Caraz to Huaraz. 70 kms, 100% paved, 1223 metres of climbing, summit 3125 metres.

After a good night's sleep we hit the road shortly after 8 am. We rolled out of town and the usual group formed at the front of the peleton. I stayed with James, Dietrich and Rein for about 10 kms then decided to drop off and take it at a much more leisurely pace.

After another 5 kms Barry and Tim caught up and I rode the rest of the ride with them up until the lunch stop at 38 kms. We arrived at lunch at 10 am and really I was not hungry after having breakfast only 3 hours ago. I munched down a salad roll and some more fluids then hit the road for the final 32 km push to the town of Huaraz.

During our ride today we got to run along the famous Cordillera Blanca mountain range where we could see the highest peaks at over 5000 metres with their snow capped peaks. This part of the Peru attracts people wanting to take part in expeditions to the Cordillera Blanca and Huayhuash. I know I've said it before and no doubt I'll say it again, but riding through villages and having these snow capped mountains following you in the distance is just breath taking. The whole day was just magic.

 This is a photo from yesterday riding on some terrible roads.

 During the ride today we stopped and spoke to some Colombians who were doing a tour through South America. There's no way I'll ever carry my gear on a bike again. Too old for that stuff.

That's Patrick one of the nice guys on tour. You can see the start of the snow capped mountains in the distance. 

Another important town we rode through was the city of Yungay. Yungay is located in the Callejon de Huaylas on Rio Santa at an elevation of 2500 metres. Peru's highest mountain is no more than 15 kms away. On the 31^st May 1970 landslide caused by the Ancash earthquake buried the whole town killing 25, 000 people. Only 92 survived, most of whom were in the cemetery and stadium at the time of the earthquake as these zones were the highest in the town. The earthquake struck on a Sunday afternoon and lasted only 45 seconds. The earthquake destabilised the northern wall of Mount Huascaran, causing a rock, ice and snow avalanche 910 metres wide and 1.6 kms long. It advanced 18 kms to the village of Yungay at an average speed of 280 to 335 kph. No one stood a chance.

The Peruvian Government has forbidden excavation in the area where the old town of Yungay is buried, declaring it a national cemetery.

In total the reported toll from the earthquake and avalanche totalled 74,194 people lost their lives. Now back to the afternoon ride.

No sooner had we got back on the bike and I was feeling tired. I'm not good at restarting the engine after sitting down for so long, but I was struggling. It could have been a food problem and not eating enough or I was just tired. I did my turn with Barry as much as I could but I was really relieved to see the outskirts of Huaraz appear in the distance. We stopped in town and got a drink and watched the locals walking by. We got the usual looks by everyone, but we didn't care, we were too tired to be worried what anyone thought of 2 gringos sitting on the pavement drinking. Our hotel was about 100 metres down the road so we headed off to find the fire engine parked outside a nice hotel. Barry and I had twin room like usual, so we got the key, carried our bikes up to our room and flopped on the bed. I was stuffed. The morning ride I was flying, the afternoon I hit the wall. As they say, 'shit happens',

After a nice shower I was ready for an afternoon that only a few people ever get the chance to experience. This part of the day will be devoted to a full story tomorrow.

The photo above is of my wrist and some stamps. That is the clue as to what I got up to all afternoon.

We're on a rest day tomorrow, that means I sleep in.

Until tomorrow, safe riding.