Today we were on our bikes for the first time and it was a great feeling. Through Google Earth I had sussed out a hill climb to a view point above town and we were hoping to get several hundred vertical metres under our belts. We biked around a park near our hostel and through the major construction zone of a new bridge to connect both sides of the river Chilli which runs between the two major volcanoes and provides hydro power from higher up plus fertile fields alongside the river. Then up through increasingly poorer neighbourhoods and increasingly ratty dogs who seem to understand my loud growls.
The paved road petered out at a good view over the city and we carried on, on rough ripio. We gained 500m before enjoying a fast downhill back to the hostel and an afternoon getting organised for heading off. We will take the next 150km slowly to the tourist town of Chivay, possibly 4 days to ensure the 2600m of climbing doesn’t do us in.
Signing out till Chivay..