Day 1Sunday, November 8
We begin our tour with a long travel day from the United States. Most connections to Lima, Peru go through Miami, Atlanta, Fort Worth or Los Angeles. These flights to Lima will depart in the late afternoon and arrive in Lima between 10:00 PM and Midnight. We will meet you at the Lima Airport and store our bicycle boxes at the Airport Luggage Security Area ($10 for Sunday night). Then we will take you to our modern Hotel about a 30 minute taxi drive away. After a long travel day we will be ready for a good nights rest.
Monday, November 9
In the late afternoon we travel to the Chosica Girls Home located downtown. There we will meet with 18 girls who live at the Girls Home and take them on a shopping trip to the market. Most of the girls do not have the chance to choose or buy their own clothes during the year. We will donate 50 Peruvian Soles ($17) to each girl to spend as they wish. The shopping tour is a fun day for them and our tour. At night we will have a nice dinner together. One of the girls is a ten year old girl named Aracely. We met her four years ago when she lived in the jungle. Now she lives at the Girls Home and she is our adopted daughter of PAC Tour. Aracely will hopefully join us as we continue our drive over the mountains. We will have a busy day again tomorrow so we want everyone to have the chance to get to bed early. We will store our bike cases at this hotel during the tour.
Tuesday, November 10
Climb to 10,000 feet elevation
The hotel restaurant will prepare us an early breakfast at 6:30 AM. After we eat we will load the support van and begin our ride up the mountain. The grade begins just outside the hotel. The early sections are 3%. After a few miles the grade steepens to 5%. Eventually the road steepens to 7% the rest of the way to the summit.The air is dry here. Lima is a desert climate with less than 2 inches of rain per year. Be sure to stop and drink often. There are roadside venders selling bottled water, soda and snacks to the truck drivers every few miles. Be aware of the cement drainage ditches along the edge of the road. It is a little unnerving to ride slow uphill with a drop off a few feet away. Our early start will miss some of the traffic but we should be aware of slow trucks coming up from behind. Do not enter any tunnels if you can see traffic behind you. Make sure your red light is always on in the tunnels.
The elevation change is deceptive. As you climb to 5,000 feet then 10,000 feet the scenery is similar. Steep walled rocky canyons tower thousands of feet above. The final miles into San Meteo begin to reveal views of the summit peaks ahead. You will notice the air getting thinner now at 10,000 high.
The tiny town of San Meteo is famous for their bottled spring water. A small cluster of buildings sit perched along the steady slant of the highway. Our hotel is simple but clean and looks like a 1960s school building. There are two modern restaurants next door for dinner. We will need the extra blankets on the bed tonight because the chilly mountain air will be near 40 degrees. It takes a strong person to crawl out from under the four layers of wool blankets.
Wednesday, November 11
Sleep at 12,000 feet elevation
Today is the big assault over the summit at 16,000 feet. From our hotel we climb 6,000 feet in 25 miles. This will be a five to six hour climb for most riders including rest stops. It is very important to stop and eat and drink every 30 minutes. The elevation will sap your power and strength. Every 1,000 feet gained in elevation is equal to one more tooth needed on the freewheel. For example if you used a 24 tooth rear cog at 8,000 feet you will need a 28 tooth cog when you are 4,000 feet higher at 12,000 feet. At 16,000 feet you will need a 32 tooth cog. Be sure to bring low enough gears to bail you out.We will have extra support vehicles stationed along the way today. Our vehicle will have bottled oxygen if you are feeling nauseated. The vehicles will be instructed to evacuate any rider to lower elevations that is showing signs of altitude sickness.
The weather at the top will be cool. There is a chance for rain (or snow) but this is still an arid climate. You should always have a small seat bag to carry a raincoat and warmer clothes.
The 25 mile descent to La Oroya is steady but less steep than the climb. We will pass several mining towns. In La Oroya our hotel is downtown within walking distance of several restaurants.
Thursday, November 12
Sleeping back down to 10,000 feet elevation.
This is a recovery day. The ride to Tarma is pretty easy except for one 1,500 foot climb over an open range hump. The rest of the day will drop 3,000 feet through the flowered farming terraces into Tarma. Our hotel is in the middle of downtown on the Plaza de Armas. We can have a lunch together in early afternoon.There will be time to walk through the city or go for a tour of the Caves of Huagapo located 15 miles outside of town. The road to the caves is rocky and rough and suitable for a mountain bike. We can take a bus or van to see the rustic wet caves. It is possible to go deep into the caves for one kilometer. Bring a flashlight and non slip shoes.
Friday, November 13
Sleep at 5,000 feet elevation
Today we drop from the dry mountains into the rain forest jungle. There is less traffic on this part of the road. As we enter into the jungle region the air becomes more hot and humid. Temperatures range from 90 to 100 degrees during the day.This will be another easy riding day with a lot of down hills. La Merced is a busy city of 12,000 people. There are many things to see downtown.
Saturday, November 14
Sleep at 2,000 feet elevation
We ride through dense forest all day. Rivers and bridges are common. The route has good pavement and will be an easy ride most of the day. There is a final 5 mile climb to our evening destination of Satipo. This town is the end of the paved road. We are now deep into the jungle and at the edge of civilization as we know it. The native Ashaninka Indians come from the jungle to Satipo for supplies.Although this town borders on basic services, people deal with the simple lifestyle. At a restaurant when the electricity fails in the middle of dinner the waiters bring a kerosene lantern for each table just as they were serving another pot of coffee. Everyone goes about finishing their meal just as if nothing has happen. The city streets are only lit by motorbike headlights. When you return to the hotel the desk clerks hands you a lit candle so you can find your room. Satipo has a special charm all it own that you can not find in every city.
Some of the teachers and children from the Puerto Occopa Orphanage will travel 50 miles to Satipo to meet us. We will stay together in the hotel and make shopping lists for the next day.
Sunday, November 15
This morning we will go grocery shopping for the Orphanage. We will buy bags of rice, flour, sugar, pasta and other foods for cooking and baking. The children make their own meals with garden grown vegetables. About $15 of supplies will help feed 80 children each day. We will buy and transport as many groceries as we have money and room in our truck. The orphanage has has several baking ovens they use to make bread. They make extra loaves to sell in the nearby villages. We will bring enough baking supplies for the orphanage to continue with their baking business.Today you have the choice of riding or driving 46 miles into the jungle on mud roads the Puerto Occopa Orphanage. The road is rough and muddy so mountain bikes with 2 inch wide tires are recommended. If you are riding your bike you should depart at 10:00 AM. If you are going by taxi you can finish shopping and depart at noon with the nuns and children. You can store your bike at the Satipo Hotel if you are not riding. Bikes and taxies will arrive by about 3:00 PM at the orphanage.
In late afternoon we will deliver our supplies to the orphanage and eat dinner with the children. That night we will sleep in the bunk house at the orphanage. The conditions are basic and similar to camping in a hotel. We will probably take a bath in the river with the children . The nuns and children will keep everyone entertained with nightly dances and singing. This is always one of the most memorable nights of the tour.
Monday, November 16
Even if you are not Catholic the morning church service is entertaining with lots of singing. We will eat breakfast at the orphanage before driving (or riding) back to Satipo. Our evening dinner at the street vender stands is always delicious and filling. We will have time to get a good nights sleep and a shower in Satipo before starting our paved road ride back to Lima tomorrow.Tuesday, November 17
Climb back up to 5,000 feet elevation
Back on the bikes for our return trip. The route is the same home except all the down hills are now uphill and vice versa. The ride back to La Merced will take about two hours longer today riding back out of the jungle.
Wednesday, November 18
La Merced to Tarma... 50 milesClimb up to 10,000 feet elevation
The 5,000 foot climb up the bluff will be a challenge but offers great views of the mountain slopes on either side. This will be a seven hour ride for most of us today.
Thursday, November 19
Climb up to 12,000 feet elevation
Climb back up through the flower farms lining the road. The higher elevations should feel better now after you have acclimated during the past week.
Friday, November 30
La Oroya to Chosica... 85 milesClimb over the 16,000 foot summit
Today we climb the gradual side of the mountain to the summit at 16,000 feet. The summit should be a four hour ride from our hotel. We should be over the top by noon. The remaining 60 miles are fast and steady downhill. We will stop for lunch in San Meteo near our hotel from the first day. The rest of the ride averages 20 MPH to our base hotel in Chosica. At our hotel there will be time to pack up our bikes and have a celebration dinner together.
Saturday, November 21
We can sleep in today then have a late breakfast. A bus will take our bikes back for storage at the airport. We can change our clothes at a shared hotel room close to the airport. Since most of our flights home depart tonight there will be time to visit downtown Lima again on our own. There are several craft shops that sell woven wool sweaters at good prices. Now is a good time to stock up on gifts for back home. You should eat dinner on your own in late afternoon or at the airport later tonight.
At about 6:00 PM you should return to the hotel to shower and get ready for the airport. At 7:30 PM we will take you back to the airport to retrieve your bike from storage and get you to the correct ticket gate. Checking in through security could take over an hour so be prepared for long lines.
Sunday, November 22