December 30, 2024

Forecast: Tomorrow, tailwind, lots of fun, 165 km in 6 hours at 30 km/h. Unfortunately, 99% chance of rain all day.

By morning, reality is immediately clear: we’ll face the longest stage of the trip with a headwind blowing at 40 km/h. On the bright side, it doesn’t look like it will rain, defying all predictions.

Gigi, Nicola, and Antonio must each take turns driving 50 km because our driver is missing, waiting for Pisley. Pierluigi is the first driver, much to his dismay, and he’s teased for not starting out with us (Photo 0).

We set off at 8:30, retracing the road we’d already ridden into the wind to reach Calafate. Since the wind has shifted, we face it head-on once again!

After 20 km, Toni asks to board the camper; he’s on antibiotics and feeling weak.

Now we’re down to 5 cyclists. At the 40 km mark, the climb begins. Climbing against the wind…what an effort!

Midway through the ascent, Nicola gets into the camper to start his driving shift—lucky him!

The rest of us keep pedaling into the wind, hoping with every turn (which only happens every 10 km) that the road will change direction. It never does.

After the pass, we start descending, but the slope is barely 6 meters per kilometer! When it’s tough, it’s tough all the way—even downhill! In the rare stretches of real descent, if you don’t pedal hard, the wind stops you in your tracks.

We reach the gas station before 3 PM. The covered tent area is bleak and swarming with all of Argentina’s mosquitoes. In the end, we all decide to continue (Photo 1).

We press on, with 70 km remaining. A guanaco suddenly leaps out of the pampa, crosses the road, and jumps away (Photo 2 and video).

Alberto, with back pain, gets into the camper with Toni.

Fabio, showing no respect for “Mr. Wind,” starts pedaling against the wind at 25 km/h, with Nicola, Pierluigi, and Stefano chasing him. Incredibly, by 6 PM, the four houses of Esperanza appear.

Upon arrival, the last driver (Antonio) remarks: “The camper was heaven.”

But the satisfaction of those who made it was immense: 10 hours (from 8 AM to 6 PM). We take the traditional photo in front of the town sign (Photo 4).

The Esperanza Hotel is dreary but feels like paradise. It even has a Christmas tree (Photo 5).

Tomorrow, we’re staying here because Pisley Antonio will join us at 7 PM. There’s talk of taking the camper to the Atlantic Ocean (140 km), but we’re too tired to decide now. We’ll discuss it tomorrow.