The Bloody Rocks of Andalgala

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Here we are in Cafayate, Argentina. We left Chilecito on a fine day and made our way to Andalgala. The problem is that there were a lot of road works, with the urgent need to 'Pave the World', I guess, before the oil runs out ?. If they continue at this rate, before long we will be able to do Harley tours over here, just joking really, as we there are still plenty of adventure roads over here...
Leo took a dive while exiting one of the river crossing on the road from Andalgala to Santa Maria, but lucky for him it was a sandy landing, he winded himself and hurt his pride a bit, and broke the left hand mirror, he is currently out shopping for a replacement.
Actually he featured high on yesterdays ride, as after our visit to the Quilmes Ruines, he took a left turn and headed back towards, Santa Maria, with Gerardo and I out looking for him as the day was closing an and thunder rail threatening. This, I am sure will be documented further in the following blog from Tigger. I think Leo will pay more attention at the briefing and keep his map and day sheet accessable.
I am recieving some Messages from people for some of the riders. These I assume you want in the blog, so I will cut and past these in this time. PLEASE click the COMMENTS and then it goes directly onto the blog and they can read it. If you have a personal message for them, please do that on my e-mail [e-mail] and I can pass it onto them.

Tigger’s Blog part 4

The temperatures are starting to climb and I’m sure the boys would swear that the weight is just dropping off them; it wasn’t for the cevazas at the other end counteracting all the energy spent through the day. It was a hot and sticky night when we rode the pass (sorry just a bit of blog from part three as we were pushed for time and internet access and time was short)

Part 4

Having a light day of riding today the boys all ready to leave after a leisurely breakfast and with left over Sammie’s for a snack a petrol/coffee snack break we set off. We lost David and Leo briefly. When they failed to turn a corner and take the least deviation, but was a side road and luckily for them it was a dead end. They swear it was an amazing and we should have all gone. I asked them if I could see the photos, they were very quiet about it.

With a scenic ride through the Paso del Negra, between Chile and Argentina, on what I would describe painted mountains of green and Arizona rock red it was truly stunning with rock faces eaten away with time and the elements to expose some of natures masterpieces.

Having reached the hotel is one piece but hot and sticky the important questions were. Is there a pool? And Cevaza pov for vor, gracias. So this is the life isn’t it guys sitting by the pool after a ride and a quick dip in the pool to cool off, with a Grande (large) Cevaza (beer) in hand thinking it’s a hard life. We had a very a cute little street dog join us. A little like a border collie but all black and miniature and very sweet

We had dinner after I think most of us had made contact with our loved ones. La Rosa Restaurant was recommended, by Rosco and we trotted off, as we were on our own for dinner tonight. We didn’t do too badly with the ordering a couple of pizzas and chicken, steak and pork. But the waitress got the orders muddled up a bit and it wasn’t till half way through the meals or completely after the meal that they realised. Oh well all had full bellies and a couple glasses of Melbec so all was ok.

I had ordered the pasta with what I thought was a creamy sauce and salsa, (actually was cooked pasta soaked in cream with pasta) it was nice but left a lot of the cream- I’m not doing that much exercise to work it off!!)
Cake for breakfast is wonderful concept for a sweet tooth junkie but better for morning tea. With straight roads till lunch time the boys were eager to have some fun and with Rosco as their leader they were lead along the metal road with culverts for excitement. We were having fun in the chase truck, (thank goodness I packed a good bra) Imagine how much fun the boys were having.

Having got to the motel early cos the culverts were dry the road was faster. We relaxed in air conditioning. The pool was being refilled so instead it was cold showers to cool off in the 37.5 C heat.
Also some bike maintenance was needed. Some wheel balancing I think was the terminology used. There was an atm machine in town so some went for funds (Cevaza and food money for the next couple of days to tide them over), others was bar stories, others down time (2 hours was the recorded longest as I recall). We had lots of extra goodies in the motel room like needle and thread but I didn’t tell the boys, can you imagine the line to fix stuff- I don’t think so.

Briefing was delayed due to last year’s stories and the access to internet but so was dinner so it worked in well. Took some photos of Tigger and would have take some with Rocky as well on but Rosco left him on the bike all night and Rocky was not happy in the morning.

We had some more high riding again today to 10,000feet and got look inside a local house if that’s what you could call it. Was very humbling and felt like we were intruding and couldn’t bring myself to take and video of inside the house (where the mother was sitting but did take some photos in the courtyard. He had 150 goats and sheep and stayed there year long. He had to kill a goat every for days to feed his family but also people could pay him for a goat as well.

Having got the sleepyheads up and atom we were ready to rock and roll at 7.59 am, with 1minute to spare.
We had extra time on the road, cos nobody fell off (at this stage) so we were able to make a detour and go to see a mine (we made it to the hotel) but were informed that it was another 4 hours to do the mine tour and with still another half day riding it was impossible but the boys got super charged on the coffee and off we went again.

Amazing place and everything had to be trucked in and out including supplies, mine gems of the pink Rhodochrosite Stone ( the only place in the world) Amazing roads up there 3100m just amazing, (think you are going to see these words a lot. Didn’t really know what to expect really except that we were going to Machu Picchu and we haven’t even been there yet!! Girls just remember that you need to take toilet paper with you to the toilet cos I don’t think any of them have them. I have a good supply so I‘m good. On that subject handy facial wipes are great good for getting grease off your hands when changing the tires and you get extra brownie points for the boys. I am just my fathers daughter and born ready 2 (otherwise you get left behind)

We were coming the other side of the mountains towards the site of alec's off last year. Not long after that we came across Leo sitting on the ground wondering what just happened. Got some video footage and a hand on head (signal what we know means I’m ok) so after up righting the bike and establishing the only damage was maybe some bruised ribs and some winding, and only a broken mirror to the bike we headed off for our lunch stop and a rest.

Big lunch of pasta and turkey (they have their main meal at lunch time and then a siesta and that’s exactly what we felt like doing) with only 100km to go we carried on. We looked at some Quilmes Indian Ruins but we misplaced Leo (I think he wanted to do the road that we had done earlier!!) So we get to the hotel and with 7 bikes (one bike was already there) and we must have just counted that and we are unloading and some one says “where is Leo”. With Leo being the quiet one of the group we have now decided he should make more noise.(or give him a bell) I commented to Leo why he had yesterdays day sheet in his tank bag, and said that today's one was packed some where. I think he will have the current day sheet on there from now on me thinks.

So Rosco and Gerardo departed in the truck to go locate it. It was discussed and was concluded that he had turned right instead of left( he apparently followed another biker right which he thought was one of us to back to the town we had come from) Finding his mistake tried calling Gerardo (but the area code was different) so he rang Raewyn (Rosco’s wife, Tigger’s Mum) who happened to be skyping Tigger at that time so while we are all worried a bit about Leo at this time so I just relayed the instructions via Skype to Raewyn and Leo was on his way. What would men do without women ay? : ) they all found each other about 10km past the ruins, so the shepherd lead the lost sheep home. I spotted the truck coming in to the town so we all leapt out from the bar and clapped him past. I tad weary, but pleased to be back with the herd.
So was an early night for all and all a good night. From me to you.  Tomorrow we head to Salta. Have you found it on the map yet? 

From Gerardo...

Hola, esto es lo que sucedió hoy 16/03/09 desde Chilecito a Andalgala, partimos alas 9.00 am, una media hora mas tarde de lo agendado, fue un viaje agradable hasta Belen, donde paramos en el YPF a tonar un café y un sándwich tipo 11.45, ahí encontramos a 4 motociclistas de Austria que viajan con destino San Pedro de Atacama, previo a eso en el cruce de Tinogasta a Londres en la ruta 40 fuimos chequeados por gendames argentinos que buscaban droga con un perro, pero buena onda y se decian entre ellos que estos no son consumidores, si que nos dejaron ir sin problema. Los 84 kms de Belen a Andalgala que la vez pasada fueron casi 4 horas ahora solo uno, la vez pasada tuvimos que atravesar numerosos ríos que ahora no existian, y camino muy barroso, ahora no fue nada, un camino de ripio mas, como cualquiera de Magallanes, o sea , no hubo la aventura de la vez pasada, en que todos llegamos fascinados y algunos asustados por lo que venia. La verdad que la emoción que uno siente por andar en moto, muchas veces se traspasa a un miedo producto de accidentes que uno ve e historias que todo motociclista cuenta, los austriacos de hoy venian con un accidentado, uno siempre tiende a pensar que los otros no saben conducir, pero la verdad que la moto es mas peligrosa, pero eso hace la diferencia, esto es una aventura.
El calor aca es infernal, pero en moto andando se siente menos, el grupo lo único que espera es llegar y tomar Quilmas de un litro y eso es lo que normalmente hacemos, hasta pronto.
Gerardo.

Un mensaje por Brian Hill...

Hola mi padre, como estas?
Looks like you are having so much fun-thats a big smile on your dial! What about you getting ahead and losing the team in the first few days!
Bet you are seeing some amazing sites-hope you are taking lots of photos so we can see them when you get back. Sounds like you are doing some massive miles every day-hows ya bum holding up?
And has my Spanish book come in handy at all? Was going to write this email in Spanish but thought better of it... Sure you know cerveza by now though!
Tigger's blogs are very entertaining-sounds like a cool group of dudes you are riding with. Those photos of ripper need to be censored however- ; )
Whats are the temps like over there?
Alls well back here in Sydney, boring though compared to what you're seeing and doing everyday whilst on your travels-must get to South America quick smart!!
Travel safe,
Besos, Rach x

Hi Brian,
Looks as though you have had some beautiful scenery today.
How many to change a tyre!!!!!!!
Good to see you are enjoying your beers, what is that hanging over your shorts.
Is there mud, you dont need the extra wait for traction!!!!!!
It has now been confirmed you are the trouble maker - just continue you do a good job.
Enjoying the blogs

Greg and Fe

Boy’s Blogs

Transcripted by Tigger for vinos

Rips Blogg

Hi peasants, 1 week in, vistas 2 die 4, highways perfect, off road better, 24-40 celsius daily no rain yet, great gang of us, no scraps yet. Dave 3x flat front in one day, can’t really believe I’m here yet. Catch you later
Rip

Tiny’s Blogg (one week in only)

Hello to everyone. What a trip!!! Bloody awesome! Really hard to describe. Reading Mikes’ blogs on last years trip was great, but now seeing it for myself is just unreal. It’s got to be the only way to do it, all the sights, smells and heat (37C at 2.30pm today and hotter at 5pm!) , no rain yet! We hummed through the last 100k today at 90-110k.p.h. no sweat (not like last year Rosco tells us!) And doing it on a bike, bloody magic
The crew are relaxed now and in the mood. Very good feel already. Pace was up a bit today, Dave’s shoulder coming good with more riding (getting a good workout with 3, yes 3 flats on front two days ago!!) All bikes going well at the moment. Gerardo with a new shock on day two. 800km return Tongoy/Santiago ( Vina del mar) and a few on day1 looking for someone! Later. Riders and bikes seam to be well matched so far! To all Adventure riders this is one trip you just gotta do!!!
Enough from me (Cevaza calling)
Tiny

Brian’s Blogg
To all fellow adventurers

I quickly recovered from my day on my own (lost) Have had several awe inspiring days. Going through the small villages at the foot hills of the Andes I couldn’t help but notice they are 100years us in NZ. The film “Alive” where the rugby players crashed in the Andes and the survivor who went for help came across a peasant farmer reminded me of areas we are travelling in. The contrast in scenery has been absolutely amazing and the Andes makes the South Island mountains look like pimples. High altitude on Saturday 4780metres was a new experience for me. Today we had 200k of tarseal with 25km straights in the morning and 100kmph metal & bulldozed tracks in the afternoon which was a real buzz for all. Temperatures have been 32-37 every day so I am quite concerned about loosing too much weight too quickly. A few cervaza(beers) in the evening is helping this. The big unknown is what Rosco has installed for tomorrow
May it continue.
Brian

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Photos

Andalgala
A fine dinner of tender? roast goat

The little streem
This is the crossing that caused problems in 08

On top of the world
The boys at 3100m

The Crew
Murray and Geraldine also at 3100m

New Age Sheperd
Gerardo with his goats

On the way to Capallitas
Look carefully the chase truck is there somewhere.

Minas Capallitas
3100m and a Kiwi Rider sticker (been here be fore)

Minas Capallitas
An Oasis in the mountains

Big Dozer
What do ya say? Bloody BIG Mate!

Ruta 40
Just a bit of Rocky Road

Miranda Pass
Great Riding

Out there
Boys on motos

Santa Maria
The road to Santa Maria

Comments

[fletch]

Bloody hell dad (Tiny), never thought i would see the day you used the internet!!! Have you figured out how to use the camera yet? Sounds like great time, pictures look good! fletch

[anonymous]

looks like a pretty sweet trip! rip, hope you're lapping it all up.. looking forward to more stories.. sam sun valley, idaho