Week 10: Atlantic Ocean to the Andes

Dear Friends, Partyamo People and Fellow Travellers,

These are the totals from the Atlantic Ocean to the Andes (Mendoza):

- Distance Travelled 1940 km
- Distance cycled 1850 km
- Days cycled 19
- Hours cycled 97
- Avg Speed 19 km/h
- Avg km/day 97

- Week 8. After the party nights with Leila, Valeria and Carolina they invited me to a real family asado Argentino on Sunday afternoon. All the family is there, it's a weekly routine, but it has a special feel like christmas day, it goes on all afternoon till dinner time eating the left overs of the bbq. At this asado I'm introduced to another part of the cow that you can eat, the glands under the cow's tongue called "mollejas", sweet bread in english. They are as big as a chicken breast with a yellowish cream colour. The texture is like liver, taste is a bit like liver too. Cooked on the bbq you eat them with a generous squeeze of lemon (geeza lemon squeeza!!!).

- Week 9. On Monday 27 April I take All Black to a bike shop, during the last week I started to feel strange cracks and noises on the pedals. It turns out to be the bottom bracket (the piece that connects the crank set & pedals) which is made of 4 differnt pices and is loose. I change it for a single bottom bracket piece which shouldn't cause anymore problems. I also put an extra support for the front frame for the begs, it was moving too much. The rear tyre is starting to worn out, with me and the bags the weight at the rear is 95 kg, 10 kg at the front. Another 1000 km and I'll switch tyres from back to front and use them till they burst. However, I buy an extra for when it will happen.

I spend the following days relaxing in hostel Punto Clave enjoying Jorge's & Rudy's company and asado, the best asado with homemade chimichurri's sauce, made of erbs, chilly, garlic, lemo, vinegar and oil. On my last day in Rosario Leila, Valeria and Carolina take me for a tour of Rosario visiting the shopping streets, the impressive Monumento a la Bandera Argentina, rio Parana' and the Monumento a Ernesto Che Guevara, a bronze statue made from the donation of more than 14000 bronze keys in 2008.

Day26: 30 April, Rosario to Cañada de Gamez.
distance 85.10 km, cycling time 4h 30min, brutto time 11.30-17.30, avg speed 18.95 km/h, max speed 37.47 km/h, climb 220 m, total distance 982.85 km, avg heart rate 120, max hr 151, temp 32 C

Here we go again, I say good bye to all and leave Rosario for the provence of Cordoba. Conditions are good, full sunshine, a light side wind and 40km of motorway. The motorway finishes, the road is diverted to the old Ruta 9, a narrow state road with heavy lorry traffic. The problem is when 2 lorries a crossing at the same time which leaves no space for me, lorries will not slow down to 20km/h so I have to throw my self on the side into the grass, dirt etc. Very dangerous situation! I stop in Cañada de Gomez, again a small town of farmers. In the hotel I'm staying there is a dog called "Bono" like the singer of U2. He's not chasing me but following me everywhere. I go to the local small supermarket and Bono is following me not only to the supermarket also right into the shop it self. The owner of the shop says to keep the dog out, I say that the dog is from the hotel, I try to push Bono out with no success. The owner puts up with Bono and lets me shop. Back to the hotel with Bono I meet Pepe, a dj from a local radio. He was told by friends that I was staying in the hotel, he asks me if I want to join him during his show on the 2nd of May in the morning for an on air interview. As I was planning to stay for the 1st of May (everything will be closed), so I agree.

Day27: 1st of May

Day28: 02 May, Cañada de Gamez to Marcos Juarez
distance 74.75 km, cycling time 4h 07min, brutto time 11.15-16.05, avg speed 18.15 km/h, max speed 28.82 km/h, climb 226 m, total distance 1057.10 km, avg heart rate 124, max hr 151, temp 28 C.

Radio FM 97.5 El Fresno, 2nd radio interview, this time I get a chance to interact with listeners by answering their questions, one listener even invites me for a asado, I say thank you but I'm leaving. A few photos of dj Pepe with All Black and off I go. Ruta 9 is all the same, flat with same country side views, side winds, dangerous lorries passing me all the time and the road is all straight with no bends, not even a tiny bend, just all straight on. I get to Marcos Juarez, now I'm in the Cordoba province.

Day29: 03 May, Marcos Juarez to Bell Ville
distance 71.23 km, cycling time 4h 19min, brutto time 10.30-16.10, avg speed 16.48 km/h, max speed 28.82 km/h, climb 199 m, total distance 1128.33 km, avg heart rate 115, max hr 151, temp 28 C.

I'm sick of Ruta 9, too straight and too dangerous, full sunshine with strong front wind today. Bell Ville another sleepy farmers town.

- Week 10. Day30, 04 May, I leave the hotel at 10am with side gale force winds. It's so strong that lifts dirt & dust from the fields, reducing visibility, the wind is so strong that I can't even go straight on Ruta 9, a suicidal situation! I surrender and go back to Bell Ville to shitty Hotel Italia.

Day31: 05 May, Bell Ville to Villa Maria
distance 75.71 km, cycling time 4h 49min, brutto time 10.30-16.00, avg speed 15.68 km/h, max speed 26.90 km/h, climb 430 m, total distance 1204.04 km, avg heart rate 113, max hr 148, temp 28 C.

Finally the last 30 km to Villa Maria have a motorway, there is a sign for no bicycles allowed, I ignore the sign and carry on. Not going on Ruta 9 anymore, the motorway is much safer.

Day32: 06 May, Villa Maria to Rio Quarto
distance 139.76 km, cycling time 7h 33min, brutto time 10.00-18.30, avg speed 18.50 km/h, max speed 31.71 km/h, climb 346 m, total distance 1343.8 km, avg heart rate 115, max hr 141, temp 26 C.

I turn south west on Ruta 158, a good new road with plenty of space so I don't have to worry about what is coming behind me. The scenery is the same with endless fields and a very straight flat road. Half way through to Rio Quarto a local cyclist joins me for 20 km, he explains to me that the surrounding fields are for growing peanuts (all harvest at this time of year) processed localy for oil or exported. I think "shame you don't eat peanut butter in Argentina!". I get to Rio Quarto quite drained after 140km. Finally something bigger than a town, it's a small city with a nice centre.

Day 33: I rest.

Day34: 08 May, Rio Quarto to Villa Mercedez
distance 133.53 km, cycling time 6h 28min, brutto time 09.30-17.00, avg speed 20.62 km/h, max speed 40.35 km/h, climb 330 m, total distance 1477.33 km, avg heart rate 123, max hr 159, temp 30 C.

It's another long day, with very good conditions, no wind at all, I pick up very good speeds of 25-30km/h, at time I can use the 3rd chain ring with the highest gear crusing at 38km/h for 45 minutes, with a bike that weighs 50kg. Thanks to the high speeds I get to Villa Mercedez at 17.00.

Day 35: Rest

Day 36: No sleep, need to rest.

Day37: 11 May, Villa Mercedez to San Luis
distance 99.90 km, cycling time 4h 50min, brutto time 09.30-15.30, avg speed 20.64 km/h, max speed51.40 km/h, climb 541 m, total distance 1577.23 km, avg heart rate 124, max hr 151, temp 15 C.


Autum has began, at 9am the temperature is a low 10 C, sky is overcast with thick grey clouds and a light fog hangs in the countryside. I'm wearing my running jacket for the first time. After 40km I have to stop to change my shorts for long cycling pants. All the way is a slight up hill road. 35km to San Luis at 1100m a slight down hill starts, 3rd chain ring I blast it out cycling at 42km/h most of the remaining distance. Biking around San Luis centre looking for a hotel, I'm stopped by a man and his son. Mario Greco, a 50 year old interest in MTBs, we chat about my bike and travelling, I ask him if he knows a good cheap hotel. He tells me that he's got apartments that he rents to tourists next to his villa. He offers me to stay there free of charge. I put All Black on his Dodge pickup truck and off we go. The apartment is very nice and just for me. Mario Greco, a very friendly and generous man.

Day38: 12 May, San Luis to La Paz
distance 125 km, cycling time 5h 40min, brutto time 09.30-17.30, total distance 1712.23 km. Computer not working good today, I wonder why?

Cold and grey with 70km of slight climb. La Paz is a very poor town, the poorest I've seen up to date. Most of the shops do not have signs, they are mainly a room of the owner's house.

Day39: Rest

Day37: 14 May, La Paz to Mendoza (finally the Andes)
distance 148 km, cycling time 7h 48min, brutto time 09.15-18.20, avg speed 18.96 km/h, max speed 30.26 km/h, climb 413 m, total distance 1850.93 km, avg heart rate 126, max hr 153, temp 12 C.

Very cold in the morning with a low 6 C, all flat straight road with lots of vineyards. I'm going to stop in Mendoza for a while, I need to buy some gear and especially fix a few more things on All Black. This is the last proper city to buy stuff before the wildness of the north of Argentina and Bolivia. Chatting on facebook I discover Jenn (friend from Bs As, met again in Montevideo) is in town and Miriam (my best friend from Bs As) is coming in a few days. I also meet in the hostel Matt (met in Bs As) with friend Megan. Looking forward for a good week in Mendoza.

As always take it easy geezers lemon squeezers.


with love



jimbo on the road