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Ruins of Chan Chan

 

Huanchaco, oh how I mis surfing, been the longest I have ever gone without it.  Going on 6+ months now.

Saying bye to Lucho at the Casa Ciclista

Leaving Trujillo for some reason it became real obvious that I'm getting into the Southern Hemisphere.  My shadow is definitely out in front of me.

Wind and sand summarizes the coast leg

Always gotta make sure to check your boots before putting'em on in the morning

 

Chimbote, Peru

Never seen such massive mountains of sand

Tasty fruit

Camping close enough to the ocean can hear the waves crashing and see pelicans diving into the surf

The drivers are just so unintelligent, dumb animals.  What you dont see is the blind curve before a short hill.  I can bet you money he, or the other driver was trying to pass somebody, and the other guy comes around the corner.  They never wait for safe times to pass. 

Such terrible headwinds in some areas

Oh the headwinds...

Brothers that have a small vineyard and winery, let me camp on their property.

I saw apple trees for so long starting the hill from the coast, I finally couldn't stand it anymore.  When I saw a farmer I stopped and asked if I could buy some from him.  He threw me a few, and didn't want any money.  Probably the best apples I've ever had.  Didn't even bother washing/cleaning them for parasites, right off the trees and so crisp, sweet, and delicious.

and the fun really begins, a 5000meter climb on dirt and rocks

10 degrees C further up, then it starts raining

and some streams to cross so my feet get soaked

Had to find camp quick, hypothermia sets in fast

I may have never hiked Mt. Whitney, but I just pedaled (and pushed) my heavy ass bike up a mountain that is higher than it.

The 'rock forest' of Huallay.  A pleasant surprise and reward after a difficult ascent, then navigating a muddy construction zone, but arriving here after just starting back on the pavement

Cold night, lots of frost

Wild Alpaca

Coal mining

Some narrow roads

So many streams and rivers to cross

Really hot, bumpy, miserable, dusty road...

...then I meet some great people that cheer me up, offering me bread, beer, soda, crackers

Ayacucho, Peru

The same family I met in the small dusty town of Mayocc.  Really kind and generous.  Muchas gracias!

After convincing me to stay another day to have lunch with them, they gave me bag full of candy to send me off.  They've got a construction store selling supplies, they told me to take whatever I might need that would help me. 

~45km downhill, all on rocky dirt road, cars and trucks blazing past making huge dust clouds.  The worst, at least going up on dirt I'm going the same speed as normal, but going down riding the brakes the whole way, going the same speed as up hill... miserable

The kind of sand and mud the construction guys were using was literally like a concrete or morter.  It would accumulate and start rubbing on my tires.  The black marks are from my tires wearing into the dirt.  I had to take my wheels off twice to clean the caked mud from my fenders.

Then these tiny biting bugs, any time I tried to stop and rest, just something else to aggravate me more

Woke up sick

I felt good enough to ride.  I should have gone back down to the pueblo a few kms back, but I thought I was close to getting to Andahuaylas, so I went up the hill.  Probably the hardest hill I've ever had to ascend.  I struggled.  This view is after having climbed so much, with fake summits several times, only to see this with more sections to get over before the big downhill.  I collapsed onto the rocky shoulder and sat there for a while eating dry oatmeal (because I ran out of bread to eat), trying to summon enough energy to keep going.

Finally reached the top, and the long downhill to Andahuaylas

Much better infirmary than my tent, like when I had to camp out for three days sick in Chiapas, this was SO much more comfortable

So many construction areas, had to wait here several hours for them to clear rubble from the road

Back on pavement, hopefully for the rest of the trip (had some short sections of dirt before clmibing to cusco still). 

The town you see is Abancay.  I could see it for three days.  In the distance you can see the road I came down on, crossed the river, up, through and past the town

Eddie and his moto

Tarwee, real tasty

So hot in the lower parts of the mountains

Coca leaves helps with the hills

Cyclist from Rio

Cusco, Peru

Walking the railway

Machu Pichu, Peru

The way back our driver found a cacao tree, so we picked some.

Slovakian friends on the car ride, didn't waste any time on the ride back opening up some rum, and sharing it.