Northwestern Argentina Bicycle Tour, Day:
1
| 2
| 3
| 4
| 5
| 6
| 7
| 8
| 9
| 10
| 11
| 12
| 13
Be sure to hover the mouse over the images.
Side Trip: Peru Bucket List Adventures
Argentina: Day 3
Pictures and Stories about Bicycle Adventures
Argentina Bicycle Tour of
Northwest Provinces
September, 2016
Caldera, Salta Province, Argentina
Route 9, the Pan-American Highway (from Panama to the tip of Chile, on the East Side of the Andes)
Above Left: We were taken out of town by Federico, to Caldera. Gracias Senior.
Upon arrival the tandem's front tire was flat. We checked for a cause and found nothing, we replaced the tube and we never had a tire incident again. The incident remains a mystery, we later checked the old tube with a water emersion and a tire inflation, there was no leak, the tube was in perfect condition, and we never discovered a cause for the flat tire.
Above Right: Caldera, Salta Province, Argentina.
Above: A broad view of the river Valley, we noted that this river and most rivers north of the city of Salta had water (not so going south into the dry flat lands, we would learn later).
Above: Typical road and flora for the Ruta 9 river Valley (Rio la Caldera).
Above Left: A Gaucho and his friend relocate a young cow or steer.
Above Right: Kilometer marker 1625 on the Pan-American Hwy, Ruta 9.
Above Left: Climbing a little hill on R 9.
Above Right: Passing by a dam or hydro electrical overflow on Embalse (Reservoir) Campo Alegre.
Above Left: It is spring time in Argentina.
Above Right: We spooked a free range horse.
Above Left: The sun is in the north, it's noonish and we are heading west.
Above Right: A kind of wild mini-melon is growing.
Above Left: The mountains are foothills and not the Andes (which are further west and snowcapped).
Above Right: Cycling westward.
Above Left: We never figured it. It is neither a gateway nor a housing entrance.
Above Right: The other side of Embalse (Reservoir) Campo Alegre.
Above Left: Heading east (the sun is in the north).
Above Right: A Vulture or a Condor.
Above Left: Looking north.
Above Right: It is evil looking, perhaps a termite mound.
Above Left: Electricity Moss, no joke, we will learn later that this moss only grows on electrical lines and will not grow on telephone lines nor on any other type of suspended line, tube, or fence.
Above Right: Looking north.
Above Left: An old shrine of some sort, no longer maintained.
Above Right: Tree Moss, like Spanish Moss in the Southeastern USA.
Above Left: This long overhang grass is common to Northern Argentina, Bolivia, and Southwestern Peru.
Above Right: We're taking a snack break. Terry is holding a pear and an orange.
Above Left: Looking at the Cloud Forest (technically a jungle); No clouds today.
Above Right: We're at the summit, about 2000m, Ruta 9.
Above Left: Looking at our back trail.
Above Right: Jungle growth.
Above Left: Two things are going on. Federico stopped by to bring us tastes of local cuisine for lunch AND this site at a highway pull-off with red flags is a "Gauchito Gil" [Little Gaucho Gil] Shrine.
THIS IS A BIG DEAL (Worth Reading):
We can thank my FaceBook friend Fede Cabrera for bringing me up to date.
SHORT ACCOUNT (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gauchito_Gil):
Gil was a Devout believer in the folk saint San La Muerte
Gil has Relationship with Wealthy Widow
Widow’s Brother discovers relationship and reports to Police Chief
Police Chief was known to like the same Widow Lady
False charges of robbery are created, with intent to kill Gil
Gil escapes and joins the Argentine Army
The Army battles against Paraguayan Army
Gil become a hero, based on deep religious beliefs
Gil was fearless and bullets just seem to magically miss him
Gil returns home a HERO
Gil was forcibly recruited into the Army for the Argentine Civil War
Gil deserts and was named an Outlaw
Gil was reported to help and defend the poor [a Robin Hood figure]
Gil was reported to perform miraculous healings in this time period
Gil becomes a local Hero to the poor
Gil was captured by the local Army
Gil was hung by his feet and tortured
Gil was to be killed the next day
Gil tells his captor, a Sargent, that Gil will be killed the next day, that the Sargent’s son was deathly ill, and that Gil could save the son, and a Pardon will soon arrive after Gil was Dead
The Sargent said that he did not care and he performed his duty
The entire story happened as stated by Gil
The distraught Sargent prays to the spirit of Gil to save his son
The son was miraculous healed the following day
The happy and thankful Sargent properly buried Gill and made a shrine with a Red Cross of honor
The Sargent spread the story of the miracle
Currently:
Shrines from the people to Gauchito Gil have been created all over Argentina
Supposedly, Shrines are only created by people who prayed through/to Gauchito Gil and their wishes/desires became true
There are folk marches to his burial location
Plaques are posted with names of people who had their requests granted at his grave site
The Gauchito Gil shrines are indicated with Red Flags (like in the above picture)
Gauchito Gil was viewed by many as a local saint and canonization has been attempted
Some local Church officials approve of devotion through Gauchito Gil
Above Right: A statue representing 'Gauchito Gil' (as explained in the above story).
Above: People make a wish/prayer and leave something of value (cigarettes, tobacco, lit candle, liquor, coca leaves, candy ...).
Above Left: Typical Gauchito Gil shrine flags.
Above Right: A view to the south through the Cloud Forest's jungle. The plants appear to be like Yellow Yarrow.
Above Left: Federico's Transport Truck.
Above Right: Lunch snacks (picture taken after the fact): energy bars, local cheese, bananas, & nuts.
Above Left: Looking south through the Cloud Forest.
Above Right: Eastbound on Ruta 9 (sun to the north).
Above Left: Warning, only enough room for one motor vehicle.
Above Right: The last white dash is ahead, the road becomes only 4 meters wide.
Above Left: Heading downhill and east on the Pan-American Highway.
Above Right: The Pink flower is on a Lapacho Tree.
Above Left: Orange flowers on a tree.
Above Right: Bromeliad plants in a tree (same family as Spanish Moss and the Pineapple, as far as I can tell, Bromeliads are NOT parasites but they often live in symbiotic relationship with other plants).
Above Left: Looking back at the pass that we crossed near lunch time.
Above Right: Bromeliad plants in a tree.
Above Left: Downhill.
Above Right: A rare early spring Bromeliad bloom.
Above Left: Riding downhill on Ruta 9.
Above Right: Right around here we saw 2 wild Turkeys on the roadside FLY off the road to the downhill side and the birds flew level and landed in a tree onto 2 limbs on the same plane as the road but about 5 meters/yards above the ground. It happened very quickly. The birds looked at us and then took off again and disappeared onto the jungle floor. THAT WAS A SURPRISE! I did not know that South America had wild Turkeys.
Above Left: Jungle Vines and Jungle Moss.
Above Right: We are generally heading toward and through El Carmen for San Salvador [S.S.] de Jujuy [Province].
Above Left: We officially enterred the Jujuy Province (from the Province of Salta).
Above Right: The road got narrow, again.
Above Left: Argentine 'Sharp Curve' signs are 'attention getters'.
Above Right: We're entering the flat lands of Jujuy, Argentina, and it reminds me of the Mpumalanga Valley of eastern South Africa. I can't explain it but we are at about the same Latitude.
Above Left: This could be the highlands of Africa (Jujuy, Argentina, South America).
Above Right: Ruta 9, 15 Kms to El Carmen.
Above Left: Cattle.
Above Right: Bird of Prey, left side, bike in motion snapshot, and bird departed after the one quick photo shot.
Above Left: Embalse las Maderos / The Timbers Reservoir.
Above Right: We're following Ruta 9.
Above Left: Another reminder that we have entered the Jujuy Province (and Dique la Ciénga roughly means Dam of the Swamp).
Above Right: Heading northwest on Route 9.
Above Left: Route/Ruta 9.
Above Right: A sneak view of Dique la Ciénga (Dam of the Swamp).
Above Left: Dique la Ciénga.
Above Right: A Gauchito Gil site.
Above Left: The road narrows to one lane.
Above Right: Some adobe homes.
Above: We arrived at Dique la Ciénga on Ruta 9.
Above: Dennis and Terry Struck with the Bee at Dique la Ciénga in Jujuy, Argentina.
Above Left: Residous (Rubbish): The trash container is painted by school children. Cleanliness and Anti-Littering is taught is school. In my opinion, Argentina ranks in the middle for litter control and cleanliness, and it is improving.
Above Right: A roadside picnic area near Dique la Ciénga.
Above Left: This is a newly planted Tobacco field.
Above Right: A care taker is weeding the Tobacco field and minding the crop.
Above Left: School Zone.
Above Right: Grade School and map of Argentina.
Above Left: ACCIDENT AVOIDED - Shortly after taking this horse picture 5 cars came toward us from the opposite direction and the last vehicle, a pickup truck, zipped out to pass the other 4 vehicles without looking up the road. The pickup truck was on a two lane highway with a no passing line for its lane and we were cycling in our lane on our tandem. I had immediate direct eye contact with the truck driver, I could have exited the road as a maneuver option, I saw the driver say to himself in Spanish, "Oh Shit"; the driver was committed (he had already started passing a commercial truck in front of his pickup truck), the driver saw us and moved to his right, all the other vehicles also moved to their right, and I (we) moved to the right side of the newly shared lane. I was never worried nor did I feel threatened. We missed each other by 10 inches / 25 centimeters. This all happened in about 3 seconds of time.
Above Right: Electricity Moss: This moss only grows on electrical lines and will not grow on telephone lines nor on any other type of suspended line, tube, or fence. Check the other wires in the photograph.
Above Left: Another Gauchito Gil roadside site.
Above Right: It is Sugar Cane and a harvester, we waved.
Above Left: Looks like Corn but it is Sugar Cane.
Above Right: Ivy covered agricultural building.
Above Left: We're heading toward San Salvador de Jujuy.
Above Right: It was the name that caught our attention. Compleho means Complex [of related structures].
Above: Modern Aqueduct - We are passing through El Carmen.
Above Left: Trash Receptacle, usually in a common plastic shopping bag.
Above Right: Bird of Prey.
We Arrived at our Hotel in San Salvador, Jujuy
Above: We Arrived at our Hotel in San Salvador. Our room was normal, I dislike expensive rooms, and all we do is sleep in them, BUT the Hotel was a Resort and the hotel staff were getting ready to host a huge Wine Tasting Event. The wine tasting was focused toward South American Wineries (mainly from Argentina and Chile) but it included American and European wines. The clientele were upper crust South Americans.
We looked into getting tickets for the wine tasting but it did not start until 8 pm and we would be asleep by then.
The wine displayed in the picture is what stands behind the Valet station every day of the year.
Above: Preparations for the Hotel's Gala Wine Tasting event.
The city of San Salvador is in the immediate Valley. We will take a taxi to go to town.
Our Walk about San Salvador, Jujuy, Argentina
Above Left: The nice old building is a bank.
Above Right: Downtown San Salvador. It is very busy.
Above Left: Papa Noel is what the Argentines call Christmas. This is a Papa Noel Store.
Above Right: We found a Café.
The RESTAURANT PROBLEM: Restaurants do NOT Open until 8pm (some at 9pm) in Argentina. After cycling most of the day, we are ready to eat a full meal at 6pm, and we usually need to be asleep by 8 pm. So we often do not get to visit Restaurants and we are force to eat at Cafés or Bars. We had the same problem around the Mediterranean Sea also. AND this issue directly relates to Siesta times of the mid-day heat.
Above Left: We have become tired of paying for 2 ounces of overpriced wine in tiny glasses, so now we order Beer in a bottle and get the full bottle.
We fell in love with Argentine Dark Beers!
Cerveza Negra
Above Right: Our Dinner was served.
Back to our Hotel (Altos del la Vina)
Above Left: We're getting ready for bed and the Wine Festival is just getting started. A View of San Salvador at night.
| 66
| 
| 
