Up to this point The Driver had been complaining about the condition of the Pan American Highway in the countries we had driven through and singing the praises of Argentine highways. Well let me tell you -after leaving the Aduana this was one of the worst roads we had been on. The grade was steep. It was very narrow and made of loose gravel over washboard dirt. It wasn’t banked at the curves and there were no guard rails. Oh, I stand corrected it had some guard rails. They were about 1½ foot tall walls of cemented stones. Like that would help. And of course we were on the outside edge of the road. Thank goodness we hadn’t met any traffic coming our way.
I couldn’t help but rag on Bill about the road after all his bragging.
"I didn’t mean this one,” he replied never taking his eyes off the road.
The scenery was breath taking though. Rising above the rest of the mountains on our left was the majestic Aconcagua. The tallest mountain in the Americas. And on the other side of us (my side!) was a very deep gorge with railroad tracks and railroad tunnels built up along the southern edge. Lots of rock.
Thump! Whump!
“WHAT WAS THAT?” inquired The Driver.
I turned in my seat to look back. The microwave had fallen on the floor. The road was so rough that it jiggled out of its cupboard and ended up on the floor. John Mc got up to put it back but we decided we might as well leave it where it was until we are off this wonderful road.
I was looking at the map when Paul yelled, “LOOK OUT! A BUS!”
I looked up to see a big bus coming up the road towards us. He was on the inside WE were on the outside.
“Oh,oh!” is all The Driver had time to say as he hit the brakes. We came to a dead stop. The bus stopped just in front of us. The Drivers sat and looked at each other. Bill got out of the motorhome very carefully. One wrong step and he wouldn’t have to worry about the motorhome any more. At this particular point in the road there was one of the teeny guard walls taking up a few precious inches of the road. The bus driver had to squeeze out of his door as he was up against the mountain.
Now what? We couldn’t back up with the trailer behind us and the bus didn’t want to back down. Besides there was no where to back to. The road wasn’t any wider behind or in front of us. A real predicament.
The passengers in the bus were staring out of their windows at us. They probably were wondering what we were. We in turn were staring at the bus.
The drivers stood in the middle of the road talking. Hands and mouths moving equally as fast. Then they walked over to the sheer drop and looked down. Then they backed up and stood looking at the motorhome. The precipice, the motorhome, the precipice, the motorhome, the middle of the road. Next they walked over in front of the bus, looked at the mountain, then the bus, then the motorhome, then the bus. More animated discussion. The bus driver went to his vehicle and pushed both of his rearview mirrors flush with the side of the bus. That would give a few more inches of clearance. Bill walked over and did the same with the driver’s side mirror. The right side had all the room in the world. Back to the middle of the road to study both vehicles again.
In the first seat behind the bus driver's seat was an older woman dressed all in black, next to her an older man also in black. As all the discussing was going on she glanced out at the drop off, shook her head and made the sign of the cross. Then she turned to him and said something. Soon she looked out again, right in the big front window of the motorhome. She saw us looking at her and she made the sign of the cross again. I hoped she had some pull.
Bill headed towards us and got back in. The bus driver stood about 20 feet in front of us.
Bill told us all to sit down and be quiet. He started the engine and began to creep forward and TO THE RIGHT! It was all I could do to keep from screaming ARE YOU CRAZY? The bus driver was motioning us forward and TO THE RIGHT! We were slowly inching along, Bill not taking his eyes off the bus driver. I heard a scrape from outside right below me. Our tires were rubbing the stone wall. We all stopped breathing maybe that would help. The bus driver motioned to stop. We did. Dead silence.
He walked over to his bus and got in. The bus rumbled to a start. The lady in black crossed herself again and held her fingers to her lips. Very slowly the bus started to move forward and towards the mountain. He would glance to his right then move a little more. The bus was getting closer and closer to us, it was abreast of us, it was moving past us. We were all huddled around the driver’s seat looking out the window right into the wide eyes of the bus passengers. The mirrors made contact with a loud TICK but didn’t break. The bus continued rolling forward. The lady in black was out of sight. Everyone on the bus and in the motorhome was staying perfectly still. Inch by agonizing inch the bus crept forward. Now we were looking at the mountain instead of bus out of the window. He was behind us. Again he stopped and got out of the bus. Bill slowly moved us forward and towards the middle of the road. When safe he to stopped and got out. They met in the middle of the road and embraced and patted each other on the back. Then both headed towards their mirrors to pull them back out. Speaking and waving again as each rounded the front of his vehicle and got ready to continue the drive.
“Shit, I though we were going to die,” exclaimed John Mc echoing all of our thoughts. The silence broken everyone started talking at once.
“I was scared,” from Paul
“Me too. I want to get off this road,” sobbed Gil.
“I don’t want to hear another word about the great Argentine roads. They almost got us killed.” This of course from the ever tactful wife.
Bill started the engine and we once again started down the mountain.
We continued on down the mountain with no more heart stopping incidents. Soon we were on pavement again.
The lower we got the prettier the scenery became. We went from the rugged desolate beauty of the high peaks into the green foothills dotted with fertile farms and vineyards. Past Puente del Inca. There is a natural bridge there that crosses the river. It used to be a hot springs resort that had fallen into disrepair. Then on to Mendoza. We stopped there for a while and walked around. What we saw of it was very pretty. The city has many plazas, big and small, all with statues and some with rose gardens. The sidewalks were made of tile and shaded by big trees. There were a lot of really nice stores, but we didn’t go in any. I wish we could have spent more time there.
That night we stayed in San Luis. Again in an all night gas station. Before turning in we walked down the block and ate dinner in a restaurant. We all ate the famous Argentine beef in one form or another. Delicious, and not just because we haven’t had beef for a while. The restaurant was smaller than we are used to and very noisy - everyone talking at once. No carpets or drapes to deaden the noise.
Up and on the road early again. It was cold when we started out but turned into a nice day. Very pretty country. It reminded me of the mid-west in the states - flat land, grain fields and lots of cattle grazing.
This was a short driving day we only did 208 miles to the Rio Tercero Dam area in Alta Gracia, just outside of Cordoba. We got there just a little after noon so we had time to enjoy the area. There was a nice campground there right on the reservoir, the Embalse Rio Tercero. Out on the lake were several pretty big houseboats. It seemed to be quite a recreation area.
Before we parked we filled up with gas. 88 Liters for $14,500. this is a whole different concept in money. It’s funny, the peso was just devalued so people talk in “old pesos” and “new pesos” - it makes a BIG difference in the totals. The first time we bought groceries I almost fainted. More about that later.
We were thrilled to find the campground, the first in a long time. And it had water and electricity! There were actual showers with warm water, what a luxury. We cleaned the motorhome and ourselves. By late afternoon we were all feeling half human again.
At the edge of the campground was a cheese shop that is well known in the area. We walked over to check it out. They sold goat cheese and animal pelts, Quillangos, cow, llama and sheep. The pelts (skins?) had been treated and some were just beautiful. Big hunks of coated cheese were hanging from poles outside the store. The boys also found a baby goat to pet and play with. Altogether a nice time.
The next day we would go on to Cordoba where Bill’s stepmother, Rosalia lives (his father had passed away several years before.)
I couldn’t help but rag on Bill about the road after all his bragging.
"I didn’t mean this one,” he replied never taking his eyes off the road.
The scenery was breath taking though. Rising above the rest of the mountains on our left was the majestic Aconcagua. The tallest mountain in the Americas. And on the other side of us (my side!) was a very deep gorge with railroad tracks and railroad tunnels built up along the southern edge. Lots of rock.
Thump! Whump!
“WHAT WAS THAT?” inquired The Driver.
I turned in my seat to look back. The microwave had fallen on the floor. The road was so rough that it jiggled out of its cupboard and ended up on the floor. John Mc got up to put it back but we decided we might as well leave it where it was until we are off this wonderful road.
I was looking at the map when Paul yelled, “LOOK OUT! A BUS!”
I looked up to see a big bus coming up the road towards us. He was on the inside WE were on the outside.
“Oh,oh!” is all The Driver had time to say as he hit the brakes. We came to a dead stop. The bus stopped just in front of us. The Drivers sat and looked at each other. Bill got out of the motorhome very carefully. One wrong step and he wouldn’t have to worry about the motorhome any more. At this particular point in the road there was one of the teeny guard walls taking up a few precious inches of the road. The bus driver had to squeeze out of his door as he was up against the mountain.
Now what? We couldn’t back up with the trailer behind us and the bus didn’t want to back down. Besides there was no where to back to. The road wasn’t any wider behind or in front of us. A real predicament.
The passengers in the bus were staring out of their windows at us. They probably were wondering what we were. We in turn were staring at the bus.
The drivers stood in the middle of the road talking. Hands and mouths moving equally as fast. Then they walked over to the sheer drop and looked down. Then they backed up and stood looking at the motorhome. The precipice, the motorhome, the precipice, the motorhome, the middle of the road. Next they walked over in front of the bus, looked at the mountain, then the bus, then the motorhome, then the bus. More animated discussion. The bus driver went to his vehicle and pushed both of his rearview mirrors flush with the side of the bus. That would give a few more inches of clearance. Bill walked over and did the same with the driver’s side mirror. The right side had all the room in the world. Back to the middle of the road to study both vehicles again.
In the first seat behind the bus driver's seat was an older woman dressed all in black, next to her an older man also in black. As all the discussing was going on she glanced out at the drop off, shook her head and made the sign of the cross. Then she turned to him and said something. Soon she looked out again, right in the big front window of the motorhome. She saw us looking at her and she made the sign of the cross again. I hoped she had some pull.
Bill headed towards us and got back in. The bus driver stood about 20 feet in front of us.
Bill told us all to sit down and be quiet. He started the engine and began to creep forward and TO THE RIGHT! It was all I could do to keep from screaming ARE YOU CRAZY? The bus driver was motioning us forward and TO THE RIGHT! We were slowly inching along, Bill not taking his eyes off the bus driver. I heard a scrape from outside right below me. Our tires were rubbing the stone wall. We all stopped breathing maybe that would help. The bus driver motioned to stop. We did. Dead silence.
He walked over to his bus and got in. The bus rumbled to a start. The lady in black crossed herself again and held her fingers to her lips. Very slowly the bus started to move forward and towards the mountain. He would glance to his right then move a little more. The bus was getting closer and closer to us, it was abreast of us, it was moving past us. We were all huddled around the driver’s seat looking out the window right into the wide eyes of the bus passengers. The mirrors made contact with a loud TICK but didn’t break. The bus continued rolling forward. The lady in black was out of sight. Everyone on the bus and in the motorhome was staying perfectly still. Inch by agonizing inch the bus crept forward. Now we were looking at the mountain instead of bus out of the window. He was behind us. Again he stopped and got out of the bus. Bill slowly moved us forward and towards the middle of the road. When safe he to stopped and got out. They met in the middle of the road and embraced and patted each other on the back. Then both headed towards their mirrors to pull them back out. Speaking and waving again as each rounded the front of his vehicle and got ready to continue the drive.
“Shit, I though we were going to die,” exclaimed John Mc echoing all of our thoughts. The silence broken everyone started talking at once.
“I was scared,” from Paul
“Me too. I want to get off this road,” sobbed Gil.
“I don’t want to hear another word about the great Argentine roads. They almost got us killed.” This of course from the ever tactful wife.
Bill started the engine and we once again started down the mountain.
We continued on down the mountain with no more heart stopping incidents. Soon we were on pavement again.
The lower we got the prettier the scenery became. We went from the rugged desolate beauty of the high peaks into the green foothills dotted with fertile farms and vineyards. Past Puente del Inca. There is a natural bridge there that crosses the river. It used to be a hot springs resort that had fallen into disrepair. Then on to Mendoza. We stopped there for a while and walked around. What we saw of it was very pretty. The city has many plazas, big and small, all with statues and some with rose gardens. The sidewalks were made of tile and shaded by big trees. There were a lot of really nice stores, but we didn’t go in any. I wish we could have spent more time there.
That night we stayed in San Luis. Again in an all night gas station. Before turning in we walked down the block and ate dinner in a restaurant. We all ate the famous Argentine beef in one form or another. Delicious, and not just because we haven’t had beef for a while. The restaurant was smaller than we are used to and very noisy - everyone talking at once. No carpets or drapes to deaden the noise.
Up and on the road early again. It was cold when we started out but turned into a nice day. Very pretty country. It reminded me of the mid-west in the states - flat land, grain fields and lots of cattle grazing.
This was a short driving day we only did 208 miles to the Rio Tercero Dam area in Alta Gracia, just outside of Cordoba. We got there just a little after noon so we had time to enjoy the area. There was a nice campground there right on the reservoir, the Embalse Rio Tercero. Out on the lake were several pretty big houseboats. It seemed to be quite a recreation area.
Before we parked we filled up with gas. 88 Liters for $14,500. this is a whole different concept in money. It’s funny, the peso was just devalued so people talk in “old pesos” and “new pesos” - it makes a BIG difference in the totals. The first time we bought groceries I almost fainted. More about that later.
We were thrilled to find the campground, the first in a long time. And it had water and electricity! There were actual showers with warm water, what a luxury. We cleaned the motorhome and ourselves. By late afternoon we were all feeling half human again.
At the edge of the campground was a cheese shop that is well known in the area. We walked over to check it out. They sold goat cheese and animal pelts, Quillangos, cow, llama and sheep. The pelts (skins?) had been treated and some were just beautiful. Big hunks of coated cheese were hanging from poles outside the store. The boys also found a baby goat to pet and play with. Altogether a nice time.
The next day we would go on to Cordoba where Bill’s stepmother, Rosalia lives (his father had passed away several years before.)
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |