Our car is in excellent condition

Everyone gets their car back in the "parc ferme". From there it is 400 meters to the starting point. Anyone planning repairs must drive to the start, get moving exactly at the prescribed time (today there is a 1-minute interval between each car) and then stop again.

However, there is a catch: such a repair is automatically counted in the driving time. We have had fantastic luck. Our car is in excellent condition and without the slightest defect.

At exactly 7 o'clock in the morning, number 539 starts with Federico Jorge Cook at the wheel to begin the second stage. A minute later Gunnar Andersson follows, then Atiiio Viale del Carril, then Juan Cruz Varela. When Varela has disappeared, the flag falls for us. The time is 7.04.00.

- So it goes again, Ursula says laconically.
We are back in our seats with crash helmets on our heads. We have dressed in long pants but with thinner blouses. It is already warm even though it is early in the morning. The car doesn't give me any problems. In "parc ferme" it started with a bang. Now the engine hums smoothly and calmly, first in first, then in second, third, fourth.

Immediately after the start, a very steep climb begins. After 61 km, we have climbed from "Pampa de Achala" at an altitude of 640 meters to a peak that is 2180 m above sea level. Then it goes down just as steeply on the other side for 144.1 km until we reach Villa Dolores, which is 529 meters above sea level. So first we have to climb 1500 meters, then descend 1651 meters.

- I'll try to overtake the four in front of us right away, I say to Ursula. Better now than later. The less dust we get in. The road is already lined with incalculable crowds of people. People wave when they see our number. We see many happy faces.

Now we only have Gunnar Andersson ahead of us

Three participants in group F are still ahead of us, including Gunnar Andersson. We don't see a single one of them. The area near the top is desolate. The landscape is wild and romantic and covered with giant cactus plants. When we have passed this area, I can of course drive faster again.
- There is 611 ahead, I say suddenly.
- Excellent, says Ursula. Then we have gained time again.
Number 611, a Volvo 1780 cc, I cannot overtake immediately. The road is too narrow and winding. But I take advantage of the first opportunity to get out of the disgusting cloud of dust that the cars in front of me leave behind. As it happens, there is a slight wind so that we only have to swallow half of the dust while the other half swirls upwards.
- Can you open the window for a moment! I ask Ursula when we have passed.
- It will be, she says and rolls down her window.
For a moment we breathe in fresh, lovely air. But then we are back in the dust cloud of the next car. It is also a Volvo 1780 cc. It is driven by Juan Cruz Vare1a and started a minute before us. Finally I manage to overtake him.
- Now we only have Gunnar Andersson ahead of us, I say.
Catching him won't be easy. Gunnar Andersson drives like a madman. He is as used to these roads as I am because he also comes from Sweden. Ursula and I raise our hands in greeting as the cars drive alongside each other. Ursula turns her head and smiles at Gunnar. She seems to be asking for forgiveness because it is now our turn to stir up dust. Then we are past, I give full throttle to spare Gunnar from the dust as soon as possible. His car is weaker than mine.

For the past three hours the radio has been following the competition. A sports plane is following us faithfully. The pilot should have no difficulty distinguishing the cars behind us, despite our huge clouds of dust. We turn onto AV. Tte. Origone, after a left turn we come to Avenida de Mayo and then we arrive at the time control point just before a bridge over a river. There are people everywhere on the streets. It is a real party. Here a TV crew has also set up on a platform to follow the competition. All this rushes past us like shadows, because I want to move forward, not lose any time. Hermann Kiihne started almost an hour after me. He could not possibly have advanced so that he is in the vanguard. The day's stage covers 861.0 km. Here in Villa Mercedes we have 354.1 km behind us.

 I give up!

Gunnar drives fast

Just as I drive up to the starting line, I see in the rearview mirror that a carriage is approaching.
- There we have Gunnar Andersson, I exclaim.
Ursula looks around and waves to our compatriot. We can't tell if Gunnar has seen it, because at that very moment the signal is given to start and it takes off immediately.
- If Gunnar has taken longer than us to get through the city, he has beaten us, I speculate.
- Who knows, Ursula answers and bends over her papers while I concentrate fully on the road again. In a moment she says:
- 1.3 km further on we will cross a stream. There will be several more of them later. The first one allows 80 km/h.
Since I am driving at 178 km/h, the ford is already ahead of us before Ursula has had time to finish speaking. We have now forgotten about Gunnar. The first crossing is quite simple and easy to complete. In this country, there is perhaps too much water and too little money for the bridge. Therefore, the roads sometimes cross streams and watercourses that are only "reinforced". The bottom has a hard surface, sometimes concrete. During rainy seasons, these fords are certainly not always passable. Such reinforced riverbeds are called "badenes".

I'm getting really weak in the knees

- There are no particular obstacles before the finish line. You can drive fast all the time, says Ursula after she has looked through the notes on the conditions of the last stretch. She can finally sit down comfortably, lean back and stretch her legs.
I increase my speed from 170 to 180. The road is even paved. At 2:00:30 p.m. I cross the finish line at the stage goal of San Juan after driving 858.7 km. Ursula presses the button on our stopwatch. Now we have 15 minutes before we have to enter the "parc ferme". I stop my capable 220 SE at our depot.

During the day we have lost our sunglasses. I seem to remember leaving them on the roof of the car. When we enter the shop, the optician is at first speechless, but then he welcomes us in German.
- What can I show you? asks the old gentleman.
- Sunglasses. We never dreamed we would be able to say that in German
- How did the other Mercedes go? asks the optician as he bends the frames so that they fit.
We look first at him and then at each other. I get really weak in the knees.
- What happened? I ask.
- Well, says the old gentleman and puts his hand over his mouth in horror. Then you don't know anything yet?

I won't go on!

Karl Kling is sitting gravely in the vestibule waiting for us. When we burst in, he stands up politely and remains standing until we have sat down.
- How is Manfred? asks Ursula breathlessly. Is it true that he is dead?
- Manfred? says Karl. No, he is injured, but he is alive and has been taken to hospital. He has suffered a severe shock, but he can return to Buenos Aires in a few days.
- Thank God! we both say. A weight falls from our chest. And what about Hermann? Is he injured too?
Karl Kling takes a deep breath.
- You have to find out sooner or later.
I notice that I am turning pale.
- You have to get used to the idea that Hermann is no more.
- That doesn't mean...?
- Yes, says Karl gloomily. He died immediately.
At first I can't understand what he is saying, and Ursula looks at Kling as if petrified.
Kling sits without saying anything. Suddenly he looks up, surveys us. The accident is said to have occurred as a result of a collision with sheep.
- Sheep? Suddenly I think of something. Sheep?
- What is it, Ewy? Are you not feeling well? Karl Kling asks worriedly
- Don't worry, I say. But we saw sheep somewhere today. Didn't we, Ursula?
- We often do, she answers. I didn't think much about it today. I don't know. Maybe.
She is as devastated as I am. When I see that she has tears in her eyes, I make a decision.

I'm not going to continue. I'm giving up.
Kling and Ursula look at me as if I've said something terrible.
- You can't behave like that, says Ursula.
- It's not going to work, adds Kling.
- I need to be alone for an hour first, I say. Excuse me! I'm going up to my room.