is to last until Tuesday. Hopefully though tomorrow will be much like today with only a few showers.
During my walk in the woodland by the lapping lakeshore....
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