May 16, 2013

Looks like our good luck with the weather has run out – we set off in drizzle and it’s cold. We’ve all our kit on, tights (first time I’ve needed mine this trip, although Ken has worn his once before), waterproof socks and jackets. Gradually the rain increases until it becomes torrential and then we find out that our waterproof kit is not actually waterproof. It hasn’t let us down before, but then we’ve not been cycling in torrential rain for six hours before. Our route today is mountainous with several high passes, which mostly helps because climbing uphill helps keep us warm. Going down is truly horrible, being absolutely saturated to the skin and whizzing through the cold air makes all our muscles go into spasm – when we have to start peddling again we can hardly move.

It turns into our longest day of the tour, literally and mentally. We start to ask ourselves what we are doing here when we could be at home in front of the television. We really can’t come up with a reasonable answer. The option to have hired a car in Santiago seems like a good idea but it is too late now as we are far away from anywhere to hire a car. My inconvenient gut rot is still with me, although, fortunately, I don’t feel quite so lacking in energy today. Ken, however, claims to be suffering from a severe case of ‘trench foot’ because his waterproof socks have filled with water and, being waterproof, it won’t drain out again. You’d think my feet were dry the way he keeps on about the state of his – although I have to agree that it is most unpleasant.

The actual mountain road we’re on would have been one we would have really enjoyed in better weather. I’m sure the views would have been spectacular if we could have seen them. We take only one photograph today at a pass marker board. We start to worry that any self-respecting hotelier is going to take one look at us when we arrive and refuse to let us in. Just as we approach our intended stopping point we spot a most unlikely looking place with a hotel sign – looks closed from the outside. When I try the door it is locked, but just as I’m turning away the door opens and we’re able to get a room. We manage to get a meal as well, although we have to sit in a freezing cold dining room in short sleeves because our only long-sleeved tops are saturated. Next problem is – how are we going to get all our stuff dry before tomorrow? The weather forecast is even less promising for tomorrow than it was for today but I can’t face starting the day in cold, wet clothes. We prioritise socks and long-sleeved tops to be dried on the small heater in the room, but we’ll need to keep swopping them around to get them dry. Ken’s already snuggled up in bed, snoring, so I can see where his priorities lie.