In a span of roughly 500kms and nine days we managed to scamper over five 4000m passes and then drop down to 2000m each time on mostly dirt road. Being treated to snow, hail and rain for the first three days turned the road into a ‘soupy cheese grater’ which made progress slow going and quite mucky. We had mud splattered from tip to tail and took some time scrubbing it out of our clothes and off Big Bird and the Bob. We would hate to think of the state we would have been in if we didn’t have fenders! There was no way we were going to camp out in these soggy and freezing conditions and so we would quite happily cram into a room for a total of 20 soles (about $2 each) to thaw out and get the feeling back in our toes.
We have never encountered such a concentration of physically demanding days spending 6-8 hours on the saddle and maybe only going 50 to 60kms in a day. Even after a few days of sun worshipping and the roads all dried up we still didn’t go much faster due to an incredible amount of road works and rocky wash board terrain which ate through three of our tires and caused our frame to break (again!). Fortunately, this happened as we arrived into Abancay (the first substantial town we had hit in several days) and the end of the dirt roads. A great thing about Latin America is there is no shortage of welders/mechanics open on a Sunday evening and within an hour and payment of two beers Roland had Big Bird back in fine form and ready to roll.
The night before arriving in Abancay we camped out at the top of a mountain pass on a brilliantly clear night with views of a snowy mountain range (Cordillera Vilcabamba) in the distance. There has been such an abundance of natural eye candy going this remote route. We thought the next day’s riding was going to be one of our easiest as it involved a 55km downhill. We were wrong. The road turned into a spaghetti noodle that squiggled its way down the mountain. Once again, Roland did tremendously well steering the bike and taking the brunt of the pressure with applying the breaks for several hours on end. Although our drum-brake (our third extra brake that slows our bike down because we are so heavy) is making a few strange noises these days it has been invaluable. Even the brother’s who salivate over dirt and more challenging roads felt weary and sore. However, it doesn’t take long to forget the hard stuff when we can chow down on a heap of food. In Peru, if you are feeling bored of the ‘menu’ (economical set meal) then the next two most common options are ‘pollerias’ (fried/barbecued chicken and chips) or ‘chifa’ (Chinese food). We opted for a hearty portion of chifa and finished off the day with a selection of pastries from a good old panaderia and feel asleep in our room that cost 7 soles ($2.50) for the night.
Our last three days of cycling to Urubamba in the Sacred Valley were noticeably smoother due to the pavement but still offered some decent climbs. When we hit the bottom of the Rio Apurimac canyon (at 1900m) just before Limatambo we were attacked by intense heat and our first real swarm of Zancudos (persistent bugs that like to eat you alive). We didn’t muck around chugging up our next ascent to get back into a more agreeable climate and to also beat the storm that was rolling in. As the winds picked up and we heard the thunder and lightning cracking in the distance; Seth and Parker found a camp spot and we set up our tents in record time and jumped in ready to weather the storm. However, the winds turned out to be so sudden and strong that the storm blew right over us and we were able to enjoy the ‘show’ in dry comfort as the town (Limatambo) where we had lunch several hundred metres below got a dousing. Love when that happens!
Our last day of cycling took us into the Sacred Valley in the district of Cusco where a series of Inca towns line Rio Urubamba and have the Vilcanota mountain range towering above. After rounding beautiful Lake Huaypo we had our final descent into Urubamba where we could give our bottoms a welcome rest and visit South America’s number one tourist attraction: Machu Picchu.
Extra mention:
Not only has the scenery been something special but cycling through Peruvian everyday life in the remote mountains will never be forgotten. We haven’t taken too many photos of this aspect of our travels as we are never quite sure how to capture it without bluntly sticking a camera in their face. At times it works out that we can ask permission but you run the risk of being asked for money or have just simply missed the perfect snapping moment. We are sorry we can’t share more of this side of our experiences with you but this is how we feel and only hope our memories stay vivid. Just to name a few mental pictures we have in our minds: boys making figurines out of mud on the side of road to play with; woman carrying enormous and heavy loads on their back while simultaneously knitting; men, woman and children tirelessly working the land such as shepherding, ploughing, harvesting fields such as potatoes at these high altitudes; families sitting together, laughing and observing life go by; the delight and surprise on children’s faces when we ride by greeting them with a smile.
Pictures in need of extra explaination:
- Seth and Parker divide everthing 50/50 to ensure it's fair and avoid disputes; especially when it comes to food.
- Mile markers are painted on rocks. We hope no one moves them!
- Roland's hair is out of control!
- Found a hockey helmet on the side of road. Boy, has that come a long way!
- Roland's tire fix: using a soccer ball as a tire patch lasting over 600kms on gravel before hatching!
- Plastic bags work a treat when your shoes are full of holes and feeling the cold.