viernes, 29 de agosto de 2008



Caraz - August 29th, 2008

An average of 10 kilometer an hour.
We crossed in two days the Cañon del Pato. I try to explain what it means for cyclists and cars : 3000 meters climbing, 50 pitch-black tunnels ( frightening when traffic is coming from the opposite direction, you have to rush backwards ), a dozen of rickety bridges, awful roads with lots of loose rocks, scary overhanging rocks which can break off every single moment, deep cliffs to the Rio Santa, 2000 meter towering massive mountains on both sides of the road, overloaded trucks which covers you in centimetres of dust, meters high cacti next to the road, crossing donkeys, rocks formations in all kind of colours from yellow to dark brown and from orange to crimson red. Cyclists reach an average of 10 kilometer an hour when they have strong legs; the Patrol and Chevy are a bit faster : 11 kilometers an hour. Wauw!!!


There is no reason to go faster, because the scenery is overwhelming; it would be a shame to cross the Cañon del Pato with a higher speed. Everyone arrives after two days of “bumping it’s ass” completely broken in Caraz. The “real” Andes Trail has started.


We have a nice hotel at the local square of pretty town of Caraz. The showers are great and we are happy to remove the dust of the Canon del Pato and two nights bushcamping. The palm tree square is the décor for a real cucaracha-race in the evening hours. Len, Sean, Mick and a few others pay the cucaracha drivers a few sol ( Peruvian currency ) to race around the square. It’s good fun till the police shows up.

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Bushcamp - August 27th, 2008
Breakfast talk
After three weeks lodging in hotels, ranging from basic to upper class, it was time for camping : “bush camping”. Pitch the tents next to the road, have soup, have a laugh, have dinner and try to sleep. Yes, “try” to sleep. The results after one night bush camping at the breakfast table :- “I couldn’t sleep, cars kept on passing by”,

- “the mosquitoes were flying around me, I woke up at 2 o’clock to walk around”,
- “I dreamed that I was repairing a bicycle of 18.000 euro”,
- “I thought that tens of people were standing next to my tent, I was afraid”,
- “I dreamed that I changed my insurance polis to an insurance polis of KLM, because it was 50 per cent cheaper”,
- “I heard Joop whispering to Mient very nice short speeches”,
- “the sandflies were itching all over the place”. Anyway : a lot happens during the night. Fortunately without me, because I slept ( as one of the only ones ).

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