December 10, 2022 to December 11, 2022
Villa Mañihuales
Saturday 10th December 2022
| Heart | 1 | Comment | 0 | Link |
There isn't much I can say about today's ride that is positive. We got away quite late after hoping that the weather might improve as the day went on but our predictions were way off course. As the ride progressed the rain seem to fall more heavily and so after crawling up the hill to Villa Amenguel and making it past the next few hills we put our heads down and rode quite hard to Villa Villa Mañihuales.
The worst thing about all this bad weather is that folks like Stefan and Lauren are missing out on the beauty of this area because the views are mostly hidden by clouds and mist. Being cold and wet all day long doesn't help either. Both of them have described their tours as being a chance of a lifetime and it is a pity that they are only getting half of what they might have hoped for.
The wet and cold conditions quickly made us decide to skip camping and to find warm and dry digs for the night but a few kilometers out of town we noticed Jineteada on the go. This is a "sport" where a horse is abused into a frenzy and riders take turns to see how long they can stay on its back. We started to worry that all the cabañas in Villa Mañihuales would be occupied by the fiesta contestants and spectators.
But our first objective, because we were very low on food, was to stock up on essential groceries just in case all the shops closed early. I asked the cashier about accommodation and she directed us to some small departementos a block up the road. So for the next two nights we have a lovely small but modern apartment with a good kitchen and a bathroom that, contrary to usual Patagonian standards, is almost brand new and works well.
Sunday 11th December 2022
Getting the most important items of clothing washed was the objective for the day. Apart from that it was a chance to catch up various things for which an internet connection is needed. I have picked up a mild cold so resting inside is probably best for me today.
Tomorrow we head down the hill to Los Torreones, a short and easy ride if my memory serves me well.
Today's ride: 77 km (48 miles)
Total: 4,497 km (2,793 miles)
| Rate this entry's writing | Heart | 4 |
| Comment on this entry | Comment | 0 |