Thursday 16th Jan 2025 Toluim - Rio Grande (not the film but we are a couple of cowboys) or the song (as we can't dance, can't sing and my legs are thin)

Guanacos (Lamas) and winds

Slept OK, both a bit cold, but woke up to find more blankets in the cupboard, also the wind got up last night and a bit of rain, dogs barking (who let them out) no problem worry about that in the morning and

Breakfast in the digs consisted of last nights left over pasta, so will lunch today, not much of a shop in Tolhuim and none on the ride, so stocked up on as much as we can, Bingo cooked a massive Pasta dish purposely as their are no places to stop for food tomorrow. Chocolates and sweets, obviously I can't be trusted with looking after chocolates or sweets they would be gone in the 1st hour, also cleverly thinking about the wait, however i did relent with the two can of beers, thought they may come in handy.

Left the dusty streets, bit like Rio Grande film tumble weed blowing in the wind (more about that later) and the dogs giving a morning chorus. Another layer on today and gloves though the sun is shinning its pretty cold. Soon found the National Highway 3 or as it was later called "Highway to Hell". That's enough of the song stuff.

Nice steady pace into a head wind but not to bad mad managed to keep a decent pace, Bingo ever vigilant for any wild life or road kill, he has been eating vegetarian stuff lately so even more so. Couple of eagles near the road side, did not flinch as we went passed very slowly. The call went up Guanacos on the right, as normal I could not see it, but did after some instructions, I think it had green eyes! we will see plenty of these but still pretty cool to see them in the wild.
Further down the High way to Hell we me a couple of cycle tourers couple from the French Alps, she had met her husband in Santiago for the last section of his mammoth tour Alaska to Ushuaia respect, a lasting comment I will always remember him saying "its good to see some old guys touring, I though I was the only fool" guys never been to Aylesham. They also warned us about the wind!

Sure enough the wind picked up straight in our face for 50 miles 35 MPH head on, honestly we could hardly go more than 6 MPH at times, so tough, our poor little legs screaming for some respite, in the end we collapsed on a bank on the side of the road, just enough strength to eat the last of the pasta dish and a bar of chocolate, fair play to Bingo he had not eaten it. Nervously we looked how far to go only 18 miles, normally just over an hour on these touring bikes it took us 3 hours!. Got a round of applause from the police guys at Rio Grande entrance to the city, every major Town / City as a Police presence just before you get into the city limits (another song cant help my self). Finally made it after a coffee and chocolate bar at a service station, the first one we have seen since Ushuaia.

Got to the digs, showered, then went for a take away pizza over did the ordering but it will not be wasted and Bingo had some meat so he was happy, I also had my first taste of "Mate" an Argentina beverage spiked with a few things I think, seemed ok bit like a herbal tea.

Going to bed now to rest these little puppies.

Well done lads,reckon the wind is gonna be with a lot from what I’ve read 💨