might be worth reporting here that locals in Huanuco, Peru last week were very serious in their warnings about the danger of banditry on the abovementioned route.

they went to the extent of ringing the police to say that we were coming through, and the police let us bolt through unhindered. they also confirmed the threat of assaults and robberies.

we took the road anyhow, and the warnings with a grain of salt, and had no trouble, but the warnings were given in a pretty serious tone and seemed worth reporting here.

besides anything else, the road is rough as guts.

cheers,
andy.

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www.outforaspin.blogspot.com

Andy,

Having lived in Peru for 30 years, i have traveled this route various times (my parents even lived in Huaraz for many years). I have also recommended this route to others in http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ontinued-34801
so I am VERY interested in the details of this warning. I will even post an "warning" against the other thread if you think this is necessary.

Also, I am leading a group via that route summer of 2009 and am concerned. Could you tell me who warned you, and what the warning was?

There have often been "robberies" along isolated areas in the Andes, but almost always they have been against slow moving freight vehicles where the thieves just on board from an overhang, slit the tarp, and begin throwing the merchandise off the truck. The other system they use is to "bum" a ride, then assault the driver. Neither of these seem to apply to motorcycles, yet stringing a piano wire across the road would be enough to worry about, tho I have never heard that method used in Peru....

Please detail me in.....

__________________
Toby (charapa)
http://www.freewebs.com/shanperu/
VIVA EL PERU !!
'96 Honda XR400, '96 Honda XR650L, '74 Honda XL250K2

yeah chas. (not knowing your name, sorry!)

not many more details to add i'm afraid. original warning given by Wendel at Motos Huanuco, Tarapacà 812 if i recall right. independently agreed to by a police officer i spoke to in the street, then by two of the cops who were doing the normal checking thing they do (or whatever it is they are doing) along the road.

has to be said there were significantly more police on the road than i have seen at other times when travelling similarly off-the-track areas. the waring they and Wendel gave was to be off the road by the early afternoon, and certainly not travel in the later afternoon. specifically, the warning was for assaults and robberies.

great ride. crap road surface tho. and yes a bit of piano wire or a decent rock would have a rider off in two shakes. two-up on an r11gs it is a 1st- and 2nd-gear road for the vast majority so would not be hard to take on a biker.

that said, i am quite sure that no-one would take on a group of riders. as it was, we just took it easy and plodded along as hurrying was impossible anyhow. add to that the puncture we got as we left huanuco at 0900, and which delayed us almost an hour.

and for those who would take the route, i would reccommend staying at huallanca, only 20-odd km from la unión, a town we found particularly unfriendly.

cheers,
andy.

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www.outforaspin.blogspot.com

Thanks for the response. Yes, La Union is a bit strange, with it's little plaza stuck against the side of the mountain and the town wall running along the river's (creek really) edge...

How was the road up on top (besides being narrow) where the Canadian mining company takes care of it?

__________________
Toby (charapa)
http://www.freewebs.com/shanperu/
VIVA EL PERU !!
'96 Honda XR400, '96 Honda XR650L, '74 Honda XL250K2