We are changing our course. There is a time limit on our tour of the wildlands, and we are in danger of overstaying. So, after one more night at Cerra Castillo, we are headed back east towards the Peach Line.
Our first short cut was around Lake Gral Carrera. The plan was looking good, riding along turquoise waters with the wind at our back. Then, in about 10km, the path became a hardened clay. We had come to a completely new biome, a desert. This new environment has brown and yellow hues.
We had hoped to get to Stop 84 of the Peach Line. But, we became exhausted and desperate with little water. We set up camp for the night.
On the bright side, the sky was full of stars. We shared a little required hydration, a big pot of chili we had prepared to eat. We sat near a campfire while our tent mats were warming up. Except for Keith and Jack, who were on the lookout for big cats, we gratefully called it a night.