10th day: Encruzilhada do Sul - Santana da Boa Vista (Dec 27, 2006)

Leaving Encruzilhada in the early morning, having a cup of coffee and a delicious cake in a small cafe, I drive to the next tiny village (Pinheiro) . In a bar, a local explains me the way to Santana. There is virtually nothing in between Pinheiro and Santana but a wide highland with meadows. After a big pinus plantation I take a bathe in a river. Then the road becomes worse. Finally I see the houses of Santana on the horizon. Unfortunately this is already the unexpected end of the first stage of my trip. On a descent I unfortunately turned a somersault after a falling object suddenly blocked my front wheel. The result was a fracture of the right clavicle. A car driver picked me up and took me to the hospital. The following day an ambulance brought me and my bicycle to the next bigger city, Pelotas, where I got a figure-of-eight dressing that took restored the stability of my shoulder and took away my pain. This way I was able to take the bus back to Curitiba. So I had to interrupt the trip, but I want to continue it at the next opportunity.

9th day: Rio Pardo - Encruzilhada do Sul (Dec 26, 2006)

In the morning I learn that neither in Rio Pardo nor in the next places I plan to visit there will be a ban capable of changing traveler checks or ATM machines which accept Maestro cards. So I take a bus back to Santa Cruz to get fresh money. In the meanwhile I have my bicycle checked. In the afternoon I set out for Pantano Grande, a village that seems to exist only in virtue of the crossing of two large highways, with huge petrol stations and truck stop restaurants. Without stop I head South, with a nice whether, a perfect road, and scenic views: meadows, lakes, pine tree plantations, some vineyards. At sunset I arrive at Encruzilhada do Sul, a peaceful little town where I stay in a small hotel for 12 R$. The owner explains me roughly how to get to the next town, Santana, 110 km away.

8th day: Linha Paissandu - Rio Pardo (Dec 25, 2006)

From Linha Paissandu I take a narrow asphalt route to Westfalia, then the main road via Teutônia, Lajeado, Estrela to Santa Cruz do Sul. Nice houses, very intensive agriculture. The roads are excellent, they are under private concession, frequent toll stations (free for cyclists) and have excellent large emergency lanes, the same quality as bike paths in Holland! Near Lajeado, unexpectedly, a provisional Indian settlement at the road side. Quite shocking: shanty huts, lots of dirty children, women cooking on open fire. Later on, heavy rainfall, I keep on cycling but repeatedly taking refuge in roofed bus stop when the rain becomes unbearable. Near Santa Cruz do Sul, the Brazilian tobacco capital, the heaven clears off, and again a very nice road with little traffic until the historic town of Rio Pardo where I stay in a simple truck stop hotel. Unbelievably the historic Rio Pardo has no tourist infrastructure, numerous old buildings are ruins, some others restored, but very much has been lost. I eat a delicious fish meal at the bank of the Jacuí river, then I have some pleasant chats with locals in the town center which is crowded of people sitting outside bars.

7th day: Farroupuilha - Linha Paissandu (Dec 24, 2006)

From Farroupilha I take the old road to Garibaldi, cross the railway with a tourist train pulled by a steam engine. Bypassing the town I take the Rota do Sol, a very good asphalt road. I asked my way to Linha Paissandu, a region settled by German immigrants, where I am welcome by Dona Cida Lindemann, the mother of a friend of mine. Her son and a farmer who lives in the same house take me to several places, I visit poultry and pig farms, as well as a protected forest area with fish ponds on a hilltop. I really manage to have a German-like conversation with some elderly people, some of which really do not speak Portuguese.

6th day: Lajeado Grande - Farroupilha (Dec 23, 2006)

Good asphalt after two days of bad gravel roads! Heavy traffic in the opposite direction, cars and SUVs full of vacationers hading to the coast. I head west to Caxias do Sul, the second largest city of Rio Grande do Sul. I buy some peaches at a fruit vendor's booth. Then I arrive minutes after a traffic accident, involving only one car (VW Fox) with three people inside which had overturned and hit a wall. The car was completely crumpled, but the passanger had no serious lesions. The driver told me her husband had heavily pushed the steering wheel with the intent to commit suicide. I stay with them and try to calm then until the ambulance arrives (half an hour in the outskirts of a large city !). In Caxias I eat a salad and then stay about 3 hours in a cybercafé. Finally I take the highway (with a broad emergency lane - no danger for cyclists) to Farroupilha, where I stay in a very simple but clean hotel in the center, a wooden building that seemed to have survived virtually unchanged in the last 70 years.

5th day: Jaquirana - Lajeado Grande (Dec 22, 2006)

In the early morning crossing the Rio das Antas river then uphill, entering the small town of Jaquirana through its ugly backside. After one hour's rest and a good picnic, again downhill, crossing a river (bathing) and painful way uphill. Taking another (better) gravel road, passing at the cachoeira das princesas, a nice little park with waterfall, entry 5 R$. Finally, at sunset arriving at Lageado Grande. I stay in the Parque das Cachoeiras camp site, hang my hammock in a billiard room...

4th day: São Joaquim - Jaquirana (Dec 21, 2006)

I came with the night bus from Curitiba via Lages. After picking up the bicycle in São Joaquim I set out on the Santa Catarina / Rio Grande do Sul border which coincides with the sinuous Pelotas river. Very quiet gravel road through orchards, then native vegetation, a simple bridge across the river, some scenic outlooks. After reaching the plateau again, large meadows. Silveira, small rustic village, then São José dos Ausentes, small town, increasingly touristy (evolving ecotourism, impressive canyons nearby, I had visited in 1990). Westbound direction Bom Jesus, horrible road (under construction) then at rusty sign "matemático" taking a narrow bad road towards Jaquirana, passing sparse homes with crazy dogs, no vehicles, only some people on horses. Scenic landscape, still plenty of virgin forest. A brown ape on an Araucaria tree, later on large pine forests. For the night I hang my hammock in the backyard of an abandoned house.