Peruvian Return

Crossing into Peru and we were back in the dry, hot, barren north of the country, sheltered from the rain by the Andes Range, it was dry and crispy. The road, apart from the frequent chicken and surprise speed hump was fine. A short-cut took us through places few gringos get to write home about and fewer still that would want to.

 

For the first time in months the road stretched ahead, straight and unwavering. It was with pleasant acceptance tinged with some guilt with which I now rode. For over 100kms the landscape remained static; huge hazy mountains on the left, heat shimmered plains of stunted growth to the right and the regularly broken yellow line hypnotically pulling me forward.

 

Once we hit Olmos I wasn’t to know but I was about to ride some of the best mountain roads known to motorcycling. This time we headed up the western side of the Andes monoliths, again the road turning back and forth on itself like an epileptic serpent. As the sun was getting low the search was on to find a suitable camp site. Now it’s not for everyone and there are always arguments for and against but we practice the art of ‘stealth camping’. We never trespass, knowingly anyway, or damage property. The skill is simply to find a place away from eyeballs where we can set the tent and cook some dinner. Our campsite on this day came both with these attributes and also one other desirable feature, an amazing view of 3000m mountains in the setting sun- quite possibly the best campsite I have enjoyed! Apart from the odd stray dog and a shepherd with her herd of scraggly looking sheep we were left in peace.

View from the camp

Carlie hard at work over the hot stove!

The next day we continued into the mountain range on fast and curved roads until an odd sound from the bike enforced a quick stop just outside of Bagua Grande, a huge valley where the temp is said to be the highest in Peru. Remember though, I’m not complaining. We stopped in front of an old girls place, her run-down mud brick hut sporting a shady tree and one of the only pigeon coops I have seen in South America. We learnt two things over the next 15mins of sharing some cookies with her; that she raised the pigeons for food and that the bolt holding the crash bars in-place had completely given up the journey! Not a critical discovery, either one, and so the day continued towards Gotca waterfall , beside a rapid river and through valleys so narrow that at times the cliff hung precariously and defiantly over the road. After a short miss-interpretation of the actual location of the falls we arrived at the small town whose name I can’t remember but view will never forget. Again we camped but this time in the yard of a hostel, our financial saving on accommodation re-invested into a delicious bottle of Chilean red at the flash hotel next door.

Gotca Waterfalls - 771m - 5th highest in the world!

Breakfast and a 3 hour walk later we could mark off the worlds’ 5^th highest waterfall from our list. Back on the bike and into Chachapoyas to a hotel with parking. We like to mix it up a bit, a couple of days camping and then a proper bed to sustain the fine balance between sanity and fiscal responsibility. That afternoon we treated ourselves to THE BEST steak since I sold my BBQ back in Australia.

Our destination today was only 80kms in distance but would take us along dirt tracks clung to cliff sides whose bottoms could not be seen, and not because of the non-existent traffic barriers either! We headed south and then up, towards Kuelap, an ancient pre-Incan ruin said to rival Macchu Picchu but without the crowds. Well, I know why. The road was tough and potholed but thankfully dry. It took us around 2 hours to do 40kms to which our reward was the chance to camp behind a brand new tourist facility that while finished, was yet to be opened.

Road into Kuelap

mud and a 700m drop.... nice combo!

Don't make a wrong turn!

Our Kuelap experience was a memorable one but it certainly had us hoping that the people were wrong about MP. The amazing thing about this place was two-fold. Firstly it required more stones be brought up the 3100m mountain than the pyramids of Egypt, during the 6^th century mind you and secondly it was only discovered in the 70’s. We wandered around the complex in relative peace, disturbed only by grazing alpacas and screeching Peruvians, the view FROM the site possibly trumping the actual view OF the site. An early morning return was rewarded with an amazing sunrise over the very mountains we would be winding our way through that day.

Built at 3100m, clearly for the views

...some of the locals

Sunrise over Kuelap

Skip another 80kms down the road and we have found ourselves delayed for 12 hours by road works in Leymebamba. It’s not on the tourist trail and I doubt that situation will change in the near future. But they have coffee and it’s not raining, two things in my motorcycling life I truly enjoy!

Just a few pics from a visit to the local markets.