Unforgiving trails in Argentina... turn back or press on?

After several days of rest at Rio Pico, while the rain poured down with torrents and the snow fell from the sky with large flakes, Paul and I decided to get back on. The rest days provided time for evaluation of the recent tough cycling days, self-reflection, reflections and deliberation. Are we avoiding the tough routes? What does that mean for the rest of the trip? Does Paul want to give it another chance to see if he can still somehow get pleasure or satisfaction out of these tough cycling days? What are our options for the next several hundred miles?

 Hera & Paul
 Santos Travelmaster 2.6 & Santos Cross Lite

We decide to stick to our initial plan, which consists of several gravel roads, but also with the possibility of deviating somewhere to the paved Ruta 40. The first day will not be too bad and will offer some respite before we really have to get going again. Just 20 km over gravel and then turn right onto Ruta 64 which, although not connecting any major towns, is asphalted. At least, that’s what I saw on a local map of the province. To be sure (because on my paper map this road could not be found at all and on our digital map (OpenStreetMap) it was marked as ‘trail’), we ask again at the local Tourist Information. ‘Yes, paved, look, here it is on the map too.’ That must be over 80 km of brand new asphalt, we conclude, what a wonderful prospect! 600 altitude meters are a piece of cake on a road like that.

Rested, we roll out of Rio Pico. Against our expectations, not over gravel. Map error. With the wind at our backs we roll 20 kilometers to the exit. A well-spread bed. Only when we are facing it do we see it. We both check the map again. Is it really here? In front of us a narrow gravel path winds between two farms and behind it up the hill as if it leads only to a field. But nothing could be further from the truth. This is the ruta 64 to Aldea Apeleg. I look at Paul who I suspect is attempting to swallow away his frustration and look at this “setback” with new eyes. We decide to push our bikes up the slope which runs along an excavation of pebbles. Maybe the path will get better after that. A little better … enough to bike instead of push. Shall we? We have no idea what awaits us on this route. Still, even Paul finally agrees. We’ll give it a shot!

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