Day 159 – Caraz, PE to San Luis, PE

Day 159 – Caraz, PE to San Luis, PE      01/27/11      Mileage: 91

I wanted to get an early start today, but my laundry that was supposed to be ready by 8 wasn’t ready until 10. Bollix. The weather was also not cooperating, as it was it was overcast in the valley and the clouds were low on the mountains obscuring the high peaks…and it looked like rain up there too.

The easy thing to do would have been to just ride the pavement right down the valley to Huaraz…maybe stop off at the hot springs for a soak. But, that wouldn’t be the adventurous thing to do now would it….sometimes you have to play the hand your dealt. So, with that it was up into the mountains in the hopes that the weather would improve and I would get at least a glimpse of the highest peaks in the Cordillera Blanca…and Peru.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordillera_Blanca

The weather continued to look bleak, but I pressed on higher up the pass.

Looking back across the valley at the Cordillera Negra

Looking up at the Cordillera Blanca

I came into a nice high alpine valley and the cloud cover was only 1 or 2 hundred feet above the valley floor.

As I climbed higher the clouds broke a bit and I got a few fleeting looks at the glaciers, but the highest peaks were still obscured.

Looking down at the countless switchbacks…

The road up the pass topped out at 15,462 feet…higher than any mountains in Colorado!!

 The rain started on the other side of the pass and the mud was slippery but manageable.

I was still hoping for a break in the weather…as my planned route would take me back across the Cordillera on the way to Huaraz…so I had one more shot. The rain and muddy road made for a slow go, and combined with my late start, I soon realized I would have just barely enough daylight to make it to Huaraz…so long as I kept rolling. Soon after making that calculation, I happened on a stranded local biker on the side of the road. He had broken his chain and was SOL…as the nearest town is 20 miles back…and almost all up hill. With my time/distance calculation fresh in my head, the writing was on the wall. If I stop and help…I won’t make it to Huaraz…if I pass by…I will anger the karma gods!

Shit…well, I always have my tent as a last resort I guess…so I pulled over. I dug out my chain breaker and one of my spare master links and set about fixing his chain. My spare 520 O-ring master link wasn’t going to work on the small non-O-ring chain, so I reused the pin that I had pressed out to pin the chain together.

We used a piece of rebar and a rock to peen over the head of the pin as best we could. Not pretty, and I doubt it will last, but it will at least get him rolling again. Good deed for the day done and karma gods appeased, I continued up the pass. Soon the roads turned to thick sloppy mud slicker than anything I’ve ridden before. I almost laid the bike down at least a dozen times, and on the 13th I did. Both tires slid out from under me and I was left straddling the bike on it’s side. Of course it was in front of a group of houses and I became the evening entertainment. I didn’t have the presence of mind for a picture…too bad…it would have been a good shot. The mud was so slick I could barely stand up let alone hoist the bike…but somehow I wrestled the bike back upright. I continued on for several more miles until the tiny town of San Luis came into view. Holeluhyah….I just hope this 2 horse town has a hotel…and lucky for me it did.

It even had secure parking…if not a toilet seat.

I grabbed “dinner” from the local bodega…bag of chips, warm yogurt(might have to use that toilet after all), crackers and juice. It ain’t Tavern on the Green, but after a day like today it’s 5 star dining.

Day 158 – Caraz, PE

Day 158 – Caraz, PE      01/26/11      Mileage: 55 local miles

The plan for today was to dash up to Laguna Paron high in the Cordillera Blanca, snap some pictures and then head south for Huaraz.

That way, gringo…

The high peaks were mostly shrouded in clouds, which was too bad but it was still a nice setting.

I was hoping the run to Laguna Paron would take only 2 hours…but it ended up taking 4, so I didn’t have enough time to get down to Huaraz the long way through the Cordillera. My plan for the day nixed, I decided to stay in Caraz another night, then make the run to Huaraz first thing tomorrow. That also gave me time to get caught up on the blog that is several days behind. For dinner I went back to Cafe Terraza which is nice little joint just off the main square.

Tomorrow the road I’m taking crosses the mountains, so I hope the weather is clear so I can get a good look at the snow capped peaks that eluded me today.

Day 157 – Trujillo, PE to Caraz, PE

Day 157 – Trujillo, PE to Caraz, PE      01/26/11      Mileage: 157

Before hitting the road south, I rode over to see the archaeological ruins of Chan Chan just north of town. I didn’t have a lot of time, so I decided to also hire a guide to make the most of my time there.

Gustave spent an hour with me showing and explaining the ruins and his services were well worth the extra $$.

Chan Chan was and still is the largest adobe city in the world…

Restoration work in progress….

Gustave demonstrating the acoustic quality of the ceremonial chamber….

  For more info….  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chan_Chan

With that ticked off the to do list, I pointed the KLR south and bombed down the Peruvian coast on the Pan American Highway.

Along the Pan Am south….

My planned route took me through the Canyon del Pato which I had read about and seen pictures of many times when researching this trip…and it was one of the roads that I wanted to ride for sure. It also would lead me to the Cordillera Blanca range of the Andes Mountains…the highest in Peru and second only in height to the range that divides Chile and Argentina further south….another must see. So after about 50 miles of high speed asphalt, I turned off onto the dirt and headed up into the mountains. I could have continued on the pavement, then took the paved road part way up the canyon, but where’s the fun in that, right?

So from near sea level the road steadily climbed higher into the mountains. The dirt road started out as smooth as pavement, but you know that wasn’t gonna’ last. Soon I was getting a steady diet of washboard mixed with parallel ruts from the last time it rained here 600 years ago. Did I mention it was dry and dusty? 😉 As bad as it gets sometimes, it still beats a vacation to Cancun with the masses…and it’s certainly better than work. So with a grin on my face and dust coating my teeth, I pressed ahead up the canyon. About a third of the way up, the dirt road crossed the river to join the paved road…and I’d be lying if said it wasn’t a nice little break from the constant pounding being dished out on the dirt washboard.

But alas, all good things…and pavement…must come to an end, so it was back on the dirt. This is where the Canyon del Pato really starts and what makes it famous with adventure riders.

Soon the road entered a canyon so narrow you’d think you could touch both sides of it with outstretched arms. The road crosses one lane bridges and tunnels one after another….some 40 in all.

The scenery is stunning and the air starts to get noticeably cooler…and thinner…as the road climbs farther up the canyon.

At the top of the canyon, the road mellows and I catch my first glimpse of the snow capped Cordillera Blanca. I’m in awe of the spectacle of mountains so high (over 22,000 ft!), they have a permanent snow cap despite their tropical latitude. Being a die hard skier, the sight of that luscious white snow makes me want to march right up there with my skis and ‘git some! The road turned back to pavement for a few miles and it’s always fun to let the bike run after hours of 2nd gear dirt and washboard. Like the aforementioned pavement, this ride too must end, and for me it ended in the town of Caraz where I found a nice room on the main square.

I quickly showered and did the obligatory walk around to see the town.

I had dinner and some beers at Cafe La Terraza (which was great!) before packing it in…another epic day on the bike.

Day 156 – Huamachuco, PE to Trujillo, PE

Day 156 – Huamachuco, PE to Trujillo, PE     01/24/11      Mileage: 144

After a quick bite at Doña Emilia Cafe, I was out the door at 8. My first stop was the archaeological site of Markawamachuco (or Marca Huamuchuco) only a few miles from town and according to my guide book…one of the most important pre-Inca sites in Peru. For being so close, I had a hell of a time finding it though.

The last mile up to the site was a narrow and rutted track as it is perched on a mountain top. The view alone from up there made it all worth it…and I was the only one there to boot! Luckily the information signs were in english too as my “archaeological spanish” is, umm, thin to say the least.

So after my one hour self guided private tour, I split for the coast and the town of Trujillo. The road out of Huamachuco climbed steadily and topped out at 13, 750 feet…the highest road yet on this trip.

The air was thin and cold…and well suited for…well, a llama! NOW I feel like I’m in South America! I sat there and watched him (or her?) for a good 10 minutes…and he didn’t seem bothered by me at all even though I was 15 feet away.

Well, it was all down hill from there…litteraly and figuratively. But, although the road was mostly down hill it was a horrid! There were more holes in the dirt then there was dirt road. It was a bone shaking, spine powdering 3 hour decent and I can’t believe the bike is still in one piece…though I did develop a squeak coming from the front fairing. The road did eventually turn to pavement and it was a nice roll down to the coast from there….

The temperature back down at sea level was balmy and warm and what you would expect in a tropical climate. Once in Trujillo I found a room, showered and hopped a taxi to the town center for a little look around. Like every Spanish colonial town, and almost every other town in Latin America, Trujillo has a central square…and a really nice one at that.

 There is also a nice pedestrian walk stretching several blocks from the southeast corner of the square. After dinner and some internet, I called it a night. Tomorrow it’s back up into the mountains via the Cañon del Pato…I highlight of this trip that I´ve been looking forward to.

Day 155 – Celendin, PE to Huamachuco, PE

Day 155 – Celendin, PE to Huamachuco, PE      01/23/11      Mileage: 169

I rolled out of town into the chilly mountain air at 7:45 this morning. The road immediately started climbing and the scenery was great, but not on the same scale as two days ago.

The road was dirt all the way up and over the pass but turned to fresh pavement shortly before the town of Banos del Inca where I stopped for a quick bite.

My first Inca Cola…tastes kind of like Red Bull I think…but I’m not a soda drinker.

Continuing south through the rolling hills on the fresh pavement was a nice reprieve from the dirt roads…but it wasn’t to last.

It wasn’t long before the new pavement gave way to a tar/gravel mixture that demands your full attention, but soon that was gone too and I was back on the dirt.

The last several miles into Huamachuco were the worst roads of the day and I was glad they were behind me when I pulled into town. I found a home for the night right on the central square which had secure parking in their center courtyard only feet from my room. I always sleep better when I know my girl is close by. 😉

I still had some daylight so I cleaned the air filter, topped up the oil and tightened the right side pannier. I also checked the brake pads and both the front and rear will need to be replaced soon…no problem though as I’m carrying 2 spare sets.

After a shower I went to an internet joint to work on the blog followed by dinner at the Cafe Dona Emilia on the main square, which the guide book says is biggest central square in Peru.

The main square is very big…and meticulously well kept.

Day 154 – Celendin, PE

Day 154 – Celendin, PE      01/22/11      Mileage: 0

I decided to stay put today to get some work done on the blog, catch up on my email and get some chores done. The internet was painfully slow here so it took forever. I also reorganized my gear and packed up so I’d be ready for an early start tomorrow.

Celendin town square…

So, what do dolphins, the Nike swoosh, Che Guevara and Looney Toons characters all have in common?

Answer: They are all popular motifs for 3 wheel motorcycle taxis in Celendin! Go figure….

Parting shot: A pic of the local footwear and machete shop….

Day 153 – Bagua Grande to Celendin, PE

Day 153 – Bagua Grande to Celendin, PE      01/21/11      Mileage: 219

I skipped breakfast this morning and just packed the bike and rolled out. The road flowed over rolling hills down the wide but scenic Rio Uteubamba valley.

Progress was slow as the road was under repair in many spots and the traffic piled up at each construction zone.

…and another…

…and another…

….you get the idea.

In the U.S., when the flag (wo)man gives the OK to go, the traffic proceeds in a nice orderly line through the construction zone. Not so here…it’s udder chaos like the flag dropping at the Le Mans Gran Prix. Cars and motorcycles all fighting to get ahead cramming into the work zone..and passing IN the work zone. My method was to scoot right to the front of all the stopped vehicles, then just get the hole shot as soon as the flag drops and just be well ahead of all the carnage. Anyway, the road then turned up into the mountains following alongside the river into a narrow picturesque canyon.

In spots they carved out room for the road right into the canyon rock wall…making what amounts to half a tunnel.

Oh, did I mention tolls are free for motorcycles in Peru as well…sweet!

 I took a small detour up to the town of Chachapoyas which is a pleasant town overlooking the river valley.

 

I stopped into the Ciomara Cafe & Art…which doesn’t look like much on the outside but is a really nice place.

After a quick look I continued south towards Celendin, my target stopping point for the day. The road turned to well graded dirt and continued to follow the upper reaches of the Rio Utcubamba…which was now gin clear and perfect for canoeing.

 After Leimebamba, the road turned sharply up hill through countless switchbacks, topping out at just under 12,000 feet.

 The view on the other side of the pass was breathtaking…along with the road…which was literally cut into the side of the mountains. The panorama and scale of the scenery before you is as impossible to put into words as it is to capture with a camera.

You had better ignore it when driving though, as there are absolutely no guard rails to help the complacent driver. Run one corner wide here, and you better have a parachute.

 It took hours to get up and over the pass, and once down in the town of Balsas I had a decision to make. Celendin, although only 7 linear miles away, was 34 road miles up and over another steep mountain pass that would take an 1:45 according to the policia. It was already 5:15, so that means I would be coming down off the pass in the dark. To boot, I was also low on gas, but including my reserve I should have just enough. Worst case is if I just made it to the top of the pass, I could always coast down into Celendin. With that I decided to go for it, and maybe I can trim that time to only 1:30 or even 1:15 on the bike.

The policia going to open the control gate for me…

I crossed the bridge and started up the pass, higher up on the pass I could see rain, but I pressed ahead.

Soon I was in the rain and the road turned slick as greased linoleum. My hopes of making it to Celendin in even 1:45 evaporated and I knew I would be riding in the dark if I continued. I also lost the backend and almost went down on a hairpin turn but managed to somehow keep the bike upright through sheer luck. I stopped to let more air out of the tires and to reevaluate continuing or to backtrack to Balsas. Very low on gas now, high on a narrow mountain pass with no guard rails, in the rain, at dusk, all points to backtracking down to Balsas. Did I mention I loath backtracking? So against my better judgment, I fired up the KLR and pointed the front wheel back up the pass. The lower tire pressure improved the grip and the bike felt more stable. Soon the rain gave way and the clouds began to let what was left of the light through. High up on the pass my perseverance (or stupidity) was rewarded with a brilliant twilight.

The passing rain made for nice twilight glow…

 After stopping for several pictures, it was back to the business of getting over the pass which I arrived at the top of just after sunset. Far below me I could see the lights of Celendin and the promised land, I was almost there.

Coming down off the pass in the dark was sketchy, but thankfully not as treacherous as the way up it. Pulling into Celendin, I breathed a big sigh of relief…life is good.