Happy New Year to all, sorry its a bit delayed, lots of camping so usually more remote, not many internet cafes! Had nice new years eve in Cachi with the campervan families, BBQ, beers and good company! Decided to catch the Dakar in Cafayate, was really good to see it but was a little disapointed with the spectator viewing spot, close to the bikes but just a straight track, especially as we were up at 5am to see it! Its really hard to find any information out about where to see it (helps if you can speak a bit better spanish than us) But no one seems to really know until the day before and then some of the roads are shut so need to know where to be early. Loads of dirt bikes about though and a few other bike travellers watching.

Long dirt road to Cafayete with amazing coloured rock formations and scenery. Lots more cowboy cactus and things made from cactus wood like the inside of the church roof in Cachi. Found a nice campsite to stay in, but think we re going to have to get up earlier when leaving as it takes us the best part of the morning to say cherio to everyone we ve met on the campsite, there bike mad here! Had to buy another bag too for all the random presents people give us, Tim has quite a cap and T shirt collection going on! Dont think I ve ever had my photo taken quite so much either!

Still amazing scenery as head to Belen and then Chilecito. Campsites vary in price and cleanliness, but usually good. Cooking for ourselves now so lots of veggie food for me and you could say Tims enjoying the steak! In wine country so theres vineyards everywhere, feels European, even the petrol stations have proper loos with seats, paper, everything! Seeing lots of pickups and trucks that look like there from the 1950 s or just completely rusty, if it moves, even barely its on the road!

More dirt roads through a national park towards San Fertil. See a fox, brown and grey coloured here. Long, boring straight road to Mendoza, but nice town and campsite. Next towards San Rafael, lots of vinyards, olive groves and sunflower fields, then it all changes to arrid again.Tim wants to change the fork oil here as the front of the bikes feel very vauge on the gravel roads and the oil in them is a heavy weight one which is the wrong sort.

Met a mad bloke who is a drummer in a band while having a beer and met a german couple two up on an XT, who were staying in our campsite. Not met anyother bike travellers from the UK yet but a few from other countries. Beautiful on road out of town, really twisty following a huge river,with lots of tourists white water rafting .Heading south now towards the 'Lake District' area. We put a few more pics on Flickr a bit ago too.