Bariloche adventures

---

Ok, so Santiago had a point - Bariloche is beautiful. The weather has flipped, the wind dissapeared and revealed a most beautiful lake, rugged snow-capped peaks, massive lakes, crsytal clear rivers, the whole deal. If you´re into the outdoors, you could happily spend weeks exploring and adventuring here, but unfortunately after our week of intensive spanish, we are leaving at the end of the week.

Our two rides over the weekend highlighted the dichotomy of this wee town. On sunday we cycled part of circuito chico along the lake, a picturesque, mostly sealed road circuit with huge monstrosities to attract the tourists. A lovely ride. On saturday we went hunting for some single track, and on our journey ended up in the back waters of town. It didn´t take long to lose the seal on the road, only 40% of roads in Argentina are sealed apparently. Here, most of the houses were seemingly made from recycled collected materials, no gardens, dusty buumpy roads with cars that wouldn´t have passed warrents 30 years ago in nz, let alone now. This is the ¨barrio¨- suburb Barriloche hides from its postcards. Further along our ride, we were even passed by a man collecting firewood carried by horse and cart. This is a place of immense disparrities, it´s expensive for us, what about the other half the population? The ride was an adventure, first we couldn´t find the track, then we zigged and zagged up and up, to be greeted by a rather disapointing very steep and sandy (not my fav combo) downhill. We both took a few falls, and yes I actually walked parts.

---

Photos

No country for road bikes
This is typical of minor roads just out of town. Fantastically scenic but roads are very rough and narrow. thankfully they don't see much traffic.