A change in........U?

Over the last few months we´ve noticed a slow change in our trip. Still pedaling, meeting people and moving forward, but our focus has shifted. The shift occurred as the destination took a higher priority than the journey. We found ourselves placing a greater emphasis on mileage and details of timing rather than the everyday occurrences and interactions. So this shift, Argentina´s worst winter in 40 years and the passing our 1 year anniversary on the bike have helped us figure out it is a time for a change in U.

Instead of heading towards the city of Ushuaia, we are swinging through the country of Uruguay before we fly out of Buenos Aires, Argentina and in to New York City. A highlight of our trip was leaving from our hometown, riding down the Red Jacket trail. We look forward to riding back towards and to our hometown as we wrap up this trip.
Taking full advantage of the siesta time. Nearly everything shuts down from midday until 4 or 5 pm. We´ve had to learn new shopping habits to re-supply.

Trucks, wind and long flat stretches. While we´ve met some amazing people in Argentina, there is a definite shift when they get behind the wheel. No shoulder and heavy traffic have resulted in hitting the grass and gravel shoulder on several occasions.

A bright spot in the day. The sun has been very welcomed as we awake each morning to freezing temperatures.

The view from the captain´s chair. Dealing with the conditions has meant keeping my head down and grinding into the wind.

Only takes a year in the saddle to get calves like that!

Tunnel trouble. As usual we rode through the pay station on the road. At this one, we set off alarms and had several people waving for us to come back. Ahead was a non-bikable tunnel. The manager got the work truck and drove us a mile to the other side.

How can you not smile at this picture? Oscar helped us figure out what to do at the tunnel, escorted us through a few intersections and said we should stop by his house, 40 miles down the road.

Bikes just aren´t made for one person.

These kids got such a kick out of our 2-seater, they needed to make a quad. Th boys in back lifted their knees like they were pedaling as the girls rode on.

A warm welcome. Jojo came through again in landing us a place to stay. This family noticed our bike, ran outside and offered their extra apartment to stay in for the night.

Mate with Oscar´s family. We enjoyed several rounds of the tea like drink as we shared stories. As a symbol of unity and community, Mate is one cup passed around the group. In true Argentine style, the night ended with dinner around 11 pm.

We weren´t the only ones sleeping in the ditch. We´ve seen several shelters where people sell everything from charcoal and wood to carvings and cacti.

Sharing the road. Horse and buggies are still common sites, especially in the rural areas.

We are excited to return to the ¨Motherland¨ and cycle through areas where we know how to buy food, have a better understanding of language and culture, and have the opportunity to see some old friends along the way!