Bushc(r)amp and other issues in the wild !!

¡Hola!

Last night was a nightmare ... stomach completely upset, rest of the body also ... Yesterday night we had a nice dinner, Edson made an Peruvian meal, with some peppers in it, potatoes and vegetables, but I think that the peppers were not ok for my stomach, because in the middle of the night, it didn´t feel good and it had to leave the stomach ... nice when you are in the tent, in the middle of the night and it was completely dark outside ... I wish I could make it to get outside, but before I knew it it was already on the way out and ended in the tent ... Mmmmm .... luckily not inside the inner tent, but in the storage compartment of the tent .... this new problem I will solve next morning.

First try to get some sleep and try to calm down a bit, because my body was aching and not happy, and so was I. At around 7 in the morning I finally fell asleep but had to wake up, and organize my stuff to leave around 8, I was pretty late. Angry because a bad night and a body that has no energy left in it, I started to pack my stuff, and get something to eat. Finally at 8 I was almost ready, and everybody already had left camp, the truck was waiting for my luggage ... stresssss..... not good in the morning, so I was getting more and more pissed. I threw all my junk in the truck and left, hoping that I could make it this day. The ride seems to be beautiful, so I wanted to ride it anyway. Unpaved, going up and down along a river, so probably a beautifull scenery and road for cycling, and it was!! Because I left on my own, I was alone for the first kilometers, nice, so nobody would suffer from my mood issue. The ride was very nice and when time was passing by I got more and more happy, and started to enjoy the trip more and more. Still issues with the body, that was secondary to the magnificent nature around me. People are so friendly and nice, always smiling children and waving old man and woman that are working on the land, trying to make a living. It is really unbelievable how these people can live here, they have nothing, trying to sell stuff for very low prices, but still they are ok. When I got at the truck, there were lots of children around the truck and the tables of Didier and Filip, trying to get something to eat and get some candy. Of cause they already got plenty of food, but they kept asking for it, and convincing them that they need some more. After a short break I left lunch, and started the rest of the trip, still a lot of climbing and unpaved trouble ahead. This part of the day went fine, and before I knew it I reached bushcamp. This time it was along a river, with some kind of dam in it, so good for swimming. The water was great, and taking a dip after a dusty day feels great !! Dinner was pilaf with rice, and after dinner I crashed into bed. Bushcamp was ok, but the placed was terrorized by sandflies... unbelievable, I have never seen so many sandflies. We had to gear up in rain clothing to protect ourselfs against the bites. I was lucky I had only a couple of bites, but some legs of cyclists looked like they were completely eaten by these little carnivores, which are to small to feel, only when they start chewing of your flesh you will feel it ...

so far bushc(r)amp, tomorrow hotel again in Ayacucho !!

Huancayo to Bushcamp La Esmaralda

¡Hola!

After a great night of sleep, I woke up at 5 in the morning. After some turning, I decided to go out of bed and take a shower, finally it was nice and warm, so that wasa good start of the day!! Internet was still ok in the hotel, so updated the website ... I am still way behind and trying to keep it updated, but the last couple of weeks I was to lazy and sick to do it. Today we decided to leave at 10, because the tire of the truck needs to be changed. Many of us left already at 9, so we could take it easy to goto lunch. First we started with a bit of a downhill, and after 10 kilometers we started a climb of about 20 kilometers. Total ascent was about 600 meters, so it wasn´t a steep climb, but steady going up. Arrived at the top we had lunch in a little nice village, where a market was going on. People were looking at us if we were coming from Mars, because we were wearing the cycle trousers, and they are not used to that in this little village. After lunch, which was located at a very nice old bridge, thanks to Didier and Filip, we headed to Bushcamp. This means that we had to go off-road for about 30 kilometers, before we reached camp. Off-roaf was pretty ok, road was paved with gravel, but there were many places without holes, so that we could reach a speed of about 20 km per hour. After some serious bumping and jumping, I reached camp, and put op my tent. The weather is still good, but there are sandflies all over this place, so cover all the arms and legs, and use DEET for the rest of the bare skin... tonight I hope we are having a nice dinner and that we can sleep well. We will see ... anyway I had a great day, good weather and a nice ride !! Tomorrow it will also be like this, so hopefully we can keep it dry and keep the tires inflated !!

Adios !!

La Oroya - Huancayo

Hola !!

After a very good sleep in the hotel Trujillo, I went to sleep around 20:00 and woke up around 4 for the first time, I was happy !! I felt good, relaxed and also much better then the day before, especially the night before. Today a ride of 128 kilometer, not much climbing, and mostly we were folowwing a river downstream, so hopefully without any headwind, it wil be an easy ride. The road was good, the weather also nice, The first kilometers went very well, speed was good, legs felt ok, and together with Wilbert we cycled along the river, bit up and down, but mostly the road was going down, so not a hard day of cycling. When we arrived at the lunch, the place was full with little flies, not the sandflies, so that was good... After lunch we cycled the last kilometers at a slow speed, there was no timing. The wind picked up, rain clouds were waiting for us a few kilometers ahead above Huancayo, but fortunately were managed to keep it dry. Arrived at the city we were pícked up by a female motor police escort. She escorted us to the hotel, so no maps needed. Red treffic lights, no problem, just run trough it, she stopped the traffic, and we were allowed to keep going. The hotel is good, Hotel Tourismo. It is a three star hotel in downtown. The next day we have a rest day, and I spend the day with some shopping, relaxing, and basically doing noting. Cleaned the bike a bit, and had three nice burgers at Burger King ... finally a ´normal´burger again, with real french fries and not the thick soft, potato sticks they have over here.

Today we are heading for some new bush camps and unpaved roads .... Nice !!

adios !!

Climbing up to almost 4900 meters !!

Today ... the highest point of the Andes Trail !!

Today is the day, we will goto 4883 meter with the bike!! The night was not as cold as I expected, and I slept pretty ok ... I didn´t have to go out of bed, and that was already a good start. There was no food or water in my system anyway, so there is also nothing to get rid off. After breakfast we started at the entrance of the Parc National. In this Parc there a rare species of plant, it is called the Puya Raimundi, also called the Queen of the Andes. It is found at an altitude between 3200 and 4800 meters. It can reach up to 10 meters high. After this bilogical mambo-jambo, and taking some pictures we continued our trip to the top. The scenery was great, nice views of the mountians covered with ice. After 18 kilometers of climbing we reached the first pass, which was at an altitude of 4827 meters. Cycling went ok, no headache or shortness of air... It was tough, but I expected it to be much worse, and that I would be completely purple, gasping for oxygen, but when you take deep breaths, and take it easy it will be ok. As you all may know, I listen to my body, and take it easy ... Normally I won´t do this,

but today and especially under there circumstances I did, and I am happy that I did !! After lunch going down to 4600 meters and start climbing again, now up to 4883 meters. The top was in reach and nobody was going to stop me from making it, not even my own body! Slow but steady, meter after meter we were going up to the higest point of the trip, I was excited because I have never been at this altitude, especially going here with my bike from sea-level all the way to the top, it was a big chalange, and I was about to make it !! Yiehaaa !! And there it was, the top ... Mmmm no signs with 'The Top' or 'Welcome at the higest point', no nothing ... not even a pole or something, just a dirt road with a lot of gravel... We assumed that we reached the top, and the altitude was about correct, so we celibrated it with some music!! I was really happy that I made it, and forgot right away all the pain and struggle of the previous days and kilometers. After taking some pictures, we started our downhill to Huallanca, were we were having a bush camp again. Downhill was also beautifull, the views are amazing, and all the colors of the soil and rock, together with the rough weather and sky ... Great day !! Some little issues with dogs on the downhill, they attacked all the cyclist, and the owner didn´t do anything about it. Happy that I made it!! Great experience !! Hope more of these days will follow !!

Hasta la vista !!

Huaraz to Parc National Huascaran

After a restday in Huaraz it is time to continue with our cycle-trip trough the Andes, and now it is time for the more serious stuff ... we are going to high altitudes !!! Today a start to 4300 meter, where we wil stay in a Bushcamp at the Parc National Huascaran. After a short breakfast, my belly is still not ok and can´t handle food at all, we left. Two rolls of toilet paper in the bag for emergencies, and some pills, and I was prepared for a tough day.

Not the climbing will be the biggest chalange for the day, it is keep my body under control that will be the tougest. After leaving the city of Huaraz we started the climb along the road R3. Lunch was at the junction with the unpaved part that was the entrance way to the Parc Natioal. Up till lunch all went pretty ok, some little issues, but still everything was pretty fine, but then ... the unpaved part ... shaking, bouncing and junping up and down on the bike is not good when the stomach and belly is full with gas and crap ... so the last 13 kilometers on the bike was hell ... I have no idea how many times I had to stop along the road, and it was tough. After a long ride I made it to bush camp where I put up my tent, and went to sleep. Dinner was served, so I forced myself to eat a bit and drink a lot. When you are at these altintudes, you need to drink a lot of water to prevent altitude sickness. Dinner, which was made by Edson and Francine our cooks was corn with chicken and potato-mash. I was´t into eating, but tried a bit. After a few bites of the corn and chicken my stomach start protesting and I decided to quit eating and try to get some sleep. Tomorrow will be tougher, and we will climb to 4883 meters !!! I really want to do this on my bike, and get a good night-rest will be crucial.

Adios !!

Going to the top !!

Hola,

Short update, today we will leave Huaraz and climb to 4300 meter, where we will stay in a bush camp. I am still not ok, but will give it a try. One day later we will goto 4800 meter, highest point on this Andes Trail ... it is going to be cold and tough ...

Hopefully my body will be ok for the next few stages

We will see ...

I lost my phone, probably, or at least I can´t find it, so I can,t read messages ...

bye !!

Sick in Huaraz

Hola,

Today a rest day in Huaraz ... I need also this restday because 2 days ago I got sick. Probably to much sun and not enough water.

Fever, cold, shivers, vomitting and so on were the symtoms, so that was not ideal for cycling. Yesterday I have tried to bicycle, although I didn´t sleep very well. The first kilometers went well, no big problems. My legs didn´t feel very good, and it got worse after 5 kilometers. Rachel helped me to reach the lunch, and after lunch I decided to take the Truck to the hotel, 35 kilometers ahead. When I arrived at the hotel, I went to bed and tried to sleep.

Today didn´t do anything, just relax and gain some strenght for tomorrow. We will goto 4300 meter tomorrow, and we will stay in a bushcamp again for three days. After tomorrow we will goto the highest point of this trip, which will be at 4800 meter. I hope I am strong enough, and that the vomitting and diarrhea will be over ...

Hopefully I will also be able to send more updates ...

(Updates on the other dates will follow later)

Michiel

Riobamba - Guamote - Chunchi

Hola !

Today I have arrived in Chunchi, a very small town somewhere in the middle of Equador. Yesterday I stayed in Guamote, a even smaller town a bit north of where I am right now.

The trip from Riobamba to Guamote was short, only a 52 kiometers. Nice because the legs were not feeling very good. Just getting used to the climbs and the height, so a short stage is very welcome right now. Overall I am getting used a bit better to the height, and also the hills. Things are going slow, but steady. Just do it my own pace, and I will get there finally ... The ride was nice, the roads good and the scenery also very beautifull. So finally we are getting away from the big citys, still on the PanAm highway, but it is getting quieter, still dirty busses and trucks, but that will probable the case in the whole of South America.

This time we din´t miss lunch, so we were happy to see the truck with the food ...

In Guamote we stayed at a project house, run by Dutch people that are educating the Equadorian people, some computer lessons, some sawing lessons for the women, to earn their own money and so on. Dinner was arranged by these people, so we had some nice soup, and rice with corn, very tasty !! I was sleeping witn about 15 other cyclists in the Dormroom on the 2nd floor. beds were good, and around 10 I went to sleep.

After waking up at 5, and getting dressed at 5:15 I was going downstairs, not to wake up everybody. Around 6 the first cyclist woke up, and at 7 we had breakfast. Which is normal, because we are leaving around 8 in the morning. Today´s trip was about 90 kilometer, with a 1500 meter climb in there. At the end it turned out to be a lit less, because of the road that was constructed in the last two years. So no unpaved part, and around 13:00 we were already in the hotel, relaxing from a nice day, but with two big climbs in there ...

Chunchi is also a small town, we played some soccer with local kids, Ruud and his team won with 1-0, ... probably my fault, I am not that great in soccer, and that is an understatement !!

tonight relaxing and tomorrow another day, and we will bushcamp tomorrow near some old Inca buildings ... we will see, hopefully I got everything and it isn´t to cold ...

Michiel