Sweet mountain biking day trip
Its like learning to ride a bike, you never forget!
Well within 20 minutes of racing through a small village somewhere far from cusco i felt like it had slipped my memory for at least few seconds. I found myself flying over the handle bars of my mountain bike due to a depression in the road that changed direction and took my front wheel with it. Landing on my shoulder and arm the crash wasnt to bad and i was able to altert the group and catch up in a few minutes looking like i had been dragged behind a car for a while.
The group was just our guide cesar then simon, chris and myself. The tour provided lunch, helmets and nice bikes with suspension, not sure if that is for show or a pro, but it seemed to help.
We started riding at about 10am visiting moray, the salt mines and the lost valley. Travelling through farmlands, small villages and down some very cool technical decents. Once you realise that all your weight whould be at the back of the bike you can really give it death!
While riding through the farmlands on our way to the first historical site we came across a small settlement. As we approached a small child walked out from one of the farms, he said something that was later explained to be in an incan dialect, we was asking for candy. We stopped and went through our packs hoping for something candy like. Luckely i had some mexicana chocolate cookies from our last flight. The little dude was pretty happy when he saw that they were about as big as his hand.
Moray was spectacular, bascically a large ampitheare for growing and drying crops. The entire system had irrigation and would generate a great heat from the centre that in inca times was considered like a energising area.
At the risk of repeating myself the salt mines were spectacular ! Hundreds of terraced pools for harvesting salt. One of the high lights of the bike tour was meeting the salt miners. They had never seen a digital camera before so were amazed when they saw their image on the display screen. We were offered inca beer, known as chicha. Simon and chris tried the beer before me and from their vinigar faces i assumed it to be high in alcholoe. No, it was about 5% and just tasted bad.
After the salt mines we traversed down the more technical part of the trip into the sacred valley, known as urumbumba.
After a quick road section we arrived back at the bus station where we loaded our bikes and headed back to cusco.
The trip back seemed considerably shorter due to conversation with a french tourist. She had been hiking in the area with friends and dispite some language issues we were able to share our days events.
The day ended with a mad dash from the bus station to the tour operators premisis in the plasa de armas. It was like running with the bulls at night. We made it back safley and had our briefing for the salkantay trek we had planned for the following day.
Well within 20 minutes of racing through a small village somewhere far from cusco i felt like it had slipped my memory for at least few seconds. I found myself flying over the handle bars of my mountain bike due to a depression in the road that changed direction and took my front wheel with it. Landing on my shoulder and arm the crash wasnt to bad and i was able to altert the group and catch up in a few minutes looking like i had been dragged behind a car for a while.
The group was just our guide cesar then simon, chris and myself. The tour provided lunch, helmets and nice bikes with suspension, not sure if that is for show or a pro, but it seemed to help.
We started riding at about 10am visiting moray, the salt mines and the lost valley. Travelling through farmlands, small villages and down some very cool technical decents. Once you realise that all your weight whould be at the back of the bike you can really give it death!
While riding through the farmlands on our way to the first historical site we came across a small settlement. As we approached a small child walked out from one of the farms, he said something that was later explained to be in an incan dialect, we was asking for candy. We stopped and went through our packs hoping for something candy like. Luckely i had some mexicana chocolate cookies from our last flight. The little dude was pretty happy when he saw that they were about as big as his hand.
Moray was spectacular, bascically a large ampitheare for growing and drying crops. The entire system had irrigation and would generate a great heat from the centre that in inca times was considered like a energising area.At the risk of repeating myself the salt mines were spectacular ! Hundreds of terraced pools for harvesting salt. One of the high lights of the bike tour was meeting the salt miners. They had never seen a digital camera before so were amazed when they saw their image on the display screen. We were offered inca beer, known as chicha. Simon and chris tried the beer before me and from their vinigar faces i assumed it to be high in alcholoe. No, it was about 5% and just tasted bad.
After the salt mines we traversed down the more technical part of the trip into the sacred valley, known as urumbumba.
After a quick road section we arrived back at the bus station where we loaded our bikes and headed back to cusco.
The trip back seemed considerably shorter due to conversation with a french tourist. She had been hiking in the area with friends and dispite some language issues we were able to share our days events.
The day ended with a mad dash from the bus station to the tour operators premisis in the plasa de armas. It was like running with the bulls at night. We made it back safley and had our briefing for the salkantay trek we had planned for the following day.
posted by Adam Maddox at
11:22 AM
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