Bridge of Picheuta, Andes

If you're going to cross the Andes, there aren't really all that many good choices in terms of routes to take. It's rugged out there.

Crossing a tributary in the Mendoza river valley, this historic stone and mortar bridge is associated with the army of San Martin and the crossing of the Andes in January of 1817 and the fight for independence from colonial Spanish rule.

There are no less than three modern bridges in this area, and the site is also known to be host an ancient Incan road. As the water tumbles down out of the Andes, it's a natural place to appreciate how long people have been on the move through these glorious mountains.

Into the Andes (B/W)
It was a brutal day on the bikes. We were trying to ride up the Rio Mendoza drainage and the wind was relentless. It was outright dangerous with all the trucks on the road. We followed a little side road into a drainage to escape the wind and take a break.
A Bridge Bypassed by Erosion
It turns out that the old road was, indeed, old. Centuries old. There were a whole succession of bridges in the valley with the oldest related to San Martin, credited with leading an army across the Andes to help liberate South America from Spanish rule in the early 1800s.
The Bridge of Picheuta, Detail
Underneath the Bridge of Picheuta

The Bridge of Picheuta (B/W)
We were at
Side View of the Bridge of Picheuta
Over the Top, the Bridge of Picheuta
Crumbling Down, the Bridge of Picheuta in profile

The Bridge of Picheuta, Detail (B/W)
Mountain Stream and the Bridge of Picheuta (B/W)
Mountain Stream and the Bridge of Picheuta (Color)