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Down time
It is time to go back To Argentina for a much deserved months rest in la Falda. Retracing our route for the third time it was no less spectacular on the snake road or on the stunning view in the Paso Libertadores. It was even more stunning in the evening light on the way to Uspallata. Camping here was 6$ for both of us.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3808/...f6705b41_z.jpg https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5112/...4543f78d28.jpg https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7216/...3af2981f_o.png https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2862/...9c3d2ec3_c.jpg From here we headed north 421 km from Uspallata to Chepes. The first 115 km was paved to Barreal and then there was 36 km of mostly good ripio on the 149. Coming south from here the ride along the river the road is mostly one lane and hugs the hillside. When we got near to San Juan at 5 pm we said we would stop at the next “spot”, but we did not like San Juan, and then after this there was nothing except a few shacks on the road for 200 km. We luckily found an ACA Motel in the town of Chepes. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5146/...bb314e29_b.jpg https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5234/...34817832_c.jpg https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3747/...59c5f9e6_c.jpg https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7332/...0260c9b1_c.jpg https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3713/...998b374e_c.jpg Today we rode 377 km to Cordoba. There were several police checks for paperwork. The last 60 km from La Falda over the mountain to Cordoba in on the Comino del Cuadrado. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7119/...c84ec6b45a.jpg https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7358/...a9d316d5c6.jpg https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7169/...b06dab49_c.jpg [url=https://flic.kr/p/mB9tiq]https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3665/...bc5036a3_c.jpg[/ |
I emailed Merriam Webster about you guys earlier today. They're going to officially remove the current definition of EPIC and just put a link to your link to your blog instead.
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nice
Quote:
Wow thanks al lot! We are really having a great adventure! We are having a rest for April and then we head to Bolivia and Peru! Cheers. SP & DP |
Cordoba
Cordoba is a nice city and is famous for the number of churches. There is the large main square with the statue of San Martin as usual in Argentina.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7249/...05c3556e_c.jpg The Cathedral here is very beautiful and inside it spectacular with the gilding. We were here on the weekend so there were services on and so we did not take photos. https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2870/...140411e4_c.jpg https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2901/...3867870f_c.jpg An interesting thing they do here with the heritage buildings is to mirror the facade on the cobble street or square outside using marble. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7134/...ba027969_c.jpg The statue of the founder of the city in 1573. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7171/...8dbbf342_c.jpg https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2914/...79960342_c.jpg Also a regular sight in this country is the Maldives are Argentinean signs. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7397/...2bab19f9_c.jpg The oldest university here is Jesuit and is over 400 years old. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7215/...4166934b_c.jpg https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3729/...03a6156a_c.jpg https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2811/...50320862_c.jpg https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3769/...0b3f85aa_c.jpg This is the famous Capuchin church that is very ornate. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3832/...070f942a_c.jpg https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3805/...2284a3e0_c.jpg There is a large city park here with this centennial sculpture. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3815/...df32749a_c.jpg https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7311/...b1d6b09a_c.jpg No day here is complete without a Malbec. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3834/...2391595d_c.jpg |
La Falda
Thanks to Clive we had arranged a place in La Falda to hang out for a month at Walter and Dagmar’s place. It is a short 75 km from Cordoba over the mountains to El Chingolito on Aveneda Las Lomas at the base of the El Dragon mountain.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3747/...0541e056_o.png https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7014/...8d3cdbed_c.jpg https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7302/...ae386e74_c.jpg https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3760/...61a11ae2_c.jpg https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7395/...3bc7ae38_c.jpg https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7302/...1614d6b6_c.jpg https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3710/...18a08362_c.jpg https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2898/...8a26c142_c.jpg Walking in town we began to wonder if there might be something strange going on here??? https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7013/...5d583e37_c.jpg They must get some serious rain here as some of the streets have crossing gates and water gauges. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3719/...49a05686_c.jpg Hanging out here with the dogs we had time to get caught up on a few chores. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7341/...6851509d_c.jpg https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7134/...95c19971_c.jpg https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7139/...5fdd0191_c.jpg |
ride over the mountain
Well it has been pouring rain and thunder and lightening for the last 4 days so we were happy not to be riding. The sun finally did come out and we took a trip up over the mountains and came back on a great off road route. Also joining us was Peter who is just finishing up a 3-month trip to South America.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2891/...6b39f08193.jpgScreen Shot 2014-04-09 at 6.48.11 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr First there was the hairpin, but paved Camino Cuadrado over the mountain towards Cordoba, but then you make a left turn towards Salsipuedes and then a left onto the gravel towards Candonga. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7380/...9a2ff74c_c.jpgScreen Shot 2014-04-09 at 1.22.21 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7002/...aa0ebfe2_c.jpgride from La Falda 2 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2869/...715cdd03_c.jpgride from La Falda 1 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3800/...131d46cf_c.jpgride from La Falda 11 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3769/...1a0d1ef8_c.jpgride from La Falda 18 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7362/...63603467_c.jpgride from La Falda 41 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr There were a few water crossings as well. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5267/...895074e9_c.jpgride from La Falda 19 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2828/...e4c2dc67_c.jpgride from La Falda 23 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2899/...9208fbf1_c.jpgride from La Falda 26 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2912/...f6a18147_c.jpgride from La Falda 28 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr A lot of the “road” was like a washed out riverbed and also with some steep sections and tight corners. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3753/...dce63c8d_c.jpgride from La Falda 31 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2868/...44634804_c.jpgride from La Falda 45 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3721/...6ceb6b31_c.jpgride from La Falda 46 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr There is a beautiful valley with an old estancia and church on the way, but nothing else and we saw only 3 cars. https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2815/...7137eab8_c.jpgride from La Falda 6 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3803/...e12a0f89_c.jpgride from La Falda 5 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Peter had a small dirt nap after a patch of deep mud. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3712/...4574362a_c.jpgride from La Falda 49 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2919/...a0a8a04f_c.jpgride from La Falda 32 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Happy Easter Everyone
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Bratwurst
Depsite the fact that it looke like rain today we opted to head south to the “german town” of General Belgrano. We did not take the 125 km direct route on the RN 38, but the windy scenic route.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2886/...4d8ddf3a_c.jpgLa Falda 32 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr One of the water crossings was too deep for the cars. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7273/...66b5dc70_c.jpgLa Falda 33 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7438/...b5b5b20b_c.jpgLa Falda 39 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7091/...3b86175d_c.jpgLa Falda 41 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr This route takes you along several lakes too and on one there was a hydroelectric plant with a massive amount of water flowing over it. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3819/...e18654a7_c.jpgLa Falda 35 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7314/...486c9a23_c.jpgLa Falda 47 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
La Falda
The big thing here in Argentina is to have Asado. This is a kind of BBQ that requires some skill in fire building and grilling large pieces of meat over the coals only. This is done in a “Parilla” (pa-ree-ah).
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7310/...e4c76150_c.jpgLa Falda 1 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7229/...2aebbaf9e5.jpgLa Falda 4 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3687/...57598e45_c.jpgLa Falda 9 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3676/...a7577a35_c.jpgLa Falda 19 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3800/...5cf19faa_c.jpgLa Falda 15 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3751/...2e08257c_c.jpgLa Falda 22 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7171/...56b3b30f_c.jpgLa Falda 28 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
La Falda
We went for a drive over the mountain on this bad washed out dirt road. What was surprising was this was the “Camino de Artesanias” along which there are a hundred year old farm where they make sweets and chocolates, an Irish Pub, and various shops.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3698/...7ebef783_c.jpgDSC03247 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3672/...07e78498_c.jpgDSC03249 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5039/...f8ceca9d_c.jpgDSC03250 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2902/...93e8e4c5_c.jpgDSC03282 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2907/...87e34798_c.jpgDSC03284 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3703/...877d3417_c.jpgDSC03288 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr There was also an incredible nursery farm here too. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7431/...6dc53708_c.jpgDSC03256 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7082/...629b8df4_c.jpgDSC03262 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5233/...8397f3cc_c.jpgDSC03314 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2940/...62c5288a_c.jpgDSC03298 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2934/...304b702f_c.jpgDSC03305 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3675/...365a7558_c.jpgDSC03320 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Moto GP
There was a local motor-cross race going on too.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2919/...801eb0e5_c.jpgLa Falda holiday 148 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr This will get us warmed up to see Valentino next week in Rio Hondo!! https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5300/...109fc9ee95.jpgimages-3 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Moto GP
Well it has been a while we have had almost no Internet for the last few weeks, with camping at the Moto GP and travelling in remote areas.
Trevor Angel had contacted us and the Two Moto Kiwi about going to the Moto GP in Termes de Rio Hondo Argentina just north of us in la Falda and so the Kiwis came to hang out with us there for a week before so we could all go together. They got right down to work with Andi fixing stuff around the place and Ellen working on the yard. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5033/...2c66a4f6_c.jpgDSC03363 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7009/...c9e2ccee_c.jpgLa Falda holiday 154 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Dan wrenched his back so he was in bed for a few days, but finally made it up on day 3 as far as the chaise lounge. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7295/...2f32d6ee_c.jpgDSC03362 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr We had to have another asado for them too with huge slabs of meat and 5 liter jugs of Malbec. Andi really liked his wine! https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2911/...e892e41b_c.jpgDSC07716 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7041/...cfec3c18_c.jpgDSC07713 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Heading out from La Falda on Thursday we were in no real hurry as we had a strait paved run for 450 km to Santiago del Estero, where we planned to meet Clive and stay the night. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7439/...04c6edf2_c.jpgkiwi pics a 1 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr On the way there were numerous road checks and tons of traffic. In usual Argentine fashion they drive very fast and pass at the stupidest places. Dan was ahead of us and passed a truck, as did Andi and then me. The car behind us decided to go as well, but there was not enough room to make it so he cut Andi off and pushed in right beside me to push me over and then passed close by Dan. This made the guys crazy…..They passed him on a double yellow in view of the police check so we were all pulled over. The car then drove up and was going to go, but Andi shouted to the police that this guy had tried to run us over and then I tried to explain in my bad Spanish what had happened. Long story short after some discussion he let us go and gave the car a ticket. There is always a line up for gas in Argentina, especially in the south, but at the YPF station at the half way mark on our trip we had to line up for an hour to get gas. https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2935/...f654fd07_c.jpgkiwi pics a 2 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr The number of bikes of all sorts on the road heading to the GP was incredible. We began to wonder if they are all on the road racing to Rio Hondo for camping today….maybe we should too. We had booked camping, but had all wrongly assumed it was 3 nights from Friday. Arriving in Estero at 530 we used Clive’s Internet to discover that the 80$ per person camping was tonight too and Trevor was already there waiting for us without a voucher to get in. Oops! So we cruised off the 70 km to arrive at dusk to huge lines of cars trying to get over the 1 bridge into the town center. The bikes were all riding on the verge and then on the sidewalk over the bridge so we joined in. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7192/...f76c3ba3_c.jpgkiwi pics a 4 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr We parked outside the huge casino Hotel where the will call was for the tickets. There were hundreds of cool street bikes of all kinds, but our 3 drew a huge crowd. People mobbed us with questions and requests for pictures. We finally found Trevor just 100 meters up the road dealing with the same sort of crowd. We then headed off to the Circuit area with the Camping. What a gong show. They were totally disorganized and the promised “designated” camp spots with power did not exist. Driving around in the dark we eventually found enough bare ground for 5 tents and 4 bikes and set up shop for the night. The other issue for the guys was the several thousand of them and 1 bathroom/shower house. For the girls it was no problem as there was very few of us. The up side is that they decided to refund everyone the entire price so camping was free! Other people here were really set up as there were motorhomes, trailers, busses etc. They had huge fires and BBQs going and several had PA systems and music. Dan was up early to catch the sunrise. https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2905/...c61cffed_c.jpgmotoGP 2 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7332/...c20a95cd_c.jpgmotoGP 3 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr We walked over to the grandstand the first day, but since it was on the other side of the track it was probably 2 km. We drove after that since the motos could park right by the gate and the police station. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5157/...26e4cf7a_c.jpgmotoGP 4 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5533/...a61881da_c.jpgmotoGP 5 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2912/...92a0a8ee_c.jpgmotoGP 6 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7418/...9f3d3be3_c.jpgmotoGP 7 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr We really enjoyed the practice rounds and qualifying too. It is amazing the number of crashes that occur and all but 1 guy walked away. In the end the Moto 3 race was the most exciting especially for us at the final curve. The Moto 2 and GP races were not close, but still exciting. https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2935/...eb5b9370_c.jpgmotoGP 9 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7313/...7e7e6dd2_c.jpgmotoGP 11 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7345/...385e71ca_c.jpgmotoGP 13 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7377/...6d46e115_c.jpgmotoGP 14 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5328/...c3476d16_c.jpgmotoGP 18 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7061/...174bf03f_c.jpgmotoGP 19 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7432/...732e2497_c.jpgmotoGP 38 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2898/...07fe2464_c.jpgmotoGP 43 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7457/...a4a61ec6_c.jpgmotoGP 47 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5079/...fd2aeb0c_c.jpgmotoGP 52 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Moto GP
The evenings we spent in camp and over the weekend collected a few more riders including Steven Stewart from Scotland and Mike Waterman from England. The pile of wine bottles in the center every night began to look like a campfire. On the final night Steven the Commando went commando. Did someone say “Naked Bar”?
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5498/...99666e9e_c.jpgmotoGP 30 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5455/...032e2eb8_c.jpgmotoGP 34 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7209/...47e6f929_c.jpgmotoGP 33 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7409/...18bfd5c6_c.jpgmotoGP 36 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2895/...bac088d5_c.jpgmotoGP 56 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2932/...7008e580_c.jpgmotoGP 57 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr We all lined up for a group shot before heading off in various directions. The TMK joined up with us to head west. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5470/...72f44a86_c.jpgmotoGP 54 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5111/...34ac4b3d_c.jpgmotoGP 61 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7176/...b92d9619_c.jpgkiwi pics a 5 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
mud
The plan was to go west and make it 345 km to Belen.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5464/...720ab7bb_o.pngScreen Shot 2014-05-03 at 5.27.03 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr The day started out cloudy with the threat of rain and we rode on the pavement north towards Tucuman and then southwest to Conception. This is where the pavement ended and the rain started. The first part of the dirt road was flat, but that was short lived and a steep switchback 1-lane road over the mountain was next. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7189/...be654f12_o.pngScreen Shot 2014-05-03 at 5.35.22 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7433/...1c4cf6cb_o.pngScreen Shot 2014-05-03 at 5.34.49 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr What is surprising is there were a number of transport trucks on this “road”. One in particular wanted the entire road and we ended up having to squish by on the left. He actually touched my dry bag. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7297/...0cd53679_c.jpgkiwi pics a 7 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7407/...cd8136ca_c.jpgkiwi pics a 8 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7333/...c7965f10_c.jpgkiwi pics a 9 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7444/...edbb2ac8_c.jpgkiwi pics a 15 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5236/...64148c70_c.jpgkiwi pics a 10 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2918/...d0dbb77e_c.jpgkiwi pics a 11 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2895/...4f14ff78_c.jpgkiwi pics a 19 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
mud
We were happy to hit the summit and the end of the rain for the descent on the other side to Penas Altas.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2934/...9c61e994_c.jpgkiwi pics a 30 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7431/...6d317dbd_c.jpgkiwi pics a 20 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5482/...c2afb0d1_c.jpgkiwi pics a 18 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2917/...cc2310c1_c.jpgkiwi pics a 21 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5489/...a46a2b16_c.jpgkiwi pics a 22 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7362/...24b31463_c.jpgkiwi pics a 24 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5474/...12f81fda_c.jpgkiwi pics a 26 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2915/...e3048112_c.jpgkiwi pics a 34 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7460/...598e3d58_c.jpgFILE1597 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2900/...0dcd25f3_c.jpgFILE1615 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7320/...40a6cbe1_c.jpgDSC03476 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5485/...ecc1c641_c.jpgDSC03475 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2911/...ecd86a71_c.jpgDSC03478 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2910/...8fefa882_c.jpgDSC03479 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2937/...0d521f9f_c.jpgDSC03480 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr It was getting late when we finally arrived at Andalgala after only 257 km. We were all tired and Andi was starting with the flu so we voted to stay here instead of pushing on the last 85 km of which only the last 30 are paved. We managed to find a good cabana with super hot water and a kitchen to cook. Ellen as usual was industrious and was up early picking walnuts. https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2928/...4f4a12aa_c.jpgFILE1645 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2921/...08daaf5c_c.jpgDSC03483 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2932/...4614089a_c.jpgDSC03484 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Belen
The next day was a short 55 km of good dirt with only the occasional sand pit and then 30 km of very new tarmac to Belen. Poor Andi was worse today so it was a good thing we had an easy day.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2898/...27cc3873_c.jpgDSC03486 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7343/...c1586774_c.jpgDSC03487 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7059/...32783832_c.jpgFILE1662 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr This gave us time to tour the town, Cathedral, and the local museum. The artifacts here are thousands of years old. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7195/...1bcb62e8_c.jpgDSC03507 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5550/...2c59b8e6_c.jpgDSC03505 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5072/...bf455f55_c.jpgDSC03511 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5590/...fd027d6b_c.jpgDSC03506 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7421/...b12edcb4_c.jpgDSC03504 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2915/...d71420f8_c.jpgDSC03491 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5484/...a1a87358_c.jpgDSC03489 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2896/...a34fccb8_c.jpgDSC03497 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Antofagasta de La Sierra
Today we are headed where few people seem to have gone, which is Antofogasta de la Sierra in 257 km. This route is not on google map, but is on RP 43 which heads out from RN 40 just before Hualfin. The road is paved from Belen to the turn off ( last gas) and then there is about 30 km of dirt. The rest is paved until the last 60 km from El Penon.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2905/...11b771bc_z.jpgScreen Shot 2014-05-03 at 5.53.53 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7183/...0a9207f0_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 1 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7194/...4c6230e1_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 2 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5529/...486579e8_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 10 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2933/...2da28059_c.jpgto A del la S kiwi 6 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5515/...61dc249b_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 7 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2935/...9bc8682d_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 9 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7361/...dac0012c_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 11 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2928/...ac707012_c.jpgto A del la S kiwi 7 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5461/...eac374bc_c.jpgto A del la S kiwi 9 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2898/...d33d99ea_c.jpgto A del la S kiwi 11 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7177/...4846b20a_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 20 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7456/...cd93fcb4_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 23 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr The 4200 m altitude hits you after “you see the first big dune” as our friend told us. We stopped when it got to 2.5 degrees to add a few layers. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7381/...4a66447a_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 14 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7347/...b5576d9e_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 15 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2934/...012bcbac_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 17 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2921/...39f041aa_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 25 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2905/...2a0e311b_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 27 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5338/...992239cb_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 28 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7069/...611c5012_c.jpgto A del la S kiwi 12 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr When we pulled over Andi went off the pavement into deep sand for a nap. https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2912/...2f33ea18_c.jpgto A del la S kiwi 13 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2918/...7b663e2d_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 29 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7312/...2df848fb_c.jpgto A del la S kiwi 14 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7366/...324ca37e_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 30 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7399/...4df2eef7_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 31 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr We stopped for a break in El Penon before the last off road section. There are a few km of new pavement to start. It then deteriorates quickly. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5493/...500f251c_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 35 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2899/...6f7065f0_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 37 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5339/...1b53333d_c.jpgto A del la S kiwi 16 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7210/...5a12dbcd_c.jpgto A del la S kiwi 18 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2932/...a59d1885_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 38 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Antofagasta de La Sierra
For a bit of fun we decided to ride on the “tarmac” sections, which have never been used in the 4 years they have been here. This meant riding over the dirt blockades or riding around in the sand. This avoided the dusty dirt road beside us.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7301/...49f54159_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 44 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7426/...0d923c05_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 56 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7399/...122ecd35_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 47 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7424/...6b364215_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 46 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7381/...ca687765_c.jpgto A del la S kiwi 26 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5334/...1d4c1140_c.jpgto A del la S kiwi 20 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7203/...729a37e6_c.jpgto A del la S kiwi 36 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2938/...2dae9b54_c.jpgto A del la S kiwi 37 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2924/...a32314f8_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 54 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7338/...2be5cd09_c.jpgto A del la S kiwi 33 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7442/...2840f7fa_c.jpgto A del la S kiwi 41 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5350/...8eacbf1a_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 57 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2899/...b8c1ff11_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 59 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7335/...e6daa769_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 60 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr The last 10 KM are pot holed with a few sand pits and dirt sections. Just before town there is a large black lava field from the two nearby black volcanoes. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7060/...c5919e37_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 62 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2940/...c0b60033_c.jpgto A del la S kiwi 46 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7457/...ef747c0a_c.jpgto A del la S kiwi 47 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7421/...ae8e4201_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 64 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Arriving in Antofagata at 3200 m we met up with our friends from La Falda who had managed to book us rooms here on this long weekend. The room was nice enough, but since there was no heat or insulation and the window did not close all the way it was the same temperature inside our room and outside minus 10, but at least not with the added wind chill. The worst part was Sara now had Andi’s flu and combined with the altitude was pretty miserable. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7460/...6d041d7e_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 66 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7429/...c2f7545c_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 69 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5159/...ace5a3f3_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 71 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2921/...82628566_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 73 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2916/...bfb8f468_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 75 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5160/...958db360_c.jpgto Antofogasta de la sierra 77 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Finally back...
Well we have been delayed in posting for several reasons. I had a missing photos issue. Thanks to the Two Moto Kiwi who I had luckily given all my pics of the dunes to for uploading them to us. The rest of the delay is the lack of decent internet for the last few weeks. Now onto the dunes!
We did head out for a 4x4 tour with our friend Walter to the Great Dune, the Campo de Piedra Pomez, and to see some ancient stone carvings. Driving out of Antofagasta you get a great view down the Alta Plana toward the white lava rocks from the white volcano. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5476/...b9f3a76c_c.jpgDSC07912 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2917/...ca1471ba_c.jpgDSC07905 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2935/...4c1c7334_c.jpgDSC03543 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5278/...5c07fc2f_c.jpgDSC07908 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5528/...5418e900_c.jpgDSC07914 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5272/...be70f7e8_c.jpgDSC07918 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7353/...b5e51263_c.jpgDSC07926 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr The largest dune here has a trail up the lava field nearby. From the top the view is amazing of the other volcanoes and the white lava fields. The TMK had never been on a dune of this size before so were keen to run/ski down. Sara could barely walk up she was so sick with her cold. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5484/...4a1d6d5d_c.jpgDSC07930 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7401/...2c0f3efd_c.jpgAntofogasta kiwi 2 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2900/...e8512398_c.jpgDSC07935 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2904/...792ef0f7_c.jpgDSC07931 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5037/...b926b5a1_c.jpgDSC07936 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2906/...6ea107d1_c.jpgDSC07939 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7442/...6e2f99c4_c.jpgAntofogasta kiwi 3 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7183/...630792eb_c.jpgAntofogasta kiwi 5 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2928/...29694a02_c.jpgDSC07931 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5113/...30ed07a1_c.jpgDSC03554 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5342/...a6822916_c.jpgAntofogasta kiwi 8 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7439/...71f572bc_c.jpgAntofogasta kiwi 12 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5339/...c2f6d8d7_c.jpgAntofogasta kiwi 11 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2908/...334b8b81_c.jpgAntofogasta kiwi 13 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5278/...d3620f37_c.jpgAntofogasta kiwi 14 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2921/...6ea5d70c_c.jpgDSC03544 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2934/...d37158a3_c.jpgDSC03550 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7063/...2178924a_c.jpgDSC03552 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7041/...f3981b79_c.jpgAntofogasta kiwi 15 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5556/...8b183481_c.jpgAntofogasta kiwi 17 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2933/...85437538_c.jpgDSC07941 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
The White Rock!
In this area there are more than 200 volcanoes some are giant and some are very small. The Blanco or white Volcano erupted to form the Campo de Piedra Pomez or pumice stone field. This is a 16 mile area was formed by the eruption and sculpted by the wind and it looks like a sea filled with white icebergs or with white waves with pick crests. Thanks Ellen for the pictures, until I can get mine recovered.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5501/...94e00a30_c.jpgDSC07942 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7310/...1d612e3d_c.jpgDSC03558 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7429/...2a1a46f3_c.jpgAntofogasta kiwi 18 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7415/...975bdc16_c.jpgAntofogasta kiwi 19 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5456/...f8a9228d_c.jpgAntofogasta kiwi 22 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5074/...eb704645_c.jpgAntofogasta kiwi 23 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5078/...a8fe01c8_c.jpgAntofogasta kiwi 25 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5330/...7d432128_c.jpgDSC03571 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7433/...15babf9f_c.jpgDSC03573 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7039/...4d5369d6_c.jpgDSC03574 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5236/...1d024309_c.jpgDSC07945 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2903/...15f78a8e_c.jpgDSC07947 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5036/...aee47413_c.jpgDSC07948 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2921/...90074c36_c.jpgDSC07949 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5159/...95c58fa5_c.jpgDSC07950 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2899/...1ed49582_c.jpgDSC07951 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2900/...160d595b_c.jpgDSC07953 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2922/...a6d6dc88_c.jpgDSC07955 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2928/...84dbc228_c.jpgDSC07956 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5580/...0409f881_c.jpgDSC07958 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2902/...e91ebe68_c.jpgDSC07959 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2927/...e9624936_c.jpgDSC07963 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7382/...60795d84_c.jpgAntofogasta kiwi 30 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
feeling the altitude
The stone carvings here are from the same era 1000 ACE to 9000 BCE as the artifacts in the museum of Belen. Walter took us around to several sites that you would never find on your own as they are out in the middle of nowhere.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5561/...ece69ae5_c.jpgDSC08019 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5507/...4b7e6abb_c.jpgDSC07981 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5036/...5af61f89_c.jpgDSC07984 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5536/...f0b458a1_c.jpgDSC07985 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7195/...7c20c06c_c.jpgAntofogasta kiwi 32 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7380/...77682ef9_c.jpgDSC07987 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2940/...7b97e391_c.jpgDSC07992 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2895/...40e7e5c3_c.jpgDSC07994 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7433/...a9ba226c_c.jpgDSC07997 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7367/...5ba24be2_c.jpgDSC08010 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr The plan from here had been to head OFF OFF road and drive on the Salar de Antofalla (the longest salar in the world), camp out, and then make it back to the dirt road 300 km north on the RP 51. The combination of the altitude, the freezing temperature, the possibility of no gas available in the next tine town, and Sara being sicker today we opted to be safe and back track 332 km to civilization and normal altitude in Santa Maria. It’s a good thing, since arriving there Sara went directly to bed and didn’t get up until the next morning. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5239/...a08a4124_o.pngScreen Shot 2014-05-03 at 6.28.02 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2933/...b67b95c6_c.jpgsanta maria amanche 1 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2915/...9fe85e4b_c.jpgsanta maria amanche 3 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5272/...c3f07197_c.jpgsanta maria amanche 6 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7404/...50ed93ab_c.jpgsanta maria amanche 8 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Positively Stunning shots!!:thumbup1:
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Pics
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Pachamama
She was a bit better today so we decided to get going north. On the way out of town there is a huge statue of Pachamama. Pachamama is the goddess revered by the indigenous people of the Andes. In Inca mythology she is a fertility goddess. After the conquest by the Spanish the figure of the Virgin Mary became united with the Pachamama for many indigenous who were forced to convert to Catholicism.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7447/...e06b6176_o.pngScreen Shot 2014-05-11 at 3.27.01 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7382/...cebd8282_c.jpgsanta maria amanche 9 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Just 21 km out of Santa Maria is the small village of Amaicha, which has an amazing Pachamama Museum. From here we rode north and thru Cayfate (which is a very cute town) “ on our way to Cachi up the ruta 40”. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5311/...591e0b6a_c.jpgsanta maria amanche 66 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7388/...d94110d7_c.jpgsanta maria amanche 10 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7414/...325bf357_c.jpgsanta maria amanche 50 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5591/...9a3c46a4_c.jpgsanta maria amanche 16 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5592/...d207908e_c.jpgsanta maria amanche 21 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7435/...a63c5daa_c.jpgsanta maria amanche 24 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7421/...0d9a0e94_c.jpgsanta maria amanche 25 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5496/...e27c931f_c.jpgsanta maria amanche 26 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7439/...9cf2e36b_c.jpgsanta maria amanche 29 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2909/...bdd90044_c.jpgsanta maria amanche 31 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5528/...d6af13c3_c.jpgsanta maria amanche 35 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7353/...6ba43c79_c.jpgsanta maria amanche 44 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7399/...6f340466_c.jpgsanta maria amanche 47 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7361/...75089441_c.jpgsanta maria amanche 56 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7302/...7e200af4_c.jpgsanta maria amanche 60 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7334/...4fdcde81_c.jpgsanta maria amanche 64 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Cayfate
Our plan had been today to head up to Cachi, but Sara was still not feeling up to 120 km of dirt, washboard, and steep mountain roads, so we drove 25 km thru the vineyards to San Carlos after a total of only 84 km and STOPPED and actually ate lunch! Heading 19 km back to Cayfate we found a nice room in a small hostal. They have a nice square here full of restaurants.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7447/...e06b6176_o.pngScreen Shot 2014-05-11 at 3.27.01 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7295/...4668af24_c.jpgsanta maria amanche 13 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5530/...b245beee_c.jpgDSC08042 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2899/...59f9dd51_c.jpgDSC08028 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7395/...2c05699a_c.jpgDSC08031 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7395/...d473c7aa_c.jpgDSC08026 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5031/...35e69358_c.jpgDSC08027 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5076/...e778d57a_c.jpgDSC08034 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5516/...2727055b_c.jpgDSC08032 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Salta
The road north from here 189 km to Salta is amazing on the RN 68.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5526/...e0a254fd_o.pngScreen Shot 2014-05-11 at 3.27.49 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5577/...497d3af3_c.jpgsalta cachi 52 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr It looks a lot like Utah with the red rocks. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7316/...fa0d3a6a_c.jpgsalta cachi 1 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2929/...62ae9afb_c.jpgsalta cachi 2 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2918/...459c5104_c.jpgsalta cachi 4 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5554/...3545dcc0_c.jpgsalta cachi 3 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7448/...695eec66_c.jpgsalta cachi 7 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7388/...36cc43ff_c.jpgsalta cachi 5 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7407/...7d863bc5_c.jpgsalta cachi 10 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2899/...7eaa13b4_c.jpgsalta cachi 11 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr We saw 4 tour busses pulled over on the side of the road so we checked it out. It was a very cool ancient waterfall from a now dry lake that created a natural amphitheatre. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5541/...b7b20af8_c.jpgsalta cachi 9 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7374/...73afce36_c.jpgsalta cachi 12 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7300/...0c3f5e66_c.jpgsalta cachi 21 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5583/...4d5c6e03_c.jpgsalta cachi 15 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7425/...7550813d_c.jpgsalta cachi 20 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7296/...b6bd11cb_c.jpgsalta cachi 18 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr It was so nice arriving in town to be greeted by Clive (my motorcycle over lander concierge). He had rented us a great fully set up apartment with underground secure parking and with a view of the cathedral for 22$. He also of course had wine, vodka, and food for us. This evening we went on a walk of the area, the main square, and to see the Cathedral. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5581/...420ecc87_c.jpgsalta cachi 24 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2899/...a9d0d508_c.jpgsalta cachi 26 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7381/...cd2f0026_c.jpgsalta cachi 25 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7301/...94f60dbb_c.jpgsalta cachi 27 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5493/...b9e3d2f6_c.jpgsalta cachi 29 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5109/...6be0c7ee_c.jpgsalta cachi 30 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7445/...f2e530f3_c.jpgsalta cachi 28 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2931/...5cdb7a2d_c.jpgsalta cachi 33 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7362/...8028dee8_c.jpgsalta cachi 31 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7311/...5b20158f_c.jpgsalta cachi 32 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Dan made friends with an empanada in the square. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5192/...a5ddaee9_c.jpgsalta cachi 23 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Cachi
We decided to do a day trip to the isolated mountain town of Cachi, since we had missed it on the way up to Salta. This is an awesome 159 km one -way ride that Google says takes 5 ½ hours, but Dan did it in 2 ½. He says this is in the top 5 roads of the trip so far.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5581/...66521ded_o.pngScreen Shot 2014-05-11 at 3.45.33 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr From Salta you backtrack on the 68 about 30km on the pavement to the turn off. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7404/...f1de1430_c.jpgsalta cachi 34 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7450/...5b6515a7_c.jpgsalta cachi 40 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr The rest of the way is paved except a few small patches and about 30 km on the switchbacks up the mountain, but on very good gravel. You ride along the river on the valley floor to the end of the valley and then up.. up.. up to 3700m on the switchbacks. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5529/...2090a338_c.jpgsalta cachi 39 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2938/...0d21fba4_c.jpgsalta cachi 38 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5545/...940a2ea9_c.jpgsalta cachi 37 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2932/...cae64ff2_c.jpgsalta cachi 48 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2930/...71b44be1_c.jpgsalta cachi 41 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7321/...a99ee1ac_c.jpgsalta cachi 47 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5025/...c0e67fa8_c.jpgsalta cachi 49 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7302/...7568792e_c.jpgsalta cachi 50 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5039/...d74e4948_c.jpgsalta cachi 54 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5502/...4805de4e_c.jpgsalta cachi 56 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2925/...bc6fa48c_c.jpgsalta cachi 58 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr The view from the end of the valley as we head up the mountainside. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7358/...20248ab6_c.jpgsalta cachi 57 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7444/...358cee74_c.jpgsalta cachi 60 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5233/...c826998a_c.jpgsalta cachi 61 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2909/...b3c106f8_c.jpgsalta cachi 88 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr The last 80 km is across the high plateau with stunning views. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7325/...79c20bac_c.jpgsalta cachi 64 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7345/...f5beaca2_c.jpgsalta cachi 72 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5032/...46fcb104_c.jpgsalta cachi 71 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2907/...1e77223f_c.jpgsalta cachi 69 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2916/...8ee2b8f0_c.jpgsalta cachi 75 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7394/...337f7302_c.jpgsalta cachi 74 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr The town itself is a tourist enclave, with shops restaurants, and wineries. We stopped for lunch at the famous Oliver wine bar. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7457/...42ca2156_c.jpgsalta cachi 78 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr The locals grow a lot of peppers and dry them in the sun. https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2925/...67b02fcc_c.jpgsalta cachi 82 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5573/...16e61f4c_c.jpgsalta cachi 90 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
North to the border of Bolivia
Today we are headed to the border of Bolivia. The border town of Yavi is 391 km north from Salta.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5200/...82789c3c_o.pngScreen Shot 2014-05-11 at 3.28.53 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2927/...f15f4161_o.pngScreen Shot 2014-05-11 at 3.29.18 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Gassing up on the way out we took this picture of the very cute gas girl to add to Trevor Angel’s collection of cute gas girls. There was this crazy huge armadillo sculpture on the edge of town too. https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2904/...45373270_c.jpgpumamarca yavi 1 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7303/...eaced3dc_c.jpgpumamarca yavi 2 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7386/...a38312df_c.jpgpumamarca yavi 6 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr The ride north from Salta on the 9 is fantastic. The route thru the valley is on a very curvy paved road that is only 4 meters wide and about 30 km long. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5102/...e17f7183_c.jpgpumamarca yavi 4 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr A great stopping place for a snack is the cute town of Pumamarca in the valley of the seven colors. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5502/...e1634cc4_c.jpgpumamarca yavi 17 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2900/...c4058666_c.jpgpumamarca yavi 18 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2900/...c3f1a700_c.jpgpumamarca yavi 19 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7296/...bc3967c4_c.jpgpumamarca yavi 8 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7349/...de077b10_c.jpgpumamarca yavi 9 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5531/...793e8041_c.jpgpumamarca yavi 10 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5199/...13bde5e8_c.jpgpumamarca yavi 11 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5156/...41b1de7f_c.jpgpumamarca yavi 20 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5511/...a17c8cb3_c.jpgpumamarca yavi 12 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr There is a very old church here with a 700-year-old tree. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7322/...e144bbfa_c.jpgpumamarca yavi 24 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2908/...a989ef20_c.jpgpumamarca yavi 25 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7300/...e9f69609_c.jpgpumamarca yavi 16 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2920/...d683ab6c_c.jpgpumamarca yavi 15 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Arriving back at our bikes we found this police man “guarding” our bikes. He told us we had left them alone too long and they could go missing. He was not at all worried about this guy parked next to us with all his gear. He even has a long board skateboard. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7383/...728e5a2a_c.jpgpumamarca yavi 28 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2929/...8573490a_c.jpgpumamarca yavi 29 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Just up the road is an artisanal shop with a huge Llama and a cactus with a nice rack (Andi). This is the first time we had issues with gas and altitude. The 650 especially did not like it and several times the power failed and twice the bike died at 3900-4200 m. Phew and we have not even got crappy Bolivian gas yet. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7366/...013bd5b7_c.jpgpumamarca yavi 31 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7392/...460c1f06_c.jpgpumamarca yavi 34 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Arriving at the border at 4 pm we had lots of time to get to the Bolivian town of Tupiza in 65 km. Driving up it was eerily quiet. This was because there was a roadblock on the Bolivian side and the border had been closed all day. They said it would open at 7 the next day. We drove 38 km to Yavi Chico because we had been told it was a nicer place to stay then Yavi, it’s not. So we headed back to town and found a hotel. Luckily there was a room with the border closure and there was also a large tour here with 12 bikes. |
Its Bolivia so of course there is a protest and blockade
Today we are in for a big day with crossing the border to Bolivia (country number 16) and 210 km of dirt to Uyuni.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7313/...d1f37afc_o.pngScreen Shot 2014-05-11 at 3.31.48 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr In the morning we were up at 630 to make it to the border early as we expected a huge line up after the closure the day before. There was no one there and we were second in line behind one of the guides from the tour dealing with the support vehicle!!! https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5040/...708e8caf_c.jpgUyuni 1 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2933/...a82384d3_c.jpgUyuni 2 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Pulling up to the border go under the covered area and park to the right along the curb. You will see a number of windows to your right. You start at window number2, which is where you get the Argentinean exit stamp for your passport. Then you head to number 3 where you go into the office and up to the counter of the Aduana so you can get your Argentinean temporary permit cancelled. You need your passport, permit, proof of insurance for Bolivia, and bike title. In January we had bought 6 months of insurance on the net from an agent in La Falda for Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay and Brazil. This avoids the previous problems we had heard of people getting hassled by the Bolivian police for insurance you cannot buy at the border. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5073/...071a182d_c.jpgUyuni 3 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5512/...5c130298_c.jpgUyuni 4 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5591/...ab018048_c.jpgUyuni 5 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2902/...ef8fd266_c.jpgUyuni 6 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Pulling up to the border go under the covered area and park to the right along the curb. You will see a number of windows to your right. You start at window number2, which is where you get the Argentinean exit stamp for your passport. Then you head to number 3 where you go into the office and up to the counter of the Aduana so you can get your Argentinean temporary permit cancelled. You need your passport, permit, proof of insurance for Bolivia, and bike title. In January we had bought 6 months of insurance on the net from an agent in La Falda for Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay and Brazil. This avoids the previous problems we had heard of people getting hassled by the Bolivian police for insurance you cannot buy at the border. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5559/...ee231b47_c.jpgUyuni 7 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Then proceed to window number 4 this is Bolivian Migration. Then wave at your riding friends back at number 2. The officer will give you a 2-part form in English to fill out and stamp your passport to enter Bolivia. Lastly go to window 5, which is the Bolivian Aduana. They will want your passport and title. They will get you to sign 2 copies of the new permit. Make sure you check the VIN carefully. This was the stumbling block as their Internet was on and off. Despite actually being the second in line the whole thing took over 90 min. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5315/...c4103059_c.jpgUyuni 8 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Finally they will come out and check you plate number. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5199/...77e24995_c.jpgUyuni 9 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Next head across the bridge to Bolivia, where they will check that you have completed the import process. https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2920/...6db380ec_c.jpgUyuni 11 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5492/...83a31b01_c.jpgUyuni 14 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2922/...da8065ee_c.jpgDSC08184 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr We headed into Bolivia in dense fog and a temperate of 1 degree. We had planned to stop to get money in Tupiza in 110 km. Luckily the tollbooth agreed to take Argentinean Pesos (the toll is 5 Bolivianos or about .80$ to get to Tupiza). They give you a receipt to show at the next tollbooth. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5200/...38e68381_c.jpgUyuni 15 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5503/...cdb773b9_c.jpgUyuni 16 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr About 80 km later we came across a roadblock of several loads of rocks and dirt. Daniel went across to see what was going on. Basically the police were trying to explain to the protestors that blocking the road was unconstitutional. Their response was that blocking the road was their constitutional right. Dan finally said in Spanish “ excuse me, but I don’t understand what the problem is here. Can we pass with the motos?” The leader of the protest said “si”. https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2930/...2703ccb0_c.jpgUyuni 17 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr The only way to cross was over and so Dan drove the bikes over. This took two tries for Lulu because she is so low. In between I flattened out the top and removed a few rocks. Dan’s bike was no problem. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5532/...984d7105_c.jpgUyuni 20 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2925/...6a858072_c.jpgUyuni 31 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2919/...a5b3db08_c.jpgUyuni 22 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5318/...25b60a44_c.jpgUyuni 28 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr After this was a tunnel and then the road was again strewn with rocks. Where they were really blocking the whole road the locals had made a 1-foot wide walking path that we could just drive up. https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2905/...844dd565_c.jpgUyuni 35 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5233/...0e050f9e_c.jpgUyuni 36 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Uyuni
Arriving in Tupiza we found the square and an ATM that “spoke” English. Despite what we had heard about Bolivia (horrible drivers, bad food, and very unfriendly people) we found just the opposite. That good vibe continued to be true for our whole visit to this country named most unfriendly in the world by CNN.
Just outside of town you head off road 208 km to Uyuni on the route of the Dakar. The first 104 km to the town of Atocha are very hard packed good dirt and gravel. We could travel at 80 km at least. There is actually a toll and a barrier blocking this dirt road again of 5 BS per bike. There is not too much traffic on this road, but it is still very dusty when there is some. We stopped in the town for an empanada snack. The 650 again was having some issues with power and cut out a few times on the steeper hills. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5031/...8a6c1daa_c.jpg Uyuni 38 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2905/...c220f30f_c.jpg Uyuni 39 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2936/...9345fc2a_c.jpg Uyuni 42 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2931/...8806c8d9_c.jpg Uyuni 43 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5519/...420e5512_c.jpg Uyuni 45 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5484/...3cec2228_c.jpg Uyuni 46 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5572/...3299bc67_c.jpg Uyuni 48 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5485/...7285946b_c.jpg Uyuni 50 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5528/...a94583bd_c.jpgUyuni 52 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2926/...e59cabfd_c.jpg Uyuni 53 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5594/...b83e6695_c.jpg Uyuni 55 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2908/...85cc1a3a_c.jpg Uyuni 57 |
Uyuni
The road after this got quite a bit worse, but the views were still stunning. The gravel got deeper in spots and there was a fair number of sand pits up to 20 meters and some mud pits too. There are a few ruins of towns also. We met this young guy who was planning to take 4 days to get to Uyuni with all this gear. Google says it’s a 10- hour drive from Yavi.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2898/...c1d0f65f_c.jpg Uyuni 58 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5507/...b51910a4_c.jpgUyuni 61 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5563/...64a0600e_c.jpg Uyuni 64 Shortly after this Dan noticed his front tire was flat. We pumped it up and drove a few more km to where we could get off the road to change the tire. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5584/...182741cb_c.jpg Uyuni 65 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2897/...98a2f536_c.jpg Uyuni 69 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5234/...45808147_c.jpg Uyuni 72 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5558/...2a9e690c_c.jpg Uyuni 74 |
the last 50 is always the worst
After this the “road” was full of sand pits into which I did take a nap. Daniel will admit my bike with the 19-inch wheels is a lot harder to ride in sand and mud.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5570/...04be375e_c.jpg Uyuni 75 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5075/...8f6c6bc5_c.jpg Uyuni 77 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5037/...22ddb7aa_c.jpg Uyuni 78 The last 50 km was even tougher since we were so tired after an 11-hour day and there was more sand and the deepest corrugation we have seen on the trip so far. I thought it would shake out teeth out. Driving directly into the sun as we approached Uyuni it was blinding especially with trucks causing tons of dust. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5155/...5a63e455_c.jpg Uyuni 80 We arrived into Uyuni mentally and physically done, but still had to drive around to find a hotel. This is the worst part of any day on the road actually. Pulling up in front of the Hotel Julia we parked and just then Charlie McCormack pulled up and said “ this is the hotel with the best wifi and hot water and I know a good parking lot 1 block away”. Another Moto Concierge I’m going to get used to this. He was right and he also knew an amazing pizza place. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5157/...ba4b2faf_c.jpg solar de Uyuni 105 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5319/...52f30df5_c.jpg Uyuni 81 |
Train Cemetary
The next day we all went out to the train cemetery to check out the metal. This is a major attraction here and is about 3 km outside of the town of Uyuni along the old tracks. In 1892 the tracks were completed and this town was a major hub for trains carrying minerals to the coast. The local Aymara indigenous people constantly sabotaged the route. In the 1940’s the mining industry collapsed partly from mineral depletion and many trains were abandoned here producing the train cemetery. Interestingly these same people blocked all road access in and out of Uyuni for 5 days last week to protest the mayors plan to build a “tourist only” bus station. The military finally came in to break up the blockade.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5564/...72da649e_c.jpg Uyuni 82 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2918/...52633f22_c.jpg Uyuni 87 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2921/...8a930166_c.jpgUyuni 86 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5194/...7fd6550b_c.jpg Uyuni 89 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2921/...e4803904_c.jpgUyuni 92 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2914/...fef93f94_c.jpg Uyuni 94 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5076/...8b51e505_c.jpg Uyuni 99 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2930/...87c1f247_c.jpg Uyuni 102 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5503/...87933137_c.jpgUyuni 101 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2929/...bfbb4888_c.jpg Uyuni 104 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2932/...aeef05db_c.jpg Uyuni 105 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2929/...b2eb5790_c.jpgUyuni 111 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5530/...185975bd_c.jpgUyuni 112 |
market day
Walking back thru town it was market day. The traditional costumes of the Bolivian women are really colorful.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2937/...dde1aef6_c.jpg Uyuni 115 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2938/...310bfc9b_c.jpg Uyuni 121 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5238/...a43612dc_c.jpg Uyuni 117 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5588/...3a4a6ebb_c.jpg Uyuni 122 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2918/...548b6e47_c.jpgUyuni 124 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2915/...f4dee8d3_c.jpg Uyuni 132 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2913/...c6fc0051_c.jpg Uyuni 133 |
Salar de Uyuni
The plan for the rest of the day was to head out onto “the Salar” and camp out.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5503/...95bab608_o.png Screen Shot 2014-05-11 at 3.52.07 PM https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7344/...b0a914f9_o.png Screen Shot 2014-05-11 at 3.51.22 PM The Salar de Uyuni is the world’s largest salt flat (10,582 square km) and is at 3700 m elevation. It formed from several prehistoric lakes and is covered by a few meters of salt crust. It is known for its extraordinary flatness with only a 1- meter change over the entire area. The salt crust covers a brine pool rich in lithium and contains 50-70% of the world’s lithium reserves. The flatness makes it ideal for calibrating altimeters of satellites and taking funny perspective photos. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3792/...1375869b_c.jpg solar de Uyuni 2 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2937/...5207b727_c.jpg solar de Uyuni 98 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5236/...1134cf85_c.jpg solar de Uyuni 99 |
Salar de Uyuni
We bought our first Bolivian gas at twice the price the locals pay, but at least they sold it to us. Actually we pay the real price for gas and the locals are heavily subsidized/placated by their populist government with cheap gas.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5276/...26c8fbe3_c.jpg solar de Uyuni 3 There is a 20 km dirt road out of Uyuni to access the Salar of which several sections are very sandy. When you arrive at the town at the edge of the Salar there is a hard packed dirt road with tons potholes. Once you get to the salt you will see piles of salt for photo ops. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3751/...637b7073_c.jpg solar de Uyuni 4 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5592/...7c1732c0_c.jpg solar de Uyuni 6 About 2 km farther there is the Dakar sign. The salt is very smooth and not slippery at all. We drove basically along the jeep tracks the 70 km to and around the Isla Incahuasi. On the way out we stopped for some pictures and a snack. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3806/...2970314b_c.jpg solar de Uyuni 104 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3778/...93398c16_c.jpg solar de Uyuni 8 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3708/...fdd63834_c.jpg solar de Uyuni 12 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5237/...c565f523_c.jpg solar de Uyuni 14 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3804/...037d2209_c.jpg solar de Uyuni 20 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2905/...e97f8e6d_c.jpg solar de Uyuni 24 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3804/...7b2c41a0_c.jpg solar de Uyuni 25 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3692/...3b3fe51b_c.jpg solar de Uyuni 27 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3726/...44e653a6_c.jpg solar de Uyuni 37 |
Salar de Uyuni
Driving back about 30 km we took a right turn about 4 km out into the salar and pitched our tent, made some dinner, and set up the time lapse for the sunset. The night was not that cold at only minus 5.
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Salar de Uyuni
Sara was still fighting the flue and unfortunately had some trouble with the 3700m altitude with a severe headache (brain swelling). Dan got up at 6 to set up the time lapse for the sunrise. Dan said, “ Sara if you can get up to see this you should”. She did and then promptly barfed out the tent door. Luckily some Tylenol and hyperventilation helped a lot with her oxygen level. We packed up and then set up some perspective shots. The most important task for the morning was to get the bikes washed of salt.
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Salar de Uyuni Video
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Y'all just bloody well ROCK with the Ride report, pictures and video!!:thumbup1::thumbup1:
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Thanks
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Hey thank you SO much. We really put a lot of work into it and we are so glad you enjoy it! :D |
Potosi Bolivia
The good news for today was that the 210 km out of Uyuni to the north and Potosi was paved! There is a 5 Bs toll here too. Leaving the salt we had 20 km of the dirt and then smooth pavement. We were again lucky here as we met a couple later, who were trapped in Uyuni for 5 days because of blockades sometime after we left.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2932/...80f79c42_o.png Screen Shot 2014-05-11 at 3.32.44 PM https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3733/...f93dba97_c.jpg potpsi 2 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3699/...bef83365_c.jpg potpsi 4 The drive is amazing with ups and downs between 4200m and 3700m. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3748/...31736170_c.jpg potpsi 5 Potosi at 4000 m is one of the highest cities in the world. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3776/...74751886_c.jpg potpsi 8 It was founded in 1546 after huge silver deposits were discovered in Cerro Rico. Estimates of between 2 and 8 million indigenous laborers and African slaves perished in the mines in the 300 years of colonial rule. Despite the fact that it is a collective the working conditions in the mine are still terrible and most miners die of silicosis in their 40’s. About 10,000 people still work in the mine every day. Silver was depleted in the 1800, but other rare metals are now mined. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3685/...4bc51680_c.jpg potpsi 9 Driving in this city is crazy. The roads are very narrow and some are extremely steep. It is a bit of a rabbit warren. We finally did locate a hotel not to far from the square with very hot water and a heater. We did a small tour of the area on foot and then retreated for a rare evening of English TV! https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3830/...2a763519_c.jpg sucre 1 |
Museum and Convent of Santa Teresa
The hotel was just up the block from the Convent and Museum of Santa Teresa. The entry fee is 21 Bs or about 3.50$ and photo taking is 1.60$ for an over 2 hour tour in English and is well worth it.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3751/...5f61af8f_c.jpg potpsi 12 The Convent was founded in 1685 and is still the home to 6 Carmelite nuns (age 23 to 55), who live in a new building next door. One of them is an architect that has directed the restoration project to convert the old Convent into the museum. The guide was excellent and explained how the wealthy colonial families sent their second daughter into the convent at age 15. The nuns were allowed to have visits with their families. Before 1962 they could only hear their family, but not see or touch them. After that they removed the barrier so they could see and touch them through the barrier. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3688/...41988ea5_c.jpg potpsi 14 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3824/...e76f3043_c.jpg potpsi 125 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3724/...50cd9f76_c.jpg potpsi 18 Another way they were prevented from contact with the outside world was these spinning wheels. They were used to pass items to the priests and sell items to the public outside. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3833/...53c00294_c.jpg potpsi 38 Then you go into the entry room where these girls said their last goodbye to their families and the outside world. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3783/...9477f1c8_c.jpg potpsi 20 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5119/...cf7a589b_c.jpg potpsi 22 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3744/...4193b78c_c.jpg potpsi 50 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5484/...fc3332ff_c.jpg potpsi 49 |
Museum and Convent of Santa Teresa
Entry into the convent was allowed only if a dowry was paid and was the equivalent of 100,000 USD in cash, land, real estate, and art. Many of these items are on display.
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Museum and Convent of Santa Teresa
The tour includes the renovated church.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3765/...03f9c5f4_c.jpg potpsi 25 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3715/...0f733bf9_c.jpg potpsi 28 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2912/...96a1d0a5_c.jpg potpsi 32 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3815/...55d6cefb_c.jpg potpsi 33 The nuns spent their entire life inside the convent and are in fact buried here under the floor of the prayer room. The founding nun of the order has a crypt and monument. https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2896/...579f9e0e_c.jpg potpsi 57 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2920/...e9e7d556_c.jpg potpsi 55 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2939/...a2460c29_c.jpg potpsi 56 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3725/...047a5b35_c.jpg potpsi 58 |
Hi folks great to read you blog, I met you at la Quiaca border with bolivia, I was leading the Globebusters group, we too had problems and delays with protests and roadblocks in bolivia, more so a few weeks later when we were coming back.
Safe travels and lovely to meet you on the road, David |
Border
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So nice to hear from you! We did wonder when we had to drive over the dirt and rock mounds on the highway what would happen when you guys showed up with all those bikes. Glad you made it. We ran into 2 from your team on the street in Cusco too so we knew you were on track. We met loads of blockades coming into La Paz last week, but they pretty much ignored us as we drove around the barricades etc. Glad to be back in Argentina now where we can expect smooth sailing. Sara & Daniel |
Hey Dan & Sara, loving the reports, keeps me going when I'm having a slack moment at work (reverse of Vancouver Sara) Brill vid from the Salar!
Gino & Fiona |
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S&D |
Sucre Bolivia
The 156 km drive from Potosi to Sucre is paved and incredible over the high mountains and plateaus.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5487/...611ccbb3_o.pngScreen Shot 2014-05-11 at 3.33.19 PM https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5546/...94562334_c.jpg sucre 7 We passed through another toll and the ladies there were very interested in where we had come from. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5074/...dbe4f503_c.jpg sucre 3 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2933/...381a5d79_c.jpg sucre 4 On the way there were several castle like buildings in the middle of nowhere. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5577/...6234159b_c.jpg sucre 6 Sucre is said to be the most beautiful city in Bolivia and is considered the symbolic heart of the country. It has many white washed buildings hence it’s nick name “ the white city”. https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2915/...ed7a1a50_c.jpg sucre 8 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5112/...5676af33_c.jpg sucre 9 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3773/...92da4b91_c.jpg sucre 11 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2927/...50453b5a_c.jpg sucre 13 Our Moto concierge Charlie was checked into a cheep and nice Hostal 2 blocks from the square and where we could park our bikes in the courtyard. Lulu fit in just, but Dan had to remove a pannier to get in the door. This is where the mini metal tape measure his mom gave him comes in very handy. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5078/...fc1b445d_c.jpg sucre 15 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2912/...cac7bdd5_c.jpg sucre 16 |
Sucre Bolivia
We did a small walking tour of the city center and climbed up onto the roof of a fancy hotel for an amazing view. You can also pay to get into the convent school and climb up the bell towers and onto the roof.
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Tarabuco Bolivia
Since today is Sunday we headed to the nearby town of Tarabuco for the famous Sunday market.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5553/...a4f74297_o.png Screen Shot 2014-05-11 at 3.34.33 PM https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2933/...7d6dd819_c.jpg tarabuco 1 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5575/...88caa0bf_c.jpg tarabuco 2 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5561/...ef7929a9_c.jpg tarabuco 3 Many people here are wearing traditional Yampara costumes. It is only 66 km by the route 6, which we found was blocked 10 km out of town for a car rally and so is 76 km away via rt5 and 10 k very bad dirt connector to rt6. The round trip was 144 km. https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2939/...ed63cd44_c.jpg tarabuco 26 The main square was filled with vendors selling traditional wares for tourists, but all the side streets were packed with vendors selling almost anything you can think of to the people who have come from the surrounding villages. The most interesting were the women with the bowler type hats and those with the caps with the fringe of white beads. We hung out just people watching until the road was open at 2 pm. Daniel made friends with two of the male vendor and talked with them for hours. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3691/...33a1ba5f_c.jpg tarabuco 5 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3670/...959be0d8_c.jpg tarabuco 29 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2895/...c74bb52a_c.jpg tarabuco 8 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3779/...f71c6600_c.jpg tarabuco 12 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2913/...c0c0f868_c.jpg tarabuco 11 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2905/...a95954aa_c.jpg tarabuco 17 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5237/...025dde7b_c.jpg tarabuco 15 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3796/...4a80c88b_c.jpg tarabuco 13 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3693/...43fe7ac5_c.jpg tarabuco 16 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2897/...64e93f18_c.jpg tarabuco 19 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3795/...91aa6528_c.jpg tarabuco 23 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5231/...5849d918_c.jpg tarabuco 22 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2895/...2158086f_c.jpg tarabuco 28 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3773/...32f7d555_c.jpg tarabuco 35 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2919/...946285f6_c.jpg tarabuco 42 |
Booking it back to Peru!
Back in Sucre the guys checked out the very good local artisanal beer sold by a Belgian restaurant and then we had dinner for the second night in a row at the very good French restaurant La Taverna. They have amazing steaks with NYC service and presentation.
Now we need to get back to Peru ASAP. This meant back tracking the 156 Km on the RN 5 to Potosi and then going 303 km north on the Pan-American to Oruro. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3829/...ae4490f6_o.png Screen Shot 2014-05-26 at 5.17.54 PM https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5500/...0764ebaa_c.jpg tiwanaku 7 The entire distance is under construction with constant desvios (detours). We cannot understand why they don’t just do the road in 20 km stretches to completion and then move on. Now there is 300 km of mayhem. There are a huge number of transport trucks and busses too all belching black smoke. We saw some snow on the way too. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3755/...30842ce4_c.jpg tiwanaku 9 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3758/...32f4621e_c.jpg tiwanaku 10 Now we are in striking distance of the border. https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2923/...e52533b8_o.pngScreen Shot 2014-05-16 at 8.02.04 PM |
Got MUD?
The RN 1 goes directly thru La Paz. The road conditions are pretty bad and there are hundreds of mini busses jostling for position and passengers. We had decided to try to bypass as much of the city as possible and took the Rt 9 southwest to Viacha. There is then a connector road back to the RN 1 at the indigenous town of Laja.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5537/...0c4a4a00_o.png Screen Shot 2014-05-16 at 8.04.37 PM This is 20 km of dirt or as it was today mud for much of it. The dryer parts had two tracks to ride on except when the transport trucks were oncoming and you had to pull off onto the muddy shoulder. That said the first few km and then a few deep mud sections after this were the worst. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3786/...92542a07_c.jpg tiwanaku 12 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2934/...51a879b3_c.jpg tiwanaku 13 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5557/...1ab083ce_c.jpg tiwanaku 15 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3743/...92fdc92e_c.jpg tiwanaku 16 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5035/...cb0d2af0_c.jpg tiwanaku 17 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5476/...f157d5f6_c.jpg tiwanaku 18 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2904/...a7161edf_c.jpg tiwanaku 20 |
Laja
The town of Laja is filled with people in traditional costumes. This was actually at one time the capital of Bolivia.
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Tiwanaku Bolivia
Then it was only another 35 km to Tiwanaku.
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Tiwanaku Bolivia
This town is set on the Altiplano as is the ruins of the ancient city of Tiwanaku or Tiahuanaco.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5475/...ac1e29e8_c.jpg DSC04247 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5532/...ca66c530_c.jpg tiwanaku 41 It was founded 3000 years ago and lasted about a thousand years and had a population of about 50,000. In Bolivia and Peru the highlands and lowlands are divided by an imaginary northwest-southeast axis aligned by water bodies, making Tiwanaku the axis point. The city was the center of Andean civilization and was the inspiration for the Inca Empire. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3777/...5ab44587_c.jpg tiwanaku 42 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3685/...40bac66f_c.jpg tiwanaku 43 The site is fairly nice with signs and a guide paper in “English”. https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2899/...a06b8fca_c.jpg tiwanaku 51 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3697/...983722e1_c.jpg tiwanaku 52 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5477/...233a7c41_c.jpg tiwanaku 54 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3705/...3a1f7730_c.jpg tiwanaku 55 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2915/...3bcac111_c.jpg tiwanaku 65 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3717/...50eec504_c.jpg tiwanaku 67 |
Tiwanaku Bolivia
There was an amazing sunken plaza where the walls were covered with stone masks.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5160/...bbfb6808_c.jpg tiwanaku 72 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5199/...9bc3cf8c_c.jpg tiwanaku 74 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3806/...0e0461f6_c.jpg tiwanaku 76 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3710/...d35f8bc3_c.jpg tiwanaku 78 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3686/...2c081b27_c.jpg tiwanaku 79 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3745/...a12b7ba9_c.jpg tiwanaku 81 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3682/...4a6c85db_c.jpg tiwanaku 83 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3690/...1821284d_c.jpg tiwanaku 86 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2937/...1fb9eb3f_c.jpg tiwanaku 87 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3800/...2b7c7af0_c.jpg tiwanaku 93 |
Tiwanaku Bolivia
There are several nice arches and statues too.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3792/...646fa1eb_c.jpg tiwanaku 99 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5549/...4c25f215_c.jpg tiwanaku 106 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2925/...60d800ec_c.jpg tiwanaku 109 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3725/...edb618d5_c.jpg tiwanaku 113 There is also a museum housing artifacts of ceramic. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5563/...5140fc54_c.jpg tiwanaku 125 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5514/...59d01b34_c.jpg tiwanaku 128 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5116/...9d1877d3_c.jpg tiwanaku 133 |
Buying gas in Bolivia
Buying gas here in Bolivia can be stressful since we have had people tell us they have been denied gas. It is true that the price of gas is highly subsidized here and so the price for the locals is low. This means that foreigners pay 2.5 the pump price. The government YPFB stations all have the “official receipt” and will sell you gas. At the private stations they get all stressed out if they don’t have a receipt book. This may be why they “ wont sell you gas”. In the times we did not go to YPFB, we just said “no factura” (no receipt) and they sold us gas.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2916/...567e6d05_c.jpg tiwanaku 2 The guy in the back on the phone had a 10 min conversation with someone about whether they could sell us gas…they did. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3831/...04e8a5c7_c.jpg tiwanaku 6 Here they gave us a 2-page receipt. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5232/...fb677368_c.jpg tiwanaku 8 At this station it took 3 people to enter our info into the computer and then they took about 15 min to decide what price we should pay even though it was clearly posted on the pump. https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2898/...fef5a1ea_c.jpg tiwanaku 11 Must be my lucky day!! https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2921/...d15242b9_c.jpg tiwanaku 3 |
The border of Peru
After touring the archeological site and museum it was after 11 when we left to head the 45 km to the border and Puno in 191 km.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5507/...79e76eca_o.pngScreen Shot 2014-05-16 at 8.00.44 PM The road is pretty bad with potholes filled with rocks. The GPS lead us to what is actually the truck crossing, but luckily some locals directed us in the right direction. Basically take the first right on the dirt road into the town and when you hit the paving stones take a right and then a left. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3694/...e5b1a424_c.jpg puno 2 Go straight and you will see the migration building. Park on the right side of the road. The migration is to the left. Enter the second door to the right where the signs list various nationalities. They will stamp your passport for exit. https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2901/...565cb482_c.jpg puno 4 Then drive up to the end of the building and again park on the right. Go around to the left at the front of the building to the small aduana window and hand in your Bolivian temporary permit. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3776/...a5d784f6_c.jpg puno 5 Now drive over the bridge and the guard will direct you to park to the right. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5513/...5d4a049b_c.jpg puno 6 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2920/...328169f6_c.jpg puno 7 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3672/...fa3e845e_c.jpg puno 8 Just ahead and to the right is immigration. Inside the doors pick up a tourist paper from the guy at the desk. Then line up for the official who wants the paper and your passport for entry stamp. Next cross the road to the aduana office. They want your Passport, Driver’s license, and title. They will ask you the value of your bike and have you sign the permit stating that you owe this value if you do not leave Peru with your bike. The SOAT or insurance required in Peru cannot be purchased here at this border, but in Puno in 145 km. We made it very quickly thru the border and headed to Puno with our first view of Lake Titicaca. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3820/...9ab0cbbf_c.jpg puno 11 |
Puno Peru
Arriving in Puno it was a much nicer town than we had heard. Dan gave a lift to the bellboy who was taking us to the parking garage 3 blocks away. We went for very good Chinese food because we were missing Ellens’s cooking. There was a large parade of school children thru the streets to the Cathedral.
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Cusco
Before leaving town we went to a local auto lavado to get the layer of mud cleaned off the bikes. They have never been so clean. They did an amazing job.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2914/...c84549f2_c.jpg cusco 1 The next order of business after crappy Bolivian gas was to find some better octane fuel. We did have to settle for 90, but the bikes are happier. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5118/...1048f327_c.jpg cusco 2 The views crossing the pass to Cuzco in 388 km are stunning with the peak at 4338 m. https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2907/...cec19fe4_o.png Screen Shot 2014-05-16 at 8.00.21 PM https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5500/...2213350f_c.jpg cusco 4 There are lots of herds of Llamas on the roadside, but they are quite smart unlike Vicunas and rarely run out in front of you. https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2917/...814221f2_c.jpg cusco 5 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3683/...7ce1c946_c.jpg cusco 6 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3738/...32635552_c.jpg cusco 7 |
cracked oil pan
We came across 6 Brazilians at a rest stop and had to take a break for photo ops.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2900/...75871d9e_c.jpg cusco 8 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2916/...9b4d0927_c.jpg cusco 9 We stopped for lunch Sicuani about 140 km from Cuzco. After eating we were just about to leave when Daniel noted a pool of oil under my bike! Taking off the bash plate we found that we had not cleaned out all the rocks from the border blockade and that one of the very high Tope or speed bumps in La Paz or Puno along with the rock had caused a crack in the oil pan. While we were taking the bash plate off a man came buy to ask if we really came from Canada. What are the chances a Peruvian Guy who lives part time in Richmond BC walks buy and that he owns a moto shop 2 blocks away where we could but some Motul oil and borrow a funnel. He also found a shop for us where we could wash out the oil and dirt from the bash plate so we could check for further leakage. Dan assessed the situation and got out his quick steel (yeah!). It is so lucky we had this. It only takes 60 min for full set and then we were on our way again. No leaking so far. https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2901/...af104616_c.jpg cusco 14 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2923/...59b84905_c.jpg cusco 15 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3665/...36583143_c.jpg cusco 16 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3757/...80409237_c.jpg cusco 17 |
Cusco
This put us a bit late in the day and we had to press to get to Cuzco before dark and again we had to drive directly into the setting sun while trying not to get run over by hundreds of busses, mini vans, and taxis driving 3 wide on a two lane road and jockeying for position.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3712/...572aa65f_c.jpg cusco 11 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3687/...87f71aa5_c.jpg cusco 13 Luckily we had the direction to the Hostal Estrellas where many over Landers stay. Dan drove the bikes down the steep ramp they put on the stairs and into the courtyard. Americo from Brazil gave us the lowdown on the place and then offered to take us to a great wood oven pizza place. Despite our poor Spanish and His no English, we managed to have a great time and communicate. His friends Flavio and Edison arrived back from Machu Picchu in the morning and they were headed back to Brazil. https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2935/...e1b1949f_c.jpg cusco 18 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5541/...39fe2154_c.jpg cusco 22 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2938/...fdcc0998_c.jpg cusco 23 |
Cusco
We set out first thing to the main square and the Peru rail station. Here you can buy your train tickets to pueblo Machu Picchu (Aguas Calientes) AND tickets to the site itself. We managed to get the train booked for 2 days time and tickets for the ruins and mountain access for the next day. For the return we could only get the train as far as Ollantaytambo, which means a 2 hours bus ride back to the city. We are leaving the bikes here at the hostal for safekeeping and for free.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3670/...137e2ea3_c.jpg cusco 28 The other biker here was Marius who is a German who has been travelling for several years, but only recently bought his first bike in BA and is headed north. We had heard our buddy Stephen the Tiger was here in the city and we did finally connect up and he moved into the hostal too. The gang then set out to tour the city and get some lunch at the local market. Then we did a bit of walking around the city to take in the sights. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3819/...8e5b6c49_c.jpg cusco 31 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3806/...3e0d5e48_c.jpg cusco 32 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5197/...25838e02_c.jpg cusco 33 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5311/...8ce10cc0_c.jpg cusco 38 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3787/...e795c24c_c.jpg cusco 37 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3799/...2dd135ac_c.jpg cusco 35 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3706/...fd8a9d1c_c.jpg Cusco 39 |
Cusco
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Cusco
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Cusco
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Tour around Cusco
We decided to take a tour around the area on the F 800. We rode up to the Jesus Blanco at the top of the hill and this also gave us a good view of the Saqsaywaman or Sacsayhuaman archeological sight and well as several smaller sights just off the 3S.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5534/...a140bc6c_o.pngScreen Shot 2014-06-01 at 5.31.28 PM https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3708/...892f5c3c_c.jpg cusco 29 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3684/...c1c4fdf2_c.jpg cusco 12 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3715/...5ddbbb39_c.jpg cusco 14 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3733/...077b11c7_c.jpg cusco 13 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3751/...0b9f9514_c.jpg cusco 18 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2903/...15c3948e_c.jpg cusco 17 |
Saqsaywaman
There are smaller sights scattered along the side of the 3S.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3805/...a083ae90_c.jpg cusco 7 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5198/...4543cbb2_c.jpg cusco 8 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3785/...b4c2467c_c.jpg cusco 11 Saqsaywaman was a fortress that because of its position on the steep slope it only needed defensive walls on one side. This wall is amazing with huge stones that are more than 300 tonnes and are fitted without mortar. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3675/...f984b9f5_c.jpg cusco 33 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5156/...d41884ee_c.jpg cusco 24 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2933/...391abf84_c.jpg cusco 28 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3813/...620f60cd_c.jpg cusco 21 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5557/...fbd73084_c.jpg cusco 26 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2927/...14059013_c.jpg cusco 31 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3833/...93976828_c.jpg cusco 30 |
Train
Today we were up at 500 am to catch a taxi the 25 min to the train station at Poroy. The train we had was a vista dome and so are mostly widows and a glass roof.
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Train
It is an almost 4 hour trip to go 100 km on this narrow (3 ft wide) gauge rail. The scenery was stunning.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2911/...18f6f652_c.jpg train to Aguas Calientes 10 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2897/...8cfd3842_c.jpg train to Aguas Calientes 11 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5311/...8e987936_c.jpg train to Aguas Calientes 14 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2897/...d52bfffb_c.jpg train to Aguas Calientes 15 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3677/...9881a752_c.jpg train to Aguas Calientes 16 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3703/...570f5f67_c.jpg train to Aguas Calientes 17 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3800/...7f7e0e2e_c.jpg train to Aguas Calientes 18 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3750/...3a905fdb_c.jpg train to Aguas Calientes 19 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5523/...5b5f0001_c.jpg train to Aguas Calientes 22 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3667/...a72ea6fa_c.jpg train to Aguas Calientes 28 |
Train
The Inca trail!
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5486/...574256b4_c.jpg train to Aguas Calientes 20 In one section they do a zigzag maneuver down the mountain to drop 40 m in a very short distance. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3737/...671ea0f9_c.jpg train to Aguas Calientes 13 We sat with a very nice couple Mike and Lynn from southern Ontario. https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2900/...4dca12fe_c.jpg train to Aguas Calientes 30 |
Aguas Calientes
Arriving in the town we wandered to the main street and found a hotel for the next 2 nights. Then it was time for some souvenir shopping and a beer on the balcony to people watch. We were waiting on Steve the tiger, who was riding up the back way to the hydroelectric dam (200 km) to catch the train from there. We finally heard from him at 620. He did make the last train at 430, but he had had a crash on the way and was in a lot of pain from his ribs, but nothing seems broken except his bike mirror.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5577/...d863f33a_c.jpg Aguas Calientes https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5154/...5f61168e_c.jpg DSC04429 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5197/...fc330096_c.jpg DSC04423 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3666/...5ddec720_c.jpg DSC04431 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5236/...d1678c7d_c.jpg DSC04426 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5528/...392e9efe_c.jpg DSC04422 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5497/...d63aff5b_c.jpg DSC04427 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3689/...528472b7_c.jpgDSC04432 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3794/...d05bb87e_c.jpgDSC04435 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2897/...2676cb94_c.jpg DSC04645 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2900/...4ef6729b_c.jpg DSC04438 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2937/...4200e802_c.jpgDSC04443 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3759/...afd08ebe_c.jpg DSC04446 Looking up towards Machu Picchu. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3764/...8d074dce_c.jpg DSC04445 |
Machu Picchu
Getting up at 430 we were in line for the bus at 5 am and not even on the first 3 busses!
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3673/...9035fc73_o.png Screen Shot 2014-05-20 at 6.46.34 PM https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5547/...0a2707e0_o.pngScreen Shot 2014-05-20 at 6.47.02 PM https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3715/...2db351b4_c.jpg DSC04447 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3822/...bf1e71ff_c.jpg DSC04523 We still arrived at the gate before it opened and saw all the poor youth who had walked the 2 hours up from the town. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5592/...048b1105_c.jpgDSC04449 |
The money shot
Arriving at the first viewpoint we were amazed. We got our few photo ops done before anyone was into the site.
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Machu Picchu
Then we wandered about for the rest of the morning. Highlights included the Inca houses, the observatory, and the Inca Bridge.
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Machu Picchu
After making it back to town we all decided to head to the hot springs. Where else can you sit in the hot pools and gat bar service!
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3748/...8693676f_c.jpg DSC04641 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5076/...52ee9c00_c.jpg DC04642 Getting up late we had no rush to make out 1055 train the 60 km by train to Ollantaytambo. https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2932/...63963c92_o.pngScreen Shot 2014-05-20 at 6.47.40 PM https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2895/...4212a31c_c.jpg cusco again 3 From there we had to take a collectivo the 67 km to Cusco since the day time trains do not go all the way back there. This takes about 90 minutes and is only 4$ each. You get a glimpse of the ruins there and this crazy rock climber’s hotel hanging on the cliff. https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2896/...8fa75c90_c.jpg cusco again 4 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3744/...0f5df8f1_c.jpg cusco again 6 |
The Sacred Valley
Getting back to the city we decided to go on a tour of the Cathedral of Santo Domingo, which was completed in 1654 after almost 100 years and is on the site of an Inca temple. This place is very impressive and they actually have the original first Christian Cross brought to the Americas by Francisco Pizarro the Conquistador of Peru.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3694/...5527e8d0_c.jpg cusco again 8 Today’s plan is a circle route 150 thru the Sacred Valley of the Inca from Pisac to Urubamba and back to the city. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5200/...abb7f7bb_o.png Screen Shot 2014-05-20 at 6.48.43 PM First don’t use your GPS to try to get out of the Cusco you will end up on crazy steep roads that lead nowhere, “roads” that are in reality staircases, or driving in circles. We finally gave up after 45 min and just backtracked to the route we knew near Saqsaywaman and the white Christ. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3750/...46c839bb_c.jpg FILE1508 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3758/...e16650c1_c.jpg FILE1524 The first 30 km to Pisac is over the mountains and down into the valley. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5077/...b06b66e2_c.jpg FILE1538 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2935/...9ed645b1_c.jpg cusco again 10 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2926/...43211b2a_c.jpg cusco again 12 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3823/...66a95142_c.jpg cusco again 17 |
The Sacred Valley
The next 40 km to Urubamba is along the valley floor. We decided to go a bit farther up the road and take the back road into Moray. This is a red dirt road up the mountainside on switchbacks with amazing views of the snow-capped peaks.
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Moray
The Moray site contains an Inca ruins, which consists of terraced circular depressions, the largest of which is 30 meters deep. The depth and orientation to the wind and sun create differences of up to 15 degrees in temperature. The theory is that this was an agriculture experimental station.
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Maras
Then we went further down the road to the town of Maras. Near here you go down another dirt road to the “Salerinas” or salt mines.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2924/...35ffb3ed_c.jpg cusco again 56 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3796/...8803a0a5_c.jpg cusco again 59 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3741/...372a41ea_c.jpg cusco again 61 These are salt evaporation ponds have been in use since pre-Inca times. The very salty water from a subterranean stream emerges at a spring and is directed into an intricate system of channels feeding several hundred terraced ponds. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5511/...03b6d728_c.jpg cusco again 63 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2910/...bcd3ed27_c.jpg cusco again 77 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5319/...c0efaab4_c.jpg cusco again 67 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3695/...f28bf4b6_c.jpg cusco again 73 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2897/...9356f1f9_c.jpg cusco again 74 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3805/...e653ae44_c.jpg cusco again 76 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2899/...ea3e888e_c.jpg cusco again 79 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2938/...13f46fff_c.jpg cusco again 81 |
North to the mountains of Peru
Finally its time to leave the big city for the 1500 + km trip north to the Canyon del Pato, for what is supposed to be the number 1 day ride in all of South America…..
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3746/...18da95bc_o.png Screen Shot 2014-05-30 at 2.11.54 PM Starting out from Cusco at 8 am we had plans for a big day (500 km), but ended up with only 297 km on what was probable the worst day of the trip so far. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5491/...4804f802_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 1 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5538/...c6a68146_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 2 We got out of the city very quickly this time as we knew the route now, but only got 10 km to Poroy to get gas and Dan noted his front tire was a few pounds down. We topped it up and continued on. Shortly after this it started to rain and we donned our over suits. https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2929/...31be2973_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 4 |
North to the mountains of Peru
About 20 min later Dan’s front was flat and we had to change it on the side of the road in the rain, but at least we are getting quick at it now. Looking at the rim there is a small dent and likely the tube was pinched the day before when he hit a manhole with no lid, but with just crossed with rebar.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2919/...71913cf0_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 15 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5569/...99a9c462_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 16 Heading farther up the mountain it was raining and so foggy I could barely see Dan in front of me. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5493/...08415cc1_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 7 We headed up and down 3 mountains from 1800 m to 4200m. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3737/...982acd97_o.pngScreen Shot 2014-05-30 at 2.12.42 PM https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3762/...0c1277c0_o.pngScreen Shot 2014-05-30 at 2.12.28 PM https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3730/...4e3da547_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 10 On the first there was a lot of construction with a muddy dirt road where the 3 S had been washed away by several slides over about 20 km. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3816/...033de9df_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 11 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3820/...a2b37964_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 17 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2917/...f1f2b296_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 25 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5117/...babf3033_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 18 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5591/...ee421099_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 29 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3683/...faa5d3cc_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 19 |
25 km muddy mountain detour
Then we came to a block in the road and they told us to go up this hill to get around the “deep excavation”. This was in fact a 25 km detour over the steep mountain on a very muddy dirt road in the now pouring rain. AGGGGH!!
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Snow
Now we were finally back on the pavement, but again headed up to 4200 m. As we watched the temperature drop rapidly we got worried. Luckily it did not go below 0 and we just had to deal with slush on the road and being pelted with freezing rain. This is probably the most worried we have ever been on the trip.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3788/...04d22b35_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 36 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5115/...5b857f8c_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 37 We gave up on our plans to get to Ayacucho as it was now 5 pm. We made for the next town Andahuaylas. Arriving just at dusk we were exhausted took the first hotel that luckily had hot water. Our helmet pads and gloves were soaked, but our feet dry in our Daytona GTX boots! We were again disappointed in our Revitt H2O over suits and neither of us was dry, especially the underwear. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5280/...fa95c0a2_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 38 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2918/...786a0260_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 39 |
North to the mountains of Peru
Well rested we were up and out early at 8 am and back on the 3S.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2929/...624a408b_b.jpg Screen Shot 2014-05-30 at 2.18.15 PM The road was good for the first 250 km on amazing winding switchbacks again to 4200 m. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3832/...4c03260b_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 13 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5079/...b8ca6abb_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 32 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3833/...d81e79da_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 52 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5231/...cdb908ec_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 53 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2901/...74f6867c_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 55 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2899/...1136079e_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 57 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3765/...c24898f7_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 58 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5495/...b52d21de_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 59 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3776/...c080e60d_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 66 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3771/...353e19bd_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 68 |
North to the mountains of Peru
Driving along here I was trying to get a photo when my Contour fell off. The glue gave up at 2.5 degrees. Luckily there was deep drainage ditches so it was no too hard to find.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2909/...0011a74e_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 41 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5032/...03d383d3_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 43 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3678/...1a00d922_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 47 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3774/...59a82b7c_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 50 Arriving at a small town the GPS said go straight, but the construction crew said no way. There was again a detour to the highway of about 30 km of dirt on a windy mountain “road” that dumped you back at the 3S, but this was onto about another 30 km of construction. There were several stoppages of 20 min where they were clearing the road of slide debris and piles of gravel. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5507/...af58ef81_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 44 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2934/...3550ab46_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 45 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3675/...525075ed_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 71 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2926/...fb991844_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 72 |
North to the mountains of Peru
Then there was 100 km of paved 1 lane road hanging on the side of the cliff, that actually had 2 way car and truck traffic. Luckily on the bikes we could pass. The hairpin corners were nerve racking with oncoming vehicles. What was the most crazy was the number of significant river crossings on the “ highway”. We were again racing the sunset to get off the road.
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Peru mountains day 3
We eventually found some no name town we would like to forget, with a “room” next to the pig sty (literally) about 40 min after dark and 400 km. This would probably be one of the worst places we have stayed in, but what can you expect for 8$. The one highlight of the day was a pretty good dinner we had. We just followed the police officers to the restaurant they were eating at.
After 2 days where our schedule had been decimated by weather, construction, and road conditions we were bagged and hoping for an easy day. Not so for ADV riders. After actually not a bad night sleep we decided to get an early start and were out the door at 720 and headed 45 min to Huancayo for breakfast and gas. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3706/...7abb07e0_c.jpg peru mtn 1 &2 69 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3814/...9ff6ee78_o.png Screen Shot 2014-05-30 at 2.21.19 PM Then we hit construction again and the road was actually closed, but they said the motos could make it. This said there was very rough “road” (more like a washed out river bed), several sections of mud, and twice we had to wait for the fresh deep gravel to be flattened for us by a machine so we could make it at all. |
Peru mountains day 3
Then we had 2 mountain passes over 4200 m to arrive at Junin, which is at 4000m for some lunch. The red stuff is quinoas. There are an amazing number of different kinds of potatoes here.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2914/...27309682_c.jpg peru mtn 3 3 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3759/...d50a693c_c.jpg peru mtn 3 4 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3704/...715d5ed5_c.jpg peru mtn 3 6 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3734/...6b14511c_c.jpg peru mtn 3 1 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2900/...fd310d7e_c.jpg peru mtn 3 8 In Peru many towns have these elaborate squares with crazy cartoon like themes. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3821/...ba7730aa_c.jpg peru mtn 3 9 |
Cerro de Pasco
Farther up the Carretera Central we drove thru Cerro de Pasco, which is one of the highest cities in the world and the highest city in the world with over 50,000 inhabitants at 4330 m.
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OFF OFF road
Here is where our GPS led us astray again. We had lost our good paper map of Peru and so were relying on the GPS on the road. We should have made right at Cerro de Pasco on the 3N to get to Huanuco in 100 km, but instead we ended up on a private dirt road to a mining site.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2934/...c03f7cfd_o.png Screen Shot 2014-05-30 at 2.23.04 PM Leaving this first mine site there was one of the deepest mud puddles we have seen and in fact the water was half way up the doors of the car in front of us. Luckily there was a dry patch to the side “blocked” by rocks that we could get over. The dirt road then got even rougher and narrower. After this we were on a mud “goat track”, which eventually became a dirt/mud track up the mountainside. We ran into some locals at the mountaintop who asked us where the hell were we going. They did confirm however that we could keep going this way to get back to the highway, so we did. Farther down the road got much better and we ran into a mine worker who said if we keep going down all the switchbacks several thousand feet to the valley floor there is a gate thru which we can access the route to the 3N. Some of the hairpin steep curves were a bit much with large rocks and deeper dirt to negotiate. Once the road was dry it was no real problem. The guard at the gate congratulated us for getting down the “road” and said that we were the first bikers he had ever heard of or seen there! Hey maybe we were the first to do something! After leaving the mine property there was about another 10 km down the mountain to the 3N. The first few km were 4 tunnels basically bored thru the mountain. We were so happy to have our Rigid lights for the pitch-black riding on the rough road inside the tunnels. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3798/...60648f76_c.jpg peru mtn 3 21 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3699/...2ccc6c68_c.jpg peru mtn 3 22 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3757/...9a15ebd7_c.jpg peru mtn 3 19 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5594/...4e1c4403_c.jpg peru mtn 3 23 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3682/...ce856168_c.jpg peru mtn 3 20 |
Peru mountains Day 4
Arriving at the 3S 2 hours after we had left it we were now still 80 km from Huánuco. This stretch of the 3S north is in the worst condition of any road we have seen. There is intermittent dirt/gravel with a very few patches of good pavement. It is mostly very badly pot-holed pavement requiring total concentration. Our poor bikes! That and there are tons of trucks and locals driving like maniacs all over the road and at speed.
We finally managed to break free of the pack after a town crowded with people in the street market and were able to pass a bunch of trucks. Again we were fighting the sunset and arrived just after dark and another 400 km. We spotted a hotel right away with good parking and hot water for 16$. I know I said this yesterday, but we do need a break today. The first plan was to get to La Union 130 km away on the 3N. This took 4 hours. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5556/...caec2679_o.png Screen Shot 2014-05-25 at 11.38.46 PM https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2911/...3b8fe5a66a.jpg peru mtn 4 2 |
Peru mountains Day 4
The very curvy road up the mountain was again mostly 1 lane and a lot of it in very poor condition with wash outs and potholes. There was several water crossings too. It takes a lot of mental and physical strength to drive the curves, avoid the holes, not get hit head on in the tight corners, and pass trucks on the verge of the narrow road for 4 hours.
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Got MUD?
The last 25 km of the road is full of mud sections for an added challenge. Arriving for lunch at la Union we were bagged at 1 pm, but we had 260 km to go to Caraz.
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Peru mountains Day 4
We finally got a break! The 3N north of La Union is smooth pavement and two real lanes wide. The views are awesome and we crossed a pass at 4600 m. The road heads southwest until Conochoca where it finally goes north.
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Carez
From here we had 111 km to go at 415 and we decided to go for it. The road from here is smooth, two lanes, with actual yellow lines down the middle and everything. That said with more civilization there is more traffic and more towns with speed bumps and so we again were arriving at dusk at 6.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3824/...e93ce20690.jpg peru mtn 4 74 We punched hotel in to the GPS and a lodge came up. Feeling like we deserved a break we headed there. Ahhhh comfy bed and hot water for 2 nights is heaven. Caraz in a picturesque little town with nice restaurants. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3743/...3710b8fdbe.jpg canyon del pato 17 https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2911/...7b612ff250.jpg canyon del pato 12 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3766/...1c418d30c5.jpg canyon del pato 16 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3826/...e5784165d0.jpg canyon del pato 15 |
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