Leaving La Paz in the morning rush and beating the rain.

Monday 29^th September 2014. Stage 45, La Paz to Lahuachaca, 136 kms, 936 metres of climbing, summit 4080 metres. A nice day with a climb out of La Paz, rolling hills along the Altiplano.

We left our great room in the hotel at 8.30 am and commenced the ride out of La Paz through the madness of the morning rush. I think there are as many minivans in La Paz as there are motorcycles in Saigon, and they don't give a damn about cutting you off. You are a distraction to them which can cost them money and should not be on the road in their eyes./r

We kept as a group for the 10 km climb out of La Paz riding in a lane all to ourselves. The view back down into the city as we got higher and higher amplified just how huge and congested the place is. The houses look like they are sitting on top of each other from the base to the top of the mountain.

About 2 kms from the top Robert the boss came past and I decided to ride with him for a while. I felt good and continued on all the way to the 60 km mark for lunch. As we crested the summit overlooking La Paz the traffic went from bad to chaotic. The vans were everywhere and could creep on you and blast their horns scaring the living daylights out of us. I told a couple of them in good old aussie fashion what to do with their horns, assuring the driver that it would fit if he tried hard enough.

We rode together for 2 hours chatting about Bike Dreams, future trips, my trips through Africa and Eastern Europe and the joys of just going for a ride each day. It was a good opportunity to speak to Robert one on one knowing that what each other said would go no further. On that point he did mention some exciting trips he has planned for the future that go my attention. Might have to think about them when I get home.

Looking back down into the madness of La Paz.

With the lunch truck in sight I was glad to take a break, have some lunch and wait for the next group to come along. I had done all the hard work I needed to do this morning and certainly didn't want to smash myself with Robert for the next 75 kms to end the day. I took my time eating lunch picking the people I wanted to ride with for the afternoon. A nice leisurely pace is what I wanted and not a mad race to the bush camp.

Our afternoon group was Brigitta, Rien, Joost, Patrick, Michelle, Jan Willem and myself. We all took turns hitting the front and cruised along at around 30 kph for the next 2 & ½ hours. The road we were riding on was a new section which was not open to the traffic at this stage. We had a nice paved road with a couple of sections still under repair, but nothing much.

At stages Brigitta was feeling the going tough, but we never left her behind, that's not bike etiquette. The philosophy is the group you start with is the group you finish with. We all finished together at 3. 30 pm in light rain. The rain had been following us for the past 2 hours and the lightning and thunderstorms were lighting up the whole sky. You could see the lightning hitting the ground in the distance and the wall of rain chasing us was quite eerie. I knew that we were going to get wet, it's only a matter of time when it happens.

As we rolled into camp with mud all over me from the wet road and muddy sections we had to cross, it was time to put up Tent Hilton. No sooner had I grabbed my bag and the rain started to fall. It seems that when you're in a rush to do something it takes longer. I fumbled my way in putting up my tent and dragging all my gear inside. With a quick wipe down, I was dressed in semi clean clothes and now waiting for the rain to stop so I could go over and get a bowl of soup. The rain eventually eased and after a nice bowl of soup and a cuppa I was feeling pretty good about the day. Yeh it was raining at stages during the afternoon, but we had a road to ourselves, people waving to us and just enjoying riding in Bolivia.

I should mention that Barry didn't ride today. He had been feeling little unwell of late so he decided to take the express truck to the campsite.

I stayed in my tent for the rest of the afternoon reading and relaxing waiting for the 6 pm fire engine siren for dinner. We ended up moving all the tables and cooking gear and relocated to the school classroom across the field. We had dinner in the classroom and it was perfect. Ellen made a superb chicken, pasta, bean dish, followed by cake and cream. Now when I get home that's what I'm cooking.

Well it back to the tent and get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow is a 100 km day and I'm told by Max that the weather is going to be perfect with a strong tailwind. Yeh right Max.

Until tomorrow, safe riding.

The past couple of days have been riding in a baron part of the Altiplano in Bolivia, so I decided to post a photo taken last week whilst climbing out of Lake Titicaca.

Tuesday 30th September  2014. Stage 46, Lahuachaca to Oruro, 100 kms, 370 metres climbing, Riding above 3800 metres all day. A fast day indeed.

We did get a bit of rain during the night but nothing to worry the sturdy tent. Breakfast was back to the class room for some french toast and cereal, bananas and coffee. The tailwind had picked up and I knew it was going to be a fast day on the road. Still we had the chance to ride on the new bitumen just about all the way to Oruro.

We left the campsite/school football field at 8.15 am and no sooner had we hit the road and we were flying. I started with Barry, Michelle, Buck and a couple of others, but soon it was down to Alfred, Hartmud and myself. Each time we went up a small rise I was literally gasping for oxygen. I was riding at 3850 metres most of the way and these sharp climbs took every bit of oxygen in the body to get up.

As we approached the fire engine at the 50 km mark we had only taken 1 & 1/2 hours. We had been moving along so fast it didn't seem possible that 50 kms had already passed. I waited for Barry and the rest of them to arrive for lunch and took a well earned 1/2 hour to try and recover. The weather was beautiful with a clear blue sky, no dogs, and no traffic to worry about. Max our guru on the tour predicted a strong tailwind and sunny sky's today, not bad at all Max.

After lunch I joined in with Rien, Joost and Patrick and set off at another cracking pace. After about 5 kms Patrick was off the back and only 3 of us were now left. We caught up to Barry, Kristin and Hilde after a long and hard effort at speeds of 45 kph. Barry latched onto the back and we all started doing turns on the front of the bunch.

We rolled into the city of Oruro at noon and the Garmin led us directly to the gran Hotel Sucre. When I got there, there was a parcel waiting for me. It was the CD's from the Death Road bike ride which had been sent yesterday from La Paz. I thoroughly recommend 'Barracuda Biking' for the most amazing death road experience.

Now for something on Oruro.

Oruro has a population of over 420,660 people and is located about equidistant between La Paz and Sucre at approximately 3710 metres above sea level. the city was first founded on November 1, 1606 by Don Manuel Castro de Padilla, as a silver mining centre in the Urus region.

Today's ride was pretty hard considering we had a good tailwind. The rest of the afternoon will be spent walking around the town and hopefully finding a nice cafe for a cuppa and a slab of cake. Since we're staying in the hotel tonight we have to go and find a restaurant to eat at.

Tomorrow we ride to the Altiplano and then will head onto the Meteor Crater. We have 3 days of camping to come so no updates, and it's back to the dirt and salt roads.

Until tomorrow, safe riding.

Death Road, Zip line and an afternoon at a Bolivian football match

What another great 2 days in Bolivia. Here's a bit of the story.

Saturday 27^th September 2014. Riding the Death Road and taking on the Bolivian Zipline, La Paz, Bolivia.

After a lot of emails and finally deciding on using 'Barracuda Biking' La Paz, the money was paid last night and now all we have to do is be picked up at 9 am today. I had organised for 22 cyclists from Bike Dreams to spend their day riding the world famous and most deadly road in the world, following by a crazy zipline over the valley at speeds of 80 kph.

It was now 9 am and the cyclists were all outside the hotel waiting for the buses to take us up to the starting point. Our guide Joubert turned up right on time and took us down to the buses and a brief run down on what we would do before reaching the starting point. The trip would take us from 3300 metres to over 4700 metres and the starting point of the infamous death road.

As we pulled out of town our guide Edwin told us what to expect and the dangers of riding far too fast or overtaking the guide on the mountain. If you did you would be taken off the road and put into the bus. Your day would be over.

As we climbed out of the city I could see storm clouds in the distance. The last thing I wanted was for the cyclists to have a wet day. As we left the small homes glued to the side of the mountains and made our way to the police check point I could see the snow on the mountains in front of us. There's only thing that comes with snow, and that freezing temperatures. We had to pay a levi of 25 Bolivianos to access the death road. As we got closer it started snowing and raining as well. We could see a group of riders getting ready to ride the paved section first but our guide decided that there was no point to freeze our ass off on pavement so drove on a little further. It looked like hell all around us. The clouds were all over the mountain and the fog was making it difficult to see the riders we were driving past.

Eventually we stopped the buses and got prepared to get wet, cold, freezing and basically drenched to the bone. We put on our cold weather clothing supplied by the company and I put on my wet weather jacket for good measure, got the bikes off the roof and were given a safety briefing. We were told all the rules of riding on the death road and to take our time and enjoy the experience.

So off we went with Edwin the guide leading the way, followed by 22 mad cyclists who could have stayed in their hotel room, kept dry, ate cake, played on the internet, or gone shopping on their rest day. The rain was pouring down for the first section and by the time we entered the dirt section we were all drenched to the bone and we still have 40 kms of dirt to take on.

There's one thing I can say about 'Barracuda Biking', they constantly stop and give us time to take photos and tell us what to expect during the next section of the ride.

As soon as you enter the dirt section you can see how dangerous it is and why so many people have lost their lives over the years. To see the road and how the edges drop away to thousands of feet below is nerve wracking. We did take a photo with our feet overhanging one of the drop off's which took some coaxing by the guides. I didn't really feel that comfortable with my legs dangling over a cliff where the base of the mountains was about 1000 feet below.

The most unfortunate part of the morning ride was the rain and fog which prevented us from that million dollar photograph. We pressed on down the road always being extremely careful not to hit a rock, or run up the back of the person in front of you. Doing any of these things could see you flying through the air and to certain death. Whilst I was researching who we should do the death road with I found out a young girl had been killed 4 weeks ago. It's pretty easy to see how someone could go over the edge if they're inexperience or freeze up when coming to a sharp corner. Although we were all fairly experienced after riding close to 4000 kms so far on this trip, you still had to be on your guard at all times.

As we got closer to the bottom the sun started to come out, so it was time to shed some of our wet clothing. The scenery today was stunning from top to bottom. Whether it be a lush green mountain side with a misty waterfall coming down on the road, or clouds floating all around us, it didn't matter because we are only a few people in the world who get the chance to ride the death road. My good friend Peter Felvus did the death road a couple of years ago and didn't stop talking about it, so how could I come to La Paz and not do it? Well, here I am roaring down a dirt, rocky, rutted road with a sheer cliff about a metre away and soaking up the adrenaline like there's no tomorrow.

We reached the bottom of the death road after a great couple of hours and now it was time to take on the Bolivian Zipline.

I decided that if I could get the cyclist to do death road I would have no problem getting them to attach themselves to a harness, hook on to a piece of wire and then be shot across a valley a 1000 feet below you, and at speeds of up to 80 kph. Now I'm a junky for adrenaline and signed up straight away. I talked 14 of us to take it on, so back up the mountain we went to the first of 3 wire ropes we would be taking on.

The first person to be strapped in in the superman position was David. When he and the guide took off over the trees and into the canyon I thought to myself this is crazy. I couldn't back out now, after all I had talked them all into it. One by one we all took our turn in leaping off the edge and out over a valley where cars looked like small toys and houses looked like a box. No sooner you leave the edge and you are roaring across this valley with only a cloth harness and a piece of wire protecting you from the ground or meeting your maker sooner rather than later.

In total there are 3 sections we took on. I managed to wear the superman harness the last rope section and I screamed out like a kid who was having the time of his life. It was just exhilarating speeding through the air and not being petrified as how dangerous this activity was.

We all arrived at the finish point with huge grins on our faces. I could see that everyone today had a great time which made me very happy. We took off our harnesses and got on the bus to head to the hotel for a very late lunch. It was not 5 pm and we were starving. A bowl of spaghetti and a nice drink and we were ready for the 3 hour drive back to La Paz. This trip would take us along the newer road that all the vehicles now take. This was a 65 km mountain pass taken on in pouring rain and in darkness. At stages the fog became so bad the bus had to crawl along. Once again you always get the idiot who overtakes around blind corners in pouring rain putting innocent drivers and their passengers at risk of death.

Finally we crested the mountain to see the spectacular lights of La Paz in the distance. I was tired, my feet were wet, my shoes were drenched and I wanted to do was have a hot shower and go to bed. And that is exactly what I did.

Tomorrow if the weather I fine I'm going out to watch the local soccer match with Hardy and a couple of the other cyclists.

Until tomorrow, safe riding. 

Sunday 28th September 2014. Bolivian football at its best.

The group for today's match was Buck, Hardy, Roberto, Maria, JR, Rien, Hartmud. We got a taxi out to the match and had a look around trying to get the best bargain on the football jersey. Like usual I had the usual challenge with one of the lady sellers and manage to get a jersey and cap for a song. I always love to bargain.

 That's the lady who I had to bargain hard with to buy a jersey and cap.

I took the above photo just before kick off. The crowd was about 5000 people with bands playing and players diving better than a diver off the 10 metres platform at the Olympics.

The game was nil all at half time and the local team were ready to lift the tempo. With the band now in full swing the local team took the ascendancy and scored a brilliant goal. The end score was 2 nil and a well deserved win. Although it rained for the last 20 minutes of the game it never damped the enthusiasm of the crowd with constant yelling at the ref or the opposition for alleged dirty play.

The photo above is me of course, riding the zipline in Bolivia. What an adrenaline rush.

After full time JR and I caught a taxi back to the hotel to end our fantastic day. Tomorrow we start a 7 day leg from La Paz to Uyuni which will certainly drain the batteries by the time we get our next rest day.

Our past 2 days have been fantastic and all off the bike. Now it's time to relax and enjoy the rest of the afternoon in La Paz.

Until tomorrow, safe riding.

Lake Titicaca to La Paz. Bring on the death road.

Wednesday 24^th September 2014. Rest Day, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca.

You know what I did on the rest day? I slept, ate far too much food, sat around the town and did absolutely nothing. Then I went to bed at 9 pm and woke up at 6 am. One of the difficult things to do at altitude is sleep. It's not only me but it's others in the tour that have told me they wake up during the night out of breath. It's not a good feeling and it's one I won't miss when I get home.

Now for today's bike ride.

Thursday 25^th September 2014, stage 43, Copacabana to Hotel International, 67 kms, climbing 845 metres, summit 4340 metres. This had to be one of the best riding days on tour.

A beautiful morning greeted the cyclists as we left our hotel and the shores of Lake Titicaca to start a short day of riding that would take us to some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. The first part was to climb 12 kms and gain over 500 metres in altitude. The road meandered away from the lake giving us breathtaking view all morning. Each time we went around another corner we were greeted with an amazing view of the Bolivian coastline looking down into a clear turquoise waters of the highest navigable lake on the planet. We were climbing up to and over 4300 metres in altitude but it didn't appear to affect anyone, they were stopping, taking hundreds of photos and enjoying what is turning out to be an easy day on the road.

Looking back down into the small village of Copacabana, Lake Titicaca.

We rolled along with one on the road and the other looking at the views as we continued onto the lunch stop at 40 kms. I think this was the quickest 2 & ½ hours of riding in a very long time. It was like we had only been riding for an hour and the fire engine was just around the corner with our lunch waiting.

The lunch stop was one of those stops that take your breath away. Perched on the side of cliff looking down to the harbour where we would catch the ferry to the other side of the mainland. I took up a chair with a couple of the cyclists sitting near the edge of the cliff, enjoying the views and watching the small ferries carrying people, buses, trucks and cyclists across the narrow stretch of water we had to cross after lunch. I was in no hurry to move, I had the sun on me, a plate full of food and some pretty cool people to enjoy the moment.

It was time to move on and cross the lake and start the next climb for the day. This one was only 400 metres over about 7 kms but still was hard work at 4000 metres. I just rolled along up and over small hills until I dropped down to the lake. I joined a couple of other cyclists, stopping to take photos, have a drink and relax.

I reached our hotel around 1 pm and found a really nice place to stay for the night. Not sure of the Wifi at this stage, but we have a great room with a view looking out over Lake Titicaca. Some of the cyclists are going for a swim, but I'm keeping my clothes on, it's far too cold for this smart chap.

Tonight will be a dinner in the restaurant and then we head to La Paz, one of the highlights for me on the tour. Death road bicycle tour awaits us.

Until tomorrow, safe riding.

 I took the above photo whilst visiting the home of one of the families who live on the floating islands of Uros.

 The above photo was taken looking over the floating islands. This has to be one of the simplest ways of living I've seen in a long time. Perhaps we all could do better with less luxuries in life.

 The photo above was taken about 40 kms outside of Copacabana during our lunch stop. What another perfect location to have a break.

 The above photo was taken yesterday looking back to Annelott, Ellen and Lupcho. We stayed in the large hotel to the right which was pretty good and very quiet at night. What we have noticed since we entered Bolivia is the lack of traffic, and that's good for cyclists.

 The above photo was taken during lunch today. Lupcho our mechanic on tour met up with 2 Colombian touring cyclists who dropped in for a snack during lunch.

The photo above was taken on our last day in Peru. We had such a wonderful time at the local celebrations. The lady in the photo was my dancing partner. 

Friday 26th September 2014, Stage 43, Lake Titicaca to La Paz, 85 kms, 99% paved, climbing 450 metres, summit 4150 metres. Riding at 4000 metres all day is so tiring.

Today is the day we head to the city of over 3 million people, called La Paz. I should mention the hotel we stayed at last night has a sign in the lift that states, 'you are in the highest lift in the world', now that's pretty cool.

With a nice breakfast,  we all took to the road around 9 am and headed along flat roads with the snow capped mountains in the distance. The temperature was around 20 degrees C, slight headwind and very little traffic.

We arrived at the lunch truck by 10.30 am which took us about 1 hour 30 minutes to achieve the 50 kms. 

Barry and I rolled out of lunch at 11 am on our own to ride the final 40 kms to La Paz. Within 10 kms outside of lunch we were subjected to crazy mini van drivers, buses, trucks, dogs, bicycles trying to take our front wheels out or just run us over. This was just as mad as Saigon traffic.

We pushed on for 20 kms amongst the traffic at a steady pace. The town we were passing through was basically a dust bowl. Together with the diesel spewing trucks and vans, and the dust in the air, it was just terrible conditions to ride. We had no option other than to press on and get to La Paz.

As we got closer to the city, the traffic increased 10 fold. We were no riding at over 4000 metres gasping for air, not smoke and dust. We finally made it through the traffic and commenced the 10 km drop into the city. We had  to be really careful on the descent as the road was in a poor state and in 2008, 2010 and 2012 a rider had crashed and was taken out of the tour. I made sure this was not going to happen me.

Barry and I followed the Garmin which took us to a narrow street and a small entry to our home for the next 3 nights, hotel Cruz de los Andes. The hotel is perfect and situated right in the centre of all the activity. Shops, hiking, biking, clothing and food stores everywhere. 

After settling into the room and washing our clothes, we headed for a walk to find a place for an afternoon snack. I was amazed at the number of shops selling tours to Death Road or hiking to some of the snow capped mountains surrounding us. We have a 2 day break now and our first day will be taken up with the Death Road ride followed by the zipline. On Sunday a couple of us are going out to watch the local football match. Might have to buy the local jersey when I'm out there.

Over the past 3 days we've experienced incredible hospitality, friendly happy smiling people along the way. Past through villages that look like no one lives there anymore. Seen dogs the size of horses, and pigs as big as an baby hippo. 

I'm looking forward to my 2 days off in La Paz to enjoy some adrenalin fueled madness in the Andes.

Until tomorrow, safe riding.

Puno to Copacabana. A fantastic 24 hours in Peru. Now in Bolivia.

We managed to get out to Uros and visited the floating islands and met some beautiful people. We were shown how they live the conditions of their reed homes and the basic needs that sustain them. We were shown how they make their islands, the clothing, cooking facilities. It was a tourist trip with a different twist, no heavy pressure selling from the Uros people, only kind, smiling faces and a warmth that made you welcome.

As the sun set it was time to leave the island and head back to the mainland of Puno harbour. We had a long day of riding and a visit to the floating islands, now it's time for dinner and get a good night's sleep before we start our final ride in Peru. Tomorrow we enter Bolivia.

With a good night's sleep it was now 8 am and the police were outside waiting to give us an official escort out of the city. It's such a cool feeling weaving in and around traffic with intersections being blocked whilst we rode through. Once again it was 15 seconds of fame with the locals. Once out on the highway it was smooth sailing all the way to the lunch stop at 70 kms,

The first part of the day were flat roads with a slight tailwind and at times a full on head wind. I rode with Rien, Michelle, Patrick and Hardy. Patrick had another accident today when  bus brushed him off the bike and caused him to hit the road for the 2nd time in 2 days. He broke his Gopro and also smashed the side  mirror off the bus. Now he had more scrapes to worry about. For the rest of the day he was really suffering with the extra injuries and the sore ribs from the big crash yesterday.

After lunch we still had about 60 kms to go to reach the Peruvian/Bolivian border. Now the head wind was getting stronger and the day was getting longer and longer. About 20 kms from the border I found a party going on with the village people of the district. We all got off the bikes and went for a walk across the field and took a look. Everyone was dancing, the band was playing and they were all drinking beer. The men and women were drinking and having a great time. I got dragged in and started dancing with a young gorgeous Peruvian lady with this dress that swirled perfectly when I was turning her around. She offered me a drink and I had to refuse. I don't think I've ever seen so much alcohol at a party in my life. We danced and had a fantastic  time and were treated not like tourists but a part of the family.

Back on the bike and to the border. I had an issue at the border because I lost a bit of people that I needed to leave Peru. After a bit of negotiation skills, I had a stamp and I was on my way to Bolivia. The Bolivian control was a simple process and all we needed to do was roll down the hill and into the lake shore town of Copacabana.

What an amazing day, riding, dancing and leaving Peru with the warmest memories of beautiful, humble people.

We arrived at our hotel at 5pm and were glad to get off that seat and rest my ass for a day. Tomorrow is a rest day and I'm doing nothing. We have 2 more riding days and then we hit La Paz and the mighty death ride bicycle adventure.

I'll try and post some photos during the day when I have good wifi.

Until tomorrow, safe riding.

Cusco to Puno, Lake Titicaca. 3 days of the Altiplano.

Saturday 20^th September 2014.

Stage 39, Cusco to bush camp Raqchi Ruins, 122 kms, paved 100%, 1068 metres climbing, summit 3540 metres. Time to leave Cusco and the madness of city life.

It's always nice to leave a hectic city behind and get back on the bike and out in the heartland of a country. Riding along with people always saying hello or waving to us whilst they're tending to their crops in the distance, makes the whole trip so much more enjoyable.

Today took some time to leave the Cusco, we had a photo session in the plaza de armas and in front of the cathedral. The local newspaper wanted plenty of photographs and as tourists, we should oblige. After the photos we then did a loop of the plaza/square before heading off. The police stopped the traffic at the intersections and even the other tourists were taking photos of us. I felt like a celebrity and accepted my 15 seconds of fame.

 The photo above is of the main Cathedral in Cusco. Time for the publicity photos.

 The photo above is of 2 very important people, Wilbert the boss and his partner Susanna. Both incredibly competent people in running Bike Dreams.

 I took the above photo as I was leaving Cusco. I hope to see the mighty Condor later in the holiday, in the flesh of course.

The photo above is of the amazing church outside of Cusco. Unfortunately no photo allowed inside.

We all rolled out of Cusco together as a group and made our way following the main train line to Puno. We should be in Puno in 2 more days of riding. On a side issue, we got another 5 cyclists to add to our numbers and one of them had a crash on the first day and had to be taken to hospital for examination. Not sure of his injuries at this stage.

As we rolled along at a leisurely pace for about 35 kms and then came across this huge Inca Wall from the 12^th century. Sitting in my tent in the middle of a football field I don't have access to WiFi so I can't tell you anything about the wall, other than it's big.

The next attraction was at the town of Anduhuaylinas at the 40 km mark. Robert the boss had told us about this amazing church and the paintings that it holds. A group of us turned off the highway and went in search of this illusive church.

The main attraction is the baroque church dedicated to Saint Peter the Apostle. The church is nicknamed the Sixtine Chapel of America because of the magnificent frescoes that adorn its walls. We entered the church for a fee of 15 Sols and then found out we couldn't take any photos. Now that's one thing I find very irritating about churches, you pay to enter and then can't photograph to keep the memory and show others. Anyway, the paintings and gold work inside the church was pretty spectacular. You'll have to take my word on that one.

Back to the highway and continue on in search of the fire engine at the 62 km mark for lunch. I was riding with Buck, Michelle, Kristin and Hilde for the majority of the morning and up till lunch. It was a nice pace with a gentle tailwind and not much climbing. We found the fire engine sitting close to the river that we will follow all the way to Puno. I took my time eating lunch sitting down in taking in the sun's rays. It was such a beautiful day today.

By 12 noon I was back on the bike and now riding with Rien, Joost and Patrick. The pace picked up straight away as these guys are the strong ones in the tour. I did a turn or 2 during the next 60 kms but mainly the big strong Joost carried us along. The tailwind was getting stronger and the kms were ticking over quickly.

We found Barry sitting down having a coke in the small town before the finish so we took a break and enjoyed the rest before hitting camp. Camp was on the local football field with nice grass to pitch the tent. I wasn't going to check out the Raqchi Ruins that was about 100 metres away from the campsite as I had just visited Machu Picchu and couldn't real see the purpose. After sitting around the campsite for an hour and still an hour to dinner I decided to check it out. It was worth the money and now I'm glad I made the effort.

Raqchi Ruins is an Inca archaeological site in the Cusco region also known as the Temple of Wiracocha, one of its constituents. A town nearby has the same name. Both lie along the Vilcanota (Urubamba) river. The site has experienced a recent increase in tourism in recent years, with 83,335 visitors to site in 2006, up from 8,183 in 2000, and 452 in 1996. The most prominent structure is the Temple of Wiracocha, an enormous rectangular two story roofed structure that measures 92 metres by 25.5 metres. The structure consists of a central adobe wall some 18 to 20 metres in height with an andesite base. Windows and doors allow passage. It is flanked on each side by a row of eleven columns. The foundations measure 4 metres for both the wall and the columns are classic high Inca stonework with the remaining height built of adobe.

 Part of the remaining walls inside Raqchi Ruins.

The photo above is of the rooms used for storage.

Prior to its destruction by the Spaniards, the temple had what is believed to be the largest single roof in the Incan Empire, having its peak at the central wall, then stretching over the columns and some 25 metres beyond on each side. Adjoining the temple to the north are twelve living quarters, which would have housed both priests and local administrators. “to the east of the temple are some 100 round qolqas (stone houses) in parallel lines, each measuring 10 metres in diameter. These houses were used to store grain and other agricultural products.

After walking around the complex and taking plenty of photographs, it was time to head back to Tent Hilton and see how far dinner was off. I just chilled out with Barry and Buck until the fire engine sounded the siren indicating dinner was ready. We had a nice dish like usual and headed for my home by 7 pm.

Tomorrow is a long ride so I need my sleep.

Until tomorrow, safe riding.

Sunday 21^st September 2014.

Stage 40, 159 kms, 100% paved, 1,228 metres of climbing, summit 4345 metres. Riding the Altiplano.

Because we had a long day today we had to be up and ready for breakfast at 6.15 am. This meant I had to get up at 5.30 am to pack up my house and get ready. During the night temperature dropped below zero.

We were on the road by 7.30 am today and greeted with a nice light tailwind and beautiful sunny day. I took it easy in the morning climbing the hills at a steady pace. As we got over the 4000 metres mark the mountains didn't look at big anymore. We were now riding along the 'Altiplano' a stretch of the Andean Mountains that we will follow for the next 4 weeks. With another 4 weeks of riding around the 4000 metres mark I should be in good condition to hurt Mark and Tony when I get home.

The lunch stop was at the 53 km mark which was early but it was at the top of the summit 4346 metres. Lunch was excellent and I'm eating a lot better than I did a month ago. You have to eat and drink during the ride and eat plenty at lunch. It's the only way you'll make it to the finish and manage the following day.

Just before lunch there was a Aqua Calientes (hot springs) with a couple of people laying about wasting their lives away. I took a photo and kept riding.

Once we finished with dinner we hit the road and flew down the road for about 15 kms with Barry and Joost. We had a nice smooth road and a strong tailwind. I dropped off the guys for a break and rejoined Rien and Diderick. I had ridden about 50 kms on my own whilst waiting for the next group to catch me. It wasn't until we all stopped for a drink that I found out that both Patrick and Diderick had crashed at the railway crossing. There's an art to crossing railway lines and after many years of doing it back home, I wasn't going to come crashing down in the middle of the Andean mountains. They both suffered minor injuries and are both very lucky to escape without broken bones.

After the mandatory COKE stop there was only 30 kms to go to bush camp. We all took turns at the front and were sitting on 40-45 kph with the tailwind. It didn't take long before the flag came into view. The day was complete, 159 kms done, now time to have a pommie wash, put up Tent Hilton and have some soup.

As the afternoon went on the rain started to fall on our campsite. I'm on kitchen duty tonight which requires me to help serve the cyclists dinner, clean the tables and wash up all the plates etc. I hope the rain eases up in the next 30 minutes or I might have to call in a sickie.

Tomorrow is another long ride to the city of Puno and a hotel awaits us. I would also like to pass on my best 50^th birthday wishes to a great friend and cycling partner, Peter Felvus. Peter is the chap who rides tandems for the vision impaired back home and also joined me on the Eastern European bike ride last year.

Until tomorrow, safe riding.

Monday 22nd September 2014.

Stage 41, bush camp Pucara to Puno, 111 kms, paved 100%, climbing 480 metres, summit 4000 metres.  Heading to Lake Titicaca.

It rained a lot last night and the temperature dropped dramatically. The tent withstood the downpour and the howling winds, leaving me nice and warm and a good sleep was had by all. The only negative aspect of the rain is packing up a wet tent. That means I'm going to unpack a wet tent in a couple of days time.

It was another early morning breakfast at 6.15 am and we were on the road by 7.15 am. All the cyclists had their leg warmers, jackets, head gear, arm warmers to try and keep warm. It was perhaps the coldest morning thus far on tour, reaching a high of 3 degrees C when we hit the road.

The road we were now riding on is called the 'Altiplano' as I mentioned in yesterday's story. It's pretty flat with only slight rises all the way to Lake Titicaca. We all rode in a group to the lunch stop at 60 kms. I sat on the front with Joost all morning chatting away and enjoying the nice scenery around us. 

We were told that after lunch we would have to pass the town that was not that safe. We were stopped outside the town by the police and we all regrouped and had a police escort straight through the city. The police took us through back roads full of holes and mud, through the market area with police stopping traffic at intersections to let us pass through. It's pretty cool when you receive this type of treatment. Back home if you wanted this service from the Police you would have to pay a small fortune.

Back on the main highway we had a group of 20 cyclists taking our time to finish the day. The town we will be stopping in tonight (Puno) is a city in the south eastern part of Peru, located on the shore of Lake Titicaca. It's also the capital city of the Puno Region and the Puno Province. The city was established in 1668 by viceroy Pedro Antonio Fernandez de Castro as capital of the province of Paucarcolla with the name of San Juan Bautista de Puno, in honour of King Charles II of Spain. The city has several churches dating back from the colonial period, they were built to service the Spanish population and evangelise the natives.

As we continued our ride to the Puno we had a small climb that took us to just on 4000 metres and a nice view of the city below us. Barry and I roared down into town, made our way through the congested city and found our hotel. It's so nice to have a hot shower and shave and smell half decent for a change.

This afternoon we are going out to the floating island, where the Uros (pre Incan people) live on forty two self fashioned floating man made islets in Lake Titicaca. They form 3 main groups, Uru-Chipayas, Uru-Muratos and the Uru-Iruitos. The Uros islands are at 3810 metres above sea level and 5 kms from the Puno port where we will depart from at 3 pm today. I'll talk more about the trip tomorrow.

Tomorrow we leave Peru after 6 long weeks of tough riding. We enter Bolivia and the the famous city of Copacabana. Now it's time time to get ready for our boat trip out to see the Uros people.

Until tomorrow, safe riding.

A 2 day journey to Machu Picchu.

Prior to leaving Australia Machu Picchu was always on my list of places I wanted to visit before I went down under. After riding over 3000 kms and climbing over 45,000 metres  I was ready for a 3 day break in Cusco and spend 2 of those at Machu Picchu.

Our day started with a pickup from our hotel of around 30 cyclists. We first headed to the town of Pisaq and visited the local markets. Got to see the local children all dressed up singing and dancing through the markets which was pretty cool. And I bought another T-shirt.

After the markets we visited the Sacred Valley which was a stunning valley with a river flowing down the centre. The river was very important to the Inca's and they viewed it as a Holy river of great significance, now it's very important to the agricultural region that this area is now famous for.

Ollantaytambo is an attractive little town located at the western end of the Sacred Valley (about two and a half hours by bus from Cusco).  The town has been built on top of original Inca foundations and is the best surviving example of Inca town planning. The town is divided in canchas (blocks) which are almost entirely intact. Each cancha has only one entrance (usually a huge stone doorway) which leads into a central courtyard. The houses surround the courtyard. Good examples of this construction can be found behind the main plaza.

The town is located at the foot of some spectacular Inca ruins (entrance with the Tourist Ticket 'Boleto Turistico') which protected the strategic entrance to the lower Urubamba Valley. The temple area is at the top of steep terracing which helped to provide excellent defences. Stone used for these buildings was brought from a quarry high up on the opposite side of the Urubamba river - an incredible feat involving the efforts of thousands of workers. The complex was still under construction at the time of the conquest and was never completed.

After Manco Inca was defeated by the Spanish at Sacsayhuaman following the unsuccessful siege of Cusco (1536) he retreated to Ollantaytambo. Francisco Pizarro's younger brother Hernando led a force of 70 cavalry, 30 foot soldiers and a large contingent of natives to capture Manco Inca. The Inca's forces, joined by neighbouring jungle tribes, rained down showers of arrows, spears and rocks upon the unfortunate Spanish troops. In an intelligent move the Inca's flooded the plains below their stronghold making it difficult for the horses to manoeuvre. Hernando, uncharacteristically, ordered a hasty retreat. 

Ollantaytambo became the only place ever to have resisted attacks from the Spanish.

However, their victory was short-lived when the Spanish returned with four times their previous force. Manco Inca retreated to his jungle stronghold in Vilcabamba and Ollantaytambo fell into the hands of the Spanish.

 The above photo was taken during our walk of Ollantaytambo. What I found amazing is these granite rocks which weigh thousands of kgs are cut to precision and put together with no cement. Now that must have taken some serious man power. The rocks for this site were brought from a quarry/mountain region over 3 kms away.

 I took this photo of the children all dressed up during our brief visit to the market of Pisaq.

 I took the above photo of Kristin and this gorgeous young lady in the market. At first she didn't want to say anything to the strange 'gringos' but Carmen managed to get some whispers out of her.

It was now time to get back on the bus and go down to the train station in Ollantaytambo and head to Machu Picchu. Our train leaves at 3.30 pm and should get into Machu Picchu around 5.15 pm. The trip takes you around winding cliffs following the river all the way to our final destination. The only disappointment was the rain that prevented getting some decent photos, but it doesn't matter,. We walked up the road to our hotel, made a mess of the room like all boys do and headed for dinner.  We were told at the riding meeting that we would have to be up by 4.45 am to get ready to catch the 5.30 am bus up the mountain. This is going to be a long day.

I'm going to give you a brief overview of Machu Picchu before I go on.

Machu Picchu Guide - History
       
THE INCA EMPIRE
 
In the relatively short space of a hundred years, the Incas went from a little-known highland tribe to the greatest empire ever seen in the Americas. They came to prominence late, in the 15th century, but through diplomacy and warfare succeeded in dominating a territory of some 10 million Quechua speakers, rivalling the Romans in terms of scale and organisation. Known as the Land of the Four Quarters, or Tahuantinsuyu, the Inca empire extended more than 3000 miles from north to south, from Ecuador down to modern-day Bolivia and Chile. At its heart sat Cusco, el ombligo del mundo - the navel of the world.

The formidable Inca ruler Pachacuteq, the “Alexander the Great” of the Andes, was a major driving force behind the expansion which began in around 1438 after his victory against the invading Chanca tribe. For strategic reasons, the region around Cusco was the first to be inhabited and it’s possible that Machu Picchu was conceived as a ceremonial and administrative centre.

Built and populated by Pachacuteq’s royal lineage, or panaca, it’s also possible that the complex was designed to be a winter palace, a retreat from the harsh Cusco winters. The architecture dates from the late imperial Inca period and there are no traces of either pre-Inca settlements or post-Conquest occupation. Much of Machu Picchu’s history remains a riddle but it’s highly likely that the whole site was built and then abandoned in less than 100 years.

It’s estimated that there would have been a permanent population of around a thousand people living among 200 dwellings. Terraces were cultivated to grow maize, probably to brew chicha to use for ceremonial purposes, as well as other crops which have since died out. For many archaeologists, Machu Picchu was the headquarters of a region whose chief function was to provide a supply of coca leaves for priests and the royal family to chew to counteract altitude, sickness and hunger. For others, it was an impregnable watchtower that guarded a number of Inca roads in the area. One thing seems certain however: that the exceptional quality of the stonework makes it a place of great religious significance, a place to venerate the sun and other deities such as Pachamama or mother earth.
 
THE SPANISH CONQUEST
 

Francisco Pizarro and Atahuallpa, the last Inca emperor, in 1532, drawing by Felipe Guamán Poma de Ayala, c. 1600.

In 1532, Francisco Pizarro landed on the north coast of Peru, along with 260 fellow Spaniards. They headed inland to meet the Inca ruler Atahualpa whom they subsequently tricked and took hostage. A vast ransom of gold and silver was collected to be melted down and sent to Spain. Atahualpa was murdered regardless. Spain maintained an uneasy truce with his half-brother Manco for two years before thousands of Europeans arrived to join in the lucrative gold rush and the vandalisation and looting of temples and palaces intensified. In 1536, after a failed attempt to recapture Cusco, Manco fled to the jungle. The Spanish proceeded to destroy anything linked to what they considered idolatrous practice – sacred images, tombs, mummies…  
   
Common consensus has it that Machu Picchu was abandoned in an orderly fashion, maybe even before the Spanish arrived. This would explain why Hiram Bingham didn’t find any precious artefacts there. The Incas had undergone a dreadful civil war of their own just prior to the Spanish invasion which could have spurred Machu Picchu’s inhabitants on to move elsewhere. Or it could have been the case that the expensive running costs of such a centre were becoming a drain on Cusco’s resources at a time of war.

As well as a lust to conquer, the Spanish brought with them European illnesses like smallpox and measles, previously unknown in the Americas. The result was catastrophic. The Incas had no immunity and by the end of the 16th century, disease had reduced their numbers from ten million to less than a million. One theory is that infection may have reached Machu Picchu, thereby decimating its population.

Whatever happened, once abandoned, this great wonder of the world lay forgotten for nearly four centuries. Why the Spanish – who had no qualms in pillaging other Inca sites - never paid Machu Picchu any attention is a conundrum that continues to tease historians to this day. The Incas picked their location well.
  
HIRAM BINGHAM
  
The inspiration for Indiana Jones, Hiram Bingham was an American historian who had been bewitched by tales of lost Inca cities ever since visiting the pre-Hispanic ruin of Choquequirao, also in the vicinity of Cusco. When he came across Machu Picchu, he was actually searching for the last Inca capital, Manco Inca’s final stronghold, and initially stated erroneously that Machu Picchu was in fact Vilcambama, that most lost of lost Inca cities.

On 24 July 1911, after having been told about the ruins by local resident Melchor Arteaga, Bingham made the tough climb up the Urubamba canyon. It was no easy hike and, exhausted, he reached a small hut where two men, Richarte and Alvarez, had been living for four years to escape the army and having to pay taxes. Hot and tired, he was disinclined to continue but the two men encouraged him to take a look at the vine-covered complex.

After just a few hours there taking notes and photographs, he left but returned the following year with the Yale Expedition, having taken the decision to spend several months clearing the overgrown site. This excavation, together with a later one in 1915, led to the discovery of several other notable buildings and an important Inca highway, the Inca Trail. Bingham ultimately went on to become a US senator.

Now you have the history. 

As soon as you enter Machu Picchu you are breathless at the grandeur of this amazing site nestled high in the Andean Mountains. I know my photos do not do the site justice but I'll give you a brief note on each.  A group of us headed straight for the climb of  Huayna Picchu which is the largest mountain that you can see behind Machu Picchu. There is a narrow winding path leading to the top where you can find some interesting Inca ruins. There are stunning views over Machu Picchu and the surrounding mountains and the Vilcanota River below. I walked up with Carmen and it took us on 1 hour. It was a energy zapping climb up so many steps, but the look down on Machu Picchu was very rewarding. I sat up there for about an hour with the group and Michelle. We had to leave at 9 am to get back down so the next group could make the climb. I will never forget the view for the rest of my life, sitting up there, no noise, people just staring in amazement at what lays below.

 The photo above is what we were greeted with as soon as we entered Machu Picchu.  You can see Huayna Picchu the huge mountain in the distance that we climbed.

 I took the above photo from the top of Huayna Picchu. 

Standing on the side of Huayna Picchu with a huge drop right behind me. And that is not a walking stick, it's my Gopro camera tripod.

After our climb of the mountain we had to be back down to meet our guide who took us around the complex for a 2 hour guided tour. We were told the history of the ruins, the rulers, the workers, construction techniques to ensure the complex stayed upright during earthquakes. The site also had Drs, ladies of pleasure, astrologers, carvers, the site had everything. 

By the end of the guided tour we were all ready to take the bus back down the mountain to the hotel. We still had about 3 hours to kill before the train trip back to Ollantaytambo. 3 of us went to check out the hot spring pools of aguas calientes. I didn't go for a swim because it just didn't look healthy to me. Patrick, Joost, Kristen and Hilde went in said it was fine, I stayed out and looked after the bags.

Our day still had a long way to go, we had some dinner, caught the train, caught the bus back to Cusco and hit the sack at 11.30 pm.  We were all tired and ready for a good night's sleep. 

I had a fantastic action packed 2 days and would recommend to everyone to visit Machu Picchu on their next adventure to South America. Tomorrow is our final rest day which starts with 2 bush camps. I actually like living in Tent Hilton.

Today will be taking it easy, putting my slick tyres on the bike, eating, getting a hair cut and maybe some shopping.

Until tomorrow, safe riding.

Stage 38, Limatambo to Cusco, 75 kms, climbing 1480 metres, summit 3680 metres, 95% paved. Bring on Machu Picchu.

We left our campsite shortly after 8 am this morning. Now I'm not going to harp on my lack of sleep, nor do I blame Bike Dreams in anyway because the tour has been perfect, but the rooster and dogs again from 5 am drove me crazy. If I had a sling shot I know exactly where I'd be aiming the rock.

Once again we rolled up to the road and fortunately the climb to the summit was only 26 kms and 1000 metres of climbing. I rode with Barry this morning and it was clear he was not his usual self. He was struggling to keep up due to stomach problems over the past few days. We just took our time and took plenty of stops with the main goal of reaching the lunch truck and seeing then whether he wished to continue or catch the truck to Cusco.

When we reached the summit we could see the snow capped mountains which are so beautiful and just gigantic. At least today wasn't as cold as yesterday. We rolled down the other side of the mountain and reached the fire engine at 11 am for an early lunch. Barry had a discussion with the Dr and all was good for Barry to continue. After lunch Barry was much stronger on the bike, but whatever the Dr gave him certainly worked.

 The photo above is one of many snow capped mountains we've seen over the past few days.

The photo above was taken at the 20 km mark after climbing out of Limatambo. Switch backs and all up hill.

We continued on with a couple of more climbs through small villages and some with mud brick homes nestled on the side of the cliffs. If there is any hint of an earth tremor, the whole side of the mountain would come screaming down on the road. Today we had the usual idiots trying to run us over or force us off the road. It seems as we get closer to the major city the crazier the drivers are.

We reached the outskirts of Cusco around 1 pm which gave us a great view over the sprawled out city. I wasn't in the mood to stop and take a photo of a city, all we wanted to do was to get down into the mayhem and find our hotel. The Garmin led us directly to Hotel Carlos V where many of our cyclists were already at. We took our time today and enjoyed an easy ride which is what this holiday is all about. On a side note one the cyclists got bitten by a dog. The dogs in this part of the Peru are downright vicious.

Once given our room we couldn't have a shower because there was no water in the city. We had to wait till about 5 pm to have a shower, and that means the toilet doesn't flush either. That will have to wait. Eventually we got a nice hot shower put our clean clothes on and got our gear ready to take to the laundromat. We've also got to get our gear ready for our 2 day adventure to see the world famous Machu Picchu.

Prior to starting this holiday I had 3 goals, 1, win a stage, accomplished. 2. Visit a Peruvian prison and interview Lewis, accomplished. 3. Visit Machu Picchu, that's tomorrow.

With a nice dinner in good company and a my gear organised for tomorrow, it's now 10.30 pm and time for bed.

I will provide an update with photos of Machu Picchu upon my return in 2 days time. Also, I'm so glad to get off that blasted seat and give my ass a rest. 3 day rest in Cusco, brilliant.

Until tomorrow, safe riding.

Stage 37, Abancay to Limatambo. The worst way to start the day is with a 40 km climb.

Stage 37, Abancay to Limatambo, 118 kms, 80% paved, summit 3860 metres, 2459 metres of climbing. I need a rest.

Our hotel was pretty good last night and breakfast is getting easier to digest, still they don't let me sleep in.

We rolled out of town around 8.15 am and immediately started the first climb for the day. I was on the front with Robert for a while and was then joined by James. Today was going to be one hell of a day. No sooner had we left the town we climbed for 40 kms to our lunch stop. Which was over 1500 metres of climbing. I put my music on for the climb and rode my own tempo. This was the usaul climb of many switchback and sharp hairpin bends all the way to the top. Climbing 40 kms from the start of the day is very draining both physically and mentally. You have to eat and drink all the way to the top and concentrate on getting into your own rhythm and not worry about anyone else.

 Morning tea with my homies.

 Climbing one of the many mountains during this week.

 Two supreme elderly athletes climbing the 40 km mountain.

 During our lunch stops we always seem to attract the local school children. Walter always finds it in his heart to give them something to eat.

As we were climbing the mountain we got to pass a cuy farm. After eating one I don't think I'll ever do it again.

I took a couple of stops to photograph the town of Abancay disappear beneath me. It was probably the first time on the tour I got to see the city fade into the distance as we climbed skyward. The climb wasn't that difficult but was just so long. We had a lot of trucks and buses to watch out for and at one stage on the ride today one came far too close to Barry.

I rode into lunch with James and Jurg around 11.10 am. I made a couple of bread rolls and sat down and waited for Barry to arrive. We were sitting in an area that overlooked the valley in which we rode out of 3 hours ago. Barry and I took our time with lunch enjoying the view and recovering from the last 3 hours of relentless pain in the legs and on the ass. You can buy the best bike seat in the world but it's still going to hurt you when you ride constantly up a hill and get very little opportunity to get off the seat.

It was time to put the jackets and arm warmers on and start the descent from the mountain. As we rolled out of the lunch stop and went around one bend we were treated to the amazing sight of a snow capped mountain right in front of us. It was just spectacular, and it was also freezing with the cool wind that was blowing off the mountain and down onto us. The sooner we got off the mountain the warmer we would be.

The beautiful mountains all around us followed us into the valley below, a distance of about 55 kms. At first my hands and legs were like ice but I knew it wouldn't be long before I was roasting. The mountains around us were lush green in places and a brownish red in others making a landscape of sheer cliffs leading into the river below. At one stage as we were roaring down the mountain this idiot in a semi-trailer came around a blind corner on the my side of the road. I was scared stiff and was worried Barry mightn’t see him in time. I managed to get straight over to the side of the road and could see Barry doing the same in my mirror. It's moments like these you decide to take it a little easier on the downward run.

As we reached the valley floor the temperature sky rocketed to 38 degrees C. We had to stop to take our gear off again and try and cool down. We stopped at a little village at the very base of the mountain to buy and drink and get out of the sun. We still had about 20 kms to go and we needed to refuel before we took on the next part of the day. When we first turned up in the village Barry went over to some men sitting down drinking beer, all of them were obviously intoxicated buy happy to meet up, shake our hands and point us back up the road to buy the world famous COKE. Just sitting outside the shed was such a relief from the heat which was now getting close to 40 degrees C.

We got back on the bikes at 2 pm and rolled across the bridge hoping the next part of the ride and the 800 metre climb would be ok. Within 2 kms we were hit with road works. The road was being restored due to landslides that we could hear coming down onto the road as we passed and laying new road for the next 12 kms. The trucks and buses were kicking up rocks and dust and not giving a damn about the cyclists. It was becoming dangerous and frustrating. We had constant road blocks where we had to wait for 10 minutes whilst the grader was working on the road. The we could go and try and road on the roughest road thus far. We were being bounced all over the place and then we had to contend with the water truck wetting the road to try and keep the dust down. The dust was just blinding and at times we couldn't see how far each rider was behind each other. I could taste the dust and feel it in every part of my body by the day's end.

We pressed on and finally came to a service station about 5 kms outside of Limatambo and saw Dave, Julia and Alec having a drink. Being so close to the end of the day we sat down for while, had a drink and took it easy. This riding in these conditions are so exhausting and it's an art in knowing your body and how hard or easy you should push it knowing you'll have to get up again tomorrow and do it all again.

It was time to get back on the bike and head to town and find our campsite. We are camping in the yard of a very old hotel and it's not bad. Good grass area to put up the tent and it's fenced all around. Tonight Barry and I are having cuy which is Guinea Pig for dinner. The company told us yesterday that the lady of the hotel can cook us Guinea Pig the national dish of Peru if we liked. I thought what the hell, you only live once.

I did like the taste of Guinea Pig but there wasn't that much flesh on it to fill you up. I had some meatballs and vegetables to fill up the hole.

Tomorrow is another hard day to reach the major town on the tour, Cuzco. It's here we have 3 rest days and the first 2 will be spent visiting the world famous Machu Picchu. But first we have 75 kms to ride.

Until tomorrow, safe riding.

Andahuaylas to Bush camp Huancarama to Abancay. 2 day update.

Andahuaylas to Bush camp Huancarama. 92 kms, summit 3420 metres, climbing 2280 metres. 2^nd hardest stage on tour.

To start the day backwards I wanted to tell you that I'm typing my blog sitting in my tent at 3420 metres above sea level, eating my dinner because it's raining and windy and it's frigging freezing. As I cast my eyes around then surrounding mountains I can see snow covered peaks with majestic browns and greens as the sun sets on our campsite high up in the Andes.

Today started from the our rest day destination of andahuaylas. The group rolled out of town around 8.30 am and started to climb 10 kms on paved road and then we had to turn to hit the dirt. The climb continued for another 5 kms on very rough and uneven ground. At stages I was in my lowest gear just barely making forward progress due to the steepness of the mountain. As we got higher and higher we left the valley floor and started to see the peak of mountains all around us. I know I've said it a hundred times but to see it up close it's just so surreal. It's like watching the discovery channel everyday. How cool is that?

Once we crested the first summit we had the chance to roll down the other side for a short while and then came across a huge lake. We rode around the shore of the lake and we could see what appeared to be fish farms out in the middle. The lake was surrounded by small homes and people sitting out the front calling out to the silly cyclists who paid a fortune to belt themselves around on these terrible roads. I must say that the people we pass each day are so friendly and always say hello to us. The beautiful smiles of the children and the elderly making a slight wave as we pass diminishes the pain we are feeling for a short time and makes it all worthwhile. 

The photo above was taken during our lunch stop on top of the world.

It's quite amazing how many Christ the Redeemer statues in remote areas of South America. We came across this statue on our long descent into a town I have no idea what the name is.

This was the view as we descended into the valley. We get to see the 1 lane dirt tracks all the way. A very nice sight knowing you're going down and not climbing for a while at least.

Once at the end of the lake we took a sharp left hand turn and commenced climb 2 for the day. This climb was on steep rutted dirt road over 400 metres. The first climb for the day was 1200 metres. When we reached the summit we could see a small village down below. The view across the mountains were nice but for one thing, we knew that flying down into the small village meant that we had to climb out the other side to reach the fire engine for lunch. We roared down the dirt road bouncing all over the place making sure not to go over the side and kill ourselves. It took us about 30 minutes to reach the village, go over the bridge and start climbing No. 3.

When you're climbing dirt roads you have to pick the smoothest line and just keep pedalling. Sometimes you have to change course and go from one side of the road to the other to avoid the ruts and boulders that lay on the road. Barry and I took our time climbing No.3 not to burn ourselves out because we still had a long way to go before we reach bush camp. Climb No. 3 was over 800 metres of back breaking work. It took us around bends to see more road up in the distance. We finally made it to lunch at 1 pm. A very long and hard ride for only 53 kms. We still had another 40 to end the day.

We sat at one of the most amazing lunch stops I've ever had in my life. It was beautiful and sunny patch right on the side of the mountain. We sat their contemplating our lives and the lives of our loved ones back home. It's these moments that you treasure what you have and never want to lose any of it. At 1.30 pm we started to long ride to bush camp.

Now for climb No.4. As soon as we left lunch we climbed another 600 metres. I found this section the steepest of the whole day. We had really sharp hairpin turns to negotiate time after time and it starting to drain me of what little energy I had left. We rode through villages greeted by the locals and their dogs but was so focused on the road to get to the top of this mountain. Eventually we crested the summit to find paved road. It was like God was looking down on me and looking after the tired old man and his mate Barry. It was time to let the bike fly into yet another valley.

When we finally got to the bottom of the valley we had to climb No.5 for the day. This one was at least on reasonably paved road for 18 kms. Now this mountain nearly cracked me. With about 4 kms to go I was gone. Barry was pulling away from me and I was too tired to care. I just rode my own pace and thankfully Barry had stopped further up the mountain. Every time we went around a bend I was hoping there was a clearing and the summit would be in reach. Each time I was greeted by another bend, another curve, another straight stretch of road that went to heaven. I wanted the day to end and I started to wander whether I had the energy to climb to the finish. I just rode with Barry and then I said, 'Bazz there's the flag', you beauty we had reached our final destination for the day. The tiredness had seemed to disappear and now it was time to build Tent Hilton and get my gear sorted out.

The tent went up in no time, followed by a face cloth bath, a change of clothing, a cup of coffee and back to the tent to relax.

Whilst sitting down waiting for dinner and the rain that followed I looked out over the snow covered peaks and thanked God for looking after me all this time on the tour. There will be a good chance that I will be leaving the tour around the 10 of December and catching a bus to Ushuaia as I need to be home by the 15^th December. I will fill you in on the reasons once everything is confirmed.

Well the story for today is complete and we had an amazing day and suffered big time on the climbs. Not sure what tomorrow will bring but as long as it's good health, sun, no rain and no mountains to climb, I'll be happy. I think I'm kidding myself about the mountains.

Until tomorrow, safe riding.

Today's story.  Sunday 14th September 2014.

Bush camp Huancarama to Abancay. 54 kms, 100% paved, summit 3420 metres, 900 metres climbing. A better effort today.

Because everyone was so tired after yesterday's huge effort, breakfast was set for 7.30 am instead of the usual 7 am. It didn't matter to me because the rooster and dog decided to wake me up at 5.50 am. Not happy.

After breakfast it was a very fast descent of 35 kms. Barry and I just let it rip and was among the first to the bottom of the mountain. Barry stopped to take off his jacket and arm warmers and I rolled along.  I kept going along on my own and was met by Joost who had just rode away from James. I was feeling pretty good compared to the last 5 kms of yesterday so I thought I would just keep the pressure on.

The final climb today was only 10 kms with a good grade and the traffic was fine. I sat on the front all the way up into Abancay and never eased up. By the time we reached the Saywa Hotel in Abancay it was just after 10.30 am, not a bad end to the day. A nice early finish and a hotel to rest up in for the rest of the day.

This afternoon we get to eat cake because it's one of the boss's birthday, Wilbert. I'm going to go looking for another socket connection because it appears I left the other one behind. This is the 2nd time I've done this this holiday. It must be a sign of old age at 54. 

I didn't take any photos today because it was down the mountain, a short climb, and an afternoon to go for a walk.

I took the above photo from our room in the town of Huanuco the other day. I thought it turned out OK.

Tomorrow is another tough day with plenty of climbing on paved road thankfully. I hope I get a good night's sleep and be ready for more punishment.

Until tomorrow, safe riding.