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National
Highway 40.
From the south to the north of Argentina.
BY Roberto Dario Frassinetti
In
between barrenness. A lifetime experience.
The
time each one of us has in this planet is relatively short,
compared to the history of this universe. The duration of
our existence is what we call life, the most precious gift
of all. Birth initiates this journey of growth, changes, transformations
and understanding.
A Spanish poet once said is by walking roads are made, but
he said nothing about how is that we do it, nor he specified
the easiness of difficulty to build it or go through it.
We
can say that Route 40 of our beautiful Argentina, is the path
nature made by walking; beginning in the rocky, virgin, arid
puna of Jujuy, passing through the flora of San Juan, the
vineyards of Mendoza, crossing the woods of Neuquen along
the National Parks of Chubut and the frozen table-lands of
Santa Cruz, to finish at one of the most southern places of
our planet: RíoGallegos.
This
route is both all and nothing at the same time. It’s
dessert andforest, plain and mountain; a slide to descend,
experience and understand Argentina. During this long journey,
the amazing Cordillera de los Andes stands by our side, form
beginning to end, as a best friend who’s there good.
Route 40 is life, because to live is to begin in nature, feel,
love, enjoy, experience and return to it unite forever. It’s
life we said, and life in itself contains death, which does
not mean not-life, but life well lived, trodden past, present
yesterday, up and down feeling, emotion, experience roads.
At
the age of forty one still has roads to walk, things to know,
feelingsto experience, life to live, although the walked roads,
experienced feelings, life lived… Half way down the
road of life, in the precise limit between memories and dreams.
This is what life’s all about. This is the reason of
this journey along Route 40, because it’s marvel is
our marvel, it’s landscapes a mirror of our own; because
in it we recognize ourselves. |
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The
Route on hand
The
summer of 1983
Summer
of 2001 and 2002
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venture
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Short
History.
Ruta 40 (National Highway 40)is one of the world's
greatest highways. It is the main highway of the
Argentinian Andes mountains,running all along
the eastern side of the Andes in Argentina.
Paved
in several parts and with all weather gravel in
others.It winds all the way from Rio Gallegos
(Santa Cruz) in the south to all the way north
to Abra Pampa (Jujuy).
One
could say the only thing wrong with this highway
is that it doesn't go all the way south to Usuhia.
Its
the longest Highway in Argentina.Over 4,600 kilometers,
crossing 11 provinces,going threw some of the
best country side to be found
in Argentina ....... or giving access to National
Parks,cities and villages.
Openning up the country along its spine.its a
rote that has been ignored.Abandoned and even
forgotten.
Strangelly
enough the route 40 has its "0" kilometer
not at either end of the highway.But in Mendoza........
more or less in the midle of the route.
What
Happened?
2002,13
of febuary so me again on the Ruta 40.See map
below........ just one day,some 400 kilometers
on the road threw Ruta 40 on our way back from
the summer holidays,was enought to spark the idea
that was sleeping for such a long time.
THE 13Th Of Febuary saw me again on Ruta 40.
See below map of the days drive.
The
places I passed on the way this time.
I
arrived at the Ruts 40 around 34 kilometres to
Chos Malal.This part of the Ruta was nicely paved.A
car or two blew thier horn at us as we got a bit
of dust of our clothes.
We
ha d just came down orm "Caviahue and Cophue"
along Ruta Provicial 21,a all gravel road winding
down from the Volcanoes and Mountines.
Buta
Ranquil.
Barancas.
This
was al in Neuquen,from here on we where in Mendoza.
The
good paved road ended Rio ?
The
new bridge wheer just a projet and the old one
was of cement,narrow and worn out.But still usuable.
From
know won the raod was in bad shape,paved some
parts,all weather gravel in others,and some parts
a promise of what was left of a paved road taht
had been worn down as it had been placed as thin
as possible.
18
kilometrs or so wher in very bad shape......and
not a promise of been mended or made new.One or
2 political sign posts said that the road was
being re built at the cost of god knows how much.
But
to gues by thies rusty signs,just another promise
form out politicians.
Ranque
Norte.
El
Manzano.
Bardas
Blancas.
Malargue.
El
Sosneado.
We
left the Ruta 40 some 80 kilometrers before ariving
to San Rafael.
The
Ruta 40 continues on our left in the dark once
again a all weather gravel road |
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National
Highway 40.
The story begins.
The
first time I saw Ruta 40 was when I was crossed
it on several ocations on my way south on my holidays
with my father in the midle of the 70's.
I
didn't give it the importance that it has grown
to have in my live.Maybe like many deep routed
feelings,one with time grows to know.
In
thesummer of 1982-83 another of those sad years
that go marking our national history I was able
to make a trip all the way from Buenos aires to
the end of the earth in Ushia and back.
This
time I delibertly took from just before Lelequen
(Chubut),Ruta 40.I then travelled most of the
way to Rio Gallegos,the ned of the road,using
Highway 40.
Then
again I crossed the Ruta 40 in the late 90's taking
several trips in consegative yerasrs either by
bus or by car with my new found companian and
my son.
But
it wasn't till 2002 that I was able to travel
the highhway again,with all the happiness that
this brought even if it was just a short time.
From
to This
time in the company of my 12 year old son,Christian.
As my co pilot.
But
whats this attraction to Ruta 40?
Lets
say its a combination of thoughts and feelimngs.One
being the feeling of being "on the road"
and this highway does give you that feelong.
The
road,the what seems like a never ending road.Going
on ahead,up any hill,down any valley ahead and
over the horizen ....... going on hour after hour.
Either the hot or cold aire,seatted behind the
driving wheel of the vehical,both hands on the
driving wheel.Sunglasses on or not. Day time or
night.
The
bug that drives one on thies trips in the guts
of ones body and soul.Allways bitting nver letting
go.
And
then those thoughts that nvere leave one.
Flashes
like the country side that passes one by,allways
thier allways to be rememberred never forgotten.Like
a "deju vue", I've been here before.
Thoughts that come and go in every day life.What
can I say ..... when was I happier?
Before
40,I had a live? Just for my 40'th birthday,my
life changed,Free again....... a and with my live
ahead of me.very much like Ruta 40.
New
people to meet,new people to know.
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