Yep it was a wet start. Tent soaking along with the end of the sleeping bag & thermorest.
Looks like a castle with a drawbridge
Great. Still raining. Trucks moved to have breakfast in the camp room. Cold as well as wind still blowing. Some bail & stay in truck. Dug out the wet gear & off. River up a half meter but fortunately just below the tent. Anna was smart moving her tent.
Long downhill for almost 70k along the river. Start on sealed then dirt. Ahead some blue sky. Stops raining fantastic. Anna & I ride together. River by this time flowing fast. Green grass & flowers around. Beautiful after the dry desert like country.
I’m learning about downhill on dirt. Sit back on the bike weight on the peddles bum off the saddle, no weight on the handlebars just held loose. Hit a pb at 40k helped by the damp road.
Hit the lunch truck and check the bike with Philippe who confirms the rear wheel bearing stuffed. Sounds like a tractor with metal grinding on metal. Can feel it through the whole bike. Thinks it will get me to Bariloche. Will it?
Anna & I start off, heavens open down to 3 deg nasty. Blue sky ahead then the big dirt hill into wind. Grind up for 12k. Plenty of photos as the country changing to mountain. Little vegetation.
We make it then long testing downhill dirt with lots of corrugations and finally sealed into the wind so downhill makes little difference.
Camp ground and for 30pesos I get a bunk room to myself & it’s warm. Luxury as bathroom heated and hot showers. No toilet seat but you can’t have everything. Dry off tent sleeping bag etc, wash out gear in hot water. Fantastic, ready to start another day after another great camp dinner of meat sauerkraut & potatoes. Sleep like a log.