We got up at 8:00, soon after the sun rose. We ate a quick breakfast and were soon on our way. We finished our descent into the basin and soon found ourselves crossing a large salar, the Salina Grande. Angel drove out onto the salt flat to a place where salt was being collected for livestock use. An army of kids followed us on bicycles and sold the students pieces of slate with native images cut into them. Far off on the edge of the lakebed, we could just make out a borate mine.

Our forward progress was slowed when the pavement stopped. The last 90 km or so before San Antonio de los Cobres was all gravel. When we arrived, we went to the hotel and ate our sandwiches in the lobby. We requested to buy drinks but no one ever came to take our orders.

After lunch we continued on our way. The gravel road continued until we got to the Quebrada del Toro. We had a beautiful, clear drive down the quebrada along with several geology stops. The sun was getting low when we finally reached the main road in the Valle de Lerma. We turned south and whisked along until we entered the Quebrada de las Conchas. After sunset we stopped at the Anfiteatro, and entered in the twilight. Angel, for some reason, decided that we would enjoy the serenity of the place more if he drove the truck in and put on the high beams to accompany the roar of the diesel engine. I made him cut it out. Then when we left, it took 10 minutes to back the truck about 50 m out of the narrow canyon.