Welcome to the jungle
https://www.strava.com/activities/10797781359
Having had to cut the day before short, I looked at a 15 hr day in the saddle. Got away around 5:25, getting out of the city and descending a bit before the days first climb.
I had not managed to get proper supplies the day before so breakfast was 3 Kit-Kat, 2 packs of salt crackes, 2 chocolate bars and some potato chips.
20 km, climbing about 1000 m, descent gradients.
After the first 5-6 km, a truck passed at a descent speed and I used it for pacing to the top, keeping my power at around 250 W.
It is tropical cloud forest territory, so as I ascended the clouds got thicker, it got wetter and at some point started to rain. That’s kind off what to expect.
The pass topped at 2700 m, after which there was a trecious descend, which here means that suddenly the asphalted road disappears and it becomes gravel/rubble riding. Combined with rain and cold, that wasn’t fun.
The descend took likely 30-45 min longer than planned, and put any plans off.
I got down, and still had time to enjoy incredible views. Descending from such a place is amazing, as one get out of the cloud cover and can see the surrounding cloud covered lowlands.
One of many times that I got goosebumps, looking over the amazing surroundings.
Made it to Tingo Maria at the foothills of the Cordillera Azul, a protected national park. 12 km outside the city, the climb starts another 20 km or so climbing 1100 m.
Again amazing views on the way up, rain the last couple of km’s and a nightmarish descend which at many places turned into long stretches of gravel/rubble riding.
This was the absolute low-point of the day. The descend, felt like, it took longer than the ascend. And any hope of making it to Pucallpa before night was well and truly over.
Fun fact, well not that much fun actually. Instead of making canals and directing the water masses under the road, they just lut down some concrete tiles and let the water over them, meaning that one crosses what at times appear small rivers.
Anyway, I made it down in one piece. Resupplied bananas and water from the roadside and enjoyed that I now was in the real jungle, no more climbing and the road quality dramatically improved.
Still around 180 km to go, I managed to keppe a good 30+ km/hr pace.
Focus was to get as long as possible to minimize the nighttime riding.
Note to self! When planning the trip, this part looked pancake flat, which relative to the 4800 m Ticlio pass it was. However had I just looked at this part I would have noticed that it is quite ondulating, with small hills going up and down constantly. So although no “climbs” it was not easy.
On the flats I kept 250 W and 33-34 km/hr which was very satisfying giving what I had been though the last couple of days.
250 W is around 75% of my FTP and what I aim at holding for a very ling time. Basically I should be able to keep this indefinitely.
I felt good and could keep 250 W and push above 300 on the hills. Very encouraging.
I came to a place called “Alexander van Humboldt” around 18:00, resupplied water and kept going, getting into the nighttime riding mode.
The family in Lima had warned about avoiding nighttime riding and that was the plan, but to be honest there was no alternative. After mid-afternoon I did not pass any places to stay, and the road was good and no safety issues.
At 18:30 it was dark, and truth be told I was both relieved and deeply disappointed.
I had expected the place to crawl with life and having weird and wonderful creatures watching from the side of the road, but it turned out – it could have been anywhere in the world. Light reflected in sheeps eyes at home, is still one of the most terrifying things I experience on night rides, and I did not experience anything like that – disapointing.
But definitely one for the bucket list.
The last 80 km was in the dark, and not much happened.
Made it to the hotel around 21:30, one of the better in the city, with a cold beer 🍺 in the minibar 🤤. And, I will be surprised if I am not the filthiest person ever to check in here.
Tomorrow rest day.
Random thoughts
The biggest fear is still the dogs. Though I got the courage to do what they say you should. Get off the bike and pull it. And it works!
The dogs still follow and bark, but they don’t bite.
But it is easier said than done, when a group of dogs come chasing showing their teeth and growling and raising the hair on the back, ones fight-or-flight response goes into overdrive and every neuron, and signaling molecule just wants you to get away as fast as possible.
Overriding that with conscious thought, is very, very difficult. If I do learn, I am sure it will come in handy.
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