With today's ride scheduled to be 160KM including a 40KM climb with a 5% gradient before lunch time at the 50 - 60KM mark, I decided along with several others, to join the lunch truck and climb to the peak of the mountain, at around 4388 metres, the easy way! 😊 😊
I mean, sure rolling for the first 20KM without particularly having to touch the pedals is cheating in many books, but I'm a member of Team Tourist. Besides, I am the first to acknowledge, I'm no climber and I do want to make it all the way to the end after all, rather than ending up as a roadside memento. Some 29.5 KM into the ride, we decided to head into Santa Rosa for a coffee.
I mean, it's hard work, sitting back and virtually rolling at 40 KM/H down a hill.
All the locals, bar one really nice chap spoke a local dialect, rather than Spanish, of which I have picked up a little. Fortunately this chap spoke both the local language being that he was originally from the area and Spanish (fluently) given that he'd been studying and working in Lima for a few years.
I mean, sure rolling for the first 20KM without particularly having to touch the pedals is cheating in many books, but I'm a member of Team Tourist. Besides, I am the first to acknowledge, I'm no climber and I do want to make it all the way to the end after all, rather than ending up as a roadside memento. Some 29.5 KM into the ride, we decided to head into Santa Rosa for a coffee.
I mean, it's hard work, sitting back and virtually rolling at 40 KM/H down a hill.
All the locals, bar one really nice chap spoke a local dialect, rather than Spanish, of which I have picked up a little. Fortunately this chap spoke both the local language being that he was originally from the area and Spanish (fluently) given that he'd been studying and working in Lima for a few years.
Whilst Carmen, Julia and I enjoyed a wonderful coffee, we'd also made sure as to shout one for this chap along with buying a drink for his very inquisitive daughter we learnt that part of her "interest" is that she'd never seen anybody as pale / white as ourselves....
Here I was thinking that I'd been gradually improving my complexion, fitness levels and tan!
It was too early to grab a bite so we headed on a further 35KM or so till we got to a little village called Ayaviri., with somebody (me) begining to feel a bit peckish. We found a cafe that was open, where the staff spoke sufficient Spanish for us to order Lomo Saltado which we have come to understand is a popular, traditional Peruvian meat dish. Essentially, a stir fry, with marinated strips of sirloin (or other beef steak) along with onions & tomatoes. It's frequently served with rice and / or french fries, so can be very filling and in this case was also very delicious!
Rested, feed and with our water bidons refilled, we were then ready to tackle the remaining 30KM before we'd arrive in Pucara.
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