GOODBYE SÃO PAULO
Some good friends
You can not expect such a long journey to go always smoothly. The first problem occurred early … more precisely at 8 am. Hardly had I left home, already late, towards Praça da Sé, where at 10:00 am in ground Zero of the city would happen the “initial peddaling”, and in the street Maria Paula my rear saddle gave off the bike and dragged along the floor. The previous day I had gone twice to the shoemaker to improvise their attachment with rivets, but the holes did not support the weight of the load and opened, leaving me standing there, not knowing what to do. If I was already in a hurry now things had became even worse. What a time to happen that!
In that struggle, I did what I could: I tied the bag in the trunk with the extenders, as I regretted having left home several other extenders that would have been perfect at the time … And so, with the load shabby, I went to my date with destiny. Arriving there, I was being awaited by the first guest, Gilvan, ready to shoot everything. But I soon discovered that this place was far from placid and serene point I thought … Immediately after my arrival a drunk joined us speaking in a loud voice, which turned out to attract others. The second came dancing steps of capoeira and at once was the first mounted on his neck. I was afraid, drunk as they were the first to fall back and open the skull of the concreted square, but luckily he did not.
Then comes a tour of teenagers, all with light blue T-shirts, and the guide asks me to unlean the bike from ground zero not to disturb the photographs. Annoyed, but smiling, I took off the bike from there and then my other friends were arriving. Many people came, dear people of various ages and stages of my life. They came to share one last hug and wish me luck on the walk … I think it would be unfair if I tried to nomine them, but I can not fail to mention this last moment gift that was given to me by Juraci: a package with nothing less than 150 condoms, he said, did not weigh anything … (actually weighed 500g). But cycling tourism and sex tourism are still different things. As I greeted the newcomers, the schoolar girls asked me to put the bike back and pose for a photograph with them. Of course, for I never took so many pictures like in these days …
I was very happy to see so many people that I hold dear gathered. Then comes a new drunk (or crazy or both) and starts to sing songs from Roberto Carlos in the pitch of his lungs, hindering attempts at conversation. He yelled “nobody appreciates me,” wept and would not let you hear anything else. Nevertheless, the event passed by as well as the time – and then it was already 10:02 am. I decided it was time to go. First, however, had to say a few words of thanks to all of my great friends. I made a brief speech, basically inviting them to follow the adventure through the project site and was about to sail when arrived another cyclist, Vanderlei Torroni, to accompany me for the initial kilometers.
First pedal...
Good surprise, because I did not know him. And so, ringing the bell of my bike, open path between the crowd and finally started the adventure. I waved my hand as I climbed the square and disappeared behind the cathedral. This was a breakthrough, as it should be. There was sun, I was well and everything was going as planned. Just the load was too heavy. Four saddles, which, added to what was on the aft baggage area, totaling more than 50kg. When we ascend the Vergueiro Street we were joined by Átria and Marilene, who found us and came in escorting – blinkers on – for a good stretch. We entered the Avenida Paulista and diverted to San Carlos do Pinhal to toast the start drinking coffee. People interested in the bike so charged and to all I promoted the website address. From there we went to the end of Avenida Paulista, where Vanderlei said goodbye, wishing me a good trip. He had gifted me with two extensors and a tube of Hipoglós for any diaper rash … I went down Rebouças Avenue with the car still giving me coverage.
I was aware of my cell phone because I had agreed to receive a radio call from the CBN and grant an interview to close the program that was in the air. Thus, down the avenue, when I heard his ringing, I stopped. Átria also stopped and then what we heard was a “bang” of cars crashing. The call was not from CBN and caused a minor accident. I said to Átria: “Let’s go away from here”, and we left. We only stopped again at the entrance of the Raposo Tavares highway, because I needed to eat something. We stopped at a shadow and, then yes, I received a call from the radio. Granted the interview, citing details of the project and the names of sponsors, and told Átria that from there I would rather go alone, because only the fact that there was a car following me made me pedal up to the ideal pace. He understood and then they left. A mile later, still saw him standing on the shoulder for one last photo …
So I began my journey through the long climbs and descends of the initial part of Raposo Tavares. My first destination was the home of my brother Dédo, in Piedade, 100 km away. But I felt strangely tired … I had been riding up there before and thought it would have no problems, but this time the heavy burden made all the difference. In ascents had to get off the bike and push it. But push it hard like that didn’t help much neither. Passing Cotia, sat in the shade to rest and called my sister in law, Angela, telling her: “Do not wait for me today, because I’m already dead and dind’t cover a third of the trip yet.” She said, “Do you want your brother to go get you?”. To which I replied “I’m warning you that I will not arrive today, not asking for help.”
I catched my breath and restarted pedalling, stopping again at the “House of the User” to fill my caramanhola (water bottle). But then the magic of cycling has come into action and a Japanese gentleman who was leaving gave me an glass of orange juice, from McDonald’s, saying, “Do you wantit? I have not even touched…” Yes, I wanted and delighted me with that orange properly seated in air-conditioned interior of the building. But it was time to return to the road … I rode and rode, I tried hard … but I could not see a climb that already gave me some dismay to learn that I could not win it without getting off the bike and push it.
In the late afternoon, when there was perhaps a dozen miles to get Ibiuna, I saw at the side Iberê my nephew and his wife, Mari. I stopped the bike and went back to them. I told them, “Wow, I’m not making it. The first time the bike was unloaded and I was better prepared. “He said “Uncle, do you want me to take the saddle bags in the car?”. I replied, “No way, this would be an fault on my part,” to which he answered “the challenge is to go around the world in a bike, nothing to do with the saddlebags.” This argument convinced me and I handed to him the four saddlebags that were killing me. After that I went out riding light and joyfuly and I even thought that maybe I would get Piedade. But soon darkened and the ride became much more complicated. I stopped at a bakery-convenience store for something to eat and when I returned to the road I realized how cold it was. Even wearing the jacket the wind was cold, the shoulder was dark and I started thinking, “by now the joke is losing favor.” As soon as I thought that, my front wheel went over a hole, the caramanhola jumped off its support in the handlebars and landed directly under the rear wheel. All this in a second. The bike, which was runing fast, skidded to the left 90 degres. I thought I was done, but very lucky – very lucky – I could master it and did not ended up sprawled on the pitch of the night in the middle of nowhere. Still one of the sprocket teeth went into my right knee and has a trickle of blood down the leg to my socket. I sighed relieved to see that the worst had not happened and went my way.
When I saw the sign “Ibiuna – Urban Perimeter” I was very happy, but soon I discovered that they put these cards miles and miles ahead of anything that you can call a city. Finally I arrived when it was already 20:00 pm. Exhausted, I climbed the last ramp pushing with great difficulty (even without the saddlebags …) and asked a young couple where there was a cheap hotel. They accompanied me to the place where for R$ 30.00 I could take a shower and passed out under two blankets. It was still 21 hours, but for me the day was over.
