Week 7: From Uruguay Back to Argentina

Dear Friends, Partyamo People and Fellow Travellers,

I've stopped in Colonia del Sacramento for 4 days, to get rid of the pain of my old running injury in my left hand side leg. All clear now, ready for some serious cycling.

Day 12: Thursday 16 April, Colonia to Carmelo
km 81.4, time on bike 5h 35min, brutto time 10.00 - 17.00, avg speed 14.4 km/h, max speed 42.7, total climb 602m, heart rate 121, max HR 161, temp. 30 C.

Finally out of Colonia, but I'm facing a very strong head wind and lots of climbs. There is a climb every km and when I get to the top I'm slowed down by the head wind, at times as slow as 10 km/h (I can run faster than that!). Thanks to the wind, even down hill I'm slow, pedaling I pick up an avg speed of 25 km/h, down hill! A full sunny day, I get to Carmelo exhausted. It's a small town of farmers, there is one main square, near by I check in a small shitty, expensive, for a 2 star hotel "El Centro". I just manage to shower, drink 1L of yoghurt, eat 2 meat empanadas and die on the bed watching tv.

Day 13: Friday 17 April, Carmelo to Dolores
km 79.12, time on bike 5h 20min, brutto time 10.00 - 17.30, avg speed 14.8 km/h, max speed 35.5, total climb 445m, heart rate 118, max HR 153, temp. 32 C.

As the hotel is shite, of course the breakfast is shite as well. I set of at 10am and I'm still fighting a strong front wind and lots of climbs, one every km. It's hot today with 35 C, at times I have to stop in the shade just to get out of the sun. I'm able to bike for 2 1/2 hours, covering 45 km. After lunch my body starts to shut down a bit, feeling uncomfortable on the bike with pins & needles in my arms due to the posture. I have to get off the bike every 10 km for 5-10 min to get the blood circulation going again.The heat and climbs are testing my strenght today. At 4.30pm I get to Dolores, I stop at a gas station to shade and drink a cold Coke. I'm exhausted again, I still have 35 km to get to Mercedes, in order to cross the border with Argentina the following day. It's 5pm, Ive got 2 hours of sun light. Come on!!! Who's the geeza lemon squeeza??? Lets go!!! I get out of Dolores, 1st climb shit, 2nd climb shit, 3rd climb f*** it! I turn around and go back to Dolores, ain't a geeza today!
The town is small but nice, I'm welcomed by people asking where I'm from and where I'm going with the bike. I get to the main square and stopped by a local cyclist. Interested in my story, he tells me that he works for a local radio and asks me if I'm willing to give an interview. I accept of course and follow him to the local radio which is just round the corner. Radio San Salvador AM1580, I get in and I'm welcomed by the director who says to me "Ciao Italiano, Porco ***!!!" I say "It's a strong word to use" and he says " Cazzo me ne frega, me l'ha insegnato un amico di Bergamo, Porco ***!!!" He's very friendly and he invites me to the dj studio, which is "on air". The dj is briefed, music stops, the dj introduces me and welcomes me on air, the interview starts. The dj is very interested in my story, he spends 20 minutes asking all kinds of questions why? when? and how? Can't belive it! I get to a small town in Uruguay, still sweating from cycling and I'm in a radio station giving an interview in spanish "on air". A few photos and I ask where I can find a good, cheap hotel in town, they direct me to Cri Hotel, round the corner. A very sweet positive lady invites me in and says "you are the Italian cycling South America, I've listened to you on the radio". I sit at a desk with her to check in, between us the cat of the hotel sits on the desk looking at me. Through out the whole process the cat stays there looking at me all proud "this is my house". So sweet & funny. When I gave the interview I was still sweating from cycling and ther was a strong aircon on. Now I'm not feeling good, I got a sore throat, sleep only 2 hours and the next day I have a fever. The price of fame!

Day 14: Saturday 18 April. Dolores in Dolores
Have a fever. Laying in bed all day.

Day 15: Sunday 19 April, Dolores to Mercedes
km 42.3, time on bike 2h 06min, brutto time 11.00 - 13.06, avg speed 20.07 km/h, max speed 42.7, total climb 277m, heart rate 120, max HR 149, temp. 28 C.

Not feeling great today. However, I decide to get moving, I need to get to Merceds to cross the border with Argentina on Monday. Nice and easy, to Mercedes is only 35 km and is flat with few down hills. I get to the town centre at 13.00, check in a very cheap hotel for 200 pesos Ur (7 euros). I rest all afternoon. Late afternoon I go out to have a look around. Mercedes is a small town on Rio Negro. There is a rambla next to the river where the locals hang out drinking mate on the side walks or driving slowly up & down the rambla, always drinking mate. Uruguayos go crazy for mate, they all walk around with a termos under the arm and mate in one hand. They even ride bikes with one hand to drink mate.

Day 16: Monday 20 April, Mercedes to Qualiquaychu (ARG)
km 61.25, time on bike 3h 02min, brutto time 09.30 - 19.00, avg speed 20.01 km/h, max speed 45.6, total climb 187m, heart rate 120, max HR 153, temp. 28 C.

It's my last day in Uruguay! There is an issue at the border near Fray Bentos: due to the a paper industry plant, the road from the argentinian side is blocked by protesters (they have been there for the last 3 years!), they will not let cars through unless they work in the area, but they let bicycles through. So there is little traffic to the border, where there is a long bridge to cross Rio Uruguay into Argentina. At the bringe a border guard tells me I can't cross the bridge with my bike. He tells me I have to wait for a pick up or jeep to give me a lift. Well it's only 11am, how lonk will it take? After an hour I'm drinking mate with the border guard. Only at 5pm, 6 hours after, a pick up truck shows up. Luckly he will take me, I have less than 2 hour of sunshine to get to Gualeguachu.After crossing the bridge, I begin my ride in Argentina. It's all flat to Gualeguaychu, I get there at 7pm as sun sets. It's dark now, I check in the first hotel I see, a 3 star hotel for 95 peso Ar (20 euro).

Day 17: Tuesday 21 April, Gualeguaychu to Gualeguay
km 89.4, time on bike 4h 30min, brutto time 11.00 - 16.45, avg speed 20.62 km/h, max speed 38.7, total climb 298m, heart rate 122, max HR 161, temp. 26 C.

Wow!!! All flat, I pick up a good avg speed 25-28 km/h. There is little traffic on this country road, only farm land. At each farm I'm barked or chased by dogs. At one point 2 dogs run through their property, one of them crosses the road to chase me. He even puts him self in front to try to stop me. I move to the middle of the road to avoid him and he still chases me. At the same time there is a double lorry coming the opposite direction, I move back to the side of the road, but the stupid dog crosses the road to go back. He is hit at full speed by the lorry. I hear the "bang", I turn around and see chunks of dog spread all over the place. Stupid dog! I feel sorry for the other dog on the side that just lost his friend or brother.

Day 18: Wednesday 22 April, Gualeguay to Victoria
km 111.46, time on bike 6h 03min, brutto time 10.00 - 18.30, avg speed 18.41 km/h, max speed 46.64, total climb 454m, heart rate 112, max HR 155, temp. 30 C.

Again only countryside, farms and f***ing dogs chasing me down the road. I'm told that they go crazy when they see wheels of bikes turning. What ever! Today is hot, but there is no shade for 70 km, only then I find a gas station where I stop for shade and a cold Pepsi. The next 40 km is a reminder of Uruguay with lots of climbs. I check in a cheap hotel, I eat pizza watching tv and die on the bed.

Day 19: Thursday 23 April, Victoria to Rosario
I leave the hotel, ride for 2 km to the bridge to cross Rio Parana' and I'm stopped by police. They will not let me cross the 60 km of bridges to Rosario. After seeing my passport, I ask "what can I do to get to Rosario?". They say "Don't worry we will stop a pick up or jeep to take you to Rosario." Wow, excellent service. They like Italians and if you speak the lingo they respect you. I get a ride from a pick up, a very friendly guy who lived in Italy and Spain, so we have lots to talk about during the ride. He drops me in the city centre, he gives me his number and he invites me to a Saturday asado with his friends. Argentinians can be so friendly! I check in hostel Punto Clave, a very nice place, looks like at home, all tidy & clean, run by Jorge & Rudy, very friendly, genuinly interested in their guests and will do anything to help you. Can' belive it!!! I log in Facebook, I see a frienship`request. Leila!!! We used to work together in f***ing Sansicario, she's from Rosario, but she works in Gran Canaria now. She contacts me via chat and she tells me that she's back in Rosario with her cousin Valeria, she worked in Sansicario as well. Can't belive it!!! we meet up and the next 2 nights out we party till dawn.


Take it easy geezers lemon squeezers


Always with love



jimbo