You have no idea what it took to get here in Cusco. I've thought about this moment, many times while riding. The moment I would finally write, that I arrived in Cusco. I'm sure glad I knew what I was getting into because even as much as I tried to overestimate the mountain section, it was still real tough to get through. Arriving in Cusco, is a huge milestone. From here, until the end of the trip, as far as terrain goes, it will be much easier. After all that I have done in South America so far - Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru (apart from the coast of Peru) has been tough. Lots of mountains. I'll have more mountains and hills to cross of course, but nothing compared to what I've done.
In order to try and really enjoy my days off, I'm going to write significantly less. I want to try and savor my free time, and enjoy the sights more, before my trip is over. I just spend way too much time doing this blog. I hope you still enjoy my concise posts.
All in all, I was in Trujillo for a couple weeks, much longer than planned. It took a week to get my bike figured out, then I had a head cold that I couldn't shake for a week, and stuck around trying to make sure I was feeling good (as usual, riddled with illness, really a downside to my Latin leg of the trip).
I had lots of sandy, windy days after Trujillo. I had headwinds, or a mix of cross winds, at some point everyday on the coast. Some times it was
really bad. Blowing across the road with sand biting my legs. After Chimbote, there were much more desolate sections, with nobody around, just the way I like it. I had quite a few real nice quiet camp sites to myself.
I took a day off in Huacho, to make sure I was feeling good for the hill I had to get up to the mountains. "After all", I reasoned, "It's not everyday you pedal up a hill higher than Mt. Whitney."
It took me 3 days. Well, 2.5 really. I had never done a hill like that before, ~50km (can't remember exactly) and entirely on dirt and rocks. At least it was gradual. I've noticed that after passing ~4,000meters, apart from the usual high altitude, out of breath... I start to feel tired. It's like I can start to
feel the lack of oxygen in my body, and the last 1,000 meters were slow.
I got over the top, and was thrilled to have finished the pass. I really enjoy the colder weather for riding and camping, it makes it so much more pleasant. After getting back onto Pavement in Huallay, I had some great days of high altitude cold riding with some more great camp spots. Really enjoying that smooth pavement again.
Getting to Huancayo was pretty straightforward and fast. After that however, is when the difficulty would step up, with some long sections of dirt and rocks getting to Ayacucho, with a lot of heat (as you know I can't stand).
I enjoyed another good day off in Ayacucho. From there, the difficulty would step up even more. I had a long climb out of town, on pavement, but then a 40km downhill on dirt and rocks that took me a whole day to get down. I didn't even finish the downhill in one day, the following morning I had another 10km to go. I would have several of these dirt, rocky, downhills getting to Cusco. Let me tell you, after laboring intensively up a hill, there is not a lot more disappointing or disheartening, then going down the other side of the mountain, as the same speed you were going up. Arms and hands aching from riding the brakes the whole way, bouncing over rocks, cars and trucks blasting past making massive dust clouds to breathe and cover everything.
Leaving Ayacucho, after having already gone ~10km or so up the hill out of town, I noticed that my headset was loose... as always, something that has persisted throughout the trip, even after just replacing all of the parts in Trujillo. Then I noticed my front wheel had a bend in it. I was already a ways up the hill, and instead of turning around, kept on.
Closing in on Andahuaylas, I woke up sick one morning and had to ride what I thought would only be ~10km up the remaining hill, turned out to be 25km up the hill, struggling the whole way. Body aches, and lack of energy, I fought through it, and had a gradual 50km downhill to town, where I stayed in a cheap hotel for a couple days recovering. I also found a mechanic to check my bike. Turns out I had a broken spoke! I have never broken a spoke the entire trip, but the rocky dirt roads have changed that. Of course I carry extra spokes but the new rim and hub I just had to get in Trujillo, is a different size, and the mechanic doesn't have any 700 spokes. So he straightened it the best he could, took out the broken spoke, and tightened the headset (again for the 50th time on the trip).
As you remember from the hill profiles in my other post. I had several 2,000 meter mountains to cross. Going up 2,000meters, then down 2,000meters... several times. Mix in long sections of dirt and rocks 50km-80km long, with lots of construction (they're in the process of putting in pavement) crews so having to stop and wait to pass, and also having the dumb animal drivers (now in dump trucks and heavy equipment) nearly killing me around the corners... made for even more of a miserable time.
I got through it, like always. I'll never forget when I saw a man walking his dog before getting to Ayacucho. I was asking him about distances and he simply told me "vas a llegar." (you'll get there). A motto to something I have always thought, but still something good to think about in the hard parts.
Climbing the last of the massive mountains, I made it over the top and into the high altitude valley, and in no time I was in Cusco.
I took a day off, and the following one planned to go see Machu Pichu. I bought one of the inclusive packages that included some meals, transportation, nights stay in Aguascalientes (was almost the same price if I were to do it all myself). My jubilation and excitement for having arrived in Cusco, and going to see Machu Pichu, was cut short.
The night before I was supposed to leave, I became quite ill... AGAIN! This time with diarrhea and vomiting. What I thought was food poisoning, wasn't, and stuck around several days. I couldn't go on the trip of course, so then I had to pay 50% of what I already paid, to go the following day.
Machu pichu was great to see, but the trip was undermined with my illness still persisting. Arriving in Aguascalientes after ~7hour drive on curving mountain dirt roads, then a long walk that took me 3 hours, I couldn't even eat dinner and had to sleep.
Because I did a inclusive package, while I was at the ruins, I had to come back down by 1pm, which didn't give me enough time that I would have liked, to enjoy the rare archaeological site. It seems a return trip is in order here, and next time I'm taking the train from Ollantaytambo.
Been here a week now. Had to fix the broken spoke on my bike. All the way from Andahuaylas, I've been riding missing a spoke on the front wheel, but actually made it fine. I found 1 (one) spoke that fit my wheel here in Cusco, and a really helpful guy named Russo at his bike shop called Russo, put it in for me. He checked and tightened all my wheels, tightened my headset. He also checked my chain, which is unbelievably already time to change, only maybe another 500km or so. I wasn't too surprised after all the dust, dirt, and mountains I've just passed. He also had one 700 tire, that I bought, going to need one soon anyway, and least I could do since he only charged me 10 soles.
I feel a lot better physically, back feeling healthy, with a lot more energy again. After doing some thinking and reading, I realized that I could still have parasites, or of a different variety, and I'm going to take some different pills that I got from the pharmacy, just in case. Illness has worn me thin on my trip. It is beyond frustrating, to contract something, and feel sick, again, and again, and again. Time after time. So many times.
Heading out tomorrow towards lake Titicaca, and in about a week I'll be in Chile.
Kilometers ridden so far: 21, 898.4
