84 kms. Completely flat road. Got on our bikes at 05.45. Still dark. Had breakfast after 25 kms, standing along the road, eating a croissant that we had bought the day before and drinking some “tintos” (black coffees), that we bought from a lady that was selling the hot drinks from thermosses to passing drivers, who had to slow down because of a “resalto”, a speed breaker. These are laid in the road where the traffic enters a village or town. The local people use it to sell oranges, snacks and cups of coffee, among other things.

It was a very hot day, temps got as high as 41 ˚C. We were not completely sure about the fact where we could find accommodation. Road workers, whom we spoke early in the morning had assured us that at La Loma there would be a hotel at a gas station. Later other people denied that. The last 20 kms or so there was no shade and the temperature got at its highest level. We rode through a deserted landscape, where there appeared to be two mines, big complexes with enormous mounds of earth, we are not aware of what material they take out of the ground there. Imagine that, after this long ride and in this heat, we were very releaved to see the sign: Restaurante RanchoFresco hospedaje. La Loma is only a cross roads, with a gasstation and two hospedajes. One is grimy, RanchoFresco is nice. We had a basic, clean room with an old aircon. There were drinks and food under an open thatched roof not too close to the road and the roaring trucks, so a perfect place to stop and rest.

The track: Download 20100116_pail_laloma.gpx