Day 38 - 41. The force is sometimes with me

Day 38 Raqchi Ruins

We depart Cusco and begin our final days in Peru.

Cusco left me with mixed feelings. Being one of the final stepping stones to Machu Picchu, it was very tourist oriented and with prices to match. I once called a bad tourist because I refused to buy this girl's beanies even after she tried to offer me a discount, which I might point out I was simply walking through the plaza and she approached me. I didn't feel Cusco reflected the Peru I'd seen before that point. Still, it wasn't a bad place.

The ride was moderate. 122km long and 1086m of climbing.

I got through the whole day well enough. Not without discomfort. My previous climb at Machu Picchu left my legs very sore.

We camped beside what was called the Raqchi Ruins. I would have been keen to have a look, but I was wrecked. Put up the tent and snoozed until dinner.

Day 39 Pucara

Loooong day. 159km and 1228m of climbing.

To start the day, once again I had another flat tyre. When I've been using these very nice rolling, narrow, grippy Maxxis slick tyres, I've been getting punctures once or twice per day. The tubes look like works of art with all the patches on them. All their advantages are also their disadvantages. They get their grip from being soft. Which means EVERYTHING goes through them. There's holes and slashes all over them. In the holes, pieces of glass are often found. They're too soft, I'm too heavy, and I've been using them at maximum pressure so that it's a perfect combination for punctures. The morning was the final straw. Anna kindly offered me her road tyres to get me by until La Paz in Bolivia, those tyres are much tougher. I happily accepted.

Most of the climbing was done first thing in the morning, but it was gradual over 60km. I'd never thought I'd say this, give me a nasty steep climb straight up and get it done with rather than a long drawn out climb.

I hadn't woken fresh. My legs were still sore from the Machu Picchu climb, and the previous day's long ride hadn't helped. So by the time I reached 48km I stopped for a rest totally spent. I'd hit the wall. Fortunately the police were following me (which I normally really hate, I like to be left in peace) and they pulled up beside me and asked how I was. My reply was "mucho cansado" which is terrible Spanish for I'm very tired. They told me to get in the back, and who wants to argue with the police?

So I get dropped off at the lunch spot, which once again was beautiful. The final peak before dropping down onto the Altiplano at 3800m above sea level, which is where we'll not drop below for more than 2 weeks. I'll have mining companies chasing me for the iron in my blood, I'll have so many red blood cells by the time I leave this place.

Lunch before dropping to the Altiplano

So it was a truck ride to the campsite which was 100km from lunch. I had made the right decision. Even though the first 20km or so from lunch was a gentle downhill, it then became a 80km grind on the flat. This would have been fine except for the strong headwind that built up in the afternoon whipping up dust storms. As much as I hate not completing a day, I have to be in good enough condition to take on the next day. I'm getting stronger, and I'm completing more days. I've also lost an unbelievable amount of weight.

When I was putting up my tent, this boy who was perhaps 6 years old was first watching us from the top of a hill. Each time I looked up he was still standing still, but that little bit closer to me until eventually he was right beside me. From there on he was full of questions. Most of which I couldn't understand. I got some of them though. I was like him at that age, so full of curiosity. I still am for that matter. I never had a whole bunch of foreigners turn up in my front yard and set up camp though when I was 6.

Day 40 Puno. Promising.

A rather flat day. 111km and 474m of climbing.

This day surprised me in the best way.

We set off from camp and the pace kept creeping up from 25km/h, even though the day wasn't being timed. Normally I just fall off the back of the peloton (group), and ride at my own pace. Although there are advantages of riding in a peloton. The main one being that the rider in front cuts through the air for you, making the ride that much easier. The bad part is you concentrate on the rider in front, and less on the scenery.

As the pace went over 30km/h, more riders began falling off the back. Yet somehow I clung on by leaving my bike in top gear and slugging it out with strong pushes, even on the short climbs. This surprised some of the other riders, no more than myself! I arrived at lunch still with the lead group.

Setting off again from lunch I was able to keep up with them until there was a final bump, a 200m climb. Rigo surprised me with his strength. Before the climb properly started, there was a steep hill leading to it. I of course began falling off the back. So I'm quick on the downhills, getting there on the flats, but uphills are still my Achilles' Heel compared to everyone else. Rigo rides up beside me and with one arm starts pushing against my back. I stepped up 2 gears and kept up with everyone. Wow. Rigo up until now has been content to socialise with people, take photos, have breaks here and there. If he wanted, my guess is he could be a real contender when the rides are timed. A strong rider who has chosen to live the experience with the environment rather than focus on the race, not a bad choice.

On arrival at our hotel in Puno, a lot of us set off to the Uros islands in Lake Titicaca. The Uros islands are traditional artificial floating islands built of reeds built by the pre-Incan Uros people.

I enjoyed the Uros islands for their beauty, especially as we saw them at sunset. The explanation of how they were built was interesting as well. The part I didn't appreciate was the undercurrent of buy buy BUY! The eagerness to show something, get me to agree that it is beautiful, I say no I'm not buying anything before trying to show me the next thing. Perhaps I should stop being so polite and just say no and move on, yet my curiosity of what it is they have to show got to me. I have what I need, and I only had enough Peruvian currency to buy dinner before reaching Bolivia. Yes, these people earn their living from tourism, but that sort of approach doesn't work for me. I like helpfulness rather than being pushy.

Day 41 Copacabana Bolivia

Our final day in Peru as we work our way around Lake Titicaca to the Bolivian border.

A long day, 145km with 723m of climbing. No big climbs, just a few smaller ones scattered through the day.

The peloton broke up with the first climb, and I found myself riding with Tamsin for the majority of the time until lunch. The scenery was really opening up, and the surrounding mountains were getting lower and lower relative to the plains. It was nice to have Lake Titicaca within sight for a good portion of the ride.

The wind picked up half way into the morning which made things marginally more difficult. It wasn't strong, but definitely noticeable. Rather than easily cruising along all day at say 28km/h, we were varying between 20 and 25.

By the time we reached the next lunch spot after 70km, I was sore, tired and quite uncomfortable with sore neck and shoulders. On the long flats you hold the same posture for a long time. I was due for a rest break, as our rest days in Cusco were busy and active and covered quite a lot of distance since then.

I took the truck to the Peru/Bolivia border. Getting through the border was quick and easy. Approximately 10km later we were at our hotel in Copacabana. A lakeside town. The view from the hotel room window over the lake was very much appreciated.

We have 2 more short and relatively easy days to get to La Paz, then 2 rest days. Some of that time will be spent getting more tyres and tubes!