| Distance | 45.00 kms | 27.96 miles |
|---|---|---|
| Climbed | 466 meters | 1,529 feet |
| Ride time (hours) | 5.71 | - |
| Avg speed | 7.7 kph | - |
| Avg climb | 3% | - |
| Max grade | 25% | - |
| Distance | 496.00 kms | 308.20 miles |
|---|---|---|
| Climbed | 3,994 meters | 13,104 feet |
| Ride time (hours) | 41.39 | - |
Friday, December 14th, 2012
I slept through the night for the first time on the trip. Up at 7:30, water was becoming a problem again so I had a cold breakfast. The wind was up bright and early this morning, greeting me with a good sand blasting. Another 15 kilometers or so of ripio before I got back on Ruta 40. The wind was in my face all day long. On Ruta 40 it was coming at me from about 2 o'clock which made staying upright a seriously difficult task. I wish I had a way to measure windspeed; I can't say exactly how fast it was but there were times when I literally could not move the bike forward.
I had to lean the bike over to keep moving straight, when a gust came it would push me into the road and I would violently wrench the handlebars to the right to get back on the side. I was seriously in danger of getting blown into traffic and I had a few close calls. It was relentless... all the way to Río Mayo. It took me 6.5 hours to do 45 kilometers. The water situation wasn't helping. I nursed a liter from the campsite to Río Mayo. I've got a case of blistered lips to show for not being more careful about the water situation.
At one point the wind just knocked me right over and I got up screaming. I cursed it's ancestry, it's progeny, and everything else I could think of. I must have really been yelling because when I got to Río Mayo and spoke to the guy at Informes I realized that I was hoarse. Sometimes anger is a good motivator. I kept at it and eventually made it to the town. I've never been so glad to see civilization. I rewarded myself for the effort with the first hotel of the trip and a hot meal in a restaurant.
