| Distance | 31.95 kms | 19.88 miles |
|---|---|---|
| Climbed | 665 meters | 2,182 feet |
| Ride time (hours) | 3.33 | - |
| Avg speed | 9.5 kph | - |
| Avg climb | 5% | - |
| Max grade | 12% | - |
| Distance | 7,891.08 kms | 4,903.24 miles |
|---|---|---|
| Climbed | 79,021 meters | 259,255 feet |
| Ride time (hours) | 596.45 | - |
Wednesday, March 20th, 2013
It was cold this morning, below zero, with a wind to make it bite even harder. I was up well before dawn to get out of my exposed campsite before daybreak.
More climbing ensued, although with better scenery. It hovered around 3 degrees until the sun got up over the mountains. I ran into a bunch of guanacos near the road, they look very much like vicuñas only bigger. They make a really strange sound - kind of like a cross between a donkey and Muttley the wheezing dog. By 11:30 I was in Putre, a smallish town nestled in a valley that appears surprisingly green after the desert mountains I just went through.
At the tourist office they had no maps of the region, instead they directed me to a hotel where I was charged almost $10 for a map... yikes. After buying a few things at a store I got the feeling this place is mostly about ripping off tourists. The hostal was a pleasant surprise though, a nice room with private bath and internet for a price that´s not too bad for a place like this.
I took a long nap in the afternoon, I was feeling pretty tired after all that climbing. My card doesn´t work in the ATM here which is a problem... I´ll have to change some of my meager supply of dollars to get enough food to get over to Colchani. It´s going to be one of those long ripio rides without many services so I´ll need to stock up on supplies here.
