{"id":752,"date":"2017-04-06T01:47:00","date_gmt":"2017-04-06T00:47:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.thealexandertechnique.co.uk\/?p=752"},"modified":"2023-02-15T12:07:26","modified_gmt":"2023-02-15T12:07:26","slug":"752-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.thealexandertechnique.co.uk\/?p=752","title":{"rendered":"Mudslides, mountains and missing roads!"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Hello!<\/p>\n

We are still a bit shocked about the news ( Mocoa devastation<\/a>\u00a0)\u00a0from Mocoa in Colombia! We were there only 4 weeks ago and\u00a0are a bit discombobulated by this turn of events especially as we were camped down by the river ourselves.<\/p>\n

The situation here in Peru has also been quite discomfiting and seeing the daily news reports of flooding, mudslides, destruction and death puts our safe, tame, easy European existence into stark perspective.<\/p>\n

We are now in Caraz in the Cordillera Blanca after a fairly epic journey from Cajamarca.<\/p>\n

The town of Cajamarca was a pleasant surprise and so nice we ended up staying three days. Full of locals wandering around in their odd hats, zillions of shops selling cheese – Cajamarca is a major cheese producing region ( we saw milk churns awaiting collection everywhere ) although Peruvian cheese isn’t exactly ( a personal opinion. Some people think it’s excellent ) anything to write or blog home about; a bit rubbery and squeaks when chewed; you could probably make good squash balls with\u00a0it. – \u00a0a great guinea-pig themed bar, pretty colonial streets and a very tranquil hostel with a lovely garden and all at the near perfect altitude of 2700m – although it did rain a bit. Actually, quite a lot of rain but, \u00a0this is Peru in the rainy season!<\/p>\n

Cajamarca is also where Atahualpa<\/a>, King of Quito, conqueror of the Incas and his 80,000 strong army, met his untimely and pivotal death at the hands of Fransisco Pizarro with his\u00a0169 conquistadors and 69 horses.<\/p>\n

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Tranquil room next to the hostel garden.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Hats! Apparently, according to a guide, they cost 2000 Peruvian Soles – \u00a3500!!! Seems an awful lot for a hat but we gather they’re a treasured possession, a bit like a car, horse or Eastenders box-set! \ud83d\ude42<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Being forced to pose outside our lovely hostel.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Selling milk outside one of the many cheese shops.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Peruvian version of the ubiquitous asian tuk-tuk.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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McCuy’s. Guinea-Pig themed bar.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Arty Peruvian beer.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Statue of Atahualpa overlooking Cajamarca.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Knitting! We saw lots of women knitting or hand-spinning wool.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Women hand spinning wool on the go.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Hatted woman and traditional multi-layered dress.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Lots of towns had these collection centres where you could drop off supplies to help those affected by the flooding.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Couldn’t really get a decent photo as it was all roped off but this is supposed to be the room where Atahualpa was held by the Spanish conquistadores before they killed him after promising not to, if he filled the room with gold and silver.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Due to time constraints and trying to deal with the rain\/mudslide issues, we took a bus from Cajamarca to Cajabamba where we spent the night. Met a couple of other cycle-tourists here and spent a nice evening drinking beer and talking biking. It’s always nice to talk to other cycling lunatics…. \u00a0\ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

From Cajabamba we cycled to Huamachuco where we paid a visit to the ruined fortress of Markahuamachuco<\/a>, one of the most significant archaeological sites in northern Peru yet almost unknown as a place to visit. Sitting at 3600m on a mesa\u00a05 kilometers long and 500 meters wide, with a commanding\u00a0view of the surroundings, it was probably even more impressive than Kuelap to visit.<\/p>\n

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Tourist posing…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Big rock, little rock, tiny pebble. The builders of the fortress used this visually pleasing style of construction.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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We loved this doorway and its commanding view.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Another great doorway.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Great location.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Many of the buildings are defensively built with double or even triple walls.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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and the rain headed our way…..<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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On the way to Huamachuco we spotted these people hiding in the bottom of a gully making chicha.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After Huamachuco, we took another couple of buses ( saving 2 or 3 days of cycling ) to the hamlet of\u00a0Angasmarca<\/a>\u00a0where we hoped to get a bus to Pallasca ( saving a couple more days of our remaining 2 weeks ) and then cycle from there to Huaraz and the Cordillera Blanca via the Canon del Pato<\/a>.<\/p>\n

However, we discovered in Angasmarca, that no transport appeared to be heading to Pallasca\u00a0so we decided to cycle. Several blogs said that the scenery was spectacular and the significant climbs were paved and not too steep. The official government website showing current rain-related road closures, had previously reported that the road was closed but no longer did and the people we spoke to only mentioned partial blockages. Some of the above was true, some of it really wasn’t!<\/p>\n

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Interesting method of road repair.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Three smiling boys and their chickens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Discussing netted chicken prices.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Riding into an empty no horse town.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Crossing the first mud slide on the way to Pallasca.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The second mud\/rock slide encounter. Feeling somewhat nervous here.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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On the way to Pallasca – looking back at the stunning scenery, windy descent and equally twisty climb.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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At the bottom of the climb to Pallasca. The people we spoke to said that the blocked roads were impassable to vehicles but bikes should be OK, \u00a0so we ignored the sign and carried on.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Yet another cycle friendly blockage.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Shortly before we got here, a donkey-riding woman said that the road had gone – at least that’s what we thought she might have said. She wasn’t exaggerating!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Now we knew why there was a road closed sign! We were definitely very, very nervous here. Another person we met said it was possible to get through with a donkey so we should be ok! Some of those boulders were as big as a house. Why the people we spoke to in Angasmarca didn’t mention this slight impediment to travel we have no idea. The man we spoke to said that it had been like this for 15 days! We both got our boots full of water crossing this – the current was strong, the water deep and the mountainside above us looked scarily unstable.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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It was only after we crossed the mini-ravine and were pushing\/heaving the bikes along a muddy track that skirted the missing road, that we realised that there was nothing supporting the remnant of road we’d been inching along!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Another section of collapsed road that we had to scramble our bikes around.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By the time we made it back to the undamaged road we were wet, cold, exhausted and still 7km away from Pallasca with 500m of climbing to do. Fortunately, some electrical engineers were happy to give us a lift in their truck.<\/p>\n

Pallasca sits at 3600m and was cold, damp and pretty miserable. The 2-star hotel was closed so we had to plump for a very basic room in a \u00a34 a night hospedaje.<\/p>\n

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Making tea on our petrol stove on the floor of our room in the Pallasca Hilton.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Completely safe electric shower in the Hilton.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The following morning we made porridge on our stove in the room and left our non-luxurious accommodation.<\/p>\n

There are two roads out of Pallasca. One is a 130km up and down mountainous road that may or not be paved. The other, a tarmac surfaced 80km, \u00a02400m descent through a canyon. We were told that the latter\u00a0had a few issues and was closed to vehicles but that we should be ok to get through with the bikes. Decision made!<\/p>\n

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As we left Pallasca the views were stunning.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A few small rocks scattered on the tarmac and views to die for…. Nearly!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Bloodstained and covered in mud after our first encounter with a live mudslide! Gloopy, viscous mud and sharp rocks up to Steve’s knees. We struggled to haul the bikes though it. A few minutes prior to this, a rock the size of a fridge smashed down 6 feet away from us! – needless to say, we didn’t stop to take photographs!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Things continued to deteriorate! The following photos simply don’t capture how big the swathe of destruction was. We had to unload the bikes and literally haul and drag them across 500m of unstable rock, mud, boulders and torrents of water with the whole precarious mountainside looming above us; then go back for the panniers and do it again! Really fucking scary! Well, we did come here for an adventure!<\/p>\n

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On the approach to Mordor.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A local who was also braving the annihilated mountainside decided to help us. You can just make out Michelle ( right mouse-click and select “open in a new tab” or download, to see the image full size ) in her blue top in the background for some idea of the size of the landslide.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Michelle nearly there with her bike – only a 200m or so to go. You need to do the “right mouse-click and select “open in a new tab” or download” thing again to see her….. Sorry to make you do geek stuff! :p<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Wouldn’t want to do that again!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After we’d survived the crossing of Mordor, we were back on a mostly paved road although long sections were buried under mud and some bits partially blocked. The scenery as ever, continued to impress with it’s scale and grandeur.<\/p>\n

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Descending down into the canyon. Spot the cyclist!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Impressively big.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Eventually we reached the bottom of our 80km “easy downhill” road and the “town” of\u00a0Chuquicara<\/a>\u00a0sitting at the bottom of the Canon del Pato. Chuquicara is a hot, dusty dump at a lowly 500m of altitude. The only accommodation was a really scungy restaurant\/hospedaje ( other cyclists describe bedsheets that hadn’t been changed in months! \ud83d\ude41 ). After eating a much needed but decidedly dodgy meal, we decided to give it a miss and despite our filthy, exhausted state, cycled on a further 20km and camped next to a sort of restaurant at the side of the road.<\/p>\n

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At the bottom of the Canon del Pato.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The following morning we set off up the hot canyon. After 20km and 300m of climbing we decided to get a lift. Michelle wasn’t feeling well, we were both very tired from the previous two days exertions and the canyon wasn’t living up to expectations. Other people\/cyclists had said the canyon was spectacular to ride with 37 tunnels to negotiate and vast, towering walls of rock to slither through. We thought the previous days descent was pretty similar and didn’t regret making the rest of the journey to Caraz by bus.<\/p>\n

We now have a few days here in the Cordillera Blanca before getting a bus\u00a0to Lima and our flight home. We don’t know if we’ll do any more cycling now but we’ll see. Michelle appears to have acquired a stomach bug from the scummy restaurant in Chuquicara and currently isn’t very perky but we hope to try and do a couple of day walks or cycles to see some of the spectacular mountain scenery that makes this area one of the biggest attractions in Peru.<\/p>\n

With any luck ( or not, depending on your perspective ) you might get another blog update before we leave Lima. If not, thanks for reading and see some of you in London! xxx<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hello! We are still a bit shocked about the news ( Mocoa devastation\u00a0)\u00a0from Mocoa in Colombia! We were there only 4 weeks ago and\u00a0are a bit discombobulated by this turn of events especially as we were camped down by the river ourselves. The situation here in Peru has also been quite discomfiting and seeing the daily news reports of flooding, mudslides, destruction and death puts our safe, tame, easy European existence into stark perspective. We are now in Caraz in…<\/p>\n

Read More Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":727,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[19,25,24,7,8,23,22,21,16,18,6],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.thealexandertechnique.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/752"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.thealexandertechnique.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.thealexandertechnique.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.thealexandertechnique.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.thealexandertechnique.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=752"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/blog.thealexandertechnique.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/752\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":798,"href":"https:\/\/blog.thealexandertechnique.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/752\/revisions\/798"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.thealexandertechnique.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/727"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.thealexandertechnique.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=752"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.thealexandertechnique.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=752"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.thealexandertechnique.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=752"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}