to Chuquicara - 500m: with a roaring headwind through a fantastic canyon - Racpat RTW 2015-2017

February 21, 2017

to Chuquicara - 500m: with a roaring headwind through a fantastic canyon

Again, we are not in a big hurry to get on our way this morning. The mileage is fairly short and most of it is downhill. Further, we know the accommodation waiting for us is not where you really want to spent a lot of time. After breakfast of cereal, bananas and milk we roll out and head down the valley. What awaits us comes a bit unexpected.

We thought we had seen the most spectacular section of the Canon Del Plato yesterday, but the canyon the roaring brown Rio Santo takes us through today is just as awesome. Sheer rock faces that squeeze the river into a boiling mass of chocolate colored white water. More rock tunnels, narrow road and very little traffic. It is awesome, on par with what we saw in Lahaul and Spiti. Between distance markers 715-720 there are several rock tunnels long enough that we would have used headlights like yesterday had they not been buried inside our panniers.

We take our time; make many stops for photos and a couple of breaks. The price we pay for all this dawdling comes in the form of a ferocious headwind that picks up at around noon. We struggle to ride downhill! Joy ride turns to nightmare. Reminds us of our ride through Patagonia 17 years ago when on a flat road we had to push our bikes in the ditch out of the wind. With about 3km to go we meet our first other cyclists. Tomoki and Shizuka are from Japan and have been cycling two and a half years and they are headed south. We talk for a while and exchange route information.

When we reach Chuquicara, we head straight for the gas station where we know there is a room that many other cyclists have stayed in. It is just as expected, very basic with bedding that probably has not been changed for months. Actually, it looks like William Bennett just got out of bed. The attendant straightens the sheets and blankets and we move our bikes in. First order of business is find lunch at the restaurant next door. There are several fruit shops where we buy some oranges, water and juice. Later we notice a man in a chair across the street and a very old sign advertising “habitacion with banos privado”. So this might be something to check out for other cyclists, since the banos for this room is kind-of ugly and behind the gas station.

After climbing from the coast up the 4200 meters we have lost most of that elevation and are back at 500 meters. You can tell; it is hot here. Tomorrow we turn north again and start a two-day climb back to over 3000 meters.

Following the Rio Santo through a beautiful colored valley.

Spot the cyclist headed for a dark tunnel.

Tall waterfall. Although the water isn’t actually falling, it gently runs down the cliff.

Another tunnel. We thought we were done with these after the 35 yesterday and have packed-up our lights.

Inside the tunnel. Cars are supposed to honk before entering so we would have warning if something is coming.

Abandoned buildings across the river. Probably a mine.

Cactus growing in some nicely eroded rock.

The ‘famous’ cyclists room at the gas station in Chuquicara.

Past cyclists

Today's ride: 67 km (42 miles)
Total: 28,291 km (17,569 miles)

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