We finally leave Jorge at lunchtime and 20 -30 minutes later find the right road. Some of the travelling is amazing in that you leave a town and travel down a dead straight and flat road for possibly 100 miles at a time and sometimes more. Here is where we broke our first rule, never pass a gas station. Having left Azul we travelled for miles, probably 80 miles and did not see a farm, house or anything other than the occasional lorry. My computer on the bike stated I had 78 miles for ages and then started counting down quite quickly. We finally found a disused gas station and I had 12 miles left and Martin had 16, but still no gas. Should one of us wait here and we put all the fuel we have into the other bike, but then we could both be stranded 20 miles apart, no we stay together. About 8 miles down the road we find a gas station and restaurant, PHEW!!
At the gas station was a family of 4 on a motorcycle with a trailer on it, we had a gesticulation conversation and then went to eat. Whilst looking out of the restaurant another bike arrives with a family of 3 on it, they meet the others and then all mount up to go off, 3 on a bike and 4 on a bike, the children had helmets and Martin and I have never seen such a little helmet as that one on the smallest child. After a bit of lunch we crack on and during our travels we are routed on a poor surface which got progressively worse until we both felt that we were on the Dakar, sand and deepish gravel. We stopped and debated the options, not wanting to go back 5 miles we move on and end up on this surface for over 20 miles, hey ho, well that set us back a bit time wise. Having learnt from our mistake we do a top up of gas. Now for the second rule break, don’t travel at night, the sun is setting at about 8 and at 7.45 we realise we have another 115 miles to do. We could try to find a hotel but as we said before communities are few and far between, so we soldier on and the temperature drops from 26 to 10, that combined with a strong wind was really cooling, in fact we were frozen and had to stop to put on some more clothes, we eventually arrive in Viedma at about 10. Now where is Oscar and the group we are supposed to meet, we seem to have surrounded the location. We asked a local, they are so helpful, he phoned Oscar and said they were 33k away. No not tonight we will find a hotel and go on in the morning. Our friendly helper said he would get his car and lead us to a suitable hotel but another local with a motorbike had joined our conversations and said he would guide us. At the hotel we enquire about secure parking and we are taken to a very large garage capable of housing 20 or so cars, all locked and totally secure.
We finally get to eat dinner at 11.30 and the restaurant is very busy including families with small children, apparently they eat late here, we have heard that the kitchens at some restaurants do not open until 9. This was followed by a welcome sleep.
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