Puerto Madryn, Argentina - Day 2

So I rented a bike today to ride to Punta Lomo which is an observatory for sea lions. The lady who rented me the bike said that it would be about an hour each way. I had to hurry because the only window to view the sea lions was in exactly one hour when low tide would provide a small beach area for the sea lions to congregate and work on their tans.

An hour each way? Puleeeese, I’m in decent shape and I use to bike a lot - 30 minutes easily, 45 minutes tops. Ya ok so I forgot to consider that I wasn’t riding on well paved bike trail in Fairmount Park but on a path of gravel and large stones up and down extreme hills in sweltering heat. The gravel hills were like running full speed up an icy embankment with my bike tires constantly spinning and fighting to get some traction in the gravel. Then I hit a sandy hill where I basically sank into the sand. I walked the bike up the sand hill and then attempted to coast down the other side of the hill in the sand…bad idea. My tires promptly slid out and a nasty twisted ankle or worse was awaiting me at the bottom of the hill. Luckily I caught myself and that was the only major semi potential accident that I’d have to deal with during the ride. The rest of the time I just had to deal with the scorching sun and the random cars that would drive by, kicking up a huge cloud of dirt that would have me looking semi African by the end of the trip. And it only took me about 1.25 hours.

The sea lions just LAY there?? 2.5 hours of biking in the sweltering sun for 15 minutes of watching undulating blubber with whiskers roll over to toast a different section of fat? I can get this at the Jersey Shore. Ok so at least I got some much needed exercise.

On a side note, I learned that except for 19 days out of the year when they are weaning their current young, female elephant seals remain permanently pregnant.

Puerto Madryn, Argentina - Day 2