Stage 9 Meteor Crater to bush camp Tahua

All unpaved today with 500m total ascent. Will all travel together after lunch as tracks are confusing. Altitude acceptance getting better but some stretches through soft fine sand difficult as need that extra strength to push through. Riding around the base of a volcano in the distance with sights of salt appearing at the base of the hills.
As we are circumnavigating the volcano to get to the salt lake we start to climb through mountainous country.
Fortunately no wind
At last we head up a rise and this huge expanse of pure white is below us. Seems to stretch forever. Photo stop Anna and I. Certainly nothing like I could have expected. So we head down into the little town all shut and onto a camp right on the edge of the lake. Green spongy grass right up to the edge of the salt. Truck tyres sink into it. Was a bit slow getting organized as had to clean bike running gear and oil chain from the dust of the day. Ended up putting up the rest of the tent in the dark. As soon as the sun goes down the temperature drops dramatically. Very cold night say -10 from daytime of mid 20’s. Slight wind. Local shepherd or rather lama herd turns up with dog which he then drags off with rope around its neck to a host of squeals.