Sep 10 2015
Tourist life for two weeks in Cusco went well and it was time to get going. Dan and Gina ( https://fatcycling.wordpress.com/2015/08/18/snow-to-sweating-bikepacking-the-salkantay-pass) whom I met in Cusco were interested to visit the salinas in the sacred valley. We quickly made a plan to do a short loop around Cusco. I had visited the sacred valley on a …
Aug 23 2015
There were several 4000 metres passes between Huancayo and Cusco. The first day was a 17 Km’s climb to the top at 3900m after which it was downhill and some flat roads to the village called Quichas where I camped out in a school. The next day was an excellent ride along the river for …
Jul 31 2015
Huaraz has been described by some as mecca for mountaineers; the cordillera blanca range offers a spectacular playfield for all from novice to experts. I stayed in a hostel called Jo’s Place a highly recommended place in Huaraz where I met Paul Griffiths, another cyclist from Bristol, UK who had completed his Alaska to Ushuaia …
Jul 10 2015
About nine months ago, on google maps, I spotted some spectacular climbs in Peru with 20 or more hairpin bends on one single slope. Also, the infamous Canon del Pato was not far from this. The excitement and anticipation to ride this section was building up ever since. The shortening of the three day ride …
Jun 26 2015
In Jaen I was staying right next to a school, Parroquial Señor de Huamantanga, Jaen, Peru. The English teacher there was happy for me to talk to her grade 3 and grade 4 students (age group 13-15). The students wore uniform which was in perfect order and also their behaviour outside the classroom indicated that …
Jun 12 2015
It was time to hit the road after two days break at Cuenca. Some dirt roads were ahead and I neither knew how long nor the conditions of the road; compact dirt or gravel. The first section was a three day ride from Cuenca to Loja totally paved. On each of those three days, there …
Jun 01 2015
On the first sight of a snow capped mountain, on the way to Quito, I stopped for a picture and my optical nerves also stimulated that part of my brain cells which contain memories of past mountaineering. My days in Quito were going to be busy planning an expedition. First thing first. In Quito, Keith, …
May 12 2015
Rolling hills became rolling mountains. The steep lines up and down in the elevation profile for this section describes the challenge involved; needless to mention the rewards of downhill riding and the awesome views. After all no pain no gain. During my short stay at Cali I visited Universidad ICESI for a motivational talk. Carlos whom …
Apr 23 2015
There were plenty of reasons to take a break from cycling in Bogota and the five weeks was well spent visiting local sites, schools for talks and riding in the Ciclovia every Sunday. About 121 Kms of the roads were closed on the Sunday mornings in Bogota for people to ride, skate, roller blade, run …
Mar 16 2015
The Colombian Andes has three branches. Medellin is in the Central Andes and Bogota is in the Eastern Andes. There were several mountains to descend and ascend to shift from one range to another which makes it all the more interesting: shifting gear is a lot smoother. From Medellin I had to descend to the …