What an effort!
Due to lack of maps and inclement weather we had an unexpected night in a tent. At 3500m, this time without any shelter, overlooking Salinas Grandes. However, there 's been good: no wind and temperatures' endureable This morning there were well-2C in the tent, and when we' happen to wake up well below zero ...
3 days have been fantastic especially in terms of natural landscape. We cycled for 25km on a vast expanse of salt, which seemed to grow more and more 'big as we enter. We saw small villages of three houses, but with well-kept churches. We saw animals, especially birds, and now we are curious to give them a name. We have seen the vegetation change. We also met some tourists and racolto the usual phrases of surprise and encouragement, which are always nice.
Now we are in San Antonio de Los Cobres. The unexpected night in a tent there was a bit 'try: today we had no food, 400ml water and shared in two. No problem: you shake your teeth, and in case of need 'is still some (rare), truck driver ... We are also a bit 'tired above all to the wind (not You can imagine what it's like riding at 8km / h on a perfectly flat surface, especially for morale). Finally, the next step and 'of the Abra Acaya point more' high end of our journey (as well as 'step further' dela high Andes) to 5061m. All this to say that we take another (and '... the second) day of rest. We collect food and water in quantity 'cause then we have one more session a few days "unplugged".
public in the next post some photos with comments, but here I would like to give some news of character cycling, for those who want to make a journey similar to ours, and also to write down observations that could be useful in the future. For others, let him skip past the pictures and everything.
Protect everything 'you can on the bike. There 'nothing that is not exposed to beatings, scratches and distortions. My bike suffered a bad injury to the fork, as well as' various (and deep ...) engraved on the aluminum frame, I miss a radius of the rear wheel, I twisted the steel frame of the handlebar bag and (today) I broke the lock of one of the bags that seemed indestructible. The bike Damiano and if the 'seen worse and has a deep blow to the frame, the more' different milling on aluminum components (fork and brake calipers). The problem with most 'big are transfers (by bus or plane), but also in normal spills occur very frequently (for the wind, the sand or fatigue).
use inner tubes with valve "queen" (so 'do not lose the cap), but to bring an adapter to inflate them with cars and motorcycles from the nozzle: and' much more 'common to find these compressors and nozzles ( If by 'do not bother to take advantage of this convenience'...). Bring tires up to 2.10, 'cause finding inner tubes for tires by 2.25 and' impossible. So far we have washing 5 times (and we're lucky!), But often it was boring "multiple" means the rear wheel goes to ground and the tube is ruined in the most 'points. Some "pinched" due to excessive weight on the rear wheel, but suprattutto bites and cactus thorns. There is no 'structure aramid taking: use protections supplementary items saves a lot of time. Supporting self-amalgamating (air dam, or Parktool) are a boon, but only for the bites and do not work for anything in the cold (not vlcanizzano): Unfortunately, we discovered to our cost!
Put more 'water as possible on the frame (three bottles, if possible 1.5-liter): every bottle of water in the bags and moves dangerously unbalanced in dices, also charges even more' the rear wheel.
door apart and grease and oil, a detergent for the dirty grease before lubricating and 'need to clean the chain, crank sprocket and after virtually every stop on sandy roads, to prevent wear and tear to the change. The here we did not find cleaner and have used gasoline, but not good (it 'from the environmental point of view, it' from the mechanical).
disc brakes have been both fantastic downhill on a bike with wheels and providential charge no more 'Guaranteed straight, but a pain to maintain, especially those with automatic Damiano: A minimum runout of the disc and ride just to overcome the friction of the pads. So, better disc brakes with manual adjustment. No plumbing problems.
Lock the seat permanently: every two hours on the famous serruccio spaccachiappe and 'to raise again the seat of 5mm. It is not 'just tighten the quick release, even using the hex wrench. A hole in the frame and on ...
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