Wow, what a day. We
climbed from the start, gradually at first, following the Chalhuanca River,
like yesterday. Once we had ridden 50 km
we had gained 2,700’, climbing grades of 2-3%.
Then the fun began. When we
turned out of the river valley we climbed 2,200’ in the next 15 km. The switchbacks kept coming until we reached
14,500’ at Quilucanana. Then the road
opened up onto a large meadow. Light
rain off and on during the last 20 km of climbing.
Riding across the meadow, still climbing gradually, the rain
picked up and then mixed with hail. I can see my breath. Finally we reached the
peak at 15,000’. The rain stopped for
our downhill ride at 30-40 mph on dry pavement.
Upon reaching our lodging for the night, I am handed a large
cup of coffee, and holding it in my hands, realize how cold I am. We riders share stories and observations of
the day. No one is ready to opt out. Despite the difficulty breathing at altitude,
the rain, the cold and the primitive facilities, this is an adventure and a
challenge. Today we reached the highest
altitude on the tour. We’re all looking
forward to the descent into Nasca and the warmer temperatures
 |
| High meadow - desolate, but people live here |
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