One cañon down, one cañon up

Mission one this morning, send a help message to UK mechanic Russ, asking for Rohloff advice, before it is the end of working day in England. This requires speeding downhill 25km to a place with a phone network. Difficult not to go slow or stop, the descent is really extraordinary in the early morning!

Chuquicara (500m) is reached at 9:30am. This crossroad (and cross-cañon) town is a stopping point for truckers. We replenish our reserves with fruit, tomatoes, avocado, etc. The explanation from Russ comes back rapidly. The slow process of threading, understanding, trying, erring and trying again, and of finding a cable cutter, finishes two hours later. Hurray! We celebrate with ice-cream at the petrol station.

Next step is another cañon up to the Cordillera Blanca, we are in a great mood. While the Tablachaca cañon was host to gold miners, the cañon of the -- larger -- Santa river is surprisingly the scene of coal mining. The valley is nonetheless spectacular with amazing narrows and rapids, shifting vegetation and lighting. After 35km (and 500m vertically) of climb we find a remarkable place to pitch the tent: a nice flat space below the road but invisible from it; just able to reach the river but unreachable by it; facing a several hundred meters vertical face on which the passing vehicles project shadows and light; from which we see a very small portion of the sky.Read more