18-Jan-2010 8348 Miles

Sometimes you need to believe a day was a good one because you survived it. Today was one of those.

Nick and I were both a little weak today after our respective illnesses and it showed up for me when I let the bike fall over in Nasca before we even left town. Not a good start. After we got on our way towards Cuzco (400+ miles) we ran into lots of road construction. That seemed OK to me cause I got to nap on the bike for an hour or so while we waited. It wasn't till later in the day that this delay caused some problems.

The road was rough and windy and for a while I thought we should have gone the other way through Arequipa. Too late now, neither one of us knows how to turn around. When I took the cloud picture I was thinking "Uh oh, were gonna get really wet" and really wet we did. We geared up before it started raining and rode and rode. Until I crashed. Then we rode some more. 200 miles in driving rain. We were hoping to get to another town about 100 miles up the road but actually feel lucky to have made it here.

About 100 miles out of here we were so cold that we stopped to put on the heated gear. But mine wasn't working, so by the time we got here I am a popsicle. But there were a couple of other events that tried to kill us before we got here. There is always the trucks and buses and the worse the weather the more of the road they think they need. But more direct than that was the rocks falling off the cliffs due to the rain. At one point, just in my peripheral vision, I see the hill beside me exploding with rocks, mud and water. I gas it, Nick gases it, and we make it by. The car behind Nick had to slam on the brakes not to get hit by it. He's probably still there. The next dunking came around a curve where a flash flood was going across the road, too late to stop, I take a bath, Nick takes bath. The next flash flood I saw in time and was able to actually decide if I could make it through.

As much as I would like to I am pretty sure that I will not get away with those 3 little words, "until I crashed". Someone is going to have to know more. I am sure it was a combination thing. The curve I crashed on was not any tighter, nor did I take it any faster than any of the previous 300 just like it. It was wet but so were many of the others. We had been getting intermittent sleet and hail mixed in with the rain, so there could have been a little patch of ice or maybe oil on the road. All I know is the rear tire slid. I almost caught it and then didn't. The bike went sliding down the road at about 50, I went sliding down the road at about 50. A little damage was done to both parties but we are both OK. We measured the altitude there with Nick's GPS, 14,200 feet above sea level. I think the not being able to save it had to do with that. Too high, my reactions were slowed and maybe from being sick too. I still don't think it should have happened. But that came very close to being the end of my trip. I don't want to do that again or end it that way. My ankle is a little hurt but I think it is OK. I managed to ride another 100 miles or so after and am walking on it tonight, so all is good. The bike needs some minor repairs, but it could have been worse. As I was sliding down the hiway I was watching the bike slide and saying, "don't flip, don't flip". It tried to a couple of times but managed to stay on the side. If it had flipped it would be a real mess.

So anyway, Nick gets damaged in a fall, Nick gets sick, I get sick, I get damaged in a fall. Hopefully we are done with that bullshit now.

The dry pics are on out way out of Nasca. After the last 2 pics the weather got too bad to dig the camera out. Damage assesment manana. Too tired, cold, wet and hungry to care tonight.