Amazing route and photos! I couldn't even find this on the map.

Extreme heat is so hard to deal with on bikes, especially when off the pavement.

In lowlands Bolivia I was spending more on water than gasoline!

Thanks Ross, that was one of the hardest days I've spent on the bike.

The funny thing about that route was that our map indicated that it was the primary road and the secondary road that we ended up having to take was in WAAAY better condition. the mystery of maps.

__________________
Canada to Argentina 2010:http://nomi-beto-adventures.blogspot.com/

Website:www.MotoLara.com

It was a relatively hot night but not as bad as the last time we camped next to the Marañón but once again our plan was to hit the road before the sun came into full force. We were expecting the road to climb up to Bambamarca so we only had to endure the heat for a little bit. There was very little traffic, only one truck passed at dusk last night, and then we saw three in the morning while packing up.

Dry river bed turned into a road

The views from the saddle weren't too shabby

Fobulous ride


The road, I say road but it was barely a two tire track made by pick-up trucks, was still tricky as it was passing through a river bed. The view of the Marañón was spectacular. It really is a powerful river, and I enjoy taking the the time to appreciate it. About 500m down the road was a zip line transport across the river to Calemar. We saw this last night but still assumed there was a bridge further down the road since Garmin had the road crossing the river a little further down then heading for the hills. When we got to the zip line there was a bunch of pick-up trucks loading cargo and people from the zip line. What we discovered was the end of the road. All evidence suggested that we were screwed. Alberto did some asking around and yes this was the end of the road, yes that town we could see was Calemar and yes there was a path to Bambamarca and Condormarca etc. The problem was that according to the guy people walked to Bambamarca, they didn’t go by vehicle. We could see a canoe tied up on the shore in Calemar that we would be able to get the bikes in and to the other side but it didn't really sound like there was a road, and certainly no traffic was coming and going. Our map indicated a road but local knowledge suggested otherwise. We had already been turned away from reaching Bambamarca once before, finding out that the road in Bolivar was a dead end and you could only continue by horseback. We decided to cut our loses and head back the way we came, despite the tricky ride we knew we had ahead of us today.

It was getting hot, we were disappointed as this was our second attempt to reach Pataz by mountain and now we had to ride the difficult road back to civilization. Not wasting any time we set to work retracing our steps from the previous day knowing that we would take a break once we reached the waterfall that we had starting referring to as the Oasis. From what we remembered, even though yesterday was a bit of a blur, the trickiest sections were at the end, so we were going to be getting through them first.

Slow and steady was the plan, we didn't want any more accidents. The most difficult section from yesterday was a steep rocky section that was up right away. And sure enough it was just as steep and tricky today as it was yesterday. 100% focus, nice and steady, we made it up. There was a few hairy moments but everyone survived. I was sweating bullets now though due to the sun but also the intensity of the ride.


The geology in this area was very unique. Some type of porous rock


I guess it was nice to enjoy the view from a different angle, not so much so that I would have done the road again just for entertainment but it was the silver lining. We were both very thirsty since the little stream we camped next to was barely a trickle and my Geigerrig filter was not performing well. It was a lot of work to get a drink out of my pack. We were both dreaming about the Oasis and we rode further and further along the road.

Our map showed a road to Calemar, then going up to Bambamarca and south to Pataz... NOT accurate!


There were more clouds today, and therefore more shade. This was definitely welcomed. When we reached the Oasis it was in shade. We parked the bikes off the road as best we could and stripped down. We didn't even talk to each other for like 10min as we were each focused on our own things: me on getting a drink of water, and Alberto cooling himself down. We took a nice long break enjoying the waterfall and the parrots. The parrots were small but pretty, with green and red colouring. Feeling refreshed we were ready to tackle the next 3 hrs or so of road.

Agua por favor!




There was still lots of rocks, though not as steep. Slowly but surely we were making progress. Again we each had a crash, this time during the water crossings. Both were silly. Mine was while negotiating some large rocks in one of the drier crossings. I hit a rock, lost my balance, couldn't reach the ground and before I knew it I was lying on the ground. Alberto quickly rescued me and no legs got trapped. Alberto was negotiating one of the medium size water crossings when he hit a rock, got off balance and dumped his bike in the river. He was able to keep it running and I quickly was on the scene to help him pick up the bike. We got it out of the water and it was running fine; that was lucky. There was so many water crossings on this road it was like a water crossing training circuit. Pretty much every type you could imagine, big, small, shallow, deep, fast, slow; very diverse.

Drying corn


bikes were happy


Near the very end of the road there was a lady herding her donkeys but they were not very good with traffic. It was also a tricky rocky section. The donkeys kept walking and standing in front of Alberto and once you were committed you kind of had to keep your line in this terrain. The lady was throwing rocks at them trying to get them to move out of his way but instead the donkeys thought it was food and just chomped the rocks. Eventually the donkeys moved enough that we could get by. So bizarre. The road was easier than yesterday as we were able to do the harder sections first while we were fresh instead of at the end of the day when were we dehydrated and overheated. It was still a very difficult road though, and I don't think we will be back for a third go any time soon.



When we finally arrived back at the start of the road the construction people were just putting the chain up on the bridge to close the road. If we wanted to go back that way we probably would have made it, just in the nick of time. Instead we got some gas (very expensive at over 7$/G) because Alberto had hit reserve about an hour ago and had some lunch. On the menu for lunch was a bunch of water, fruit and avocado with bread. I also bought some pre-packaged dessert which turned out to be a bust. I took one bite of my mouldy brownie before I noticed it was covered in mold. I hope there are no repercussions from that mistake.

Eyeing what lies ahead



We were told it was a few hours to Aricapampa, and that the road was pretty rough. Considering that the easy sections of the road to Calemar were what I would typically call difficult on a regular day back in Canada we thought it couldn't get worse than the previous 125 kms of riding and decided to take our chances since the road back to the lake was now closed until 6pm anyway.

The road was bumpy, but it was wide and it was in fair condition. It got a bit rougher as we climbed, looking like when it rains the water just flows down the road. The corners were in the worst condition with some deep ruts in sections, again most likely from when it rains. The bumping as well was a bit excessive but I was just happy to be rekindling my relationship with 3rd gear as I had spent most of the last day and a half in first gear. I pogo sticked along at a good pace (no rear shock). There was a lot more traffic on the road resulting in some interesting moments with large trucks. For the first time ever a courteous Peruvian pickup driver yielded to us. Holy smokes.

The cute town of Chugay


The road led to the town of Chugay, which was strange as based on our map that was a town we were using to navigate our way to Calemar, we were not expecting to go through that town on this road. It was a cute little town with a particularly nice plaza. After Chugay the road was a lot smoother, though still with some speedway style corners due to washouts. The banking on some of the huge corners was so severe we figured that a moto taxi wouldn't make it around, and for the trucks they would need some serious ground clearance.

Chugay


'Dolce & Gabbana'


They like their Toros to work the land in Chugay

Higher, colder, windier


Vastly different from this morning


We had managed to climb in elevation so much that we noticed pampas grass at the side of the road. Peru is amazing like that, you can go from 35 degree dryness to altiplano in a matter of hours. For us the higher elevations and cooler temperatures are what we like. We've also found that the cooler the climate the friendlier the people. At the top of the pass the views were stunning, one of my top views of the entire trip so far. The starkness of the terrain and farm houses dotting the hills was a pleasure to witness. The population density had definitely decreased and it was getting later in the day so we started our search for a camping spot. To our surprise as we rounded a corner there was town, the town of San Juan. Just seconds before the hills seemed so remote and here we were rolling into a town (a small one).

Simple life. I like it


Small casitas in the middle of nowhere. Awesome


Preparing supper outside


Near San Juan the land got flatter and flatter


I think we were a surprising site to the residents of San Juan. Two cute little kids were staring at us pretty good. We picked up some more expensive gas, better than being stranded at the side of the road, and considered our options for camping. Based on the terrain we could see our best chance of camping was within the next 15min of road, once we started climbing again it was going to be very difficult. There was lots of road accesses, somewhat of a free-for-all, leading off to the different houses so we followed one of the roads assuming that we'd find somewhere to camp.

Fantastic camping spot!


Our hosting family's casa


Locals walk everywhere


The terrain was good for camping, we just needed to talk to one of the houses to get approval. We approached a set of three houses that had a family outside. Alberto walked over to talk to the owners. Our method to secure camping is to explain who were are and what we are doing (a couple from Canada traveling around Peru) and that we only want a place to put the tent for one night. The owner said that would be no problem and they even offered us one of the empty houses to stay in. He almost insisted that we stay in a house but Alberto assured him we had a good tent and that we would be fine if it rained (there was a thunder shower on the horizon). He set us up with a good spot and offered to share some potatoes with us for dinner. He went back to his business and we set about putting up the tent. Once the tent was up he returned and explained how surprised he was that we put the tent up so fast. He admired the tent and motos telling us he thought they were both pretty sweet. He showed us his 250cc moto, which looked pretty sweet as well. He was very nice and spoke with a very particular accent.



The views from our campsite were great


Local women and their cute children


He went back to the house and what I assume was his usual routine. We went about our usual evening business. We watched them rounding up their animals, and rotating their horses and donkeys. They had everything: chickens, sheep, pigs, cows, donkeys, horses and we even heard some cuys from the tent. In the evening the lady of the house brought us a huge serving of freshly cooked potatoes and delicious soup. The people up here are so amazing and friendly, we are truly grateful.

Supper thanks to our Campesino Family. Yummy potatoes and hot soup


GPS DATA: Elevation Change Day 18


VIDEO: EPISODE 18 PART I


VIDEO: EPISODE 18 PART II

__________________
Canada to Argentina 2010:http://nomi-beto-adventures.blogspot.com/

Website:www.MotoLara.com

Whether it was the high elevation or revenge of the brownie, or both, I did not have a good night. I had a dodgy stomach when I woke up in the morning and I didn't really get a good night's sleep. We were slow moving this morning, lounging in the cooler temperatures I suppose. Our hosts provided us with a delicious breakfast and refused to let us leave without giving us a huge sack of potatoes. The lady of the house wanted to buy our camping stove but we told her we still needed it for a few more weeks.

Breakfast thanks to our wonderful hosts
Potatoes, Andean corn, eggs, cheese, rice


We were already on the shortcut, as pointed out to us yesterday while buying gas, so we decided to stay the course. Unfortunately the overnight rain moistened up the mud and it was a bit slick. We barely made it a few thousand meters down the road before my back wheel caught the edge of some mud and I went down. Thankfully due to the angle of my bike I was able to pick it up myself and we continued, a bit more cautiously.

This shortcut wasn't exactly a clear path, there was roads haphazardly leading off in different directions. The lady told us this road was in the same condition as the main road but we were starting to doubt that very much. There were some tricky sections but we were making forward progress and we thought we could see the main road. Then there was the steep section. Alberto had just finished saying to me that the line he had picked wasn't slippery when he slid and fell. Seeing that I tried to stop but found myself sliding backwards while frantically applying the brakes full force. Somehow I was able to keep my balance and thankfully I was able to angle the bike such that it stopped sliding. Once Alberto sorted himself out he came to my rescue. It was hard for him to even walk, let alone try to keep me upright. We got my bike to a stable location then decided to take a rest. Alberto then drove both bikes up the steep section to where the road was more rocks and less mud. The road was still tricky but not steep. When we eventually reached the main road the jury was out on whether or not we did save the 30min on the shortcut. Just getting up that hill took 20min.

The mudpit at the bottom and the hill we came up on. Doesn't look like much but boy... it was slick!


Almost at the top


Back on the main road


The road was busy with large cargo trucks, buses and pickup trucks. We even managed to pass and get passed by a truck carrying a brand new excavator about half a dozen times (he was VERY slow but every time we stopped for photos he’d go past us). When we reached the top, about 3900m it was foggy. The road itself was in pretty dire condition, it looked as if it had a rough rainy season. There was large puddles, massive ruts, and it was extremely bumpy. Not only was my stomach not enjoying the motocross style bumps but it also proved fatal for my rear cargo rack. I thought it had just got loose again so I asked Alberto to stop so we could take a look. What we discovered was that 2/3 of the mounting points were toast. It was barely hanging on. We used a combination of heavy duty zap straps and my Giant Loop Pronghorn tie downs to secure the rack to the subframe. This would at least keep it from slapping around and doing further damage. We intended to get it welded in Aricapampa, about an hour away.

Chain adjustment ongoing


Just a bit muddy


So we continued on the horrendous road, albeit gingerly as I didn't want to break our temporary solution for my rack. We weren't more than 15min down the road when my chain came off again (this had been an ongoing problem during the morning in the bumping conditions). I happened to be in a big rut at the time and thankfully there was no traffic at that time because the road had been very busy. I paddled my way off the road and Alberto came back to sort me out. We are crossing our fingers we can keep this chain alive for a few more weeks.

Road down to Aricapampa


Further down, the fog was gone


Back to motocross training we bounced down the road. I was taking it extremely easy not wanting to upset my rack or chain or rear shock at this point. My stomach was very unsettled with all the jostling. I cringed every time I went through a hole. For once we were one of the slowest moving vehicles on the road, slowly plodding along in first gear switching from the right side of the road to the left side of the road to find the flattest parts. While riding down the road Alberto saw a group of three kids, two out of the three stopped dead in their tracks while the other one ran like the wind to hide but Alberto told me he could see him peeking from behind the house. The animal sighting of the day was tiger piggies at the side of the road.

Finding the welder in Aricapampa was pretty easy. He had a sign and he was on the main road. He sorted us out for under $4. Next stop was some gas and refreshments. The gas lady was the nicest of the Tienda style gas we have bought so far. She was excited to see us and asked questions about our gear.

Welding! just what we needed!

Apu stripped naked


Local campesina with a rebar as a cane


Father and son sorting us out with the welding. Scary how they don't use any safety gear to do the job


We had been told that the road was better after Aricapampa (it wouldn't take much) which was counterintuitive compared to our map. We were slowly descended down the mountain range and as we got lower everything was drying out. We said goodbye to roadside eucalyptus and hello to cacti and dust. In some ways the road was better, there was less mud, still the occasional motocross section but specifically on the descent to Chagual there was dust like I have never seen before. It was 2400m in elevation but hot and dusty. It was very unexpected. The other issue was that the road was busy and the cloud of dust left by the large trucks would take minutes to clear. It was a dusty mess, so much dust that we saw a dust rainbow. The views were nice before we started the dust descent and couldn’t see anything anymore. Also trucks were extremely courteous, always helping out to let us pass or yield to us when the road was only big enough for one-way traffic.

The mountain across looked like a fun ride, was it the way to Pataz?


Somewhere down there is the Marañon River, our good old friend

Amazing Andes


Once again the Marañón river came into view; we meet again powerful river. And the closer we got to the bottom the warmer it was. Nothing like a dust bath and some sweltering heat to really top off the day. At the bottom there is a bridge and after the bridge there is a nice blue sign showing the way to Pataz and Lake Pias.
WOWZERS! the dusty road


A bit duty indeed


Almost there!

Alberto is happy to be back. 30 years later


We briefly went into Chagual to see what was up. Alberto remembers flying into that town as a child. It was hot and there wasn't much going on except some green mangoes so we decided to head for Pataz. We would either find camping or make it to the town just before dark and hope for a hotel.

Here we were, only a few hours away from the mythic Pataz. Pataz may not be on every adventure rider’s list but it is a place that Alberto remembered from his childhood. His memories included giant scorpions, scary tarantulas, orange supernaturally-sized centipedes, poisonous snakes, unsupervised pigs, ‘lost’ citadels of ancient civilizations in the jungle nearby and +48C temperatures. For the past two weeks I was being told of the scary animals I had to keep watch for when camping and taking bathroom breaks in this area. Alberto’s dad worked at the local gold mine in the early 80’s and his family (mom and siblings) spent the summer months with him in Pataz. Him and his brother would look for snakes, ‘play’ with angry rams, and slide down the mountain on locally hand-made wooden ‘Tonka’ trucks, among other unsupervised activities. What great adventures they had when they were 5 years old. All these memories were still in his mind but 30 years later he started to wonder, was all of it real? He knew he had to go back and find out. The area is not a tourist destination due to its remoteness and 'dead-end' access, but we were going to check it out.

With the sun coming down, we still had a few kms to go to reach Pataz


The day is coming to an end


At the start of the road there was a sign welcoming us to the Rio Abiseo national park (home of El Gran Pajaten). The road wasted no time messing around, it gets straight to the business of gaining 1000m of elevation. Fine by us as we were hoping for a temperature change. The road was actually quite pretty. There was lots of greenery and even a delicate waterfall that could be seen from the road. There was more traffic than we are used to coming down but for the most part people were very respectful. It was night and day compared to a few days ago when we were traveling south from Cajamarca. The road did not appear to be made of the same material as the dust bowl on the other side of the river (thankfully). The rock was light in colour, mixed with sections of deep red clay. You could see that the road had endured its fair share of landslides so there was some rougher sections, but nothing too crazy. There was not much in the way of camping though, too steep on either side, but we did not give up hope.

The road we came from earlier in the day (the dusty one)


Waterfall seen from the road


My chain fell off again, but we were racing against the sun so we just stuffed it back on and hoped for the best. I was riding it gingerly for the rest of the ride, or at least trying to. One more crash in mud for me to finish up the day as well. I lost the back again. In hindsight it was probably too dark to be wearing tinted goggles. The road leveled off and the town of Pataz came into view. At this point we gave up on camping and focused our efforts on crossing our fingers for a decent hotel. Even though Alberto used to visit this town as as child he was really young and does not remember much of the specifics. We did know it was a mining town and this became evident when we passed an underground adit at the side of the road. Also while we were stopped for a photo a pair of moto miners passed us by (two people in full UG mining PPE on a moto).

A beautiful sunset on the mountains


Right before nightfall.... PATAZ!


Just as Alberto remembered it: a small town nested on a steep mountain side

The town was a bit strange, having a locked gate at the entrance. We told the gate operator that we were looking for a hotel, so he lifted the gate and allowed us to enter the town but he was a bit reluctant.

There was only the one road and it only lasted for 4 or 5 blocks. At the end of the road was the plaza, where we parked. Alberto recognized the area, though it was different from what he remembered. While I watched the bikes he went for a walk to find a hotel. I was immediately swarmed by children, mostly young girls, asking me questions. Once we established that I was from Canada and somehow knew how to speak some Spanish the conversation eventually shifted to Justin Beiber. When Alberto returned he was able to translate a word I did not know, the verb to be mugged. Many of the children kept asking me if where I came from people got mugged. The reality of people living in a different culture. The conversation jumped around and they were excited that we came all the way from Canada. While waiting in the plaza I saw groups of UG Miners in full PPE coming and going. Yes we were in a mining town, and no I didn't see any women miners. I probably would have knocked these people’s socks off if I told them I was a Mining Engineer, and this was probably the only place people wouldn’t be turning us away because we are Mining Engineers.

There was one hotel a block from where we were but it had no secure parking. We had been told about another hotel "up top" but were unclear on how to get there. The whole town is built on a very steep incline so it creates an upper and lower town, and is best navigated on foot rather than by 2 or 4 wheels. We eventually established that it wasn't as far as we were originally told and that they had parking so we gave it a try. It was dark now and we were finished for the day. The hotel, la Rocas, was fine and we were able to park the bikes in the lobby overnight. Also since it was away from the Main Street (but still walking distance) it was quieter and felt more secure. We were satisfied. Thirty years later Alberto had returned to Pataz, and after two previously failed attempts to get here we had reached the town, albeit by the least creative route available.

GPS DATA: Elevation Change Day 19


VIDEO: EPISODE 19

__________________
Canada to Argentina 2010:http://nomi-beto-adventures.blogspot.com/

Website:www.MotoLara.com

Hey Naomi!

Great installment - really miss Peru already! Ecuador is pretty and the cities and towns are gorgeous, people drive well here and the place is a lot cleaner, but the riding kinda sucks compared to Peru/Bolivia. All I've seen the past few days is mostly white clouds with small intervals of green forest here and there. Feels like a country where the biking is a means to arrive somewhere rather than the main event itself, as in Peru. But it's lovely to be here nonetheless but wow miss those long, lonely dirt tracks winding off into nowhere. Gotta go back to Peru someday soon!

Hi Ross,

Glad to hear you made it to Ecuador, better late than never right?

Yeah Peru will get you like that. Especially when one shares our style of riding, Peru caters to us!

We are both enjoying following your trip on ADV now, we also have this RR on ADV btw, hopefully we can keep those Peru memories alive with the rest of our RR.

safe travels

__________________
Canada to Argentina 2010:http://nomi-beto-adventures.blogspot.com/

Website:www.MotoLara.com

Woke up to this view of Pataz


Just a few tourist photos before leaving Pataz and we were on the road again. We asked about doing something with my chain in town but nobody could help us. My rear cargo rack was broken again so we zap-strapped it down and will keep an eye on it. The sun was shining and the views did not disappoint. We had more time to enjoy the view this time, so we were taking it easy. The temperature quickly rose to uncomfortable levels.

Alberto sitting in the same plaza he used to play with his siblings 30 years back


Any day in Pataz, stray dogs going up the stairs while donkeys go down


Heading down to Chagual


Aloe Avenue


Waterfall


View from waterfall. A long way down


From the saddle


Naomi and Apu


Near the bottom


We picked up some mangos in Chagual then peeled out of the there. So hot, so dusty. It was very strange that there was a water crossing on either end of the town yet everywhere else along the road there was bridges. Seems as though they need a new mayor.

The road was rocky, dusty and hot. Not exactly fun to ride, we were just trying to get it over with. And to our surprise the Marañón disappeared out of site very quickly. That will be the last we see of her. The road crossed a smaller cleaner river and then not wasting any time the road shot right up the side of the mountain. It was steep, it was rocky and it was treacherous. If riding a big bike only intermediate level and above need apply. There was traffic to keep an eye out for and most of them were flying. There was some heavy equipment out improving the road, but for us it just made it worse. Now there was big rocks still combined with 5-10 cm of loose dirt. Fun times. As always the view was nice but you couldn't spend too much time distracted from the road. The road continued to be dusty and bumpy and it was getting on my last nerve. I had had about enough more than an hour before the road was complete. My bike just bounces around like a mad man so on the motocross style road the cumulative effective is pain to me and the bouncing around makes it more difficult to control.

Up up up once more


After the bridge below, a festival of switchbacks


At the top there was a narrow section and out of nowhere about 6 buses within 5 min of each other were coming down the road. There was some hairy encounters, one where I made the bus reverse to a wider section so I could get by. I was in no mood to play games. The road had a view of lake Piaz. By northern Peru standards I would say it was a large lake but it was nothing special to us coming from BC. We are blessed with a lot of freshwater lakes in Canada so seeing lakes on a ride is pretty much just par for the course for us.

Laguna de Piaz, where Alberto used to go with his family on weekends.


These buses come around the corner at full speed... no room for two in there!


We were bumping down the road choking on dust when out of the blue we spotted a gas station, like a real nice gas station. It was the first one we'd seen since Cajamarca. We stopped to get gas and refresh ourselves. Nothing like a bottle of cold water to calm the effects of heat and dust exposure. We told the lady that this was the first gas station we'd seen since Cajamarca and she just laughed. Very friendly people who asked about where we were going etc...

A 'proper' gas station in the middle of nowhere... what mining does eh?


The road was a bit better after the gas station, but my excitement was short lived. So much bumping hurting my internal organs. It rained briefly, but unfortunately that wasn't enough to keep the dust down. My chain came off again, so we are planning to stop at the next moto mechanic we see to get that sorted. As our progress continued we entered a serious mining region. People with hard hats in pickup trucks, mining trucks on the road and mines at the side of the road. The change happened so fast, one minute we were driving through the usual towns on an average road and the next minute we were driving up through a mine site. It was pretty hectic with lots of traffic and intersections for at least 2 hours. It was madness and not too much fun to be honest.

Peru: Mining Country.
Peru is before anything and anyone.


Once we reached over 3300m my bike was really struggling on the steep roads. It was chaos with all the traffic, everyone yielding to one another and at one point I had to stop and the bike stalled. I couldn't get it going up the hill. It just didn't have enough power on the steepness. Also my air filter it probably really dirty so that was probably not helping. It was a very vulnerable position to be in not being able to move. I drove down the hill a bit where it wasn't as steep and Alberto came to my rescue to give me a push. As we climbed the hill of numbered switchbacks (20 or so), following all the large trucks, for the first time in a long time the view was worth admiring. On the horizon was a very interesting mountain range. There was still mines as well but at least the backdrop was nice. My chain came off again. It was a bit harder to get back on this time. Only twice though today, that is an improvement.

Near the summit


The views never disappoint up in the Andes


We topped out at over 4200m. At the other side of the pass there was a moto guy stopped at the side of the road. He asked if we had a pump, so we helped him out. He was expecting us to pull out a hand pump so when we busted out the electric pump he at first thought we had misunderstood him :confused but then was wowed by our gadget.

13.6 HP of happiness!


The sun was quickly going down


Time to camp


It was getting late so we were actively searching for a place to camp. Just down the road we were able to find some premium camping. It was getting dark soon though so it was a race against time to get dinner made. It's probably going to be a cold one tonight.

Camping with a view


Andean grass


$650 view or more?


Tired at the end of a tough day :kurt


Sunset of Tata Inti


Preparing supper


Looking South-West




GPS DATA: Elevation Change Day 20


VIDEO: EPISODE 20

__________________
Canada to Argentina 2010:http://nomi-beto-adventures.blogspot.com/

Website:www.MotoLara.com

Just read your report.
Stunning photography and great read, thanks
A place to put on the bucket list

Wayne

__________________
The Balkans
https://new.horizonsunlimited.com/poi_entity/8417

Thanks Wayne, Peru is indeed a great destination for adventure riding. We are glad you are enjoying our tale.

__________________
Canada to Argentina 2010:http://nomi-beto-adventures.blogspot.com/

Website:www.MotoLara.com

It was indeed a cold night, which was surprising since I don't think it got below zero, but still it was a difficult sleep. My teeth were chattering as I made breakfast.

Breakfast of champs :lift mix nuts, dry fruit, quinua, honey, hemp heart seeds...


Dusty gear


I was wearing everything I brought for cold weather riding when we hit the road. I felt like a kid in a snowsuit, my movement was restricted all over. The road at first was extremely rocky but soon transitioned to just lots of potholes. There was rain up ahead, but it didn't last very long. It was moving over to the next valley when we rounded the corner down to Buldibuyo. We saw a couple of taxi cars on the route, but it was a pretty quiet Sunday.

Amazing views, no big deal


It was getting warmer as we descended down the valley first to Buldibuyo and then to Huaylillas. The road was still a pile of crap though. Lots of bumps and potholes, we must have looked like crazy people as we drove all over the place trying to pick the smoothest line. My body hates me on these roads, and I think all the bouncing around gives me motion sickness. By the time we reached Huaylillas I was able to remove three layers. It had risen 15 degrees. We bought some fruit and some water and then went on our way.

The road ahead


Things were looking good


Naomi & Apu


The road was still pretty messy, this time with lots of rocks and still very bumpy. It was mostly farmland, which had a simple beauty. Soon enough though we were back at eucalyptus elevation making things more comfortable. When we spotted the town of Tayabamba is appeared to be a metropolis perched on the edge of a mountain. We made our way to the plaza and stopped for lunch. It started to rain but luckily there was a large pine tree where we were able to take cover under. We both just sat on the ground eating our food. Lots of people were staring. When we had finished lunch the rain had passed.

Tayamamba


Cute Main Square in Tayamamba


Old man sits outside his home to keep an eye on the town's activities


Locals stared at us for the entire hour we were there


The road out of the plaza and ultimately out of town looked treacherous, and it was. It was extremely steep, it must have been a 25% grade! and not smooth pavement. It was muddy and had huge holes. It was a complete mess. As we were driving up it I felt like my bike was going to flip me over, the front was barely hanging on over the bumps. All we could do was stick it in first and cross our fingers. It was definitely a butt clenching moment, but we both made it to the top with a few more white hairs for our troubles. At the top was a gas station that advertised it was open 24hrs. It was not open. Alberto commented that the only thing open 24/7 was the sign. We went down the road a little further to another gas station but nobody was home. We yelled and honked but there was nada. So that was that, we left town without gas in the direction of Urpay.

The valley we came from. Leaving Tayamamba down and behind


Higher up there was no more trees


Or so we thought. We got to a river crossing where some people were walking and asked if we were going the right way. We were not. We were so focused on driving through the muddy mess that we had missed our turn. Luckily we only had to backtrack a few minutes. What a treat it was. The road to Urpay was not only dry, it was pretty much smooth. Like a regular Peruvian dirt road. It was a miracle, and easily the nicest dirt road since we were driving to Bolivar. My internal organs were grateful.

Coming down from a high pass


The pass topped out at 4120m, complete with fog and a bit of rain. It was stunning though, I've really enjoyed the scenery of the last two passes. It was a cute little valley and soon enough we left the long pampas grass behind to enjoy lush green roadside flora. Up ahead was the prettiest town we have seen, Sarya. It had a cute plaza and everyone we passed seemed extremely friendly. We got so many very surprised looks and even crashed some sort of religious party that was happening on the side of the road. As we passed, the guy leading the ceremony blessed Alberto.

The town of Urpay on the mountain side


Panoramic foto


Fantastic views of the Urpay Valley


Welcome to Urpay


We stopped to buy some bread in Urpay. When we asked the lady how to get to Huallabamba, she said that we had to go down and cross the Marañón. She asked if our bikes could cross the river, to which Alberto replied we shall see thinking it was a strange question. After Urpay the scenery was very different. Lots of nice farms, aloe plants and short grass. It wasn't as lush and we could see some dry mountains on the valley across from us. Alberto really loved the view, I think it is one of his favorites. Who doesn’t love aloe?

Stunning


Checking the GPS... this road was not in there


Apu looking great


Aloe avenue with a fantastic backdrop


Blessed, indeed


The road got tricker and I'm glad it wasn't raining because there was large mud ruts in the road and I imagine they could get very slick with some rain. We could see the river below now and that it didn't look good for camping options. There was as strange encounter with a gate across the road. Not a gate that was easily opened. We were starting to get concerned that we were not going the I right way as it seemed strange to have a gate across the road like that. Luckily there was a truck coming up so we asked him and he confirmed that we were going the right way. That was reassuring despite the tricky road conditions. Shortly after my bike and I had a disagreement with a rut, resulting in me crashing and breaking my mirror. Everything else was fine from the crash.

(ADV) Heaven on earth


We were able to find some camping just off the road. It was just in time as the rain we had managed to outrun earlier had finally caught up to us. The temperature was only going to increase as we got closer to the bottom so we settled for some mediocre camping practically at the side of the road. It doesn't seem like this is a busy road though.

Camping... with a view!


Sunset in the Andes


One of our favorite camping spots to date


Gorgeous valley with our old friend: Marañón River


Tent view


Buenas noches


GPS Data: Elevation Change Day 21


VIDEO: EPISODE 21 PART I


VIDEO: EPISODE 21 PART II

__________________
Canada to Argentina 2010:http://nomi-beto-adventures.blogspot.com/

Website:www.MotoLara.com

The road was extremely quiet overnight. We only heard one vehicle pass, a moto just after dusk. The only things around those parts where the cows and donkeys. The road to the bottom was in better condition than the heavily rutted and muddy section we did the previous evening. There was some rocky bits but it was pretty good. We were lucky it was a cloudy day, the clouds shielded us from the sun's heat.




Naomi and Apu on the road... but where?


Tales behind the handlebars


Near the bottom


When we reached the bottom we were once again in Marañón terrain. And here I thought we’d seen the last of her way back in Chagual. There was cactus and everything looked extremely dry. The mud was a deep red colour though, so that was new for us. There was a town of sorts at the bottom so we took the opportunity to re-ask directions. The person we asked said pretty much the same thing as the truck driver last night. We needed to go to La Oroya and pay a man to get across the river. We assumed this was some sort of barge or canoe based on the way people were describing La Oroya. We continued down the road a little further where we saw the remains of a once proud bridge and still standing a foot bridge. I asked Alberto if this was where we passed but he said it must be further because the people weren't describing a bridge. We had to pay someone to get the bikes across. So we continued.

Riding along the river


Naomi's view



The road was clearly not a main route. It was rough in sections, very rough, but we could see some tracks. Only moto tracks though. It was challenging riding and as the road got sketchier and sketchier (a sure sign you've gone the wrong way) we approached a gate with a group of people standing around. We went through our usual routine asking how to get to the next biggest town and where we could find La Oroya to cross the river. They said it was back where we came from where the bridge was. Crap. At least it had only been 20min or so of detour. Back we went.


Naomi and Apu made it look easy



When we arrived at the once proud bridge there was a guy standing there. His name was Pablo. We asked if we could get the bikes across. He said it would be 20 soles (a bit over 6 USD) per bike and the way across was the cage sitting at the other side of the river. Interesting. He had no way of getting the cage to our side so he whistled for someone on the other side (there was a couple of houses on the other side).

La Oroya was the bridge 'in construction'



Alberto waiting and eating a yummy local fruit (can't remember the name of it)


The unknown fruit, any one out there knows its name? brown outside and super red inside




He whistled and snaked the cable for 45min before a second guy showed up, Yonan. They talked briefly and then both walked out on the bridge that was missing a few sections at the other end (you couldn’t cross using the bridge). It looked super sketchy as it was bouncing around with them both on it. Yonan then got down on his knees and grabbed a rope that was hanging there. He proceeded to slide down it onto a sand bank in the river. It was madness. He then swam across to retrieve the cage...… it looked that he almost didn’t make it because of the strong current. While I just described this whole process in a matter of minutes, it took Yonan at least 30min to bring the cage back to our side.

Pablo on the sketchy bridge (no handrails, missing planks). Yonan running up-current on the river sand bank


Yonan swimming for his life


Yonan bringing the cage back


With the cage on our side the three men (Alberto included) muscled my bike backwards onto the cage. They usually put bikes on forwards so they can drive off at the other side but the crash bars were too wide so it didn't fit that way. It took quite a bit of muscle power to get Apu on there. They then tied him up ready to be slung across. Alberto offered to go over with them to help unload the bike at the other side but they decided to just go the two of them. Whoosh, across the river went my bike.



Half way there


The cable was really sagging


Once at the other side we were helpless, all we could do was watch them struggle to get it off. One wrong move and Apu was going for a swim. It looked like they secured my bike using the rear cargo rack. We were both worried that wasn't going to hold if things went south. Just close your eyes until it is over. It took them a solid 30min back and forth muscling my bike off. It was a huge relief to see them park it at the top safely.

YIKES! not much room to unload the bike!


Pablo and Yonan having a hard time fighting gravity



While they were on the other side struggling with my bike we decided to take everything off Chasqui (something we should have done with Apu but hindsight is 20/20). This made loading the bike on the cage much easier. This time Alberto went over with them to help take the bike off. One Keeway and three grown men went swinging across to the other side in that tiny little rebar cage.
Chasqui's turn!


They barely fit in there!


Our hardest river crossing ever... and we didn't even ride through it



Things were much easier this time. It only took them 5min or so to get Chasqui off and up the bank. All that was left was to collect and deliver me and all the stuff to the other side. Alberto stayed on the other side while the two guys came back for me. We packed everything up and slung over. It was actually a pretty fun ride. On the other side we thanked them both for all their hard work. We are the biggest bikes (heaviest) that they have taken over. I don't think you'd get something much bigger on the cage. We later found out that the bridge was destroyed last year due to engineering failure. Based on what was left of the bridge Alberto and I suspected engineering failure.

"I felt my feet sliding back..." Alberto



YAY! Both bikes on the other side!



After all was said and done it was about a three hour river crossing. Still, even after all the craziness, it was far more efficient than going back to Huamachuco. It was pretty hot now, it was the middle of the day and I had not anticipated being in a hot climate for this much of the day. My layering choices this morning were proving to be poor choices. Time to get moving. The road on the other side was a dream, sure there was some rocky bits, but overall it was smooth sailing and we were the only ones there since there was no bridge anymore. At the side of the road was a bunch of cacti with parrots singing away. We've only seen parrots near the Marañón this trip, that must be their hangout. They were small but very pretty.

Beautiful Parrots



More "Boabab" look-alike trees



Time to ride!


We passed a couple of ladies and asked them for directions. It didn't work out though as they both just looked terrified and could not help us with our directions questions. And then just like that the Marañón vanished from sight and we were climbing. Switchback after switchback until the terrain changed. The road was rocky, but as Alberto says "very rideable". We even passed some traffic: a moto, a truck and a truck carrying Coca Cola products. Oh boy, we must be really going somewhere important. Supplying Coke products to the far corners of Peru is clearly a priority.

There was kilometer markers counting down at the side of the road and we assumed they zeroed out at Quiches. We were hoping to get gas there since Alberto hit reserve yesterday. We were probably running on fumes by this point. We could see rain in the distance and a few drops appeared on our goggles as we entered Quiches. We headed straight for the plaza and asked about gas. There was some combis parked there, a good sign that there is not a rough road up ahead. Directions for the first gas location did not yield results. People did not hang out at the location they sold their gas it seemed. What ensued was a downpour and a wild goose chase looking for gas. Not a good combination. We eventually talked to a person who sold gas on the way out of town. He agreed to meet us up there. Before leaving the plaza a guy on a bicycle approached Alberto. He wanted to know where we were from and when Alberto told him Canada he not only knew where it was he knew our capital as well. The first person to know where Canada actually is so far this trip.

The higher we went, the wetter it became


We followed the road out of town and the guy was waiting with fuel bottles to fill us up. As he was filling up Apu he commented that we were really empty and that it wouldn't be good to head over the pass this low on fuel. Yes we agree, that is why we were trying so hard to get gas in town even though nobody wanted to serve us. The rain was really coming down now, and it didn't seem like it was going to pass so we suited up in full rain gear. He said it was 2 hours or so to Sihuas so that is where we headed.

It was raining and the road was a bit treacherous so both of us weren't using eye protection. We needed to see what was happening and the rain drops weren't clearing from our visors. The peak on our helmets was actually pretty good at blocking most of the rain. The road was rocky but compared to the motocross and potholes of the main roads we were riding a few days ago these rocky roads were much better. Less traffic and surprisingly we could get into a higher gear. The rain kind of makes the riding a slog though.

Higher and higher we went. Last picture of the day.


Alberto was not really keen to get the camera wet to take pictures and the scenery was either covered in cloud or fog. When we started to reach the top I was quite cold. My left boot felt wet and my hands were freezing. I was losing my patience with the rain. My chain came off a few times too, not helping the situation. We had to take a few breaks to warm up our hand using the exhaust on our bikes. We were hoping the rain was just on this side of the mountains but the further we got the more rain there appeared to be. By the sixth time my chain came off we decided to call it quits and camp for the night. It was still rainy but I was cold and the chain was the straw that broke the camel's back.

We were able to find a decent place to pop the tent just off the road. It looked like we would even have a water source but upon closer inspection there was lots of algae growing in the standing water so we went without. What a day, we had started it off too hot in the dry desert only to finish the day freezing in the rain. That was a 28 degree temperature swing! Peru is sneaky like that.

GPS DATA: Elevation Change Day 22


VIDEO: EPISODE 22

__________________
Canada to Argentina 2010:http://nomi-beto-adventures.blogspot.com/

Website:www.MotoLara.com

Sunrays fight the fog and rain


We woke to some intermittent rain but there was blue sky on the horizon and the sun was peaking through. The mountain scenery was much better today so we soaked it up a little bit while going through our morning routine.

Things looked good this morning!


Ahhhhhh camping...


First things first: make some breakfast!


Beautiful views of the mountains


By the time we hit the road the fog had rolled in a bit, but at least it wasn't full out raining. The mountains were rockier than most, and it was an interesting change. This particular pass was a long one, and when we finally popped out the other side there was blue sky. We were delighted. The road was rocky, but solid rocky making the road surface like a paved road. Unfortunately this was hell for my sagging chain so we were making slower than usual progress. More time to enjoy the scenery I guess.

Rolling again!


At the summit


Naomi and Apu on the left, see them?


Cool views


Everything was very green. Find Naomi


We made our way to Sihuas, following the road down the valley. My chain came off ten times en route to Sihuas, but we could get past that because judging by our map we were expecting a big town and we felt that today was the lucky day to get the chain fixed. The temperature rose as the road took us down the side of the mountains to the bottom of the valley.

Small village hiding in the fog


Typical 'Peru' view in the Andes:


Apu's best angle


There was a river at the bottom and it seemed like a relatively dry place. Not as green as higher up. We passed a donkey, not an unusual happening by any means but this particular donkey is worthy of a comment. He was standing in the middle of the road and we saw this donkey was lazy enough to not move his feet even a centimeter. As a combi passed all he did was move his head to the side so as to allow enough room for them to pass. Alberto commented that the combi was so close the driver could have slapped the donkey across the face but that donkey was as cool as a cucumber.

I like this shot. Naomi & Apu are a tiny speck


It was pretty easy finding the moto place and the mechanic was happy to help. He immediately got to work on my chain. Meanwhile while Alberto was supervising the moto work I ran some errands in the big city. It was easy to walk around and I found the people of Sihuas very friendly. More than one person said hello to me as I walked by. In an hour of work we got two links taken out of each chain, my rear brake line bled, both spark plugs cleaned and both air filters cleaned. All for about $7. Not bad. I had purchased some food for lunch so when the bikes were finished we drove the three blocks to the plaza to have lunch.

Following the river to reach Sihuas


Piece of chain that was cut and removed


Moto mechanics working on Apu


It was a nice quiet place and where we happened to park up we were across from a police station. There was a few officers outside and one offered Alberto a place to wash his hands. While he was getting his hands washed he was also offered the use of bathrooms and a shower. So friendly. We sat at a bench eating our avocado and bread. I must say the bread I bought, Pan Serrano, was the most delicious bread I have had in Peru (so Cajamarca you’ve been toppled in the rankings). It was truly amazing. While we were eating lunch one of the younger policeman came over to check out the bikes. He asked a bunch of questions and seemed to really like our Keeways. They surprise a lot of people with their engine capacity and cost. The police officer that offered up the facilities asked us why we didn't eat lunch at a restaurant. I told him that I liked being outside, eating simple fresh foods and that eating in the plaza gives us an opportunity to interact with people.

Local Lady selling different kinds of potatoes (Peru has more than 3,000 types of potatoes)


As we were having lunch some school children around 10 years old passed by. A couple were brave enough to stop to talk to us, and then a crowd formed. They were very fascinated that I spoke English and came from Canada. I answered almost 100 questions ranging from what my name was to what I was doing in Sihuas. It was fun talking to them, and one of the girls gave me an apple and a peach. So thoughtful. Once again it was a very nice lunch in a plaza. Interacting with kind people, especially children is one of the great joys of international travel. It was so cute to hear the kids practice their english.

School Children practicing their English


Showing them where we had been and came from


We had such a great time talking with friendly little ones


We had been told it was about 3 hours to Pomabamba, which was the next big town en route. We were hoping to find a road that would cross the mountains from there. The road that left Sihuas, following a river, led us to a small town which did not have a name in Garmin and was very fun. It was narrow, for the most part only one single lane but the terrain was interesting as it transitioned from dry to wet. In Peru it’s all about the elevation.

Cool road leaving Sihuas


Crossing the river, heading towards Pomabamba


Menacing clouds


We hit a few small towns and then the road turned into the road of a thousand puddles. There was no such thing as road drainage so there was lots and lots of puddles or a river running straight down the road. Either way things were getting pretty wet. We could see rain in the distance but for the most part our road seemed to be just barely avoiding it. When going through one of the small towns Alberto found himself in an old fashioned kung-fu fight with a pack of dogs. The kind of fight where you are surrounded and miraculously everyone waits their turn to challenge you in the centre, but it is a never ending line of opponents. There was two on his left and three on his right. When he swerved to get rid of the ones on the right, the ones on the left attacked. This hilarious encounter continued until we reached the edge of the town and the dogs gave up.

Heading up to a new high pass


Pano view


The summit of the pass was pretty and we got our first glimpse of snow. We considered camping but didn't find any good spots so we kept moving. Coming down there was more puddles and a bit of rain. Alberto toughed it out and it was the right call as we quickly drove through the rain without getting wet. It was just passing through and we were just catching the end of it.

Right at the pass!


When Pomabamba came into view it looked like a sizable town. We went to the plaza hoping to find some information about roads crossing the mountains, specifically our map showed a road to Alpamayo. Alberto asked some people who were relaxing in the plaza and soon had a decent size crowd around him. Unfortunately nobody we talked to knew of any such roads so we decided to keep going and cross at Llanganuco. We were pretty disappointed as this was an area we had been looking forward to doing some riding but it was late and we were probably not going to make it to the next town before dark so we didn’t dwell. The area was populated so remote camping also wasn't an option given our sudden route change.

The town of Pomabamba


Local moto-rider giving Alberto some directions. Everyone else was just curious


We didn’t want to stay in a hotel in Pomabamba though so we took our chances and continued along the main road. We eventually found a place to camp just off the road next to a river, pretty decent all things considered. But when I say just off the road, I mean literally metres from the road, in plain sight. Alberto was able to okay it with the people who lived across the road. He said that their Spanish was rudimentary as they spoke Quechua but they were able to communicate to each other. We set up the tent with an audience looking on. It was dark before I finished making dinner so it was lucky that we found this place to camp.

GPS DATA: Elevation Change Day 23


VIDEO: EPISODE 23

__________________
Canada to Argentina 2010:http://nomi-beto-adventures.blogspot.com/

Website:www.MotoLara.com

Despite the roadside location our camping spot turned out well. We had lots of visitors in the morning curious about our bikes and the tent. We were camping along a main walking path so there was lots of people coming and going. One guy gave us some fresh sugar cane; very yummy. We had an audience of about half a dozen people when we packed up the tent. I hope they were impressed.

Waking up to a sunny day!


Beautiful country side


Naomi ready to roll... and already getting hot!


The road continued to be muddy with puddles, no doubt helped by the overnight rain. It just is what it is I guess. It was a nice day though with blue sky and some scattered clouds. We got a few glimpses of the white peaks of Huascaran National Park coming and going from Piscobamba but for the most part they were either covered or partially covered by clouds. I bet the views are stunning on a perfectly clear day.

Blue skies... awesome!


Sugar Cane that our friendly campesinos gave us for breakfast


Mud drying off


Yup... we're lost!


In Piscobamba we bought some fresh food and unsuccessfully tried to buy bread. An unusually difficult task. We confirmed directions to Yanama and then hit the road. We had not go far when we encountered two huge trucks parked up in road. It appeared that the road was too rutted and uneven for them to pass safely so there was a bunch of guys leveling out the road with large rocks. Thankfully the trucks moved so we could at least squeeze by while they waited to pass. The road was really only big enough for one way traffic. We watched one truck negotiate the uneven section and the body of the truck was rocking pretty good. I would not want to be driving that thing, it looked so unstable. Further down the road we also encountered some buses driving like mad men. How do they do it?

Piscobamba's main plaza had a huge tree in the middle


Little tienda where we bought supplies


The temperature was getting hotter and hotter as we drove down to the bottom. Waiting for us was a bridge and then on the other side of the valley things were different. It was drier and hotter, most likely due to the angle of the sun. Still we were very surprised at how hot it was given we were above 2500m. I was certainly dressed inappropriately with my cold weather base layers. I thought we were going to be negotiating mountain passes with snow haha. It was dry and dusty and we ended up doing a slight detour after taking a wrong turn, typical. We were getting closer and closer to the park at least.

Heading up again


When we stopped to take a photo of some snowy peaks Alberto got an earful from a passing lady. He hadn't noticed (earplugs) until he turned around and found her standing there yelling at him. It seems as though our motorbikes had scared her and she was suspicious of him taking photos. Alberto tried to explain that we were tourists and that we were just enjoying the scenery but that didn't seem to work because she called over a man to help intimidate us. Ha! That is not going to work. For starters the man was a small campesino, hardly intimidating. And second, he was dealing with Alberto. When the man started speaking aggressively Alberto dished it right back at him, we were done taking our photos anyway so we left those crazy people be. People are usually left speechless when Alberto can sling the insults and intimidation right back in Peruvian slang. It was the first negative encounter we’ve had with local people yet. This incident didn’t change our positive impression from previous experiences with the locals. You are bound to meet a loco or two when you are travelling I guess.

Photo Alberto was capturing when the angry lady was raging. Worth the trouble?


Angry lady calling for backup


A very unimpressed campesino


Cordillera Blanca a la vista!


We were able to pick up some fresh bread in Lluaca and once again confirmed directions. Each time we asked how to get to Yanama we were told it was about an hour. Meanwhile we have been driving for an hour and not gaining any ground on this town. It's a pretty typical situation though so you learn to just go with the flow. We eventually reached the sign to Yanama and turned off onto the road. Glad to see a touristy sign promoting the area and helping us go the right way.

Incredible geology


While the scenery was very nice the road was not. The road was pretty crappy actually, something we expect in remote areas where the road gets little use but this was a tourist destination so in a way the condition was a bit disgraceful. We were discussing when to stop for lunch, and we were trying to push on to the plaza of Yanama, when Chasqui got a flat front tire. So that settled that.

Going higher and higher


Alberto repairing a flat with his trade mark: no need to remove the tyre


After having a delicious lunch we got to work on the tire. Upon further inspection there was two punctures caused by thorns. We patched them up and hit the road again, but that ate up a bunch of time and Llanganuco was looking further and further away. We picked up the pace a bit, though the road wasn't really helping. The weather was also deteriorating, so we were a bit concerned about that. On the approach to Yanama there is a stunning glacier capped mountain, or at least I assume it is stunning in full view as most of it was covered by fog and rain. We could just see some glacier poking out of the bottom.

Getting closer and closer to the snowy peaks!




Views from the town of Yanama


Interesting new chapel in Yanama


We filled up at the gas station. The lady attendant was very friendly and happy to hear we were heading to Llanganuco. She told us that earlier when it was sunny you could see four nevados. Just our luck. We appreciated what we could see and continued on, just narrowly missing the full brunt of the rain. There was less houses around and the mountains were more impressive, it felt like we were heading towards the park.

Fantastic panoramas all around


Leaving Yanama


Can't complaint about the views


Why we love the mountains


Alberto could see the boundary on Garmin and only a few kilometers after that you could see the difference. It felt very similar to the last time we visited Llanganuco from the other side. Similar road, similar trees, similar terrain. The entrance was nice but the pass looked very foggy and rainy, not what we were hoping for. When we passed by some premium camping we decided to stop.

Mountain peaks seen from our campsite


Our campsite was ROCK SOLID!


Some views from our tent


We remained rain free until sunset and our view of the mountains even cleared up. We were very happy with our camping spot, there was fresh water and some stunning scenery. We didn't make it to where we had planned but where we ended up was pretty sweet.

One happy camper!


GPS DATA: Elevation Change Day 24


VIDEO: EPISODE 24

__________________
Canada to Argentina 2010:http://nomi-beto-adventures.blogspot.com/

Website:www.MotoLara.com

It was a pretty lazy morning. When we first peaked out of the tent there was patches of blue sky ahead but when we started packing up it was all cloud. Since we wanted to see the scenery we were in no hurry while the sky was cloudy. The clouds looked more like fog so we were hopeful they would burn off.

Foggy conditions


Bump bump bump, I have no rear shock. Bounce bounce bounce, this road is rocky. Our first glimpse of scenery was partially covered so we just waited at the side of the road for a bit to see if things improved. While waiting Alberto dug into his sugar cane from yesterday. The fog lifted a little bit but not completely.

Sugar cane candy


A steady ascent


Spot Naomi & Apu


Hoping the clouds would say hasta la vista!


Stellar views!


We were surprised by how busy the road was. Mostly combi traffic, some of it labelled turístico. Despite the lack of rain I was freezing. This was a cold and windy pass without the sunshine for heat. More of the mountain scenery was covered by cloud. We caught glimpses of what are surely spectacular mountains but no clear shots. We waited it out again a few switchbacks short of the pass but we were not rewarded with unrestricted views.

Hi mom!


Heading up to the pass


Nice vistas before the summit


Top of Portachuelo Pass!




Abra Portachuelo is the highest pass of the trip so far, by a fair margin. The views on the other side had some blue sky so we decided to camp out and have lunch to see what materialized. We could see the camping area below so we knew no matter what we were no more than an hour from our destination. I cooked up some tea to warm up and Alberto went to work photographing the crap out of the place.

Riding over the pass


Panoramic viewpoint



We could see some premium camping opportunities down below


Switchback city


Eager to have a hot cup of tea


When the wind died down and the sun came out it was quite nice. We just sat there enjoying our lunch with the mountain views ahead of us. Things never fully cleared but we felt pretty good about what we were able to see. It was ten times better than our last visit to the area.

iPhone Pano photo

Not too shabby spot

Beautiful road setting



Time to get moving


Sun is shining


Literally 10 seconds after we decided to leave the pass it's started to rain and hail. The views were being consumed by the fog and cloud so there wasn't much point in hanging about. We dashed down to the camping spot, being rained on as we went. When we reached the camping area the rain had passed and the sun was out, just as Alberto predicted.
Rain and hail


Find Naomi!


Views from the saddle


Our camping spot was awesome!



My hands were soaked and frozen since I opted not to stick on waterproof gloves, oh well. We were able to set up camp in the sunshine at least. The rain came and went throughout the evening but we were able to appreciate the stunning camping location while the sun was out.

Fantastic campsite

Tent view


GPS DATA: Elevation Change Day 25


VIDEO: EPISODE 25

__________________
Canada to Argentina 2010:http://nomi-beto-adventures.blogspot.com/

Website:www.MotoLara.com

First light in the valley


Everything was wet from overnight rain, but when we got out to take a pee we noticed blue sky to the North. We made the call and decided to suit up and dash up the pass to see if the mountains were clear. It was very chilly, so chilly that 3/4 of the way up the pass the puddles had ice on them.

Ride up to the top


The peaks at the pass were behind fog and clouds


Some of the mountains were free of clouds


Naomi heading up with Huascarán Peaks behind



The clouds were rolling in and the fog was flowing through the pass so we stopped short from where we stopped yesterday to enjoy the unrestricted views. Oh boy, what a treat. It was worth the numb fingers and toes. I will let the pictures tell the story of how beautiful the morning scenery was.

A beautiful -but chilly- morning


Pano photo at the viewpoint with the iPhone



Hola amigos! wave one of us for posterity


Some more peaks were showing themselves



Naomi was freezing!


Tallest mountain in Peru: Huascarán


Naomi posing with Huascarán as a backdrop


Peaks of Huandoy and Pisco


Naomi and Apu



Time to head down and get warm


Alberto's photo-shoot was cut a little short when the last of his batteries died (sorry only iPhone pictures for the rest of the day). We were planning on heading to Huaraz anyway to juice up so this was pretty good timing. Back at the bottom where we left our tent I was trying to regain feeling in my toes. The sun was still shining at the bottom but from what we could see the best views were first thing in the morning. This was a valuable lesson.

Naomi trying to warm up after the photo shooting


The road after the first lake is a dream. It is smooth and it is wide, it is like night and day compared with the rest of the road. On our exit though we could see that today was the day to come visit Llanganuco. It was a complete zoo, cars and people were everywhere. It was like a slap in the face for us, and a stark reminder of what populated Peru is like. The road was very nice though, a lot better than we remembered, but there was a steady stream of traffic entering the park and some of the drivers were a bit unsavory. More than one person asked to take a photo of our bikes, and one of the guys wanted to buy Apu on the spot. It’s the power of the Keeway.

Road along the Llanganuco Lakes


Beautiful turquoise waters


Glacier waters


We kept the photos to a minimum due to the hordes of people and lack of battery for the Nikon. When we reached the gate there was some funny business going on. Last night some park people came around the campground checking people’s park passes. Since we entered from Yanama there was no control post so we had no tickets. We remembered where the gate was so we told the guys we would pay when we left in the morning. So when we got to the gate it was complete chaos. Vehicles and people everywhere, the gate opening and closing. It was more narrow on the side of the gate where we were (because it wasn’t the side for parking it was the side for leaving) so we discussed parking just after the gate with one of the people operating the gate. She was having none of it. When we tried to execute this plan there was some very stern hand gestures from two of the park staff operating the gate. At first we thought they wanted us to wait because they were letting traffic pass, this seemed reasonable.

Impressive rock walls



Near the entrance gate it was a zoo of vehicles



Then things got weird when they closed the gate on our face and very harshly told us to stop. We were pretty much at the gate at this point and in our opinion in the way of traffic. They insisted that we park off to the side on that side of the gate, to which Alberto told them I’m just going to park on that flat spot, literally 4m away, on the other side of the gate. They refused the request and things escalated quickly. Where they wanted us to park was on a slant, the bikes weren’t going to stay upright. Also the entrance to the spot they were gesturing towards had a berm blocking our access. It was certainly less than ideal. We were also on a slope, sloping downwards, and the gate was right in our face. We couldn’t move any more forward and we certainly had no reverse. Things ended with Alberto shouting that he can’t park his bike on a hill and one way or another he was going to park on the flat spot. There was also a few swear words thrown around. What these people were asking us to do was ridiculous. Uhhh, reverse you say? Eventually one of the tourists intervened and convinced the gate-man to let us through, so they finally opened the gate for us. By this time Alberto had got off his bike so he walked it through the gate to the better parking spot. We were hardly going to make a getaway without the bikes running so we didn’t know what all the fuss was about. People gotta power trip. We soon discovered that all the staff had been alerted to keep an eye out for two motorbikes (from the guys last night) and multiple staff were hounding us the entire time we were at the gate area. We were hardly trying to pull a scam, there was not a ticket office on the road we entered the park by, out of our control…

It really gets the blood boiling when people incorrectly assume you to be sneaky, a common occurrence in Peru, especially when you are used to living in Canada. It just makes the contrast between cultures that much more severe. So when we got parked, I stayed with the bikes and Alberto went to pay. While he was talking to the very professional park pass issuer there was an annoying lady that kept butting in saying “these are the two bikes that were camped last night, they have to pay, they have to pay”. That was pretty clear, since Alberto was currently in the line to pay, that he was going to pay. The guy selling the tickets was chill, but everyone else was acting like they just caught Butch Cassidy. As it turns out if you camp you are no longer in the 1 day pass territory for the park so we had to buy a 21 day pass at a pretty hefty price. If we weren’t planning on making further visits to the National Park it would be a ridiculous price to pay for camping, especially considering the state of the toilets. What a fiasco, we couldn’t peel out of there fast enough. While I was waiting with the bikes I continued to watch the mayhem. Cars, buses and taxis everywhere. I even witnessed a small vehicle fender bender, it was actually pretty hilarious. It was like sitting in a BC Ferry parking lot on a long weekend but with less organization. I was happy to see Alberto return and say goodbye to the craziness. Definitely not our scene.

Narrow passage down to Yungay



The road back to Yungay was extremely busy. The busiest dirt road we’ve been on in Peru. Not really our cup of tea. It was dusty, people were driving in our lane, oh god please get us out of here! There was one strange section with a short but somewhat steep hill. As we approached there was a long line-up of vehicles so we thought there was an issue with the road. From what we could tell the only issue was with the driver of the white SUV at the front of the lineup who seemed scared to drive up the hill. We smoothly negotiated the hill then zig zagged our way through the line-up of traffic. Keeway power! Thankfully that went smoothly because we were in no mood for another Peruvian gong show. We saw a fellow biker on a BMW heading up to Llanganuco, I hope he has a nice time. Yikes, all of Peru is up there right now.

The road to Llanganuco is very nice, it is ten times better than our last visit. It is so easy to get to Llanganuco now, the problem is that it is so easy to get to Llanganuco now. Last time we didn’t see anybody else, but we also didn’t see any mountains either haha. I don’t think I’ll be planning another visit during tourist time. The road to Huaraz is also ten times better than three years ago. We voted it our least favourite road in all the americas last visit, and now it is just another paved highway. This was welcomed as we wanted to get to Huaraz sooner rather than later to take care of a bunch of things. We were clearly in the counterflow direction as all the traffic we saw was heading north. We are not exactly speed demons on the road but we were passing vehicles and nobody passed us. We saw another BMW, two-up. That brings our count of ADV riders seen on this trip up to three.

Back on tarmac and busy roads... booh hiss!

Our plan was simple, we were going to go back to the hotel we stayed at last time. Just like in Chachapoyas we didn't want to mess around finding a hotel with parking. Surprisingly we were able to navigate our way to the hotel first try. Unfortunately the price had doubled since our last stay. Crap. We drove around looking for another hotel. We tried about 8 hotels all of which were full and their prices were significantly higher than our first hotel. Double crap, apparently double was a good price. We didn't realize it when we were planning our night in Huaraz but it was Semana Santa so the place was a zoo and flooded with tourists. We went back to Las Tejas with our tail between our legs and thankfully they still had the one overpriced room left. At this point we didn't want to spend the next 2 hours looking for a hotel, and the location and internet speed were worth the price in the end.

Milk-woman selling fresh milk from a bucket


Once we were cleaned up I had my mind set on a Lomo Saltado. We went to a place called El Rinconcito Minera. Highly recommended, the food and atmosphere was excellent and it was very close to the Plaza. With full stomachs were returned to the tranquility of our hotel. It was safe in there.

Lomo Saltado time!


Thumbs up for this restaurant


GPS DATA: Elevation Change Day 26


VIDEO: EPISODE 26

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Canada to Argentina 2010:http://nomi-beto-adventures.blogspot.com/

Website:www.MotoLara.com