Amaicha

We set off at 7am, expecting a gruelling 1000m climb, like our climb to El Mollar and we were curious as to the effects of 3000m altitude.
In fact, we were gaining altitude with ease. I started to doubt the accuracy of my altimeter. It did get very hard when the road surface became gravel - or rather sand with pebbles and rocks. It makes it so much harder work. THe cars that overtake throw up loads of dust. Both Al and I noticed the dryness of the air in our throats, which was not helped by inhaling dust at frequent intervals.

We pushed on and the road surface became patched tarmac, repaired a spoonful at a time, but still better than dust and rocks.
It semed to easy as we reached the top. We had lunch of sardines in lemon oil as two cycle tourers came up from the other side: a couple. He gave us a whoop and a triumphant high-five and we congratulated each other.

Wehn we started our descent down the other side, the differene in climate and vegetation was astounding. Tafi side had been green pastures, crops whereas the Amaicha side looked like the Wild West. It supported only cacti, was dry, dusty, rocky - and hot. There were a couple of uphills, which I thought was not on, but then our descent proper began.


the road surface was more of that patched up tarmac, which made for a bumpy ride. Mostly, the descent was not one to go crazy down - too many bends. But on one stretchwe just fewl down. Al's cycle computer read max speed of 47mph, mine aid 75pkh.

It was exhilirating and a bit dangerous (although not as dangerous as earlier when the bungee holding my thermarest to my rear rack cmae loose, attached itself to the spokes and had begun to wrap itself around my rear hub. Much further and I've have been thrown off my bike into a ravine.

It was hours later though, when I came off my bike. I hadn't seen Al pull into the entrance of Apimpa observatory until it was too late. I was going too fast to tackle the deep sand/gravel and my bike went over sideway and I hit my knee on a rock. A tanker passed just then, so it's lucky I fell away from the road and not into it.
The knock brought tears to my eyes but I was otherwise unhurt.
We cycled on into the town, waves of hot air washing over us. The campsite we passed was cammed, cheek by jowl with tents, like Glastonbury. We stopped at a cafe to cool down.

Going into the town, there was some sort of festival going on and I hadn't expected to cycle past a table and get sprayed with shaving foam. Disorientated and with a swelling knee, I was NOT in the mood.

There seemed to be accommodation to be had anywhere (it turned out to be carneval). We asked at a service station whether we could camp on their grounds but no.

I burst into tears again, at the hopelessness. I was tired out, hot and my knee was getting more and more painful. I didn't fancy the prospect of cycling another 14km to the next place with my sore knee.

Random strangers offered us their sandwiches and some ice cold Sprite and chatted. I understood about 30% of what she said but she was very nice.
We cycled back into own and found the other campsite, pitched our tent in the shade. we were told this campsite had no hot water. I realluy don't mind that, not when I'm this hot.
However, as we later discovered, it turned out there wasn't any cold water, either. A girl appeared and said I could use the shower in the house.

It was the campsite owner's howm shower and, while basic, it was wonderful. I was profuse in my thanks.
AL made do with a wash under one of our water bags.
We then went off to see the festivities going on in the town. I was still not in the mood for anything lively but went along anyway.

It was a good place to sample some street food (choripan - chorizo in a bread roll) and just amble through the crowds. People were covering other people with coloured powder - reds, yellows, and were having fun spraying each other with spray foam. There were a lot of gouchos showing off their horses. They paraded through cheering crowds and later there was some sort of horse event in the stadium by the campsite. We certainly had a lot of horses milling around the campsite, waiting for their turn. The leather craft that goes with it is beautiful.