More Andes

March 5, 2010

Leimebamba – Celendin

After my tour of the Leimebamba museum, I realized I’d better get gas before moving on. Looking at the map, my best bet was to go back to Leimebamba proper (the museum is om down the road 6-7 miles). I don’t like to back track but better safe than sorry.

Th fog had burned off and now the views were g-r-e-a-t!

Here’s the gas station…but nobody around despite much knocking on the shack door and beeping the horn.

Nobody home, so I ask some locals where to get gas, and they tell me the store off the main square (which covers a LOT of places, so I to the square and keep asking who sells gas.

12 soles per gallon for 84 octane…

not a good deal, but I am relieved to at least have gas.

Filtered, too 🙂

Three gallons later I am riding back down the road for the third time.

I like a challenge and eventually figure out a way to get around this beast.

The scenery is getting better and better. I am climbing and climbing.

And I get to this S-P-E-C-T-A-C-U-L-A-R view.

Can you believe it?

What a shame.

Here. I clean it up for all you non-trash-lovers.

I keep going.

So this day is turning into one of those I-can’t-believe-I-am-actually-on-this-trip-and riding-this-incredible-scenery-days. OMG! I keep pinching myself.

(These days are memorable: Devil;s Spine, Mexico, Jungles of Panama, returning from San Agustin to Cali. Hm. Seems about 1 per month.)

I get the to highest point and the neblina takes over.

Then on the other side I start to descend and it’s crystal clear again.

Pinch me. That’s my road.

I am winding down like this for at least two hours . My Garmin is AFU (it’s had a mind of its own since the TAT trip last summer) so I don’t know how far it was or how high it was. Bummer. My curious mind would like to know.

I’ve been descending for at least 2 hours, and now it’s HOT. I am desperately thirsty and so I stop at the first village I encounter. I’ve been having so much fun I sail right through, then realize the village was about 5 houses so I’d better turn back.

The shopkeeper i fascinated with me and so is their dog …She invites me to sit down with the group of women and children, and they ask me questions for at least a half hour while I am suffering in the heat. I finally beg my pardon and continue on all sugared up from thee juice drink I bought.

Now its getting even hotter as I descend into the valley. Looks like I am headed for the river in between the mountain ranges. Did I already say it’s *&^^$$#@! hot?

Leaving the Amazon Region. 🙁

I get to this horrid little town.

Now if you have been following I always try to have something nice to say. But this place was freaking HOT, the people completely unhelpful, the gate was down across the river with no explanation other than “ask the police”, and not a single restaurant in town (5 in all!) would serve me lunch!!! I am not sure whether it is because I am a gringa, or what, but everyone had a story of why they did not have food, were no longer serving, etc. I was hot, thirsty, terribly hungry now at 3:00, and I was pissed off after walking all over this town at every restaurant people sent me to asking for food. No, I did not want to buy cookies at the corner store (I should have!) I wanted REAL food. GRRR!!!.

Not even the batmobile could save the day.