Tuesday, September 28, 2010
September 13th - 2010
The winds have been blowing for 16 hrs now.
They didnt let up till late this morning. I crawled from my tent - all in one piece. I can still hear they were blowing in the open space of the Salar - how hard is difficult to tell. My thoughts of continuing NW to Chile are at reconsider - despite being only 65 km from the border.
I ride to the open space and find they are still blowing from the direction I should be going - not at all as strong as during the night, but enough to keep me at slow enough pace that I might run out of water before reaching Llica.
I call my friend who has experience with these mountains to get his advice. Turn around, find alternative route unless you have a week you can spend locked down in your tent. I dont have a week I can spare - unfortunately. I turn back, down, but quickly feeling like Ive made the right decission as winds in my back but me at an avrage speed of 31 kmh.
I return to Inca Huasi, where I stock up on water and have lunch. A rider from Germany, whom I start chatting with offers me his map of Argentina (where Im now heading), as he is returning home. Another right sign.
Set camp on the salar, place my blinking torches, and fall asleep.
September 12th - 2010
Storm.
I left the island of Pio Pio in the early morning - hoping to reach the town of Llica before nightfall. Orientation is impossible out here, so Ive been dependant on my GPS and the peaks in the far distance to guide me.
But I never made it to Llica. Winds began picking up around 2pm. I keept riding for an hour, before the frustration of going 5 km on perfectly flat gound got to me. I figured the winds might die down, and decided to find shadow by and island close by. But the time I reached the shores, winds had picked up and were tossing my bike around, despite the weight og me and bags.
Finding a calm spot on this island proved impossible, as I could choose between direct winds or the turbulance created by the open landscape and this rock in the middle of it. My tent barely made it up in one piece, but finally I managed to get it pitched, and my things inside to keep it down. The winds were coming from all directions. I pilled rocks on all support points and built a small wall, keeping the wind from getting underneath.
I found a small shelter, from a previous stranded. Could keep out of the wind, cook and read till dark when I returned to the tent.
Winds continued all night, sometimes lighter, sometimes stronger. Made some sound recordings for those interrested.
September 11th - 2010
All is still this morning. So still.
Following breakfast I go for a walk around the island - finding a cave to where I will return at night - and dead birds - preserved in the salt in the position they had when falling from the sky.
Its hot when I get back to camp - having the place to myself I stip down to the bare (something I later regret as a bad burn on my thigh and bum keeps me aware that sun rarely shines there) and begin preparing curry.
After lunch I collect wood for my fire.
Before sunset I climp to the top of the mountian to shoot, but winds are stronger then yesterday and I decide to return in the morning instead.
Light from the fire soon fills the cave. I explore the inside, on all four to a far corner with my headlamp I discover perfect intact pottery - ancient. Affraid that I will damage it, I return the pots, hidden away with a flat rock ontop.
I stay for hours in the cave shooting.
Back at the tent a mild breeze is blowing - I quickly fall asleep after this day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
