It’s a mind game when you can see the end of the road. Despite the beauty of the desert you seem transfixed with where you are going. The trucks that pass you seem to fade away for the next 30 minutes and you know you’ll get there eventually, but it plays with your head as you pedal away and seem to go nowhere. Pretty much the only traffic is from the mines - endless trucks and red Toyotas - all friendly giving lots of space and a beep of the horn as they pass. One green plant was spotted through the day. I missed that one. Not an animal, not a place to get a drink not even a fly - just sand, heat and wind.
We climbed up to 3000 metres again and dropped 400 metres in the last few kms to camp on the edge of a salt flat, a barren and moon like landscape.
I have watched the transformation of the Vuelta cyclists - from a slightly fit mixed bag of vagabonds to a group of pretty well honed long distance cyclists. Today I watched a group work together to cheat the wind a little and make a crazy trucking road just a little safer. No real communication passed between them to make this happen. Everyone just assumed a role and then took to it without thought or complaint.
I watched Virginia stop for lunch after 60kms. She and her boyfriend Jason had taken an unplanned detour in the morning (not for the first time!) and it was barely even mentioned upon their arrival. Virginia was bouncing around like she had just had a long morning in bed and they commented that it is only another 60kms in the afternoon. I love it when it becomes ‘only 60kms this afternoon.’
Without noticing the tour riders have changed in their attitude as to what they do on a daily basis. Were are all in camp sitting somewhere in the Atacama desert. The temperature is in the high 30`s, the wind is blowing and there is no shade. Still there are no complaints - just the tent, soup and water routine - followed up by a not very cold beer.
We are back on the road again after the first rest day. It’s a day of firsts; first hills, first real test of the tires and bikes, first bush camp (limited washing water, no electricity or even cell phone reception)
and first time the riders have had to dig a pit to do their business!
Were not in the Andes yet but today saw the riders through 87km and 1500m+ of climbing. We are now sitting at over 1700m for the night and the temperature has dropped as you’d expect - but not uncomfortably so.
It was a great sensation to finally be away from the long flat roads which, while they remind some of home, where playing with my mind. The landscape is incredible, lots of what I’m presuming is granite poking through grasslands. Keeping us company we’ve had horses, cattle and a few sheep but very few people or cars and better still no sign of power lines anywhere.
The roads are expected to get tough tomorrow but, to compensate, the distances are less than they have been. Dinner is on the burners and tents are up. Life is good.
