Our favourite photos from Seth
Having planned a couple of extra days through this section payed off in leaps and bounds, as we were able to relax about the kilometers, further take in our surroundings, camp early and goof around a little. This has been our first true taste of the magnificent Andes and although the cycling has been at it's hardest and coldest to date, the landscape is out of this world. Belinda really said it best when she remarked how privileged we are to be able to experience this treasure. Rumour has it that the Paramount Pictures Mountain backdrop came from this area too!
Just to give you some perspective:
- the highest mountain in Peru, Huascaran stands at 6768m
- the highest mountain in New Zealand, Mt. Cook 3754m
- the highest in Canada, Mt Logan at 5956m
- the highest in Alaska, Mt Mickinley 6194 and continuous USA, Mt Whittney 4421m
- and Australia, Mt Kosciuszko at a whopping 2228m.
Having descended over 3000m in the last couple of days, we were all too aware which way the road would be heading and what was in store for us. Climbing! Lots and lots of climbing! Not needing much in the way of an excuse to take a break and get off the bike, we soon found ourselves in the company of a huge group of other cyclists. A couple from Spain, a girl from Peru, a guy from Colombia all heading North and an older Frenchman Emmanual who has been cycle touring for two months every year for the past 30 years. The mixture of meeting new people, swapping stories and purchasing a kilogram of animal biscuits seemed to demphasis the impact of a full day of climbing and before we knew it, we were once again buzzing about at 4000m.
There really is something quite astonishing being at these high elevations, there is the sense of accomplishment and being in a remote and jaw-dropping place in the world but also something else that just escapes words. Its just awesome! Freezing, but awesome! Equally impressive was how our environment seemed to change so dramatically from river valley, to alpine, to rocky canyon, to flat farmland within 300km. We also know that the stretch into Huancayo is the last hint of flat and straight road we will be seeing in a long time. We had a peek at the elevation profiles between here and Cusco and the graph looks like a garden rake or like the top of Bart Simpson's head. Yikes!
Belinda can not stop thinking about;
- Steak and cheese pies that only New Zealand does ever so well.
- What will be our best ammunition be against the vicious and persistent dogs here that like to chase cyclists?
- Will our tires and rims handle the gravel sections from here to Cusco?
- How can we lighten our bike?
- What can we get rid of?
- Has our new bike parts arrived in Cusco?