Friday 21st February 2025 Júlio De Castilhos to Panambi
It’s another sad day in the village, respect for Trisha Dennis family, condolences from Bingo and Gringo, thinking about your family all the very best Ray, Greg and of course Paula, Perry and all your extended family.

Pretty dark when we set of on the highway to heaven (no pun intended) and it certainly was not a highway made by the Romans, them Spanish conquistadors should have concentrated on building roads rather then stealing all the gold, just a thought they may have been Portuguese, but still the same thought.

Very bumpy ride today making transitions from the horrible road surface to the ripo on the side, waiting for the big blast of the horn, from the truckers warning you to get of the road, pretty leary sometimes, but the roads in East Kent aren’t that great so who are we to moan.

Thankfully most of the heavy good traffic turned off to head elsewhere, after 30 or so miles, so we was just left with the bumpy road and very little hard shoulder. The animal count has been static for a while now, just fields upon fields of soya beans, no sign of many farm buildings just massive silos every 10 or so miles

Stopped in the petrol station for the customary medley of ice cream, soft drink and coffee, the fuel of athletes, just after we left the petrol station , bingo had a flat, quick change and we are off again. Thankfully the road surface improved slightly, unfortunately out luck seems to have gone pear shape today, as I suffered a mechanical going up a slight hill, my freewheel just stopped working, Bingo was up ahead so was unaware of the problem, panniers off. rear wheel off, had a little play, then it all started working again, not a good sign usually, but least I got going again, soon caught bingo up who was patiently waiting for me, explained the problem, sure enough it happened three times in the final 30 odd miles.

Just on the outskirts of Panambi it happened again, two Brazilian guys cam over to help, then another cyclist turned up, all helping out, the cyclist said there was one cycle shop in Town, gave us the address, the two guys put my bike in their pick-up truck and drove me to the cycle shop. Bingo road to the digs, booked in, then cycled back to the shop, sadly the proprietor of the shop could not repair the wheel! Had a good chat with the cyclist, he said his friend runs a cycle shop in the next town, he will be able to fix it he said.

So that the plan, get a lift to the next town tomorrow and try and get the wheel fixed hopefully, so back to the hotel and see if we can sort out a lift to the next Town.

Went down into the small town found “House Bar” had to go in and have a beer and some food, not the best of days, but that’s how it goes sometimes, always the optimist it will be better tomorrow.

Sorted out a lift to Frederico Westphalen in the morning, picking us up at 8:30, things can only get better.