Northwest Argentina

I started bike touring again in Mendoza, Argentina, because it is roughly parallel to Santiago, Chile. I'm heading north now, and my route followed the rain shadow of the Andes. This meant hot and dry weather, and careful attention paid to carrying enough water. For some sections, I diverted onto gravel (and sand) roads, but the majority was spent on Ruta 40, a famous major highway. Incredibly, this road carries very few cars and trucks, so the pedaling was lovely.

Bike tours are full of the unexpected. On a boring straight road, I suddenly was caught in a major rain storm. I rolled up to the only house in many kilometers, and a minute later was sheltering with a side of beef, wheelbarrow of guts, a goat, and a very kind family. With smiles, pointing, and a little Spanish, we agreed that I could use their roof for a little while.

In the small towns along my route, everyday bicycle usage was quite common. I really enjoyed seeing bikes leaning with one pedal on the curb at businesses, banks, and parks. Clearly, people had stopped at the destination, and didn't need to lock up. The larger cities (Mendoza and Salta) had dedicated bike infrastructure and pedestrian focused streets/plazas. Mendoza in particular has a well connected network of paths parallel to a train line, and it is so popular that they expanded the main segment to a 4-lane path!

Elevated Llamas

Buenos Aires