Pedaling South

Every day in the Peruvian Andes we meet one or more wandering herds looking for a place to graze. Usually we encounter a mix of goats, pigs, sheep, cattle and donkeys. A dog or three helps keep things orderly, and the whole is coordinated by a woman with a stick.

The whole town (of 10 people) lined up across the one-lane highway and watched us eat Pachamanca with our hands. It’s a traditional dish of meat cooked in an earthen oven. One of the most delicious and interesting culinary experiences we’ve ever had.

This is in the remote Huascarán National Park, between Huaraz and La Union. We summitted at about 4900 meters. It was likely the hardest day of the trip, as every meter gained equated with a loss of pedal power. At night, our water froze, our stove sputtered stubbornly, and our heads were pounding. Incredibly beautiful, worth every burst blood vessel.

Cane juice is delicious and nutricious! It helped keep us going after our ride up from sea level to 3100-meter tall Huaraz. “Do the wasps bite?” I ask. Yes, the wasps bite. Now drink your juice.