Mountian bikes took us around the ¨small circuit¨ that winds around Lakes Nahuel Huapi, Perito Moreno and beyond.  It was kind of a tough ride, since we hadn´t been biking since Tahiti.  The uphill climbs were rewarded by long coasts downhill, though, and we were left with a sense of accomplishment at the end.  There were many interesting wooden houses and chalets full of windows along the way.  They all looked like they´d be so cosy in winter.

The forests were filled with evergreens and bamboo.  Everything seemed to be in bloom, yellows, reds and pinks.  Side trips took us down to a couple of hidden beaches at Villa Tacul near Cerro Llao-Llao.  We sat in the sun gazing out at the lake until it was hot enough to take a refreshing (freezing) dip.    Later, we locked up the bikes and walked to Lago Escondido (Hidden Lake), in the middle of the forest.  The mountains, some still snowcapped, were always visible around us.

At the highest point on the ride was a magnificent panorama of mountains and lakes where a few artisans sold some crafts and jams made from local berries.  We were wiped out when we got back ito town, so we rewarded ourselves with a nice dinner: Patagonian lamb for D, and local trout for me, with a bottle of wine, of course, and bread pudding with dulce de leche for dessert.