Dec. 20th A chance to shower and the beginning of a transition

Quickly approaching the Solstice I'm confused. Usually I'd be at the depths of darkness with gray skies, rain, wind, clogged gutters and yet I find myself at 7:15 pm sitting in shorts with hot sun tempting me to take off the tee shirt or seek shade. All I can say is 'I'm lovin' it" (Hasn't some company already claimed that one?) .
 For the last few dayz it has been serious road time with strong head or side winds.Chile is ONE LONG COUNTRY. Always wearing ear plugs to reduce the sound of wind at 60-70 mph or ,on occasion, an MP3 with my jogging music-only latin music please) we move  and wiggle the butt frequently, from side to side, re adjusting the sheepskin I received from a fellow traveler in Panama, so as to get comfortable. Usually the AM has the least wind and by noon it gets tough(well not really tough). It does make driving harder. It does make passing trucks harder ( as you approach you're buffeted a lot then as you pass you're sucked into a vacuum then as you emerge you're hit by strong winds again. It just takes knowing what is happening and be prepared as best you can. (life lesson #101)

 Richie, a Colombian, jointed us for a couple of days. Six months into his trip with his girlfriend from Colombia, he'd sent her ahead on the bus, due to strong winds and rough conditions. It gave them both a 'breather' of being together day and night and he got some 'male time'. He has a para gliding school in Colombia. Leaving his business in the hands of friends, he is  'living the dream' at age 43.

 Camping on an isolated beach. Papa tent, Mama tent and baby bear tent. (Guess which one is Mr. Minimalist's tent?)

 If you couldn't guess then here I am. One person, one person tent. Beautiful scenery. We were approached by 'locals' who said we should move since the tide oftentimes comes up and over this site. Didn't believe him (hey, I grew up with tides in my life) but then he's a local and he volunteered this information out of concern for our bikes, tents and selves.. At late dusk we decided to go for safety rather than our own 'sense'. We moved to higher ground and reset tents in the dark and slept soundly. Next morning. My northwest water sense about tides and information about beaches and evidence of high tides SHOULD have been followed...but then I'm not at home. Better safe than sorry.

 I added this photo because if I were a Martian, I'd have assumed that Chileans, more than any other nation so far, are religiously inclined. It could be considered subtle but the frequency of alters to dead, whether on the highway or elsewhere is remarkable. It almost approaches too much. Especially with the Chilean flags attached everywhere. If I were to do a documentary show of roadside alters I'd take forever to get through Chile. Incredible and it can't be related to the number of deaths on the roads. Chilean pan-american highways are in great shape and not prone to accidents from the conditions of the roads.

 Randy, my California riding buddy, preparing some dinner on the beach near Iqueque, in the north of Chile.

 OK The 'Manos del Desierto', out in the middle of nowhere.

 Are two hands better? Have I won??? Did I overcome something?

 Well, there is a lesson here.It happens in the oddest places. Without any premonition, under perfect conditions. Who could have predicted that when I got ready to leave and rolled forward off my center stand than the uneven sand would cause me to fall over. I can't pick this puppy up by myself, I'm well off the road and who would come by to help me? My riding buddy! That is one reason that being with someone else gives a little more security for the BIG things and the SMALL things.

The coast of western South America is like that. From southern Ecuador, all of Peru and so far, half way down Chile it has been desert. Dry, rarely a drop of rain, and wind. All of this has to do with the Humboldt Current that sweeps up from Antarctica along the coast previously mentioned bringing nutrients for fish and cooler waters that affect the coast conditions leaving little variation in the climate. Sun,sun,sun, mist sometimes and fog, sometimes but that is it, from recorded history. So enough words. Here are some pics of camping on the beach on Dec.17th,18,19th all in different places. Free! Plus the 'Manos en el Deserto', a sculpture that is on some peoples'(i.e. motorcyclists) must do list. We came upon it early in the morning, riding before the wind came up, across endless desert with little visual variation and without knowing it was there. Great place for a pic. Plus, I dropped my bike getting back one and since it is over 700 pounds loaded (without me) i asked my friend to help me lift it.

Dec. 17th Images of Ekeko, Andean God of Prosperity

Ekeko, the Andean God of Prosperity is a chubby little man, mustached and carrying a plethora of items thought to bring happiness. You'll see miniature money pinned to his clothing, sacks of seed and grain, musical instruments, cars, trucks, houses, anything of value or desire. I first came across an Ekeko doll in Quito,Ecuador years ago and still own it. I was surprised to see the same figure in Arequipa Peru and have since learned it is found throughout Bolivia,Peru,Ecuador and ? There is an upscale department store in Arequipa,Peru called 'La Casa del Ekeko' from which the large carved Andean Ekeko is located.

La Casa del Ekeko in Arequipa, Peru. He greets you at the door.

 I'm curious how the image got a mustache since facial hairs is not common in Andean Indigenous cultures.

At 16,000' the stone Ekeko made from rock and old clothing is full of items left by travelers like myself. Ekeko got some animal crackers from me whenever he needs a snack.

Dec. 14th Colca Canyon, Southern Peru

Dec. 14^{th Friday} Colca Canyon, Peru- New Heights and Depths

On anyone’s list of places to see in southern Peru is Colca Canyon. Why? well, it is twice as deep at the Grand Canyon for starters and as you can see from my GPS reading we crossed a snowy pass to get here at 16,030, the highest yet I’ve been on my motorcycle. Needless to say, ‘el zorro plateado’ (the silver fox) was sputtering a bit. Could have been the altitude. I was sputtering also. Just getting on and off the motorcycle at that elevation was work though it was balanced by the excitement of being in snow on Dec. 14^th and seeing lots of Alpaca, Vicuña, Sheep and Goats being hurded by young 10 year old boys and girls. Their rosy and wind beaten cheeks belayed a life already set. Far from any school they are sure to grow up living at 12,000-14,000’ in a house made of stone yet open to the elements. Tending their flocks ,drinking their milk and finally eating their flesh. We accept what we’ve grown into as children and as adults. The old indigenous ways live on- no water, electricity or bathing facilities, especially at these heights.

The sign says "Do not pass"

Snow abounds. What a suprise! Fortunately I had my long johns on.

Eikeko, the Incan god of prosperity sits at 16,000'. A pile of rocks with an old jacket, and hardhat he accepts gifts of food and drink and well wishes.

Terraced lands still in use from Incan times. The whole canyon is terraced. This is extensive ground management.

Moving into Colca Canyon one is immediately struck by what appears to be terracing across every workable piece of land for miles and miles up and down the canyon. Yes, it is still being worked and has been since the Incas and Pre Incas started the long and arduous task of building rock walls and elevating ground into terraces. It is visually stunning and remarkable that many different crops were able to be raised simultaneously just because of the 5-6,000 feet elevation of workable land within the canyon. Imagine crops that to us would be grown in opposite seasons being grown at the same time just because they had the elevation and temperature changes to make it all happen.

Dec. 9th-Coming into Lima-A change and a new beginning

 The area around Caral is desert and an elevation of 800-1000 feet. Wind swept sand seeks refuge in the crevices of the stone mountains. Not a very hospitable place to develop a civilization of 4000 inhabitants that lasted over 1000 years

 One of the center stones between ritual pyrimids. The pyramids mimic the surrounding mountains and they, in an of themselves are considered sacred, power spots.

 Modern day removal of dried cane sugar from the farm lands. Note the age of the well kept truck.

Corn, the mother crop, laying out in the sun to dry. Beautiful.

 A house perched upon the top of a HUGE rock in a river. Note the spiral staircase. Anyone interested? Small tax lot.

The "zorro plateado"(silver fox)in honor of my Dad gets a washinging today and is ready for a 6 AM loading and flying south.

 The Hotel Antigua de Miraflores in Miraflores, Lima, Peru. Two days of luxury with a bath tub, shoes polished by the door and wonderful beds. Not the typical travel mode for me.

The last few days have been a whirlwind. First a stay on the Peruvian coast, 3 hours north of Lima at Barranca and a day visit to Caral, the oldest civilization in the Western Hemisphere.(5,000 years old) then a calculated early arrival on sunday morning into Lima with its horrendous traffic issues.(And getting stopped and hit up for 'speeding in front of a school'(on a sunday?) Cost me $38.00-street price- wish I had a helmet camera and caught it on film- that would have cost the policeman his job) Then a two night stay at an old and well appointed hotel in Miraflores, the upscale section by the water in Lima followed by a 5:45 departure for Jan to the airport and me toward Nazca 7 hours south. Jan Gunn has been my travel partner for the last month- from Quito to Lima. She's ridden through mud and rain, barren desert and high winds with nary a peep (she told me tonight she meditated ALOT) along the trip. I know that on occasion she also slept cause her helmet would slowly fall on my back. Not to be bothered by twisty mountain roads she moved gracefully through every turn, whether awake OR asleep! A couple of pictures of Caral, the desert civilization that seems to have caused quite a ruckus in Archeological circles since it has caused a re-think of previous interpretations of time,place and development of different cultures of the Americas.

Dec. 7th Leaving Callejón de Huaylas

 Llanganuco Lake with its glacial waters and massive rock faces hiding 22,500' Mt Huascaran.

 We were the last people out of the park and when we arrived at the gate, it appeared locked. Jan managed to 'leverage' the two large rocks that allowed for the wooden pole to left and we were 'free'.

 Above Lago Paron the rock just seems to continue up and up. One wonders about the forces of nature when faced with such massive amounts of rock. I wanted to go climb but quickly lost that fantasy.

 Trying to get another view of some of the bigger peaks, we took a road that was under construction but the clouds obscured the massive peaks leaving us to wonder what was there that we wern't seeing.

 When I come across a road sign that warns me the road is only 10 feet wide(with no shoulder)and trucks come screaming around the corner, my heart starts racing. But it was a beautiful view!

 I am constantly amazed at what amount of energy it takes for a road to be built and even more to be maintained in a very unstable area.

 Farming patch work quilt style is seen in the forground. We explored up the canyon to the left with almost vertical walls.

After an incredible week of varied weather conditions (all without rain!) which allowed peekaboo views of some of the mountains (up to 22,500 feet) we left the valley this morning feeling grateful for what we did see. The best time to visit is in April.May,June when skies are crystal clear and it is warmer in the day and colder at night. We loved the climate as we found it- mild and comfortable at 5-7,000'. At 13,000 we got winded even getting off and on the motorcycle. It was worth it- breathtaking I think is the word. Here are a few shots taken over this past week.

THE ROADS of NORTHERN PERU/ Dec. 2012

Roads wind and twist snaking their way up the side of the mountain. At least you can see the oncoming cars and trucks for miles.

love the drop offsa

mu.st take your turn

more turn taking.

one day this will be a wide two lane highway.

So far travel has been slow. Like 10 mph on the average on dirt roads. Today we went 100 kms.(62 miles) and it took 3 1/2 hours and I was exhausted.  My riding skills have improved though I wish I had taken some off road riding courses before starting the trip. Most of these difficult conditions are the result of road work to improve narrow and inadequate dirt roads prone to slides, washouts and other changes.Irregular road surfaces are caused by big trucks and loose soil. This can mean deep ruts that fill with water.

My biggest fear is mud. Today I got plenty of it, more than I would wish on anyone. Why? Well, two wheels in line don’t give the stability that three or four do and  riding in mud can be most like being on a frozen lake when you can’t get any traction or the mud dictates which way your tire goes, not you.Sometimes the mud is like a thick chocolate shake and other times like a soft fudge. Today I went through some Big mud holes or ponds without knowing how deep they were. There was no way around so you just giver some more gas  and lighten up on the steering and let the front wheel kinda move on its own. Remember to keep your balance! I have learned to find my line and follow it. Once committed you go for it and you go faster than slower- just maybe the speed will get you through if the traction doesn’t. Anyway, a drop in a mud hole can’t be all that bad, now can it? I don’t want to go there.

My next biggest fear is being on a narrow road cut out of a hillside with a drop a 1,000 on my right and a deep ditch on my left and a big truck coming. I usually don’t have time to sight see and look over the edge as I’m moving along the wet or dry bumpy road but I do catch a glimpse of a sheer drop and wonder how many times the bike would bounce as it careens down the face of the cliff…

A thin sheer of mud covering the road and unforeseen hazards.

you never know if the road ahead will actually be there.
Waiting for road construction crews can also delay progress for hours.

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Backstory

My Grandfather for whom I was named was always spoken of with the utmost regard. One of several children raised in the town of Bridlington, England along the shore of the North Sea in a tiny seaside resort, the family had a number of properties in town and it was expected that Edwin would continue his studies at University. This was the time when the British Empire had an expanded presence in the world and 'the sun never set on the empire'. It was also the custom of a young British gentleman to go and see the world. This is what Edwin did. He left his university studies, asked for a yearly stipend and set out. He returned 14 years later. My mother remember only a few stories of his adventures of travels but they were always told with great admiration.
So it is within this context that my mother who named me after her father always said,' Oh, if your Grandfather could see you now' or 'You look just like you're Grandfather'.
This was fortunately for me a positive connotation. For others who carry the name of a Grandparent it can be negative. This 'social grooming' with its built in expectation that you'll amount to something like your Grandfather made it easy for me to be supported in my early adventures to Mexico in 1963 and Guatemala in 1964 and Mexico again in 1965. Obviously the world was a different place then than now. Few people ventured south of the border very far and fewer still attempted to drive a car to Belize, British Honduras (as known at that time). There were no guide books at that time other than the famous South American Handbook which was published every couple of years and which was helpful but contained little information on available hotels and lodging. One just made your own way, asked around and found what little was available. No travelers infrastructure had yet been developed to make trips readily available. It was much more challenging to get information on road conditions and telephone communications were problematic at best, especially in the more remote areas.
Move forward to now. I'm in central Peru. Seeing places I haven't seen in thirty years and some I've never seen. Having fun and a flight of emotion that ranges from happy to scared. I go around a corner on a mountain road not big enough for a truck and a motorcycle to pass and I think: "Whoa" That is a 1000 foot drop and I'm so close to it". Beats wondering what next to do with my life.