Its Saturday morning and both Curt and I get out of bed early. Curt will be leaving for Iquique to see if he can sort out some transport for himself. I, on the other hand, will be starting my cycling journey. Our agreement with the hostel, the Surf House, is for breakfast to be available before we leave. In the morning it is another story. According to the niño, breakfast will only be served at 8am. I'm looking forward to this meal as I need the sustenance. This leaves me a bit peeved.
After saying goodbye to Curt I head out of the city for the Pan-American highway. The traffic is light and the weather perfect and just as I´m about to settle into my stride the first curve ball is thrown at me - a puncture! I have to take off my panniers to fix the puncture - a slight schlep. The road begins to incline and before long I'm climbing the Pampa Chaca. This pass is 8km long. The valley, Comarones, takes me back down to the Altiplano a 21km drop and immediately I head for the Alto Camarones. The mist has burned off and the scorching sun is about to turn nasty. I have never encountered such long passes in all my cycling career. The heat saps away your energy. The panniers on my bike feel twice as heavy. I´m sweating bullets and literally have to stop ever so often just to give me some relief. The pass is 23km long and it takes me three hours to get to the top. From the top back into the valley, the Pampa de Chiza Now the wind is giving me problems as well and just at the bottom of the valley, Cuya awaits me. I stop at the first cafe to have a coke. I enquire from the cafe owner where I can pitch my tent. He takes me to the local police station. The guys are very kind and they allow me to pitch my tent on there grounds.
Hey Eugene hang in there! You know that the toughest part is getting started :-)
ReplyDeleteOnce you are into your stride, I am sure things will get easier.
Were are your fabulous pictures?
Richard
Once you've found your a rhthym and settled into the saddle things will improve - plenty of time to plan a strategy!! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteIan Roelofse
Hi Curt and Eugene. It seems that this trip has been a little bit harder than previous ones and much more expensive. So Curt no 4X4 or off-road motorbike. Try and post a picture of the bike and also the car. Maybe I'm just not looking in the right places for the pics. Allersterkte. Lots of luv. Fiona
ReplyDeleteWell thats one day down....and you survived it!!! at least you have an idea of what the days ahead will be like and how to prepare for it (mentally). Good luck Eugene and you too Curt. Hope you managed to secure some transport. Where are the photo's??
ReplyDeleteHi Eugene and Curt!
ReplyDeleteI am happy to have hooked up and look forward to sharing the rest of your journey.
I agree with Ricky in that the hardest part is getting the giant concrete ball rolling - thereafter it's all about tapping it along. I have no doubt that you will have a leather b-hind by the end of the trip!
I did a wikipedia search on the Atacama and it is said to be the driest desert/place in the world - check it out on
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atacama_Desert
To add, the average rainfall in 'some' places is 1 millimetre per year, though many weather stations have never sen rain. Serious altitude too - Curt trust you'll appreciate sea level once this is over. Quite a place and I am green-eyed with envy!
Gents when the going gets tough question whether you'd rather be slogging it out in the sun 3000m above sea level in Chile, or be sweating it out 700 below ground level in Chile! I vote ride!
Cheers!
Barry Kok - Robertson Winery
Eugene i know you dont like to have pictures of yourself (we will discuss this point over a few whiskeys at another time). But please let us see bike and car and the two of you !
ReplyDeletego guys go !
Howzit gents -
ReplyDeleteTrust that all is going well. 'Cuya' in Spanish means DRINKING VESSEL - hope you found it!
The Boland HR's will have a glass of wine on you this evening!
A beautiful day in CT today.
To raise the spirits, here's a bike joke:
Two engineering students, Bob and Ed, are riding their bikes. Bob says to Ed, "That's a nice bike; is it new?"
Ed replies, "Well, that's an interesting story. I was walking on campus the other day, and a beautiful woman rides up to me, gets off her bike and puts it on down, takes off all of her clothes and throws them down, and says 'Take what you want.'" Bob says to Ed, "Good choice; the clothes wouldn't have fit you anyway".
Stay upbeat!
Barry Kok - Robertson Winery
Sounds amazing Curtie and Eugene!! This is Bucket List stuff and I am so proud to know people that have this kind of heart! Looking forward to the Amy Beihl Foundation Gala Dinner where we will see it all pan out! Thinking of a good song to sing for this amazing journey and cause you guys are plighting...all my love
ReplyDeleteAlrick
Hey Curt and Eugene. Fantastic website to keep us posted! All the best of luck to both of you, look forward to hearing all the happenings. Lotsa love Merle Florence
ReplyDeleteDear Curt and Eugene
ReplyDeleteWe are so proud of you! This is the stuff dreams ar emade of. Enjoy it on behalf of all of us, and good luck with that transport!
Ps.Your blog is alive and well on the Getaway site too.
Hey Curt & Eugene, By now you would have broken the back of the trip.
ReplyDeleteWe very eager to get an update and see some more photo's. The photo's here are stunning!!
What an experience...and an amazing friend!! You are proof that one doesn't only need to dream............one can live the dream.
Lots of love Arlette & Patrick