Around the Block 2007

Here's the deal.  We found out that even the pro riders say that you can't get to Cuzco from Ayacucho in one day!  So we decided to shoot for Andahuaylas, and if we got there before 3 pm we would try for further on, maybe Abancay.  This road is more just like yesterday, a 6 ft wide rocky path that winds around the mountainside (pix) with beautiful views (read 'DROP-OFFS').  But we are feeling good.  They tell us the bus (a bus goes on this 'road' ?) takes 10 hours to make Andahuaylas, but after only 2 1/2 hr we are halfway.  But we are using 50% more fuel than normal because it is so steep up and down.

Soon after, my chain jumps off the sprocket, so while Luke and I are fixing that, Whitney comes up and needs another clutch lever from another fall.  Everyone catches us as we finish.  On again and it looks like we will make our goal, except Jhonny and Ed come to a 'Y' in the road and instead of waiting for the others (protocol) they take the right branch.  That is the longer, higher, and rougher route.  We divide: the big bikes try to catch the run-aways while the rest of us head down into the valley.  We can see Andahaylas ahead (pix), but it will take us a long time to get there!

Yesterday we had a miracle I forgot to tell you about.  Jhonny (on an older Yamaha WR500 two stroke) is having so much trouble with his gear falling off the bike that he decides to stop and give 1/2 of his stuff away to some needy family.  They are delighted, yet don't understand why someone would do this.  10 km down the road in the middle of nowhere: Disaster!  Jhonny loses a bolt that holds up his rear suspension.  Julio stops and helps him look back over the last 2 km.  Julio prays for a miracle as this thick dust could hide a Mack truck!  They look and look up the road in the dust. But no bolt.  Discouraged (and doubting) he trudges back.  Meanwhile Raul has stopped with Jhonny and as a truck goes by, he waves it down.  "Might you have a bolt we could buy from you?".  The truck driver reaches under the dashboard cover and pulls out the only spare bolt he's carrying and says: "Will this do?"  They check and it is EXACTLY the size needed, with nut and washers to boot!  After things like that and the incredible world we are looking down on, how can anyone doubt the existence of a creator God who cares!

We make Andahuaylas (Raul Jr, 15, and David both get flats, but within 5 km of town so they just ride it flat into town and get it fixed.  But we missed our cut-off time and we all need alot of maintenance, so Andahuaylas it is for the night.....  (pix 3- waiting for Craig at a lookout point,  pix 4 - Julio and Toby)

NEXT DAY:  day5andahuaylastocuzco.htm

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