Riding South: happy new year

after shat on by a pigeon and got simons starter sorted....time to leave cordoba and head for BA.

about 5 minutes into it and simon hearing clanks on bike...pulled in for gas and noticed his rear sprocket wiggling.

great. now what.

everything shuts down for about a 4hr hot middle of day siesta before opening at 4ish....

1pm all closed.

luckily a bike shop right by with shaded overhang but closed too.....pulled bike up and took off wheel/sprocketto see crushed bearing....baking hot...4 more hrs? see a guy and ask about store open. cerrado a las cuatro y media. shite.

realizing stranded he comes back over and asks to help. end up driving around with him for an hour or two, (shat on by pigeon again..2x in 1day)...find a bearing and we're back to bike...during that time simon had met all the bike store neighbors excited to see bikes/meet/help....put tire on ready to role but new friends wont let us.....more rockstar treatment which is happening alot here think because dakar advertising and think we racers?

couple hours later finally leave. in and out of rain all day/night

iowa or central/northwest argentina?

more heavyeyes straight riding....come across nice medium town, pull over to eat....look down and yep bikes pissing oil.

shite again.

what do now.

restaurant owner comes up sees oil and goes away for a sec...comes back with mechanic from the biggest bike dealer in town whose work shop is right next door!

its 9pm...theyre closing....no no problem come mike pull bike in garage and tear apart in 30 minute. oil sensor not hold and possible gasket out? 30 min= 2hours

new washer on epoxied nut and back together...

late so we stayed there. someone must have told we coming cause had firework display ready...or it was annual summer new year party.

rode up on bikes to check it out and immediate more rockstar treatment....40-50 people surrounding bikes taking pics next to us arms around big smiles...chabber questions....so on

smiles excited and awe... strange feeling....then simon signed an autograph. are you kidding me.

realize before bed....still leaking.

next day ( new years eve) grandeur idea plan is to be in BA for extravagant, swanky bring in the new year....bike had other idea of making us stop every 30 min to put in more oil.

night came.. not gonna make BA new year. stopped in smaller town to find hotel.....full, full, closed, full sorry maybe one has...last littlest motel in town...ya one room but only double bed...shite.. wait we have a small bed can go in...cot.

ok great....no not great.... suppose to be lush BA swanktel.....instead 1962 8x8 room, pink sheet cot that i lost rock paper scissors too, sleep next to bald snoring smelly englishmen....happy new year.

made the best of it....with visit to local butcher for excellent huge slab steak and chicken and rang old lang sye with elderly- hilarious- but didnt understand much saying- lots of 'oh si' 'ya bien' trying to keep straight face sincerity like a 7-year employee talking to his boss while simon does uncontrollable burst laugh spit homemade cheesecake she made out, juveniles- with bickering husband wife hotel owners downing the champagne....surreal had to sneak video....never forget this one.

good filled day.