Monday 24th February 2025 Maravilha to Salgado Filho
Changed the game plan today, after Bingo made the whole hotel smell of garlic, onion, pepper, pasta casserole thing, mind you it was lovely. He set his Bunsen burner cooking contraption up in the hotel room, sent me to the swimming pool (bar really to write this sort of stuff). While he did his galloping gourmet thing (another blast from the past). His excuse was we need to get rid of the perishables, as the restaurant was closed I was half expecting a queue outside the door, not sure which door as I could not remember the door number, just followed the lovey aroma.

So in the morning, decided to have breakfast at the hotel before we set of, Bingo had enough of pampering me. Nice spread, but not what you really want when you have 70 miles of climbing to do.

On we go, leave just before 7, heading for a small town Salgado Filho or something like that, early Monday morning traffic as we set off. Road ok but not much space luckily not an awful lot of traffic as we go on are merry way. Another error – did not download the map last night, probably something to do with busy writing the blog, I don’t think so had a bit to many sherbets more like it. Whatever I never know where I am so it normal, just pedal and we will be ok.

Quite hilly to start with, just grinding out the early morning miles, getting into the rhythm of the days riding, always in your head it’s up hill, so what my little legs say. I am cruising on to wherever, Bingo stopped to a picture of another bird, that some how missed me by (my all accounts it was a Variable Oriole (Icterus pyrrhopterus) even done the Latin word so intelligent, another gem from my lovely Mum self praise is no praise at all, so that put an end to that. Bingo had to pedal like mad, as he knew we had a right turn, luckily I had only just gone passed it! mate I would just be riding around in circles half the time, but with a little smile.

We turn right obviously up a big climb, just get in the right gear and pedal, thats the message I sent down to the engine room, my leg did respond after a slight delay, probably an IT error. Grinding up the little hill, then come to a road works sign, Bingo goes into Chinese mode (we just waved and carried on riding). The workers are brilliant just wave on through the 14% climb, it was great as they held all the traffic back as we did the difficult bit. Then we pulled in to let the traffic pass, they all gave us a big wave and a nice hoot, made us feel good. Got going again then Bingo said that’s the second hardest climb done for the day, me with no map just smiled, bit bravado bring it on. Yes, think I would get sensible in my old age (hope not) sure enough here we go again, my legs in overdrive as we attack the climb, well pedal up it as the sun warms us up, hey ho here we go, more power engine room, no response, ring the bell again more power, thats it, Ok no worries as we meander up and up, all in my head it will get steeper, just pedal, my mind thinking what are you doing you old fool, just be sitting on a deck chair watching the guys climb, no way just pedal, just pedal as we finally reach the submit. Have a little rest not good at the top best to keep going and show you are strong, not now have a rest.

Well thats the two biggest climbs done, now we just have the rolling hills, not so bad few little bumps but nothing serious, first truck stop we see, we are in there like a flash, got used to these now, both of us have the biggest plate of pasta in living memory, mine with a side salad, Bingos with a few chickens etc. All fueled up, only 30 miles to go, just steady away again looking for more birds and wild life, few interesting spots, not by me I might add, first one Red-winged Tinamou (Rhynchotus rufescens), getting tired now so let the ever faithful editor do the latin stuff [done: Ed], looked like a posh partridge to me. Then the very beautiful Guira Tanager (Hemithraupis guira), fluttering about, very nice.

We pulled into a hotel on the side of the road, both a bit weary, maybe another one of them strange places, but all good a guy served us with a cold drink, not an ice cream though, looked at the maps, only 12 miles to go, easy peasy, with the same rolling hills, then down hill for the last 5 miles.

All good we roll in to the pretty little town Salgado Filho, one little hotel, will give it a go, all in with no problem, supermarket over the road, we ride the luck, but you make your own luck.

Few beers having a chat about the ride, basically that was tough, more of that to come, Rylan has confirmed he is flying into La Paz on the 27th March, have a little chat about what he needs to bring, same old, just some legs mate and pedal, if you dont want to sleep with your Dad a tent and a few spare parts for us, great we have a month to sort all that out.

Got to get on with getting some food, glorious food, Bingo went to the supermarket to replenish his pasta making gear, also with some lovely help manged to locate a restaurant, so back in the room getting ready to hit the village, not the proper one I might add.

Well the directions did not go quite as to plan, young guy walking, ask him , yes there used to be a restaurant here but closed, follow me my friend runs a cafe up here. Next thing we know we are like the pied piper, have loads of young kids following us on bikes, its brilliant. They lead us to an open air cafe, everyone is so helpful, end up being centre stage again, it so nice that people can help you and more importantly want to know what you are doing. Even face-chatted the guy’s sister who is studying English at Sao Paulo, she was so envious Lucu was speaking with an English guy! What a lovely evening, as the kids made their way home, we was not far behind them.

Good tough day, but thats what we like, lovely people make it all worth while.