Heeeyho Readers! From Urubici to Lauro Muller, where we encountered a fluffy little fella.
As we gobbled down bread with dulce de leche on that chilly morning in Urubici, André remembered, in a waggish tone, "I swear... if we don't witness any coati this time!" His concern referred to a joke we carried since our first trail together (we had this fetish of finding a coati in nature). We never found a single bastard.
"I'm sure I've heard of coatis in Serra do Rio do Rastro," I reinforced. He looked doubtful.
And so, we packed up, and off we went. We set the compass towards another outstanding location named Serra do Rio do Rastro, where 284 turns meander up and down the 1400 meter-high valley. Our one-day mission consisted of cycling down the valley, up again, and then continue driving to Cambará do Sul.
Unfortunately, we discovered upon arrival that the road was closed until 18h00 due to repairs. Bugger. I tried to convince André we could descend on bikes, but no psychological pressure worked. C'est la vie. Not only that mishap but also the mist decided to 'close the gap'—as the locals say. You know... if nature doesn't want, you won't have.
Serra do Rio do Rastro
The Serra do Rio do Rastro is one of the many valleys in the state of Santa Catarina, in southern Brazil. Highway SC-390 is characterized by steep climbs and hairpin turns. This world-famous road is one of the state's postcards. It is located in the town of Lauro Müller, at 1421 meters of altitude. Thousands of cyclists gather there each year for the Serra do Rio do Rastro Challenge.
A long-awaited little fella
On the other hand, a long-awaited little fella of ours decided to come out of the verdant forest to nibble the treats some irresponsible tourists offer.
Coatis are a diurnal mammals native to South America, Central America, Mexico, and the southwestern United States. The name coatimundi purportedly derives from the Tupian languages of Brazil.
How will the next trips be now that the coati has been found? André suggested that we go after the flamingos. Flamingos! I accepted the challenge. But before we had to hit the road to Cambará do Sul, where we planned to spend two or three days cycling around the Aparados da Serra National Park. That's subject to the next story. Thanks for reading, peace.
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Disclaimer: The author of this post is a convict broke backpacker, who has travelled more than 10.000 km hitchhiking and more than 5.000 km cycling. Following him may cause severe problems of wanderlust and inquietud. You've been warned.
