Cusco - Abancay - Nazca: warning, slippery spot!
 

When driving out of Abancay in direction of Nazca, almost exactly 10 kilometers after Abancay, there is a small river crossing in a downhill hair-spin curb. At that spot, the road is made of concrete, not asphalt. The water is only 1 centimeter deep (half-an-inch) and maybe 5 meters wide (15 feet).

Watch out! There is algae in the water and both sides of the road, left and right, are extremely slippery. It is even difficult to walk there without falling. Only solution: ride straight in the middle of the road (that is, if a truck isn´t coming from the opposite side!). In the middle at least, the stream is strong enough and the algae did not develop.

Merritt fell there and her bike ended up in the creek, planted on the nose, the two wheels in the air. Everybody miraculously survived and we continued our trip. A few days later, we heard of another overlander who crashed his bike at the exact same spot.

Second warning: the same day, we got stuck at 4500 meters (15,000 feet) in a snow storm and camped in an abandonned barn. If you don´t have strong camping gear or if you are not acclimatized yet to the altitude, you´d better not take chances with the weather in the area.

Besides that, don´t miss it. The road is beautiful.

Cheers,
Pierre (& Merritt too)
http://www.photobiker.com

I know that spot well...I crashed there as well, and so did the friend I was travelling with !!!

Its also been snowing in the Cusco area, ast I heard it was 80cm in places.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by pierresas:
[B]When driving out of Abancay in direction of Nazca, almost exactly 10 kilometers after Abancay, there is a small river crossing in a downhill hair-spin curb.

------------------
Last seen in S.America, missing presumed fed.
http://worldtour.overpro.co.uk
http://www.motodogging.com

Last December I was going from Nazca to Cuzco, and I,too, got caught in a sleet, rain, wind and snow storm at about 4500m. Was not prepared and damn near froze to death! Came across highway patrol car parked, and stopped. They could tell by way I got off bike that I had a problem, so they bundled me into their car and covered me with blankets. Spent that night in a mud hut with multiple blankets on me and finally thawed out. Next morn did a 180 and went back to coast. Next time will be prepared.--Porter

------------------
on the road(almost)
and lovin' it!!
KLR650-A13 'BURRO'

Excellent! Since the mud hut seems to be such a popular stop on the way, here are its approximate GPS coordinates: S14.37 W73.39 Alt4460

And if you want pictures of what´s waiting for you: http://photobiker.com/map/hotelrooms.html?138

The kids are really nice and very discreet. The couple nearby can cook you a breakfast of sauteed llama. Quite tasty: the carcasses with heads and all are put to hang in the living room. I still can´t figure which part I put in my mouth.

Pierre Saslawsky
http://www.photobiker.com

Pierre & Merritt,

Have enjoyed your stories. Where are you now?--Porter

------------------
on the road(almost)
and lovin' it!!
KLR650-A13 'BURRO'

hello out there,
just got back from peru. we travelled this road too but had no problems passing the mentioned dangerous point. but i remember it anyway.
it's a good general advice to drive very carefully through this concrete crossings, when there is water in the creeks!

we had another problem which was bad as well, similar to the expierience of motodriver and the topic starter:
there was a surprisingly long stretch (more than 120 km) between chalhuanca and puquio where the road stayed at an average hight of about 4300m. we were well prepared for cold weather, but there the climate was extreme! we were trembling all over at the end, with all our clothes on - even complete rain suit. in the end it even started to snow, but we were lucky, because the descent began at that time...be prepared and cautious!
one thing about the pavement: very good until puquio (exception: see above), thereafter badly potholed until the descend to nasca begins, but not really dangerous.

good luck to everyone

Almost the entire stretch from Cusco to Abancay is slippery as heck, even dry, nore so as you get near Abancay. First time thru partner and I were both sliding the back end around a lot, dirttrack style- much fun. second time thru I was wondering just where the limit was and found it! Great road, despite embarrasing lowside!

------------------
Back on the road again.

sopgear.com

About weather at above 4000 mts. I have riden that road three times with no problems. Once in Novembre and twice in Oct. The trick is to ride the highlands before 3pm. Weather changes rapidly in the afternoons. Better to ride early and make the trip in two days sleeping at Chalhuanca. There are hotels with garage for 5 US and good hotsprings nearby.