We lost our way twice today.  Firstly on leaving Cafayate and then while trying fo find accomodation in Santa Maria.  In between we had a lovely cycling day.

Leaving Cafayate was an issue because the road to the southern edge of town was closed due to roadworks.  We seemed to be going around in circles until we found ourselves on a dirt road that led us to the bridge across the Rio Loro Huasi and on to Ruta Cuarenta. 

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Ruta Cuarenta was wonderfully quiet and we were able to cycle alongside one another for much of the ride.  After a few small hills we started a very gentle and uniform climb up to Santa Maria with a net altitude gain of only 270 meters over nearly 80 kilometers.   Apart from a section of poor surface from the provincial border until the turnoff to San Miguel de Tucumán, we had a great quality surface.

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A few kilometers from Santa Maria we stopped to phone ahead to book accommodation for the night.  None of the numbers we called (which we got off Google Maps) were answering apart from one that told us they weren't taking guests tonight.   We tried the same upon reaching Santa Maria with similar results.   So all we could do was ride around to the hotels and hostals listed on Google.  There was no sign of life at any of them but on trying the number for a hostal on the western edge of town my call was answered.   The next problem was to find the place because its location on Google is incorrect.   After half an hour we found it but it was one step away from a pigsty.  

So it was back into town hoping that the places we had been to before would now be open.  We've ended up at a somewhat overpriced hotel which happened to be the first place we tried on entire town.

A short day tomorrow to just past Punta de Balasto because that's the only option between here and Hualfin.