7-4 Road to Cusco.

 

Nasca Lines 1.Monkey 2.Condor 3.Humming bird

 

After two days preparing for our uphill journey to Cusco and an interesting airplane ride over the Nasca Lines, we had a late start. Breakfasted with Gareth and Esther of Australia, a couple motorcycling the Americas. They were heading north and living us a lot of pointers.

 

Up into the mountains to Cusco. 1.Motorcycle couple - Gareth & Easther 2.mt. campsite 3.desolation

Then we began the arduous climb. The area is nothing but rock and sand dunes. No rain has kissed these hills in years. So desolate. After only five hours and 22 miles we stopped at 3:30, set up camp and rested for the night. This is not retirement. This is work!

7-5

We certainly have chosen to challenge ourselves! Today we were off by 8:30, and suffered a flat tire right away (the thorns are terrible on the dirt roads and off road when we push our bike to find a campsite). We were nearly out of water and not certain what was ahead. We never thought it would take us so long to ride up this pass. We knew it was steep, we understood altitude could be a problem, but today when we stopped at 3:30 – 4ish we had only traveled 20 miles!

At 10:30am we were not certain that we’d be able to go on. We came to a little store and bought water and coke. The owner told us to look for the clean swimming pool 4km up on the right. It was more like 7km, a spring-fed holding tank for the agriculture in the little pueblo there. I promptly stripped and climbed over the side and lowered myself in. COLD, but absolutely wonderful. I’m glad I had my hair cut in Nasca so I could get fairly clean. Art chose to wash off at the discharge port with a cloth.

More road to Cusco 1.morning 2.after the flat 3.pool wash up

After our baths, another 5km up the road were two restaurants. The one we chose fed us very well (soup, chicken, rice and corn) and we were able to purchase LOTS of water, bread and cookies. The lady owner danced for us, kissed us goodbye and wished us luck.

Weighted down by all our food, we kept cranking slowly up the grade. Two days – all up! A truck pulled over, three men jumped out and opened up the back. Not sure what was going on, I approached them warily – only to have my arms filled with juicy, sweet oranges! A gift from Peru.

We have found a good campsite, eaten a great spaghetti dinner with avocado sandwiches and are tucking into our tent expecting a cold night. We guess we are still 20km from the pass, so we are at least over 3500m. We’ve been told to expect snow at places on this road to Cusco. I hope that is incorrect information.

7-6

The last three days have been a test of our endurance. We have climbed for 99k to an altitude of 4,390m - unrelenting sun and deep blue sky, head winds, cross winds and yes, even tail winds at times. The landscape is barren, sand, rocks and mountains with what seem like unending switch backs up, up, and again up.

Looking up, we can see the road winding into the distance. Looking down, just the twists and turns of the switch backs. At the end of the day we can see the place we left in the morning!

Rough camping is just that. Look for a place off the road - flat, hopefully a tent place and a cooking place; then scope out a toilet place; unload the bike; cover it; put up the tent; blow up the mattresses and set up the bed; start the stove; boil water; prepare dinner; eat as the sun falls behind the mountains; clean up; brush teeth and hit the tent to get warm; read and lights out by 7pm; shiver and shake as we adjust our bedding; wearing long johns and hats as part of our sleeping wear. And always waving to the passing trucks and busses that can see us on this desolate landscape and honk a lively hello.

Today we topped the pass. A hard struggle for me to breathe – used the “puffer” medication twice and on the whole felt as strong as a wet noodle. Wild Vicuña herds watched our every move, honking and whistling at our presence. Their long necks and large eyes and soft bicolor fur coats were a pleasure to our eyes.

Tonight we have happened upon a hospedaje in which to bed down and clean up. It is a family run place. The girls heated water on the stove so we could have some for cleaning up. Great after two days of cold, cold water sitz bathing. - Art

More road to Cusco. 1.Topping the pass 2.viacuña 3.home for the night

 

7-7

A new day. Great sleep and lovely people last night. So - on the bike expecting major climbs. We ride up a little where we pass through a small town, Lucanas. We are enjoying the Peruvian people who laugh; stop us to talk; wave us down to their wheat field where they are cutting and then separating the wheat by hand. We see five day old sheep and smile with the herder. I just wish my Spanish was improving. The people are wonderful and my limited language skill hinders our interaction.

 

road to Cusco continued 1.sheep herder 2.proud father 3.Can you find the 5 day old lamb?

The sun is fierce, the shadows cool, but so far the climbs aren’t the problem – the 3800km altitude is making biking a chore. Downhill (where did that come from?) we ride 10-15kms and arrive in a town: Puquio. This was our destination for today, so we stop at 11:30am. After checking around we settle on a little Hostal with gardens (actual grass), hot water and a new mattress with a private bath for $7. The hosts’ son is visiting from University and wanting to try out his English so he shows us a good place to eat and takes us on a tour of his city.

Puquio 4.Bull fighting posters 5.town of Puquio in the evening 6.hostal and Percy our guide on the right

After a great lunch we are taking an afternoon break/nap and trying to decide if we want to continue to ride at this altitude up and down huge passes (4800m) and sleep in what promises to be VERY cold and carry everything for the next 330km or take a lift for a few 100km. Maybe we’ll stay another night here!

7-8

We threw in the hat and bought bus tickets all the way to Cusco. We debated a ride over the pass, then to a town at the top of a long valley and then just decided on Cusco, itself. Many things played in this choice: long distances at high altitude (which we’ve found difficult); COLD (extreme at night); and short daylight which makes bike days short; and lastly, and maybe more important, our rim is again splitting and the rear hand brake is not functional, slowing the bike at every turn of the wheel where the rim is bulging and cracked. Part of this choice is met with sorrow, giving up our selected, yet difficult route; part is knowing we will again be entering a tourist area, rather than being the only gringos in pueblos, or just visiting the mud houses and restaurants along the road. We will miss the truckers honking “hello” as we set our tent up and cook.

Our 8pm bus arrived at 10pm. We stood in the cold night shivering and chattering with the other waiting passengers, worried if the bike would fit in the bus. We ended up having to take the front off and watch Bici stuffed and man-handled into no space. These buses haul huge loads in their cargo bays. On the bus we got the last two seats next to the bathroom. WOW - what a treat to be next to an “out house”. The door stuck, so as older women tried to get in, I served as door monitor and helped them. We were on the bus for 11 hours, winding and lurching over switch backs and steep mountain curves. Sometimes the road was well paved, sometimes not. Judee slept, I fidgeted and watched the moon painted landscape roll by. The natives all come prepared for a cold trip: layers of blankets, hats, gloves and food. We had snacks, but no blanket, so we huddled together as best we could. Yes, it was a long achy-breaky night ride, but only one of many to date and not the last.

7-11

Third day in Cusco…we now have rented an apartment for a month, very old stone building, nicely furnished but a little on the chilly side, so we invested in some local market clothes…new poly pro knock off vests for $3, slippers, new shoes for Judee so she won’t slip and slide on the steep cobble stone streets and walks, heavy socks for me to wear as slippers at night; light bulbs, water container and cups, dish and bath towels, etc, et. We are all settled in to our cozy place and as I write, Judee is shopping veggies to add to our chicken dinner.

 

1. Our street in Cusco 2. Our apartment interior entry 3. Cold Stone Kitchen

Cusco is a rather big city set in a bowl surrounded by brown mountains with patches of green trees. Daily the skies are blue and it warms up to shirt sleeve temperatures, evenings are cold with layers of clothing, gloves and hats. The streets are filled with gringos speaking many languages mixing with the locals, some locals begging and selling tourist items or going about their lives. Today there was a large protest which filled the local streets and emptied into the parks. Traffic was halted, but all was peaceful. The paint seemed to be “we want free water like the USA” according to our taxi driver who had to let us off, so we walked home with our purchases.

 

Cusco rooftops

Yesterday we ran into another young English tandem couple. They started in Quito and rode and bused some of the same roads we had. It was fun to compare notes, see their bike and for us: a reminder of how strong we are.

[In case you didn't catch Art's comment a few paragraphs above, they plan now to stay in Cusco for a month.   There may be updates from their sojourn there, but the next chapter in the bicycle journey is not likely to begin until August. --Gary]