September 29, 2016
Thu 29th Sep: Mendoza to somewhere
It was quiet around the hostel the last day. Sam had checked out and Hyram was out somewhere all day.
Today though I'm back on the road. The ride south out of Mendoza a breeze, once on route 40, the main north-south through route. A dull overcast day, colder than of late. For most of the day I'm on dual-carriageway with a wide shoulder. A motorway with "No Cycling" signs at access sliproads, but no one has objected to me.
Early afternoon while crossing a bridge I spot another touring cyclist camped below the bridge. Well, at first I thought it was some homeless person. You see this a lot here. Young men living in cheap tents, usually a trademan of some sort travelling to find work, living on a campsite. Or if absolutely out-of-work, camping wild on waistland edge of cities.
Then I see a bike with panniers which he is standing over packing.
Strange I think to be only packing up camp at about two o'clock. I stop a moment and wave. We are too far apart to talk.
A few kilometres further while I've stopped to lunch in a bus-shelter, he comes along to a halt by the curb. He introduces himself, Danniel, from Colombia, on his way to Ushuaia, via a criss-cross route of the Andes. He shows me his map to emphathise, showing me he has just crossed "The Liberadora Pass", and shortly will cross back into Chile via the next mountain pass to the south.
The most notable thing is his panniers, fashioned from plastic oildrums, with the tops cut all the way round and re-attached with hinges to act as lids. Looking neat, though the rest of the bike as does he himself look a sight that could do with a wash and fresh clothes.
He goes on his way leaving me to finish my lunch.
A few kilometres on there is a "Gendemaria Nacional" police check-point, where they've stopped Danniel and are looking at his id, while going through all his things, when I come along. Meanwhile they wave me on.
Today I had wished to not ride much beyond the town of San Carlos, before looking for a place to camp. But when I get as far its all fenced in, or there are houses everywhere.
Eventually though I come to an area of open scrubland but with stands of elm trees to shield a tent from view all along the road, where I slide the bike underneath a fence to gain access.
It is now 7pm, so I've an hour to pitch the tent and cook before turning in for the night.
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