Monthly Archives March 2013

Nearly done now
Best for last
Thoughts of home
Enter our heads
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Getting out of Salta was ugly so we took a cab.
Once out of town, the riding was great.
We found a couple of good lodges along the way and could not believe the sites and sounds.
As always, when one gets close to the end of a journey one’s thoughts start to move to things at home.
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Click he to see Cocoa leaves in action
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We rented a car and drove from Salta to Cachi for n overnight tour. Below is the sign posted on the car.
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Some of the sights on our car trip.
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We came across a forest of cactus.
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Click here to view video of cactus
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The baby cactus need to grow under another plant to survive the first 8 to 10 years of their life...

Cycling in jungle
Through the clouds
Tiny narrow road
It felt magical
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What an amazing cycling day. We quickly came upon a very narrow road and it ran up the mountain through a damp jungle.
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Click he to see mini road
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Click here to see cycling in the jungle
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Lovely old growth forest.
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We actually got to ride through the clouds at one point.
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Click here for riding in the clouds
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Click here for arrival in Salta
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J and D

Down the mountain
6,000 foot decent
Mountains of colour
What a blast

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click here to see video summary of this leg

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J and D

Argentina is long
2,600 km journey
Using 4 buses
Lots of sitting
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This was a gentleman we saw in San Martin.
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We decided to finish the Lake District and take buses to northern Argentina. It took 4 buses and stopovers in Mendoza and Salta.
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We saw lots of oil rigs on the way.
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The school uniforms for young children are very interesting. They look like little Doctors.
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Map of our bus route.
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Top of Mendoza.
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Sites of Salta.
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We had heard about Machu Pichu and it’s importance to the Inca empire. Their empire actually expanded into Argentina. One of the most fascinating finding happened in 1999 at 22,000 ft on the volcano Mt Llullaillaco. They found three perfectly mummified young children...

4 more lakes
In the mountains
On the ripio
Just can’t wait
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We had a lovely say at Margaret’s in Villa.
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We met two new cyclist friends from Buenos Aris, Santiago and Sabastian. They are biking to raise money for poor rural schools in Argentina.
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We started out the ride in a civilized way, a capuchino from the local gas station (YPF gas stations have great coffee).
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There is 30 km of ripio and the rest is pavement. Some cyclists like ripio as it can mean less traffic. We HATE it.
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Click here to see the dust
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Amazing sites.
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Click here to view guard rails in Argentina
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Click here for morning at Pichi Traful
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More friends at our campsite.
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Next we cycled to Lago Faulkner.
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Click here to view yummy one pot dinner
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It was a very cold morning at Lago Faulkner.
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Fun in Bariloche
Movin on time
Wagons heading north
7 lakes road

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We had a nice few days in Bariloche. We met Alex who is cycling from the southern tip of Argentina to Alaska (1.5 years). He had the same camping chair we had.
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Very weird statue in Bariloche (a gift from the Italians).
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Click here to see another wonderful street band
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I even got a windsurfing afternoon thanks to some new friends I met.
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One of many campsite friends in Bariloche.
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The traffic out of Bariloche was miserable.
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Click here to see a bit of traffic
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A view behind us.
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A young lad we met on the way. He is Mapuche.
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Click here to learn more about the Mapuche
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The first day of riding to a remote campsite was ugly with traffic.
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On the second morning, we stopped in the rain for our seco...