Colca Cañon

To pass time whilst waiting for dad and uncle craig led me on a beautiful ride to Cañon del Colca- the second deepest canyon in the world. The route to the canyon took me through a few ruins including the one-of-a-kind Rakqui site. Its uniqueness comes in the form of construction combining both Inca stone and adobe/rock in the same structure- the only known site to incorperate the two materials in one building. The site includes 40´walls making up the main temple area, rock corridors weaving through cornfields and flower beds , circular houses in quantities enough for thousands, and the ever-so-delicious Inca baths. Quite an impressive area, well worth the $2.50 entrance fee.

After Rakqui, the road turned from nice pavement into rough dirt and gravel. Twisting and turning all the way up to an unforgettable campsite overlooking Lago Langui Layo. After failing to find flat land atop a well overgrown powerline road, I decided to post up next to a cemetary on the horizon of the lake. The view of the lake was spectacular out of my vestibuled front porch, but dreamlike views soon led to a dreamless/sleepless night. I must not have fed the spirits resting there enough leftover pasta, for the landscape I had chosen for my tent (flat at the time) was transformed into a minature version of the Andes over the course of the night, leaving me sore and tired for the long push to the cañon the next day.

After cresting mountain passes, crossing flooded river valleys, and paying a few ¨propinas¨ (tips) to local kids filling the countless pot-holes in the road, I found myself in Chivay- a town at the mouth of the canyon, and home to a spectacular hot springs. Well, maybe not that spectacular compared to some of the greats around the world, but to me being submersed in hot mineral water for the first time in six+ months was nothing less than spectacular. So, after soaking and steaming for a couple of hours at the hot springs, I lodged up awaiting the drive through the canyon the next day.

I recieved some good advice from the owner of the hostal about when the park officials were to take their lunch, thus not being alert to motorists wanting to pass without paying the steep entrance fee. So couragously, I blew past the fee station and into the incredible gorge below. During one of my many breaks to take in all that there was to see, I was greeted by a fellow motorcyle tourist-Gilles, a Belgian on a BMW G3 circling South America. The two of us decided to ride the cañon together, doubling the oohs and awes echoed by the canyons´ walls below. Gilles´s route would have taken him south, out of the canyon toward Nazca, but after convincing him of the blissful enjoyment I experienced at the hot springs the night before, he re-evaluated his route, and we ended up back in the baños termales that night. The tubs in Chivay sparked what would end up being a three day tour of the areas many hot springs. It seems two cold, & road ragged bikers will gladly change plans in order to take in a hot bath or two along the way. The baños tour eventually lead back up to Cusco, where I was again succesful in convincing Gilles of touring something that was not on his original itinerary- Machu Picchu. It seemed odd that one would choose to ride through Peru and not see the famed site, but not having seen it myself, I couldn´t judged. I joined him for the awesome ride through the Sacred Valley down to Ollantaytambo, acting as tour guide through the area I have come to know fairly well. I held up in Ollantay, while he took the train down the valley to M.P. His expectations of a not-worth-the-expense park turned out to be just as costly as imagined, but very impressive, thus well worth the price. After exchanging information about our favorite rides, the two of us split ways the next day, him north, and myself south. Suerte mi amigo.Travelling with a comrade has sparked thoughts and hopes of a future tour of Brazil with my dad, if he´s up to it. So whaddya think pa?