We rode Junin to San Rafael, Mendoza on day two en route to the Andies. San Rafael is a small city in the state of Mendoza which is Argentina's premier wine region. The fruit is nearly ripe and the entire region seems abuzz to begin the harvest. The following day we headed toward Malargue via Las Lenas, Argentina's premier ski resort; it was too late to begin the off road trip we had planned so we found cabanas near Malargue and did some maintenance (cleaned air filters, chains, checked bolts...) before heading off into the mountains the following day.
We drove throught the valley that is the resort Las Lenas and left the pavement headed for Valle Hormosa. A few hours later, after passing a herd of wild horses, we came upon the lagoon and found a single guy who lives out there who confirmed what Walter had heard - there is a road/trail that circles the back side of the valley even higher into the mountains but that the river often destroys the crossing points. We went looking and tried in vain to find a crossing; they were all either washed out or too deep/steep for our modified street machines... Where's a KTM when you need one?
Walter discovered a little s-curve, swoop, some soft sand and a few strategically placed rocks much to his shagrins. Gravity won. It's a good thing when you can walk away with a smile?
We took a lazy route back to Malargue, found a great parilla, and called it a day.