Monday 27th October 2014. Stage 68. Bareal to Uspallata. 111 kms, paved 78%, climbing 848 metres, summit 2490 metres. More heat and dirt and temperatures soar.

I packed up 'Tent Hilton', had breakfast and hit the road at 8 am with a big bunch. Barry and I set the pace for the first 30 minutes then as we hit the first climb the bunch disintegrated. We kept up a good pace and when we hit the smooth pavement we were sitting on 48 kph with a big tailwind for the next 30 kms.

 This is a photo taken whilst riding on the salt plains about 2 weeks. I think it will be one for the computer room at home about 3 metres X 3 metres.

 The photo above was taken today on the dirt roads leading to Uspallata.

 Whilst riding along the dirt road I took a photo of the snow capped mountains which have followed us all day.

 I took the above photo on the dusty roads in the province of Mendoza.

The photo above was taken whilst visiting the train cemetery at Uyuni. That's the place I met Chrisito.

The pace we were setting would have us at lunch at 9.45 am to cover the 60 kms. We were flying along with a snow capped mountain to accompany us all the way to lunch. About 10 kms from lunch we hit the province of Mendoza and that's when the road turned to crap. More sand, rocks, gravel, lose gravel, deep sand and uphill all the way.

The heat was pretty intense this morning and at 9 am it was already 40 degrees C. 

I could see the lunch truck up in the distance and after 10 kms of rough roads I couldn't wait to get off and give my ass a rest. Lunch was a quick affair and back onto the dirt for another 20 kms to reach the pavement.

The hour after lunch was pretty hard, I had to push on and leave Barry behind and do it at my own pace. The road kept going up and up and when the lunch truck past us I could see its dust in the distance for miles and miles. That's not a good sight when you're exhausted. Once I hit the pavement it was a quick 25 km ride to our campsite in the town of Uspallata.  

The campsite is another dust bowl but shaded, so it's not that bad. As soon as we got our act together we went into town and for some food and WiFi.

I took the above photo of my good cycling friends Hilde and Kristin. Too much sand and had to push.

Tomorrow is a long ride into Mendoza and finally a 2 day rest. Barry and I are going to a hotel for the 3 nights, so 'Tent Hilton' will remain in it's bag.

Until tomorrow, safe riding.