Civilisation again!!!

HI All,
Been a while since an update largely due to Gareth and I being away from the technical radar for a while and vastly underestimating distances and road conditions so a route that we thought would take 6 days actually took 10!!

2nd Nov Paso de los Libres to Mercedes (90.6M)
As predicted the 'Gran Capitan' train out of Buenos Aires took a lot longer than the advertised 16-18hours, more like 21 (a bus would have taken 10 hours, but was more expensive and we were having trouble getting the bikes transported on hte buses). This actually worked in our favour as at least we arrived in Paso de los Libres (pass of the free) in the daylight at 8amish, instead of 5am as scheduled. From Paso we unfortunately immedately made a navigational error and turned up at the airport on a deadend road, a few directions later we retraced our steps took an unsigned dirt track turning and eventually managed to get to the main tarmaced road. We then had 130km to go to Mercedes our goal for the evening. After 20km we turned onto a slightly quieter road and then had 110km of very very straight road. Lorries appeared on the horizon about 5minutes before they reached us. The corners were signed, just in case the drivers had fallen asleep I assume, there were 6 to the left and 8 to the right and at least 4 of these were in the final 10km to town. We reached Mercedes as it was getting dark, got directions to the hostels address, only to find it no longer exists as a hostel (they still have a very nice website up and running, which we'd checked before leaving BA). I got directions to Hotel Sol which was ok, at least had hotwater and a comfy bed!

3rd Nov Mercedes to Wild camp by river (37M)

Well stocked up wih breakfast from the hotel we set our weary legs (2 weeks in BA wasn't really good training) back on our bikes. A quick stop at the petrol station to fill up our fuel bottles for our stove. I looked a bit stupid standing a queue for the pumps behind 5 motorbikes and a car. The petrol attendant asked if I'd run out of fuel in my car, seemed happier with my reponse it was para cocinar (for cooking). From then we had 7 miles grace before turning northwards into the wind which was to continue that way for the rest of teh day (another very straight road!). We had a further few miles grace of tarmac before a police check point and and then the dirt track began!. Ok in places, also very loose and hard work in others. Our legs were tired and especially Gareth who'd only just got over his stomach bug meant that we were never going to reach the next town today. There were very few places to camp out of sight of the road but next to a largish river we found a lovely spot, obviously used before, flat grassy and out of sight of the road. Even a river for water.

4th Nov River wild camp to Carlos Colonia Pellegrini in Esteros del Iberia (wetlands) (44M)

Up early to beat the heat (well at least for a few hours) and onwards along the dirt track. Passed a few road works again, probably be tarmaced in a bout 1 years time. Again loads of wildlife, caracara and other birds of prey, colourful songbirds and at our last stop of the day a small armadillo, very cool looking. Also Carapincho, the largest species of rodent in the world. Can grow up to 75kg, look like giant guinea pigs and sound like dogs barking when they get spooked. Semi aquatic and sort of cute ugly. Eventually after a very very hot day we arrived at the visitors centre for the wetlands. Today all we managed here was a well deserved rest in the first decent shade for the day in the shadow of the building, info about nature trails for another day and directions to the campsite in the village over the bridge. From the visitors centre to the campsite was about 1km, mainly causeway with a rickety metal/wooden bridge in the middle, had to make sure we balanced across the planks ok, otherwise could have well got our tyres stuck.
The campsite was lovely. Individual covered areas, BBQs and shady pitches, only 2 tents the 1st night there and amazing views across Lagos (lake) Iberia.

5th Nov to 7th Nov Carlos Pellegrini 

This is what the hard miles of cycling had been for. A lovely chilled campsite, a boat trip out to see the bird and wildlife on the lake including lots of birds and animals we'd seen on our cycle in but more species as well and Caymen, some growing up to about 150m long (I decided against swimming in the lake when it got hot!), some walks at the nature trials from the visitors centre, spotting howler monkeys as well.









8th Nov Carlos Pellegrini to Wild camp (mosquito) (31.7M)

We knew it was going to be bad, we knew the road out north was reported to be worse than the one that we'd come into the wetlands on. It was bad. The first 12Miles were ok, sandy but cyclable, we stopped for a second breakfast and watched some Guanchos herd their cattle on horseback with their dog. Then the rest of the day was hot sweaty and largely consisted of pushing our bikes through sand! We left C.Pellegrini at 8.15am and at 7pm we were desperately looking for somewhere to pitch tent, 11 hours on the go and only 32M covered, not great statistics. We found somewhere a bit off the road, pitched tent, used up some water to wash some of the sand and grime off, doing some very silly dancing to try to keep the mosquitoes off us then rapid cooking of mountain dried meals (thank you Gemma!) and quickly into a very hot tent. very muggy and hot, it took until the early hours of the morning before it was vaguely comfortable in the tent.

9th Nov Wild Mosquito camp to Wild camp flood (45.8M)
For the first 3miles today  a combi of riding and pushing the bikes similar to yesterday and then for the rest of tadays milage the cycling got easier. It was still rough roads but a lot less sand and much harder packed. Again very very hot, 40 deg C on Gareths watch thermometer, just about bareable when there was a breeze but in shelteresd spots very stifling. A lovely Argentinian man donated us 2litres of ice cold water after stopping to check we were ok etc. Later on crossing a large river replenished our water supplies. At 4pm ish we opted to stop before reaching the main road for another wild camp. Off the road and out of sight, small area of shade until dusk when we set the tent up. Ideal spot unless as Gareth pointed out it should rain as it did look like a dried up previous water holding area, no problem we thought as it hasn't really rained in the 4 weeks we've been in Argentina....

10th Nov Flooded wild camp to Gobernador Virasoro (23.4M)
Yep it rained last night, a lot! It actually started a little as we went to bed, Gareth got the clothes in and put the guy ropes up. Then as the night went on the rain got heavier and there was a spectactular thunder storm. Still not too worried as we were't at the lowest point of the area and no sign of water pooling yet. At 5am when the alarm went off it was throwing it down, raining so hard Gareth didn't hear the alarm. I didn't really think about it enough at this stage, just decided we wouldn't be cycling in this rain and reset the alarm for later. Then at 6.30am I woke to the plonk plonk of rain on water. A gaze out the mesh and sure enough there was a risin edge of water lapping at the bottom edge of the tent. I got Gareth up and it soon became apparent 2/3 of the ground sheet was floating!!!. A very rapid decamp, luckily the rain was stopping so we didn't get too wet packing our bags.
Our porblems didn't quite end there. back on the road we had about 3 miles rough track to reach the main tarmaced road. We managed 1.9M and then became stuck. The rain had turned the red dusty road to red clay. Our brakes, wheels and frames became jammed. We scooped out the mud and managed to roll forward about 2 meters before being as jammed as before. STUCK! Unsure what to do at this point, we tried lifting the bikes, not possible for any distance at all. Thankfully farly soon another extremely nice Argentinian in a 4WD pick up stopped, took one look and asked if we wanted a lift. Yes please! Even his truck had problems getting going on the wet clay, but manage to and took us up to the main tarmac road where he dropped us close to a service station and we spent the next 2 hours cleaning our bikes. In hindsight if we'd only made it to the garage last night, I think they would have let us pitch behind the garage and  we'd have not had any muddy problems. Post bike cleaning and filled up with beef sandwich and empanadas we set off again. The miles went by a lot quicker this time. Tarmac mkes a big difference! Arriving at G. Virasoro we stopped initially just to pick up ice cold drinks, icecreams and so snacks. Afterwards having asked at the small tourist office we decided to stop here for the night. The next town was a lot smaller with no hotels and I for one was to tired for much more. We found a lovely B and B, Posada los Lapachos, so nice that I doubted I'd heard the price correctly and that we were going to have a nasty surprise tomorrow. We'd decided that it'd be worth it whatever. A lovely shower and air- conditioning and comfy beds!

11th Nov G. Virasoro to Posadas (62.8M)
A huge lovely breakfast at the B&B. Bread, jam, cheese, ham, cake, cheese scones, fresh orange juice and coffee. Definitely a shame to be leaving and I hadn't miss heard the price so although more than our usual budget of campsites or hostels not stupid money.
On the road again recharged. Tarmaced roads and from halfways onwards with a good hard shoulder which made cycling easier and no requirement to be constantly checking over our shoulders for approaching buses or lorries. The landscape was now becoming more varied. Less flat (not hilly, certainly not by yorkshire standards) and more bends in the road. Posadas is a large city and despite making good time it took almost 1hour to make it across town with the stop/go traffic lights and grid system but eventually we arrived at  Vuela el Pez hostel.

12th-13th Nov Posadas
A couple of days of catching up with ourselves. Deposited washing with some poor people at the local laundrete, agreed on the price before I let them see the state of our washing. Wandered along beside the river Parana gazing at Encarnacion in Paraguay on the otherside. Phoning and emailing. Also nice to chat with some English speaking travellers at the hostel and apart being woken early by the late return of some hardcore party people to the dorm room have managed to catch up on some sleep.