Few impressive passes separate us from the Pacific Ocean. After some mythical ascents, we finally arrive in the Nazca desert, famous for its gigantic lines on the ground.
We leave from Cuzco full of humbleness, as the road to Nazca won't be easy. Thanks to the precious information that my parents have gathered (they drove along the same road by car), we already know that we will continuously have to climb above 4000m before coming back below 2000m.
After two days of riding, a long descent, a flat tire and a few "chicharones de chancho" (fried pork fat), we face the first difficult part of this stage: the Abra Sorllaca, at 4000m and a lot of switchbacks.
Switchbacks on the way to Curahuasi
Repairs under the puzzled look of the restaurant owners
Séb and Martin in the middle of an ascent
Their father owns a small food stand by the road
Dogs patiently wait for our leftovers of chicharones de chancho (fried pork fat)
When we arrive at the pass at the end of the afternoon, we enjoy a little "mate" while gazing at clouds passing above Abancay. The scenery is so breathtaking that we linger a while. A descent of 30km still awaits us and we arrive at night at Abancay.
Little "mate" at the pass, 4000m
Clouds twirling above Abancay
We would like to share our musical experience. Almost every restaurant plays traditional Peruvian music on TV and we got hold of a representative example: Esmeralda de los Andes.
We start again from Abancay with a nice tailwind, enabling us to cover 120km of uphill road in one (long) day. On the next afternoon, we stop for a drink before a big climb, during a Champions League Barcelona-Paris game that the locals are watching passionately on TV. We will finally stay until the end of the game, which will once again make us arrive at night.
Martin's bike at the "pit stop", flat tire
Impressive switchbacks to end a day of riding
Follow the arrows
When we start again the next morning, we ride on highlands, above 4000m. Locals promised us that the road would be flat, but one hill follows another.
Stone fences
When we arrive at Negromayo, the temperature is around 2°C and it's already pitch dark. Hard blow for us, there is no accommodation. We know that on these highlands, the mercury drops below -5°C. We are therefore not really enthusiastic about sleeping in a tent. We plan to sleep in the only restaurant in the village but it seems that the family that runs the place is already using the dinning room as a bedroom.
We chat with a man in the restaurant. I ask him whether it would be possible to sleep in the school or in any place sheltered from the wind. He explains me that it is impossible as people won't accept to host strangers. I insist a little bit more, until he makes the famous thumb-against-the-fore/middle-finger gesture. "Tienen que pagar" (you have to pay). He then reveals me that he is the school director (what he carefully avoided to tell us until now). Obviously, his trust has a price: 15 soles (5CHF) per person.
His offer is rather dishonest, since it is hardly probable that he would spend this money to buy new blackboards. But chilled to the bone, exhausted, we accept the deal. In addition, this will enable us to see in which conditions the young Negromayers study. He calls two pupils to carry lama skins that will protect us from the cold. In the classroom, the furniture is rudimentary, but the place is well maintained.
Classroom in Negromayo, with the lama skins in the corner to keep us warm
Negromayo in the early morning (temperature -4ºC)
When we set out, the school director asks us to stay quiet about his sense of "hospitality". "It is forbidden to host strangers in the school. People here are narrow minded, they wouldn't understand".
Again on highlands, the road gets finally flat and runs along nice lagoons. We stop and have a chat with a friendly shepherd. He is waiting for a car to hitchhike that will drive him to the village. After discussing for a few minutes, he asks all of a sudden to Akira "Regalame tus anteojos" (Offer me your sunglasses). "No puedo, los necesito" (I can't, I need them). "Si, entiendo" (Ok, I understand). After a warm farewell, we set off.
Lagoons on the highland
Lamas and Alpacas "in droves", as described by the recon team
Once we arrive to Puquio after a nice downhill ride, I go through a new culinary experience. I have already tasted guinea gig but this is the first time that it is served as a whole, with the head. In the end, it tastes like chicken, with less to eat.
Cuy dorado (grilled guinea pig), tasted in Puquio
One single mountain range now lies between us and the Pacific Ocean. We plan to cross it through the Abra Condorcenca, at 4390m. From there, it will be a pure downhill ride. We decide to sleep at the pass, in order to celebrate our last Andean pass as it should be.
Obsessive camper who would like to remove all the stones before pitching his tent (he will finally surrender)
Our last pass in South America surely deserves a high altitude beer!
Last gleams of daylight
We sleep under an incredible sky, surrounded by vicuñas
A confined but rather comfy accommodation (if one accepts the lack of heating).
You'll agree that there are worse places to camp!
The problem with bivouacs that lie far from the road is that you have to get there
Off we go now for the longest and most legendary downhill ride of our journey in South America! We start from higher than 4000m and will roll down to Nazca, at 600m. The first 30km are a false flat with light grades, until the km 67 where the downhill grades get steeper and zigzag in switchbacks to Nazca, located at the km 0. The total 100km are finally covered in less than three hours of riding.
The kilometer nº67 milestone, announcing the longest downhill ride of our Andean journey
Akira in full downhill ride
In a matter of a few kilometers, the vegetation disappears completely and we find ourselves in the middle of a desert. We ride along the world's 2nd highest sand dune (a sand heap of 1176m).
A cyclist is hidden somewhere in this picture. In the background, a gigantic sand dune
Martin and Akira swiftly take one of the numerous bends of the descent
Once in Nazca, we fly away to discover a mysterious phenomenon: the Nazca lines and geoglyphs. Realized over 15 centuries ago by a pre-inca civilization described as "from Nazca", those drawings and geometric shapes on the ground still have not revealed all their secrets.
In an attempt to contribute to the science, we take off aboard a Cessna XX that will fly over the most famous shapes. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the generous donors who financed this archaeological expedition. During half-an-hour, the plane flies in tight curves above each shape.
Three archaeologists leaving on a mission
The "Hummingbird", 50 meters long
The "Monkey", 55 meters long
Our future route
Some 450 km now separates us from Lima. But before putting an end to our South American journey, we still have to cross the Nazca desert and ride along the Pacific coast. Seems like new adventures are coming up...
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