{"id":1908,"date":"2023-02-11T17:04:15","date_gmt":"2023-02-11T22:04:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebbsbay.ca\/?p=1908"},"modified":"2023-02-12T11:43:52","modified_gmt":"2023-02-12T16:43:52","slug":"mendoza-on-two-wheels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebbsbay.ca\/index.php\/2023\/02\/11\/mendoza-on-two-wheels\/","title":{"rendered":"Mendoza on Two Wheels"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"You might be wondering if I’ve sold the bike. I can assure you that is not the case. Indeed, I have a lovely garage here in Mendoza, in which to park my T\u00e9n\u00e9r\u00e9. While we have dropped anchor for a while, I’m still riding regularly. Sometimes it’s a cruise around town, to get to know the place a little better; sometimes just a trip to pick up some groceries. Ice cream is always a good excuse for a ride, in the evening. Artisanal ice cream\/gelato is the second highlight in Argentine cuisine, after asado. \"\"There are almost as many ice cream shops as wineries here – that’s a lot! I’ve made it my mission to sample as many as possible. Liz has her thing, I have mine…\u00a0 And then there are all those lovely roads, outside of town, paved and unpaved, that wind through the mountains and small towns in the Mendoza valley.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Motorcycles are a big part of life here. And why not? You can ride 12 months of the year. They’re also cheap. You can buy a new 50cc Chinese scooter for around $1,000. Used ones are even less, making them affordable for almost anyone.<\/p>\n

Motorcycle safety is something else entirely. It’s common to see 3 or even 4 people crammed onto a scooter, even mom’s holding little babies. The smaller bikes can’t do highway speeds, but that doesn’t keep them off the highways. They’re everywhere, even on the 4 and 6 lane thruways, putt-putting along at 50 or 60 kph while traffic roars past them.<\/p>\n

Helmets are supposedly mandatory and in town most people have one, but not necessarily on their head. The law doesn’t specify where you need to wear your helmet. So, many people defiantly wear their helmet slung over the crook of their arm, like a purse. Outside of the big cities, people often don’t bother at all. It may have something to do with the fatalistic style of Catholicism here, which I’ve mentioned in previous posts.<\/p>\n

\"\"Unfortunately, Liz and I witnessed the consequences, on the morning of New Years Day. A helmet-less rider zoomed past us, weaving back and forth, and crashed, full-speed into an adobe wall, right in front of us.\u00a0 I can only assume he was still drunk from the night before. His bike shattered and he was catapulted like a rag doll.<\/p>\n

We stopped, of course. Liz called 911, while I stabilized the casualty. The paramedic crew that arrived had a weary expression which told me this was an all too common situation. At least he was still breathing when the ambulance drove away.<\/p>\n

\"\"After riding for more than 50 years I know the risks. On the highway it’s always armoured pants and jacket, helmet, gloves and boots, even in the blazing Argentinian heat. I’m a little more relaxed in-town, but shorts and flip-flops, like I see around here? Not a chance.<\/p>\n

Some people go parachuting; some like rock climbing or caving; some run with the bulls. For me it’s motorcycling. I feel so much more connected to the world around me on a motorcycle, than I do cocooned in a car. It the difference between hearing a song, and getting up to dance.<\/p>\n

\"\"Every motorcyclist has his or her list of great rides. Whether they are lesser know local favorites, or world famous, like Chile’s Carretera Austral, (which I had the pleasure of riding a couple of months ago), all great motorcycle roads have certain things in common. Whether it’s mountains, forest, coastline or desert, there will be great scenery. Sometimes there are interesting places to visit along the way. There are often good places to stop and sample the local food and beverages. But mostly, it’s about “the twisties”. The primary feature that all great motorcycle rides share is that the road has been laid gently on the land – the hills have not been blasted flat, the valleys filled or the corners straightened. As much as possible the road conforms to the landscape, winding up, down, over and around whatever features exist. In other words, it is the opposite of a thruway that has been gouged through the land to create the shortest distance between two points.<\/p>\n

\"\"Western Argentina, in general and the Mendoza area in particular, have a wealth of such roads. Ruta 52 is a gravel alternative to the main highway between Mendoza and Uspallata. In places it is only a single lane. I had no trouble meeting the few oncoming cars, but if two cars meet, or God forbid a truck, someone has to back up, around hairpin corners to find a spot wide enough to pass. Aside from the fun and challenge of the ride itself, there are spectacular views of the snow capped Andes, while guanacos graze on the high slopes in the pass.\"\"<\/p>\n

Ruta 89 is another gravel favorite, slightly less nerve wracking, winding through the foothills in the Uco valley, dotted with vineyards and orchards.<\/p>\n

Even Ruta 7, the main paved highway to Chile has some charm and some interesting turn-offs – Puente del Inca, a natural bridge over the Mendoza river; Aconcagua Provincial Park, with amazing views of the tallest mountain in the western hemisphere; and Cristo Redentor de los Andes.<\/p>\n

\"\"This monument is situated right on the continental divide, which forms the border between Chile and Argentina. Half of Jesus is in each country. The statue was erected in 1904 to commemorate the resolution of a border dispute that had almost brought the two countries to war.<\/p>\n

The highway now goes through a tunnel, but it used run over the pass where Cristo Redentor watches the border. It’s a steep winding 9 km gravel ride from the highway, dodging tour buses and climbing over a thousand meters enroute. The views along the way and at the top are great. And at 3,830 meters (12,570 ft) above sea level, it’s also blessedly cool, a welcome relief from the unrelenting heat of Mendoza.<\/p>\n

\"\"I’m looking forward to my upcoming ride to Ushuaia, at the southern tip of South America, in the beginning of March. But in the meantime, there are still some trails through the mountains that I need to explore.<\/p>\n

Below is a YouTube I made of some of my rides through Mendoza itself and the surrounding countryside. And here’s the link to a few more photos<\/a> of the sights along the way.<\/p>\n