the worst road in the world

We did indeed get another concert and it went on until 6.30 but unlike yesterday, it finished promptly. I wanted to murder them. They've robbed me of two nights' sleep. We got up and packed our things away. Some people obviously got some sleep, as we could hear someone snoring loudly. I thought it odd that someone else found this enough of a noise-nuisance to try to wake him.

We had 30km of good tarmac and then it all turned very nasty. Grit - deep grit and sand, It got to the point where it no longer mattered whether you were going uphill or downhill, as the effort was not much different. It was all about trying to stay on the bike and keep it moving forwards. We were constantly battling for control. Sinking into sand meant having to carefully choose your route to keep yourself from falling off and putting in extra power to get out before you're sucked too deeply.

There were corrugations, like a washboard which shook you violently, but at least you knew this was solid ground and so preferable to deep sand.

I no longer cycled with my SPD clipped in, in case I quickly needed to put a foot down. We had 40km of this. After 25km we got our map out. Decision time. We were hot, exhausted, sick of the road.
According to the map, it looked like this road continues for another 4 or more days of riding before we can get off it. Or we turn around. It seems wrong to turn around when we'd worked so hard to get this far. You don't want it to have all been in vain.

But when I realised that the choices were: 4 days of this to go on or 1 day of this to turn around, I would have been making a sunk-cost error to go on.

We decided to wild camp. A yellow taxi had given us some water, took our photo and so we could at least camp up and cook.

I admit the idea of doing another day of this road was unappealing, especially since every mile we struggled through today is an extra mile we have to do tomorrow, but in the long run it's the most sensible choice.
too much sand to continue.
we wild camped under a tree, just out of sight of the road.There were lots of hoofprints about so I had a look around to see whether gouchos come this way often. they normally travel with dogs, but I couldn't see any paw prints.

Eventually we braved putting up the tent and as we cooke dinner, a gunshot rang out in the desert. -Gulp-
We ate dinner and sat and watched the stars come out. Th deserts are the best places to see the night sky.
As it got pitch black, we heard hoofs on sand approaching. It was far too dark to see, but they were definitely getting closer.

We didn't want to use a torch, as it would attract attention. We moved a little nearer and the hoove sped away. These must be riderless horses, spooked by us.
They were obviously curious as they came back, but this time on the other side of some shrubs. Another noise and they ran off.



I didn't want horses to accidentally trample our tent, so we made noises to shoo them.
The night sky was fabulous. I've never seen so many stars. HOw much we lose from light pollution.
W went to bed and listened out for the hoof noises again. There was some whinnying and in the night I was woken by an equine cough, but other than that they left us alone. Perhaps we'd pitched up where they like to sleep and they were too polite to say.

distance 60.11km
ride time 5:14:39,
average 11.4kph
max 34kph max
starting alti 1859
trip alti 478
max alti 1875