Midafternoon and I was getting beat by the wind again. My thermometer showed 102º and I could feel the sweat running down between my shoulder blades. Somehow I had missed the Goldilocks zone between freezing all day yesterday and now roasting in the sun.

It was another day of endless plains and an unchanging horizon. This kind of terrain makes the ride so much more difficult. In addition to it being mind numbing, there is no evading the intense heat and glare from the sun. Oncoming cars reflect a welding arc flare of light and the wind is a continuous agitation. Passing vehicles throw powerful wakes of turbulence which shake my head and cause sudden left or right jolts of the bike. It does not allow for any lapses in concentration.

This morning after loading the bike, I went over to what I thought was the campground's common kitchen to make a cup of coffee. I plugged in the electric kettle and waited for the water to boil. A very handsome and athletic young man came into the kitchen. His arms and legs were covered in beautiful tattoos. He very politely said "Lo siento. Esta cocina es sólo para socorristas." (I'm sorry, this kitchen is only for.... I didn't know the word socorritas). "Socorristas?" I asked. He grinned and then struck a pose as though he was running in slow motion. "Baywatch!" he exclaimed. Ohhh! Lifeguard! We laughed. He let me finish making my coffee and we compared tattoos which are called tatuaje (ta-tü-ah-hey) in Spanish. My two new vocabulary words for the day.

In this part of Argentina the petrol stations are very few and far between. Even with the extended range of my huge gas tank, I don't think that I can skip any. Every other biker on the road has the same issue which turns fuel stops into motorcycle rallies. At one stop today I counted over 30 bikes. I was a little overwhelmed with the number of bikers surrounding me to ask lots of questions in Spanish. I did the best I could and they seemed satisfied. I received lots of fist bumps and bro hugs which felt nice.

I'm making a dent in Argentina but I'm still a solid two days away from Buenos Aires. I'm thinking that I may bypass the city and make a run for Iguazú Falls. It is very near to Paraguay and it is on my "don't miss" list. From there I will work my way back to Buenos Aries which is where I will fly my bike back to the United States.