a self-supported bicycle tour through South America

21th - 24th August 07 Total: 984miles/1575km

Chiclayo > Pacasmayo (66miles/106km) > Trujillo(68miles/109km)

We awoke to that awful feeling of just wanting to stay in bed fast asleep and all warm, but we had to go. The traffic was starting to get busy, the sounds of horns tooting needlessly reminding me that one day, come the revolution, they’ll be another thing on the banned list.
Shortly after having left the hotel, Jen discovered that her bike computer wasn’t working. We stopped on the roadside and I took a look at the sensor, fiddled around a little, press a few buttons and voila, it did the trick. We moved on and not 10 seconds later Jen shouted, “It’s stopped again!” So we stopped on the roadside again and repeated the same exercise. After 3 or 4 times of this we were getting very frustrated, we couldn’t work out what was wrong with the damn thing, but at least we had mine, or so we thought! It was at this point that we discovered both were now not working. This was really weird; two completely independent bike computers had stopped for the same reason, nevertheless, we just had to push on.
As we started to get to the outskirts of Chiclayo, miraculously we managed to get mine to work, having done nothing different to the damn things that we hadn’t tried earlier. Happier that at least one of them was now working we put our heads down and tried to find that illusive groove.
It wasn’t long before the scenery turned from built-up urban sprawl, then to little small holdings with more greenery and colour, eventually culminating with the dreaded barren desert landscape with nothing to stop the strong southerly prevailing wind. In fact, nothing was great about this morning; we had both been ill for the last two days in Chiclayo hence why we stayed additional nights there. My gut was like a milk churn with the griping almost crippling at times, and it was cold, very cold.
The weather has increasingly turned cooler with every morning and the usual sun that breaks through around lunchtime to clear the grey claggy overcast skies has also got later and later. That said, when the sun does make its appearance we have mixed feelings about it. For we know that with sun, comes wind and the wind is also from the south and cripples our progress into the afternoon. Because of this, we both have tried to focus on getting as many kilometres as possible done in the morning before lunch which isn’t that easy for me as I seem to work better in the afternoons and Jen in the mornings.
As we continued our push into the day we came across a police checkpoint where the young officer was keen to find out more about us. He introduced himself and asked where we were going, what we did for jobs etc. His admiring possy gathered round and he produced a camera, with which he got one of his entourage to take a photo of us and him. He took great pleasure in shaking our hands and kissing Jen and wished us luck (I think).

Further on we came across an unusually green, well manicured garden of a restaurant called “Restaurant Campestre” just outside Chepen, conveniently it was around lunchtime and so we decided to stop. When this happens, we both hope it turns out to be a wonderous place, just like the “Playa Florida” where the chicharron langostinos (deep fried prawns) will turn out to be the best. Luckily, this restaurant turned out to be a very popular place and produced wonderful chicken and chips, we’re starting to realise that you can’t go wrong with chicken in Peru.
The green grass and gardens were very welcome at our lunch stop but in stark contrast to the remainder of the day towards Pacasmayo, the wind increasing and the day cooling off. It became a struggle as always and my thoughts turned to spotting possible camping sites as we just had no idea of what accommodation lay ahead.
We descended into Pacasmayo, again another usual dust town with shanty buildings, but to our surprise we arrived at the macelon (beach front) where a lovely prom and old colonial style buildings stood. One of these character rich buildings was the Las Estacion hotel. I asked to see a room whilst Jen looked after the bikes outside, the lady showed me a penthouse room with balcony overlooking the sea. It didn’t take much to say yes we’ll take it…all for £15 a night!
Pacasmayo was an odd place, seemingly modern in places as our hotel certainly had the best lift we had seen in South America, and I wondered how all this was supported. It transpired that Pacasmayo is one of the main producers of cement and most of the people staying there worked at the cement factory or were linked to it somehow. The Chinese guests had even taken to cooking their own dumplings in the restaurant kitchen. We figured that they were over the chicken and chips!
Following a day of 109km into Pacasmayo we set out for the final push in Trujillo of another 100 odd kilometers. We decided that with my upset stomach and the shear boredom of grey monotonous desert we’d alter our route plans ahead of Lima to include a visit to Huaraz to see the incredibly beautiful mountain range “Cordillera Blanca”.
Apart from bumping into a couple of other cycle tourists heading in the opposite direction about 30km outside of Trujillo the day was pretty dull. I couldn’t help but think about the German and South Korean couple we had met and the amount of equipment they were carrying; I thought that we were fully-loaded! These guys had the same amount of kit as we were carrying plus a trailer with a metal trunk box each. I presumed that whatever was in there, it was nothing short of a fully kitted fold-out workshop for their bikes. Apart from this, the trunk looked like it made a good seat around camp which I was envious of, and I think Jen had her eyes on it for our camp chopping board!
The ride into Trujillo was largely uneventful; I’m increasingly impressed with Jen and her riding ability, for someone who hasn’t done hardly any cycling she certainly has been hit with it hard, heavy loads, head winds, long days, enough to break most people! [Simon]
Trujillo has been pretty non-eventful for us as we have been organising our trip to Huaraz and the Cordillera Blanca. We have seen loads of spectacular photos of the scenery we are about to see which will make an incredibly welcome change to the dull, dry, shanty town landscape we have been cycling through for the last 2 weeks. Not looking forward to the “comfort” of the night bus though, but anything beats the saddle if you ask me.
The hotel here in Trujillo is certainly something to write home about however. We have never seen anything like it. 1974 House and Garden would be very proud. The decor is seriously straight out of the seventies complete with bright orange and floral covered couches that would even make Mrs Brady green with envy. Thank goodness for Cable TV and BBC World. Without them we wouldn’t even know what day it was yet alone what year!
It will be nice to be off for the bikes for a few days. Although I have to admit (don’t tell the Mountain Goat) that after a few days I feel the need to get back on again. I really enjoyed our first day out of Chiclayo despite the wind, and the dodgy tummy (no, the wind wasn’t coming from the dodgy tummy cycling in front!) Exercising for about 7 hours a day is rather strange. Exhausting, but rewardingly satisfying. Your whole body just aches to sit down, relax, stop cycling, get off the saddle, eat, and then go to sleep - a huge achievement every day. I am not going to become complacent over my centuries and have vowed to celebrate everyone…even if only in a small way like screaming “yay, another 100km”. I think we have done about 10 so far. The Mountain Goat does all the stats, especially now that I don’t have a bike computer – it is as if I am cycling blind! Over and out for now… until the mountains.