04.27.2011 Quiruvilca to Huamachuco, Peru 58km
It´s never fun to wake up and put cold wet clothes on, but sometimes it has to been done. I headed out of Quiruvilca and prayed for some sun. Luckily I got it. I climbed some more out of town, until what I am told was a 4200m plateau. Unfortunately last night my GPS stopped working. Apparently it was one rain storm too many for my "waterproof" device. I´m bummed out about it.
The road continued to be a pot holed mud disaster.
There were several lagoons up on the plateau.
I tend to treat these high altitude passes like video game levels I have to beat. I´m always looking forward to when I get to the descent to warmer temps. The Campesinos that live up here don´t have that option. They have to tough out this brutal weather year round in unheated houses with straw roofs.
Another pretty lagoon.
Mercifully the asphalt returned at the descent to Huamachuco
By the time I arrived in Huamachuco, it was an entirely different scene. Blue skies and warm weather are two benefits of living at 3100m instead of 4100m.
Huamachuco is really charming colonial city, with a massive plaza. It´s one of the nicest I've seen in Peru, loaded with fun topiaries. It´s like a mini cusco, untouched by tourism. It´s not very common that outsiders pass through here.
I should start hauling my gear around on one of these guys. Works for the farmers.
Things were looking up, until I started to feel sick. By nighttime I was in the full throws of a fever. I guess the last couple of days were too much for me. I took an unplanned rest day and tried to recover.
