Day 14: #rockovuelveacasa

We were lucky enough to have skirted the rain storm in Virasorro to Santo Tomé. The forecast had for days of heavy rain. Seems that once we got south a bit, it was just overcast.

The road from Santo Tomé to Alvear was fairly easy but long – a solitary flat ride through the plains and pantano of 91km. We had a slight tailwind which made pedaling fairly easy.

The solitary nature of the endless plains patched with pine or eucalyptus groves destined for the paper mills was also patched by pantanos. I’m used to quite a bit of road kill in California, but the roadkill of this area was quite the novelty. We passed several yacare or caimán that were leathery carpets on the side of the road ranging in size from one to two meters although they can grow up to three meters – 9 feet. The other novelty roadkill were capybara. I first learned of capybara from one of my favorite childhood books – Capyboppy. I kept an eye out for live ones – alas, I only say dead ones – usually in the inflated Shrek-style ballon form where I wanted to steer clear as they seemed to be at their bursting point – and that would be a real mess.

We rolled into town around noon so we sheltered from the heat for four hours in the local YPF gas station diner – they are air conditioned.

Around 1600hrs, we headed into town to find the bank, and a hotel that would let us stay with Rocko. We found the two banks, but they were both national banks and don’t work with my debit card. Now I’m down to my last $1000 ($16USD) and the prospects for getting cash in the next few days are almost zero. We were turned away from the hotels we checked so we headed back to the YPF. On the way we passed the bus terminal. Not air conditioned, but a shelter against any possible rain. About 1830, I called a hotel and they had space for us and Rocko – we were off… went to the grocery store, had a pizza and slept well.

Day 15: a short ride of 45km to Guaviraví. A little town of less than 70 people. It was an easy ride and we got in around 10:30 as we slept in.

The town was dead. As we found out later, people get up at 0530 and are back in their home by 10:30 and stay there until around 1700hrs when the temperatures come down. Then it seems everyone comes out on the streets until midnight.

Today was a treat for us. Guille, Leila and Larry stopped by here on the way north and were very well received – and invited back. So we stopped and were once again well received. They had just butchered a lamb and wanted to share with us. So we all participated in the parilla of Cordero and pollo.

This parilla is a social event where many come out and participate. There are two focuses with the parilla – meat and camaraderie. Once cooked, the Cordero and pollo was placed on a piece of cardboard and the 10-12 people participating all jumped in and ate on the communal table. Implements of choice were hands and fingers but forks and knives were provided for those who wanted to stab the pieces of meat and cut them rather than grab and tear. There is something primal about sharing a meal in this fashion. Some might say it’s barbaric or low cast but I personally think it’s an elevated form of social participation. I feel privileged to have been invited and to have participated with these people.

Day 16: down day In Guaviraví

Today, our down day, we woke up at 0530 and went to Paso de Los Libres to go to the bank, pharmacy and a few other errands. On the way back, we were invited to have lunch at the mayor’s mother’s house and were very well received and enjoyed the welcome nature of this group of people. Kind souls they are.

An afternoon of doing little to nothing: sitting in the hammock, washing a few items of clothes, and minor maintenance on the bikes.

Tomorrow we head out for a moderate distance ride with a storm in the forecast. We’ll see what happens tomorrow if anything happens weather wise.

Personal reflection: this trip had me out of my comfort zone on many fronts. I am an introverted person and this social interaction, while it’s something I wish came naturally, I am pretty awkward at. It forces me to socialize and meet people and learn about different cultures – which is one thing I strive for. But at this level, I would never reach out on my own. I feel blessed for this opportunity and while it’s a difficult trip, I am having a good time and will always remember it. While it might not seem it due to my writing style, I have no complaints. Waiting at a gas station diner allows us to talk with many different people from many different walks of life. The trip, the bikes and Rocko provide an ice breaker to talk with strangers.

Not knowing if we will stay in a hotel or a bus stop on the side of the highway is part of the un-plan. We get up and pedal then we figure it out. For many (including myself) this is foreign and can be overwhelming. But it’s also rich in new and different experiences that I would normally not find myself in. I am lucky to have a guide and instigator in all of this in my Brother Guille. As mentioned in an earlier post, this trip is turning out to be an unexpected pilgrimage of sorts for me and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.