Duas Barrias To Ouro Preto To Diamantina …The Estrada Real

Ok, f i n a l l y wifi worthy of photo support.

We were going to take the back roads and stay off the main drag but mum natures radical display of thunder, lightning and heavy rain that night finished that, Brasil has red clay which in Kamillas terms is “like riding on wet soap”, she is right it is slippery as.

Backtracking slightly we met a great guy in Rio De Janeiro, Raf Kiss, turns out he knows some other dodgy advers as well, we got an updated tracksource map of Brasil and many pointers on where to go up this neck of the woods, onya Raf, great information which has made our trip better. You can find his website here http://www.mirantesmt.com/2011/09/25...-estrada-real/ and if you want great info on Brasil then this is for you.

Relegated to the tar seal saw us riding in full wets, it was very wet and very cold … something we were not used to given the previous temperatures we had been experiencing.

Yes these clouds did do nasty things

P1190467 by twomotokiwis, on Flickr

Our task for the day was to make it north to Ouro Preto (Black Gold), a very nice and very old town and being 420 km away was huge day for team TMK.

The odd section of road and bridge being rebuilt just to keep us on our toes

P1190473 by twomotokiwis, on Flickr

Ouro Preto was an easy day it turned out being 100 % great quality tar for the most, we were threatened with ominous clouds later in the day as well but they only frowned at us luckily, we found a hotel which was made in 1740 …. cool place with great wifi and parking for Maya.

IMG_1183 by twomotokiwis, on Flickr

There was a concert on as well while we there, we did get up to see the talent to find it wasn’t quite what we thought it would be, good all the same.

IMG_1272 by twomotokiwis, on Flickr

Spending the day in Ouro Preto we took the place in with its stunning architecture of hundreds of year back so the depth of history being a major player in the place.

The sun did come and out and shout us an outstanding sunset across the town

IMG_1188 by twomotokiwis, on Flickr

A waiter in a restaurant, beautiful buildings here.

IMG_1259 by twomotokiwis, on Flickr

Leaving Ouro Preto in the wet again (we are getting used to this) we continued on the Estrada Real, mostly on the tar but the first “shortcut” on the old trail, this section only 8 km long so the work level skyrocket for me and Maya slipped and slid around on the damp paste, lucky not many other vehicle had been on it or it would have ended in tears.

P1190494 by twomotokiwis, on Flickr

We stepped off the main road and followed some of the original trails, for the most of it they are narrow dirt roads with a few signs explaining the locality and the happenings … all in Portuguese of course.

P1190542 by twomotokiwis, on Flickr

Some of these roads are 100% red Brasilian clay and so red they almost look fake, the red dust coats the close by trees and anything else) with a very red tinge.

P1190599 by twomotokiwis, on Flickr