Advertisement
Published: April 4th 2009
Edit Blog Post
Road of Death
General over view.. Rosco's Blog from Arequipa...
We left Cusco around 8.45am and headed South to Sicuani, and headed West to Yauri, via unsealed mountain roads that took us in excess of 4,000m. We hped to get some lunch in Yauri, but the few ‘Resturants’ that we came across, Gerardo wouldn’t feed his dog there, so we moved on, stopping high in the next mountain pass to put on a bit more gear and munch a chocolate bar, as snow began to fall.
As we dropped in altitude, the temperature tended to rise. There was a lot of road works taking place and a lot of the sections that were so rough last year have been paved. The downhill run to Chivay, which was so rutted last year, has also been paved, consequently we all arrived at Chivay around 4.30pm, well before dark. This year’s adventure has been entirely in the daylight, which has made a nice change for us.
We had a Rocky Road Dinner at the Hotel in Chivay, but during the meal, I became all dizzy and thought I may faint, so made my speedy exit back to my room. After a bit of paperwork, I went to bed, it was
We made it
We all made it through the Road of Death OK ! only 8.30pm, but I sure needed to lay down, I never woke until 6.30am, so must have needed it.
We left Chivay at 8.25 and headed out along the Colca canyon, what a great ride this, we were even early enough to see the magnificent Condor soaring along the canyon rim, so great to see them in their natural environment. While we were at the look out, I met a New Zealand called Ellen, from Dunedin, who was a tour guide on a big truck that was carting 21 people around South America, small world really.
The ride through the Colca Canyon, is a ride of such contrasts, with a maximum altitude of 4,200m, but we cross three mountain ranges as we make our way towards Araqupa and the upper reaches of the Atacama Desert.
Here we are ALL are safe and well in Araquipa. We rode from Chivay along the Colca Canyon and we had the chase truck follow us this way, as everyone came this way. The ride was much easier for me on the KLR, it is a bloody good option. So far David and Leo have lost their number plates and yesterday in Chivay, I
Tiwanaku
Gerardo at the gate to Tiwanaku checked the bike over, including the rear plastic extension that holds the number plate. Today, way up in the mountains, I saw a plastic bag on the road, thinking it may have fallen off a bike in front, I stopped, walked back to check it out, it turned out to be just that, a plastic bag, but walking back to the bike I saw my number plate only hanging on by the last remaining loose bolt, so undid it without tools and put it into the chase truck. Other than that the KL is running great.
We have a day off tomorrow, so will reattach the number plate. By the way, the steering head bearings are nackered in both my bike and Leo’s.
Geraldine will ride with me for the next few days, to give her a break from the ‘Madmax’ Murray....can you believe that he can keep up with the bikes, in these sort of conditions !! We hope the truck lasts the distance, as we need it in Patagonia, later in the year.
All the TKC 80’s are holding out well, and so far no tyre problems, and we hit some bloody big goulies..and a lot of very
Puno
How did that song go'... 'Six months in a leaky boat......' sharp rocks, the sidewall tread even got a workout today, as we negotiated our way through the many washouts.
At the lunch break, when we reached the Pan Pacific Highway at Tambillo, Tiny, Gerardo, Brian and Leo, decided to head on to Arequipa, as Murray and Geraldine, David and I, were about half an hour behind them and they had finished their lunch.
When we arrived at the Hotel, the others were just unpacking their motos, where had they been ?, turns out they went on one of those Campbell photo excursions? of the grand City of Araquipa.....
We have just used the first can of chain lube and have been topping up the 3 KLRs with Spectro oil.. all good stuff. Tomorrow we will clean the air filters on the KLR’s with the ‘No Toil’ system, and change Gerardo’s front tyre, which he has on since last year’s adventure.
David of course hired some local help to clean his moto, while he rested !!
We leave Arequipa in the morning and cross into Chile for our run down the coast, before crossing back into Argentina via the San Francisco Pass and onto Tinagasta.
I have just recieved some more
Lago Descanso
May be smaller than Lago Titicaca, but is higher. photos from a few days ago, so have included them.
Cheers, Rosco
Tigger’s Blog Part 7
Having rested like dead logs for the night we rose leisurely and ate like kings and queens, ready for our bus trip back to Cusco. Most of spent the day meandering through the city looking at museums, finding little places to eat, window shopping and generally taking in the sights. With a local show for Peru on in the evening (more entertaining in the crowd) Dad and I sneaked off for what we had planned was a Pizza but this place also served ¼ pollo (chicken), papa frittas (fries) and ensaladas (salad) Yummo !! And just up from the hotel too so was a bonus and it got stickered, as it met with Rosco's Rocky Road approval.
A long day ahead and 400km so was glad of the red bull that I shouted myself the day before. With more magic scenery and many a photos taken (think I down loaded from my camera in Peru 392 photos) With more metal and dirt you can shake a stick at, the boys were happy but shattered, and pleased to find their hotel in
Tiny
Tiny doing what he came here for... Chivay.
!David, somehow managed to loose his wallet, the last time he remembered having it was at the petrol station when he filled up. Camp mother must have missed that one. David now does all the washing and stuff for Murray, as Murray is now his 'Personal Banker'!!
Our hotel in Chivay was an oasis in a dust pile I reckon. I placed a bet that most of them would be in bed by 9pm but I had no takers. I had to escort Rosco to his bed at 8.30 as he succumbed to some bad intake of food, but he bounced back over night and was good to ride in the morning. I was the last to bed, had a good sleep, and with a good breakfast in tummies and a couple of extra buns with bacon and ham and cheese I was set for the day.
With metal roads for most of the way and 100km in 3.1/2 hours it was hard yakka for the boys; it was also hard going in the truck as there were big crevices in the road/track and was slow going. But we all made it to Arequipa safe and sound
Bonding on Tour ?
I will give you half an hour to stop that Ripper !! and ready to relax and review everyone’s pictures.
Chow, Tigger
Advertisement
Tot: 0.047s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 9; qc: 23; dbt: 0.0281s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1mb
corrine o'neill
non-member comment
man/woman
I love the two journals. Rosco/Tigger! From where I am sitting you get a great picture from a males perspective through Rosco and then along comes Tigger and just settles it all down for us women.... ahhhhh, so nicely. Thanks you guys. Love the trip so far. Thinking of you heaps. Love and thoughts Corrine.