Beside myself...

Just big enough for Davie and I to wait out a down pour. I don't intend to rock a stache, I just keeps happening.

Late in the afternoon, I was pushing to make it up to this saddle between peaks. I was gonna try and make it by dark to camp up there. I came around a corner and was confronted with a huge mine. They told me I could not go through because they were gonna be blasting in just a little while. So I hung out with some workers, we watched the show and felt the rumble. By then it was dark, they asked me what I was gonna do? I had climbed along ways to get there and did not wanna go back down. They felt it silly that I suggested continuing on. The supervisor came by and soon I was swooped to the bosom of mine. Its funny how word travels, soon I was the talk of the whole operation. I had dinner in the cafeteria relating the story of how I ended up there to a rather large crowd. I shook more hands than I can remember, was patted on the back over and over, called loco and given food gifts. I was set up with a place to camp and the Security guard woke me up for a FREE BREAKFAST BUFFET WITH ALL THE COFFEE I COULD DRINK. oops did I just write that in all caps?  Despite having mixed feelings about blasting up the beautiful hillside, they were some super great folks.

Looking back at the mine.

My favorite part when asking directions is when I here: "No hay nada alla ariba" (There is nothing up there)

Free for all between switchbacks!

Moyebamba

2.50sol perfection (about 90cents)

The Tablacacha river valley and the road to Pallasca... That I did not take.

Instead I read on Cass's blog and The bicycle nomad page about a track along the river!

Never exactly meant for large traffic!

If you ride through this hot spring? you have gone to far. The track is completely broken off up around the bend. You have to go back and cross the river. 

And if you find this miner shack? you have also gone the wrong way. Go back up to the main track and go down the river at the first trail of switchbacks.

Cross the river here.

I imagined I was off the back of a cross race... nahh just miners dragging poles with donkeys for shacks.

The going was easy here.

 Soon to be washed away

Cling to the drive side cliff as long as you can. Yep, you will carry your bike alot.

cross back over the river here.

If you find this encampment? you have gone the right way.

After carrying my bike through the Grand Canyon three times. This felt like some amazing kinda reward!

Drying out the tootsies after several river crossings. Man, what a great day!

Reason 467 not to drive. Good luck buddy.

Just a bit redundant

Canyon del Pato

Don't even think you can shake any such stick at the number of tunnels on this route.

and then there is that guy...