Border xings and mountain roads

[maja]

Hi People, anyone got any recent info on the Loja (Equador) to Jean (Peru) border xing just to the south of Zumba ref the road? Also any info on the road from Jean to Cajmarca via Chachapoyas would also help. For those of you who arefollowing my financial progress through the Americas, it cost me $200 in total to getmy moto out of Quito airport. Anyone fancy aHogmanay PU in Peru before I am pennyless? Ride safe, Mike

[GlobeBusters]

We rode a simlar route back in 2000, only the other way around. Left the Pan Am after Chiclayo. Rode up to Cajamarca. All paved. Then to Celedin. All dirt, but OK. Then on to Tingo (to see Kuelap), all dirt, tough going two up, but fantastic views and remote. From here back to the main road and to Jaen. All dirt to the main road. Then back to asphalt to get to Jaen, excpet lots of landslides and cracks in the road.

Whether 4 years has made this worse or better . . . who knows?

[richardb]

I rode from Loja to the Peru border earlier this year (the bridge crossing, can't remember the name). Many new pathes of ashpalt, but also some long gravel stretches, and ongoing roadworks when I went through, which included some rather hairy loose hardcore. Generally though no problems for my f650. Border crossing really relaxed, one of the friendliest I encountered.

good luck

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Richb
http://www.postmaster.co.uk/~richardbeaumont/60684/

[Vagamundo]

It's good dirt from Pedro Ruiz forth. The Utcubabmba valley (Chachapoyas) is very pretty and remote. You will not see much traffic, maybe one car every hour. The Marañon canyon will take you from 4200 mts. msl to 900 just to cross the bridge, then back up again to 4200 mts. Long, fun and incredibly beautiful (with good weather) worse part from Celendin to Cajamarca.
If you choose to stay on the andes ride 2 or 3 days to Huaraz. I live there. Come around if you need any tools or a cold . I own a bar and a HD. Jusk ask for Vagamundo Bar or for the guy on the big yellow bike! Cel. o1 98665114