So, bikes re-assembled and ready to go, where to ride? The road we live on is dirt, connected to another road of dirt, connected to a two-lane highway with large patches that are under perpetual construction, mostly involving, dirt. Therefore, biking directly from the house is a no go. However, there are stretches of mostly smooth highway nearby that are great for biking, with little traffic, enough inclines to be interesting and great scenery.
Ride number 1: We parked at a friend’s house in Punta del Este, near Playa Mansa, and headed east on the rambla. Tourist season is picking up, so we got an early start to avoid any traffic. Not a bad ride for the first one, we kept the pace nice and easy (mainly because our out of shape legs couldn't go any faster) and focused on how the bikes felt (put together right?) and avoiding potholes and insane Argentine drivers. The road heading east was pretty good. Except for cutting across the peninsula, we biked along the ocean the whole way. Being so close to the ocean, the wind was a bit brisk. It was a sign of things to come…
Ride number 2: “El Viento”. This time, to avoid the terrible stretch of pavement we encountered on the return leg of ride number 1, we drove to La Barra (a chic beach village outside of Punta del Este)and parked at Medialunas Calentitas, a hip little coffee and pastry joint with outdoor sofas you can lounge on while drinking your coffee. From MC, we headed East, through La Barra and beyond to avoid the Punta del Este traffic and the bridge of death:
Before we moved here, I was concerned that we would not find enough hills to develop really good bike fitness. I need not have worried; the wind here makes up for the relative lack of good hills. Our ride started out nicely. We have driven down this particular stretch of the interbalnearia many times, but seeing it from a bicycle saddle is like seeing it for the first time. The sea was a mesmerizing blue green and looked like liquid silver in the morning light. The wide beaches were empty and beckoning. And the colors of the green plants along the road, contrasted with red rocks, white sand dunes and blue-green ocean were picture perfect. However, my reverie was soon interrupted by a never-ceasing, brutal headwind. Never before had I experienced wind like this. I was reveling in it, having fantasies of training in it constantly to prepare for the Mount Washington mountain race. Those delusional thoughts lasted for a few miles, then all I could think was “make it stop”. I was comforted by the hope of a tail wind on the way home. Really, I don’t mean to bitch, this wind is a gift, but it wasn’t what I signed up for this particular morning. I knew Cesar was probably suffering too, both of us biting our lip not to be the first to complain. The point would have been moot, or should I say “mute” anyway since we would not have been heard over the roar of the relentless wind. We turned around at our pre-arranged midway point and headed back to La Barra. Just before town, a group of brightly jerseyed cyclists on road bikes passed us, heading into the wind in the direction we had just come from. I was happy to see fellow bikers. Naturally, I picked up my pace in an effort to look like the bad-ass cyclist chick I am, in my own mind at least. It didn’t matter, their broad grins indicated they were pleasantly surprised to see a woman on a roadbike, period. Of the many cyclists we have seen here, I have seen only one other female. A couple of minutes later, stopped on the side of the road in La Barra to make a phone call, they were headed our way. I thought maybe they wanted a second look at the odd woman on the nice bike, but I think they got one blast of that wind and decided to turn around.
Ride number 3: The Papa of El Viento. We decided that a break from the wind was in order for this next ride, and wanted to start a little closer to home, so we parked at our friend Gloria’s house and biked down Ruta 9 to Ruta 12, in the direction of Punta Ballena. This is a north/south ride, rather than east/west and instead of ocean views, it is along a gently rolling stretch of empty highway with vineyards, pasture and trees and a great lake view. It is a lovely scenic route that we like to take sometimes to Punta del Este instead of the much quicker route through the town of Maldonado. The wind started immediately. This time it hurled obstacles in our path as it shook loose bark and small branches from the eucalyptus trees. Turning onto Ruta 12, we headed into its strength. A semi passed me and I didn’t even hear it coming over the roar of the wind. Near the Alto de la Ballena winery, the donkeys in the pasture to our left stared at us with a bemused look. Stupid humans, they were thinking. We hung in there until our pre-arranged turn around time and headed back. When the wind stopped and the brutal heat and sun sent a shower of perspiration down my face and into my eyes, I wished the wind would return.
My former music teacher and mentor impressed upon me to embrace that which I hated. What I think he meant by that is this: You hate practicing the stuff you are no good at or which you find particularly difficult. However, those are precisely the things you need to practice. So, toughen up and embrace those things. It makes you stronger. Now I love the wind. Bring it on.
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