Distance today = 50.20 km; Total distance = 14,423.84 km; Location = San Martin (27 km east of) – 33 11.910′ S, 68 14.935′ W; Start time = 0909, Finish time = 1650

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/243647474

Back on the road today, and it was quite a warm one. It was also very flat, in contrast to the nearby Andes.

I got through a solid 50 km, on a mixture of roads, cycle paths, and shoulders of hard packed dirt. There were many eucalyptus trees along the side of the road, and the heat caused them to be more fragrant than usual as they baked in the sun. It brought back memories of the Tour de Bois.

The problem of the day, however, was the air conditioning in the hire car was not working. Carmel was absolutely sweltering in the heat, and she doesn’t feel safe enough in these remote areas to sit with the windows down, the doors open, or to get out and walk around. So we got in touch with Hertz. Once again, they were very helpful, and agreed to change the car. So, after I finished my run, we drove back to Mendoza (by now, 70 km away), and exchanged the car.

Tomorrow morning it’s back to the finishing point to start again. We will definitely be getting into the more remote areas as of tomorrow, so I might not have internet coverage for the next few days. Don’t panic if there is no update. Fingers crossed, though.