Once I’d warmed up and the tent had dried out, it was a relatively short but tiring, given the altitude, drag up to Punta Chanca at about 4800m, emerging into a completely different landscape, followed by a very bumpy descent which did the hand no good at all. In fact, there was even a cruel sting in the tail as the final few kms to Oyon offered up a rainwater-rutted surface, reminiscent of the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix!
It was clear that the two days of riding had taken their toll and my hand was pretty bruised and swollen…
I like to think that, at the very least, I had adhered to Rule #5.
I soon realised that I was going to need several days off the bike for the swelling to go down and the muscles (it felt sprained) to heal. After a night in a fancy hotel (read: excellent shower) for my birthday for the frankly ludicrous price of 50 Soles per night (£12.50), I moved to the cheap, basic and imaginatively-named ‘Hostal de los Andes’ (10 Soles per night). I took it day by day and it was 6 days after I originally pulled into town before I hit the tipping point of the wrist feeling better and my patience running out! As usual, there was a sizeable climb to take on…
After blasting down through the town of Huancahuasi, where I was a little too late to enjoy the hot springs, I pushed on for my target for the evening – the town of Paquian. I arrived on the outskirts of Paquian to find a group of farmers/cowboys performing some sort of cattle ceremony. It turned out to be the annual rodeo, which happens after Peruvian Independence Day (28th July) every year. They immediately invited the gringo to come and join in and drink some Chicha! I sat by the sides and watched as they first roped up, then rolled over the cows, branding them, fitting new ear ribbons (as ID) and trimming their horns. Once darkness fell, everybody gathered round to drink and sing…
One of the traditional songs…
Afterwards, we all headed up to the village where the family very kindly fed me and gave me a bed. The youngest, Demilagros, presented me in the morning with the picture she’d drawn of me – amazing effort if you ask me! Thank you to Pedro, Kilder, Angel, Mariela, Demilagros and all the others whose names I didn’t catch!
After a quick ‘pancito’ for breakfast, I headed off up the mountain, passing another rodeo, which obviously hadn’t managed to process all their cattle the day before.
A quick refreshment stop (nom nom, it seems that Mangos are coming back into season at last)…
Up through yet more breathtaking landscapes to the next pass and then a descent. This was one of my favourite passes so far – the contours and colours of the earth were just incredible.
It’s not difficult to see how minerally rich this area is – it’s literally pouring out of the mountains and many streams run rust-orange from the natural deposits.
What a champ! Remarkable equanimity in the face of adversity.
epic as always Campbell!!!
just can’t get over those star photos! please tell me your somehow taking super long exposures with the theta! rather than the milky way just staring right at ya!
keep up the adventuring dude!! and watch out for those rock throwing cows!!
Yep, the Theta photos are 60s exposures but the stars are really bright to the naked eye! Thanks, dude!
Mate, another cracking read and inspirational stuff! Loving that you are hanging with the locals so much – are you restrained enough not to drink too much of the local brew! Your chat up lines must be very good to get dinner and a bedroom for the night at people’s houses! #respect