hour of backtracking I
celebrate finding it again
More Photos
"On the Trail"
Tuesday, December 12, 2000: Another Tough Day - Puquio to roughly km post 216 - 60km(Frank), to Pampamarca(Tad)
Frank here...
Got up early but decided to lie back down for a while. I had a giant breakfast that might have weighed me down a bit during the beginning of the ride. I was interesting to see a vendor carry in a big side of beef on his shoulder through the restaurant - twice. It did not affect my appetite, fortunately.
Chatted with a nice girl, Milagrifa, who told me she was in yesterday´s anniversary celebration. The chat got me started a little later than I had hoped, so it was getting hot by 8:00am, when I finally hit the road.
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| After losing my flag and an hour of backtracking I celebrate finding it again More Photos |
The way out of Puquio was not obvious then there was a bit of a downhill just past the town, just enough to tease me. The tough climbing began again and I found myself sometimes crawling at 5 kph. I stopped often and had little snoozes on the shoulder of the highway. It might sound dangerous, but the traffic was very, very sparse. The terrain again turned barren and the temperatures dropped due to the elevation and heavy cross winds as I continued to climb in the afternoon. I had to put on my jacket, wind pants and gloves. In the horizon were great views of snow capped mountains. Fortunately, after about 40 km there were some downhills mixed with the climbs. I still had a headache, little appetite, loss of balance, and found riding a struggle - especially getting on and off my bike and reaching down for my water bottle for a drink.
At about 5:00pm I found a rock pile off the side of the highway that partially protected my tent from the wind. It was partially visible from the highway, but I did not worry about that because after dark it would be very difficult to detect.
I wondered where Tad was as I forced some fruit into my stomach. I was very tired and was asleep by 7:00pm.
-In general, I think that life, in our physical perspective, is contrast.
-Frank Pollari
Tad here...
But not with Frank. I was up the road. A beautiful road at that.. At this point only the cliff notes..
Woke up ate my leftover rice for breakfast, still good, still a bit too spicey.
Pulled out winter clothes.
Got dressed before leaving the tent.
Left at about 7:00
Uphill...
Restaurant at 11:00 for lunch
On the walls...last supper clock, a drying carcass of some kind, half-naked
gringas...dirt floor, and strange sunroof windows casting a translucent
green hue.
Gal eating near me herded alpacas and sheep. Invited me to her home to see the animals. I declined as it was kms away, down hill.
Uphill...close to heaven, lakes, wide open sky...
Realized, I had lost my flag, rode back for 45 minutes and found it. Thank goodness for the prickly pampa which had caught it and held it from blowing away.
Arrived at Negro Maya 3:00 pm at 3:30 a body of a 17 year old boy was brought into town. Had falled in the hills. Reminded me that young people die. Remembered that my student Jenny died two years ago on this very date. Said a prayer for both families. Cried a little and rode on, thinking about life, and dying, and living.
30 kms more found a small town with one little restaurant.
One more hour of riding with a half hour downhill into the valley and found Pampamarca, 18kms further than the small town.
Ate dinner and talked with Edwin, who worked there, and others. And slept in an extra bed they had in the restaurant. At dinner heard that Frank was behind me, camping, from some truckers who had seen his tent. I was surprised he camped in the open and hoped all was well.
Quite a day,
TAD
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