To San Antonio de Los Cobres: up, up, up and over Abra del Acay.

Cafayate-Los Molinos-Cachi-La Poma-Abra del Acay-San Antonio de los Cobres

I’ve now joined forces with Mike the Yorkshireman and together, we’re headed to the high plateaux of Bolivia with our respective Surlys (Ogre and Pugs). I’ll be sure to post an account of the 1200km desert slog from Mendoza to Cafayate at some point… But in the meantime, I’m fast-fowarding to the north western corner of Argentina, beyond the wine connoisseur’s enclave of Cafayate, to where our journey is finally taking on a more dusty flavour.

It’s from here that paved Ruta 40 peters out and crumbles into ripio, before beginning the arduous task of wending its way up, up and over Abray Del Acay – Argentina’s loftiest pass, perched at a hair under 5,000m – to the windswept settlement of San Antonia de los Cobres, cupped high in the Puna Mountains.

Even without the monotony of the cycling that proceeds it, this is a startlingly beautiful ride, following a road that courses first through a mass of elemental rockscapes, before delving deep into the saturated hues of the Calchaquis Valley. Those headed north face both a stout prevailing wind (unbelievably, winter in the Puna is even more blustery than Patagonia), as well as a hefty hike in altitude over a relatively short distance. But it’s not all hard work. A string of timeworn adobe villages, centred around churches bleached so white they make you squint in the midday sun, offer perfect pit stops and excuses to loiter in leafy plazas.

As ever, thanks to the Pikes on Bikes for such meticulous route notes; their site, Andes by Bike, is an excellent font of information for those in search of the Andean road less travelled.

If you would like to keep up with where I am between blog entries, I try and keep my While Out Riding Facebook page regularly updated – along with posting extra photos and gear ponderings. You can find it here. Occasionally, I pop some pictures up on Instagram too. 

IMG_3440

Argentinian empanadas are lilliputian compared to their Chilean counterparts. But catch them when they’re piping hot, straight out of the horno, and there’s little to beat them. Una docena – a dozen – sets you back $4. Perfect rocket fuel before taking to the road.

IMG_3444

Despite my aversion to cars, my fascination for old Argentinian bangers continues. Compared to neighbouring Chile and its flashy new models, these old classics make up a large proportion of vehicles in Argentina, and reflect the different spirit between the two countries.

IMG_3448

Leaving the fruity Torrontés of Cafayate behind. Fresh snow on the mountains… winter is chasing us.

IMG_3480

Finally! After hundreds of kilometres of monosyllabic paving, Ruta 40 finally splutters into more opinionated ripio. At around 5,000km in length, the road spans the entire country.

IMG_3524

Much better, thanks.

Thus begins a medley of geological, shadow-catching protrusions.

IMG_3689

IMG_3704

IMG_3776

IMG_3723

Dusty villages and their whitewash churches. Sunglasses required.

IMG_3743

IMG_3799

IMG_3813

IMG_3847

Bean-like, and occasional bendy Saguaro cacti sprout to either side. In my mind, each has its own personal character and flair.

IMG_3796

Am I back in New Mexico?

IMG_3857

IMG_3883

IMG_3889

IMG_3903

Some cacti are more social than others.

IMG_3939

Headwind = head down.

IMG_3947

IMG_3958

La Poma provides an abundance of opportunities for me to add to the banger montage.

IMG_3965

Fords seem to be the manufacturer of choice in this sleepy little village.

IMG_3977

As do ’80s Peugeots. Along with pre-millennium classics like Renault Fuegos, they hark back to the cars of my childhood. It’s strangely comforting.

IMG_4005

We camp on the edge of a football field. But by 7am, a fierce sand storm and tent-crushing gale drives us out of our flimsy abodes and into the sanctuary of a half built building for breakfast.

IMG_4024

If you like doorways, the old quarter of La Poma is the place for you.

IMG_4026

IMG_4038

IMG_4050

IMG_4057

IMG_4062

One for the Antiques Roadshow.

IMG_4074

IMG_4106

Highnoon showdown. Ogre v Pugsley.

IMG_4110

IMG_4154

A landscape that could swallow you whole.

IMG_4228

IMG_4126

IMG_4218

Splitting the climb into two, for the sake of acclimatisation, affords us an easy day and some prime picnic real estate.

IMG_4234

A series of hopscotch river crossings mark the beginning of the real gain in altitude.

IMG_4239

That night, we sleep in the storeroom of an empty dwelling. It comes complete with pendulums of meat and tempting morsels of dried skin.

IMG_4257

Waiting for the sun to creep down the hillside, and infuse warmth into cold bones.

IMG_4258

Breaking ice. More river crossings mark a toe-numbing start to the day.

IMG_4264

IMG_4304

IMG_4314

IMG_4339

IMG_4360

Up, up and up, through a landscape streaked with minerals. Back into the high country.

IMG_4374

IMG_4376

IMG_4382

IMG_4405

Still smiling. Although the road surface is good and the grade reasonable, a crescendoing, post-lunch headwind forces upon us the ignominy of pushing our bikes, heads bowed humbly into the elements.

IMG_4416

Wind doesn’t photograph too well. But it was there, honest, jostling our bikes from one side of the the to the other.

IMG_4442

IMG_4447

Finally, only one last switchback remains…

IMG_4451

Cresting Abray del Acay, we’re greeted by a near tangible wall of wind, so we huddle behind rocks for just a few moments. Not the triumphant, lingering summiting we’d envisaged, perhaps.

IMG_4486

Our descent into driving headwind means our day’s work is yet to be over. After losing over a thousand metres, the road levels out, reducing us to a grovelling crawl once more. It’s dusk before we eventually limp into San Antonio de los Cobres, faces caked in dust and grit in our eyes… But still smiling.

14 thoughts on “To San Antonio de Los Cobres: up, up, up and over Abra del Acay.

  1. Tom

    Go the Puna! 🙂 Fine line between squandering the quiet of the morning to warm the bones and being able to move to make the most of it… Second the motion to take all possible side-roads across Paso Sico. Enjoy the miners’ camp on the way through – was a great refuge from a snow storm for us coming the other way 🙂 (had internet too). Hope you’ve got a non-standard route through the Lagunas of SW Bolivia planned to take advantage of those fat tyres? I would, if I was going through again… Shame you didn’t get to do the Antofagosta route into the area.

    T

    Reply
    1. Cass Gilbert Post author

      The original intention was to link a dirt road beyond Villa Union, all the way up to Sico via Fiambala and Antofagasta. But it turns out that winter in the Puna is rather intense – aside from snow and extremely cold temperatures, it makes Patagonian blusteriness seem mild… which is saying something! One to go back for…

      Abra del Acay was an awesome consolation prize though (-:

      Reply
  2. jeff

    Hi Cass
    great post as always ,I was wondering what the Yorkshire mans gearing was,
    is it a Rohloff . Those empanadas look like mini Cornish pasties , be well !.

    Rgds Jeff NY -Lon

    Reply
    1. Cass Gilbert Post author

      Hey Jeff, yep, it’s a Rohloff. It’s currently 16T x 42T. But a 38T will be winging its way to Bolivia for a more Andes/Altitude friendly gear range.
      All the best!

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.