After few days of rest and trying to catch some sun in Macusani, I was off again along the highlands and the peaks, dotted with mines in between.

the typical towns seem normally pretty ran down with bright additions, courtesy of the mining companies. Such as an enormous terminal and playground for a town that would have maybe 2 buses leave in the morning…

while looking up this mine, my drone’s battery suddenly dropped down and it kind of landed some two valleys away. After a 1.5hour roundtrip I found it but with a broken propeller.

The unusually flat roads meant that I wasnt the only one riding.

Even rain and cold on the horizon couldn’t force me to get a room in one of these towns. They are just too dirty and that’s coming from someone who doesn’t get to shower for weeks. Contrary to the rest of Peru, the remote mining towns also don’t do to well with food, often offering much simpler and more expensive options than anywhere else.

but if you ever wonder, what is cuter than a baby animal… it’s BABY ANIMAL WITH A SWEATER!

but despite the rain and the clouds, there is always that little chance to see the sun…

Dropping off google maps again on roads that go to who knows where. (well actually its on the Las Tres Cordilleras bikepacking route)

Two mining trucks, that was all for the day. The rest was enjoying the sun and grimming at the clouds

Then kicking out some Vicunas from their spot to set up camp for the night

The route continues to zig zag east-to-west and west-to-east across a tall range. You often wonder if its even worth it when you can just ride up the big valley. But, it kind of always is.

Being on top of the food chain (no bears!) cooking in your tent in the rain is easy!

Aside from the occasional yahoo on a moto, nobody dares to drive the older and rougher roads.

we were both so happy to see another wheeled transport on this road! Me - i knew there was a way through and he thought I was a moto

aside from that it was just some wet alpacas on the way

Until you hit the paved road and then you see more alpackas

and people

and Bill Clinton

After the mountains and the blue skies you drop down deep into a valley

right to some hot springs with a cost of about $1.5 canadian per hour!

I asked some of the potato workers about the way up and how long it would take me and they just laughed!

But I was like, “we’ll see who laughs last”

there wasnt much laughing for the next few hours as I went up on one of the scariest climbs in the rain. Crossing washouts was nearly impossible with the wet rocks.

photo doesnt show remotely the steepness of this washout,

Past some mines hidden in the clouds I kept going up and hid in a shepherd’s stables to take a break from the wind and eat some noodles. The shepherd (or alpacaherd?) came to see me and we chatted for a bit, he didn’t want his photo taken (which is surprisingly rare outside of tourist areas - where you are more likely to get asked to pay 1sol (30 cents) but that for some reason just doesnt feel right)

I was exhausted to the point where I was just tripping and slipping over the littlest stuff. Whenever the sun would try to come out I would stop and try to warm up with whatever rays make it through the clouds.

through the clouds you can see some post apocalyptic setting, water and dirt everywhere and the drumming of the water pumps from across the pass. Welcome to the land of Gold!

But despite the ominous setting, the miners are some of the most kind people in Peru. I was invited to eat and spend the night and a ride to the road. But also they totally pointed me in the right direction when I told them I was looking for an old irrigation channel. This little mine was also a family operation which felt somewhat more right and in the end, having seen some of Peru and how basic life can be one would be a fool not to search for gold when one can find it.

for some odd reason I wanted to race to town, get a big meal and a hot shower. Around the mountain the road kept going up and down and instead I headed off to a little hut to set camp for the night instead and drink hot chocolate.

After an unsatisfactory miner’s lunch and ridiculous (for peru) grocery prices I went further up to the 4900m pass. Alongside “we care for the environment” and “reforestation” signs, mines surrounded each side of the road. This and that, I counted over 20 visible from the road all leading to the top. To La Rinconada, the city of gold and the highest settlement in the world at 5100meters with its sparkling metal roofs and 4G towers. One could normally marvel at the mines where entire mountains are moved but this was just one giant mess stretching for about 20 kilometers

took a little while to get out of the mine country and I did not have the resolve to keep going toward the bikepacking route I was on and instead took the first way out of this road. These trucks ran back and forth at about one every 5 minutes unless you hit a convoy

that’s better….

Interestingly, so high was the contrast between the mines and the countryside that I just wanted to videotape a day of biking in Peru.

that alpacka did fall off the bike but i assure you, she is ok!!! The rest was just replace the mines and trucks with motos, wet dogs and donkeys. Trow in some chickens and cows at lower altitude and this is why I love Peru!

Off the route and toward the border, it felt like I may be the first traveler around these parts. Everybody was super excited to meet me

got a little hole in my rear rim from some of the rocks. Really… really.. really rough riding down some of these so called “roads”

away from the mines it was also easier to get food. A great mix of veggies for a single meal would not run you more than a dollar.

it was all about counting kilometer signs and walking with friends until…

UNTIL TITICACA!

and as usual a typical peruvian goodbye. The immigration officers let me use their wifi for a bit and the restaurant said they didnt have lunch yet and it was too late for breakfast… so they kept asking me what I wanted to which I replied with “yes”, so I ended up with a great Peruvian Brunch of trout, rice, egg, fried add a tomato and a coke and some bill callahan.