Cold. Tired. Uninspired. Bored? The last week of riding was my toughest yet mentally and physically. For three days I felt like I was on the world’s largest yo-yo – slogging up huge climbs, only to be greeted by rain and snow and a long drop back down. I had one particularly amazing day that … Continue reading Up against the divide: Cajatambo to Tarma
"Is it worth it?" It's a familiar question I ask myself often. Is riding close up to glaciers it worth it, even if it means riding through snow and rain and wind and cold afterward? Is pushing my loaded bike up and over multiple passes more than 4,500-metres in altitude worth it for the expansive … Continue reading Into the land of glaciers: Huaraz to Cajatambo
“Why aren’t you smiling? Why aren’t you happy?” I had just collapsed after cresting a 4,750 metre high pass in Peru’s Cordillera Blanca following an afternoon and morning of pushing my bike up through sopping wet meadows, fast-flowing creeks, steep rocky slopes, rain and snow. There was Iohan, already at the top, already eager to … Continue reading The Cordillera Blanca: Caraz to Huaraz
"El Silencio" - what Peruvians call the high altitude regions of the country where few venture and only the hardiest make a living. It's a land of towering mountains, grassy valleys, azure lakes, hardscrabble herders and their flocks, and, unfortunately, massive mines that scar an otherwise beautiful landscape. I had seen pictures of these landscapes … Continue reading El Silencio – Huamachuco to Caraz
My journey has been about the roads. Paved or unpaved, they connect me from one city to another, through rural areas and towns seldom visited by outsiders. One of the things I've loved most about this trip is finding myself in these cities, with their vibrant markets, beautiful squares and mix of colonial and pre-colonial … Continue reading A slice of city life: Cajamarca to Huamachuco
What is it about the mountains that make me feel so at home? I didn't grow up in the mountains, though I did spend many winter days skiing as a kid. I spent a summer in Banff when I was 21, but I spent more time then getting drunk than scaling mountains. It wasn't until … Continue reading Back to the mountains: Chachapoyas to Cajamarca
One of the reasons bike touring suits me is I am generally very comfortable with solitude. While I do enjoy social interactions, I also have no issues spending days at a time alone, with little in the way of conversation with other people. I do enjoy my time in cities, staying at hostels and meeting … Continue reading To the coast with company: Santa Isabel to Mancora
