And here we go, first day on the bike. We have waited long enough! We recieved the second bike on thursday at about lunch time, and a few hours later were in a cab taking us to Puente Piedra, at km 26,5 from Lima. Way too late to leave on the bike that same day, but we were all geared up for the next morning. Early start it is, at about 7am, we wanted earlier, but it`s always good to have sunlight!
Kind of a scary start, in the fog, with lots of traffic comming in and out of driveways and the curb... With all the big trucks and the noise, I started to wish Peru wasn`t so busy a place... But all changed for the best. After about 15 or 20 km, the big trucks went one way, and us the other! Finally a bit of peace and quiet... The road was a lot better, no more pot holes, and the traffic, lesser. I started loving it! Wow! Biking through Peru... Did I ever think any such thing would ever happen!
We got to a paying post to the highway, and took advantage of their free toilets! before continuing on to our destination. From km 50 on, we noticed our pace was naturally going to slow down... A lot of hills were on our way! Given it was the first day on a bike in over 3 months and that we had loaded bikes, we didn't quite hit the 20km/h mark! So how would we make it all the way to Huacho, at km 150? We nontheless kept on rolling through all the 5 and 6 km long hills, at the speed we could gather, and enjoyed the downhills. After a while, our trajectory took us in another direction and the scenery changed. We assumed it was time for lunch, at km 76, if I recall... I took the oportunity to fix my bike rack with a stick and we sat in a restaurant, enjoying a jug of juice and eating our lunch (permission asked beforehand!!!). I wouldn't do that in Canada, but Peru is a world apart, and they'll say yes to almost anything to get you spending a few "soles".
After lunch, Jessica reminded us to stretch throughly and we continued on... End of paradise.. the big trucks were back! At least the road was pretty good and I don't think it was very hilly at all. We'll try to go on to Huacho... but our chances to getting there today are slimming down! About 10 km later, Jess requests that we stop at the gaz station and inflate her tires. I had started feeling resistance on my back tire and also want to see what's happening. So we pull in and after fiddling for a while on our own, we ask for help... I feel very sorry we can't even inflate our tires with our pump, but we needed an adaptor and didn't have it. Now I feel a lot better! Anyway, while we're at it, might as well check mine! Whooo, that's quite on the flat side! We fill up the tube and it empties out... Give it a second chance just in case. The valve might be falty... All looks good, the air isn`t comming out, so we're ready to go.
A few kilometers later, all isn't good after all. I do have a flat tire!!! So time to figure out how to use all that stuff I never did! Jessica reads the instructions on the patch box and I get the weel out. That part went well! Now I have to let the air out, and the valve doesn`t want to do anything... So I assume I arleady let it out! I now try to roll the tire off the rhim and realize what those other tools - the ones Jade has in his repair kit- are for: rolling the tire off the rhim!!! Well, I might know what I need, I still don't have it! I accept Jessica's suggestion of walking to a gaz station and asking for help. She rides to the next one, to see how far it is, and successfully finds a llanta servicing center. Nice, at least, if they don't know anything about bikes, they'll know about tires! Indeed, the young guy knows and helps us quite a bit. He basically does all the work for me, even fixes the valve, and I give him a small compensation in exchange. Thank you mister, now I know how to do it!
Now, we can very much forget about getting to Huacho on the first day! It was too far a goal, only based on what Mr. Victor Castro (the president of Peru's Association de cyclismo) had forcast we would ride on our first day, given a speed of 20 km/h. Well, he was overestimating us! We then decide to settle down at the next little town, Chancallo, and do the other half of our trajectory the following day. There aren't many hostals in that tiny village, so we settle for the s/.20 one above the drugstore. It's safe and that's really all that counts! We have a nice dinner, appetizers on us, and main course down at restaurant. A bit of internet later and I am already late on the blog!!! We go for a fantastic night sleep and get up energized and ready to roll.
While Jessica gets the oatmeal cooking, I go get a bit of food for the day. It's 65 km from here to our destination: Huaura (a few kilometers past Huacho) and we won't get a chance to buy anything on the way as there is no civilization. We start rolling to the km 100 post picture time! and divide the day in sections so as to make it feel easier. 15 km until banana break, 15 km farther to lunch, and 20 or 25 km to destination. The day goes by a lot easier than the last with fewer hills and reasonnably quiet roads. We chat with a guy at lunch time (he works on the highway and gets his hot lunch dropped of to him at a designated spot!!!) and the day is pretty much over. At 2:30, we are in Huaura, at about km 95. Jessica finds an hotel at s/.10 and we stay the night on the third floor... interesting to bring up the bikes up 3 steep "flights" of stairs but it's worth it to save a bit of money! Once again, we take it easy at night, only going to internet. Another good sleep and it's time to go again.
We leave Huaura at about 9am, after a nice breakfast and a bit of lunch prep. We only have a small day ahead of us, about 55 km. We give ourselves the same schedule for breaks but they come too quickly and we go farther and faster than expected. Our speed is now averaging 18 km/h for the entire journey, we're catching up on the 8 km/h of the uphill sections! So maybe we'll start doing some good times soon, never know. We stop at the last town before a long stretch of desert without civilization: Paramonga. It's a little off the highway and therefore a bit more quiet and that's very appreciated. The next day riding will be 90 km long, just about 1,5 X what we have done so far on anyday. So we chose to take one day of rest and also treat my flu... So that where we are now. If I feel better, tomorrow will be our longest ride and I am very excited of it.
Jessica put some pictures on the french version of the blog so I won't go through all that trouble myself! I'll do my best to keep all updated, see you later.
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