Gone Riden
a quick beer after a top day riding
25

19 Apr 2002 – 25 Apr 2002

Peru

Pisco - Huacachina - Nazca - Abancay - Cuzco

Trip distance23,699 kmWeek 25 of 32

The modern week-by-week edition

Pisco
to Cuzco.

A week riding motorbikes through the dunes at a national park, sandboarding at Huacachina, then climbing the Andes past some spectacular roads and on to Cuzco.

Goneriden

This week’s route

Pisco - Huacachina - Nazca - Abancay - Cuzco

  1. 1Pisco
  2. 2Huacachina
  3. 3Nazca
  4. 4Abancay
  5. 5City of Cuzco
Week 25 routePeruRegional context
1Pisco2Huacachina3Nazca4Abancay5City of Cuzco

Approximate route using modern roads · OpenStreetMap contributors · route via OSRM

Memorable moment

Memorable moment.

Various reports were given to us about the road from Nazca to Cuzco, with bus times ranging from 15 to 22 hours.

We set off early to complete the run to Abancay. Making good time for the day, we came to the last town at about 3.30, leaving plenty of time and light for the 130km stretch to our destination. But on the way out of town the road was blocked, with a sign saying closed from 7am-12pm and 1pm-6pm due to construction.

We decided to stay the night, as riding after dark can be scarey (boogey men and that sort of thing), and left at 5.30am the next morning to get through before construction works began. As we rode, workmen and loads of heavy earth-moving equipment gradually joined us, riding a little slowly due to our interest in the whole project and the engineering we were running out of time.

We snuck past a couple of road blocks using our friendly smiles, but then no go. After waiting for about an hour at one spot, the other vehicles started up ready to go; as we were about to zoom to the front, the flagman frantically waved us down. 5 seconds later......boom, a section of the cliff around the corner was blasted away by the construction workers.

Next stop, people playing football on the road....were these the workers or locals taking advantage of the closed road? People on the waiting bus were urged to approach the workers as a group and persuade them to let all of us through. It worked.

Arriving in Abancay 26 hours after leaving Nazca, we still had 200km to Cuzco.....but that's another story.

Original Week 25 account

Pictures of the week

Three moments from the road

The 4 members of the Huacachina face first sand boarding challenge - everything tasted gritty for the next week.
This food is good.... wait a minute, what is this furry thing.
Road kill is big business for these lads.
Quote of the week

"I think it's time to go home, I'm sick of falling off." - It had been a long day for Jamie.

"Quick, get on your bikes and go now." - One of the 'friendly' construction workers, seconds before the blast shook the side of the mountain.

Competition

Sandboard Race:
Jamie, Martin, Campbell, Lurch — all laying face-first on their sandboards.

Winners: all the other people watching these clowns cover themselves in sand.

Highlight

Huacachina

Not really knowing what to expect at Huacachina apart from a lagoon and some huge sand dunes, we contemplated moving on after a quick viewing. As we looked through the entrance of a large white building, we spotted some pale-looking gringos... then a pool... then a bar next to the pool.

We stayed for two fun nights, some sandboarding, and lots of cool people.

Risk activity

Breakfast while waiting for the road to open.

The only thing cooked was some whole potatoes and deep-fried pieces of pork, complete with plenty of fat and lots of thick black hairs protruding from the skin. Not bad, and probably not too risky as the shelter it was being cooked under appeared to have been swept just moments earlier.Risk factor3/10

Lowlight

Our first view of the famous Nazca Lines was from a small viewing platform on the side of the road. First impressions....some one had been here with a shovel, this could be piss weak world.

We were later amazed by most of the lines when seen from the plane. Very spun out stuff.

Road tally

Dozens of kids who are walking to and from school along the road normally wave and smile; seeing us is awesome.

But our road tally this week are those more unfortunate people whom we scare the crap out of when we go zooming past.

Week 25 photo diary

The week, in event order

The mosaic follows the numbered sequence in date-and-time order. Select any image for its full-screen view and comment.

Not much out there, just lots of fun.
Fishing boats in Paracas National Reserve, Pisco.
birds
It took a while, but we eventually found the seal colony. If we stuck to the tracks we may have found them the day before, but what fun would that be.
seals down there
what a playground
made it to the top
Just checking the chain tension.
a quick beer after a top day riding
Just watching the sunset.
This really was an oasis. (Huacachina)
they really need a ski lift here
walking up the dunes is hard
they who have been using the camera
walking up
sliding down
The 4 members of the Huacachina face first sand boarding challenge - everything tasted gritty for the next week.
you can see the sand dune from the pool, beer in hand
Sunset through sunglasses - sorry guys but accidentally put this photo in and too lazy to take it out
Hmm yes, I can see your problem now, this sand board has straps on it for your feet not your ears, that's why you look like crumbed cat poo.
graves alongside the road
don't want to be the person digging the holes out here.
Whoo, check out the Nazca lines over my left ear.
In the bottom left corner is the Nazca line's picture of a spaceman
that maybe a valley not a line
so these are the lines
some of the crew we met at Pisco and Huacachina
At 4,500+ metres and with a bike fully loaded, Jamie decided to practice his hill climbing; the results were somewhat predictable. Previous Photo Back to week 25 Next Photo
view from below
Hey, doesn't that sealed road lead to the top of this hill? Short cuts sometimes don't go as they are meant to.
taking a moment!
Road kill is big business for these lads
Road kill is big business for these lads
That's us riding in the morning light - yes everyone, 5:15 am
Contemplating Quantum theory, well at least where to get one bike and boots cleaned.
This food is good.... wait a minute, what is this furry thing.
Woman breaking free from the shackles of her oppression... and with a tree trunk up her skirt!
there's a windy road out there
windy roads
On the road to Cusco - the heated grips BMW types were only mocked slightly along this stretch.
wheres out bikes
Bike shot - should we mention Jamie's two attempts to reach the top of this hill, no enough is enough for this week.
Seeing what we thought was a city model in our hotel, we rode to the site of the ruins expecting something grand, only to be presented with a 5 times larger model of what was in the hotel lobby.
Seeing what we thought was a city model in our hotel, we rode to the ruins sight expecting something grand, only to be presented with a 5 times larger model of what was in the hotel lobby.
truck driver is not happy about crashing his truck. But he is just chilling, waiting for help
windy road
lets do it