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Roadside Raptor

Iain pedaling through a Midwest-like landscape

Soy Harvest

One of many bridges between Santa Fe and Paraná

Tunnel under the Paraná

Sunrise from camp in Federal

Rio Cuarto to Federal (April 13 -18)

For the last couple weeks Iain had noticed that his drive train was not running smoothly. The jockey wheel was rocking with each pedal stroke. After making countless adjustments to narrow down the problem he removed his chain to find that it was significantly stretched. Additionally his rear sprockets and chain rings were significantly worn. As a chain stretches it eats at the gears creating a system that is uniquely linked. If the wear is significant enough, individual parts cannot be replaced separately, the whole transmission needs replacement. In Iain's case when a new chain was placed on a worn transmission, it jumped, failing to catch on the ring's teeth. The re-assembled old transmission still ran without jumping, because all the parts had worn together. It was surely the dirt and grit of the Carretera Austral in Chile that caused such drastic wear on our bikes. On the 13th of April we rode into Rio Cuarto, hoping to find a bike shop with quality parts so that Iain could replace his transmission.

We battled the wind into Rio Cuarto and arrived after all the shops had closed for the siesta. Wind-burned and ready for a rest, we found the plaza, ate salami sandwiches and dried our sleeping bags in the sun. When stores began to open up again we checked the local bike shops for quality components. Because there is not a high demand for high-end Shimano parts, we were skeptical about finding the right gear. Fortunately we did, and Iain was happily outfitted with a new transmission. While installing the new crank we both began to feel really tired and decided it was time to find a camping spot and take a day off. It had been another HUGE leg from the small desert town of Puelen. For us, days off are luxurious. We usually find a table to cook on which is a big step above cooking and eating on the ground and in the dirt. We drink mate into the late morning, eat well, clean clothes, and shower. Rio Cuarto had a great municipal campground and we relaxed all day with some Argentine jewelry artists.

The road from Rio Cuarto was heavily trafficked because it cut between Cordoba, Rosario and Buenos Aires. We dealt with the heavy metal whizzing by us by always being overly cautious. Our day off filled us with a fiery energy and we had a couple big 130 km days, passing through Villa Maria and San Francisco. The landscape was dominated by soy agriculture and Dan mentioned often how much things looked like Iowa.

In San Francisco we made a gamble that paid off. We decided to take a cut eastward toward the huge cities of Santa Fe and Paraná. The soy harvest was just starting up and this road was supposedly fierce with loaded trucks, but we gambled that on Easter Sunday we would have the road to ourselves. The majority of the day we did. Santa Fe was deserted. Out of Santa Fe we crossed countless bridges over the wide, swampy Rio Paraná but we were stopped before the tunnel that passes under the river and toward the city of Paraná. No bikes were allowed in the tunnel, we would have to find a bus to get through. We protested. After more than 5000 kilometers on our bikes we would not be forced so easily into a truck. After pleading our case it became clear that we either had to make a break through the tollgates or accept a ride in a tow truck. Biting our lips in silent bitterness we loaded the bikes and were driven half a kilometer through the lighted tunnel.

After passing over (and under) the Rio Paraná we began to recognize some trees that are found in Paraguay (Timbo, Yvyra pyta, Yvyraro, Paraiso). Things began to have a distinctly familiar feel too, with huts perched by the river, surrounded by banana groves and hanging fish. The excitement grew; we really were getting close to Paraguay.

Getting through these two big cities and onto a much more tranquil route to the San Rafael Reserve was a mental relief and warranted a day of rest in Federal, a small city 500km south of Posadas. It had been roughly 550km from Rio Cuarto in just 6 days and by cutting east we had put ourselves within striking distance of Paraguay! Tomorrow, the 20th of April, with huge grins on our faces we will start the final leg of our trip to Paraguay. This will not, however, be the last of our bicycle adventures in South America.