Today we'll pass the bar of 4000m altitude by passing the Abras Blancas pass at 4079m. We climb quite slowly in the morning, the landscape changes a little, there are only low shrubs and cacti. The slope increases in the late morning when we meet a breakdown bus by the road. We are asked if we would have a key of 13. They're lucky, we've a small adjustable wrench and small pliers. They borrow them happily, the passengers laugh that cyclists are troubleshooting the bus. After a few minutes, they give us the keys back even if the bus hasn't started yet, they look confident.
From the steep slope we can see snowy peaks. Big clouds bring us hail, rain and snow in short showers, nothing really bad. We recognize one of the men of the bus in the back of a pickup, they mustn't have been able to get the bus him started. A few minutes later it's the bus that we meet, the passengers make us big signs. We enjoy a ray of sunshine to take a nap, we are almost at the top.
In the early afternoon we arrive at the top of the pass, in Abras Blancas! We descend the last 25 kilometers in just over an hour. In San Antonio de los Cobres, the carnival is in full swing. We find a hospedaje that allows us to use the kitchen. We are a little tired of these last three days and Floriane is easily out of breath because of the altitude, so we stay two nights here.
