| Everyday when I look out my window or go out of my | | | | feet and decided to set a goal of 13,000 feet and see |
| house, I see a large mountain across the canyon. I had | | | | what time it was then and what the weather looked |
| hiked up one trail a couple of times and found some | | | | like. At the beginning I had set a 3:00 pm turn around |
| Inca ruins at about 11,500 feet and also realized that | | | | time because it usually starts raining shortly after that. |
| the trail continued around to a new road that went up | | | | One of the problems with having an altimeter watch |
| to the top of the mountain from the other side, and | | | | while climbing is that I keep watching it to see how fast |
| then on to some other villages. Later I rode my bike up | | | | I am climbing. It is like watching a pot waiting for it to |
| the road, it took about 2 ½ hours to the junction | | | | boil, very slow! It seemed to take forever to get from |
| with the foot trail but I didn't have time to continue up | | | | 11,000 to 13,000 feet but I finally made it with numerous |
| any farther. The following week I hiked up a different | | | | rest stops on the way. At this point I could see where |
| trail and reached the top of the mountain, it is actually | | | | the road went over the rim of the canyon and it was |
| the rim of the canyon and beyond that there is a rolling | | | | too close to turn back so I kept going. I got to the rim |
| high plain. I went to the nearest high point, which was | | | | before 3:00 pm but my joy turned to groans when I |
| 14,200 feet. This is 5,400 feet above my house. | | | | realized that I was only at about 13,800 feet. |
| From there I had a great view of the Canyon, the | | | | The road was still climbing gradually so I kept going, |
| village of Cotahuasi and the snowcapped peak of Mt. | | | | aiming for a high spot a ways up the road. The good |
| Solimana across the canyon on the other rim. I also | | | | news was that it wasn't a very steep road at this |
| saw the road coming up from the backside and knew | | | | point so was easy riding, the bad news was that is |
| that one of my next outings would have to be to ride | | | | wasn't a very steep road at this point so I wasn't |
| up the road, my first "14er" on a bike! When I say road, | | | | gaining much elevation! I reached the high point at |
| don't think of anything like a nice paved mountain road | | | | exactly 3:00, five hours and 55 minutes from the start |
| in the U.S., we're talking narrow gravel road like the fire | | | | but it was still only 13,950 feet. I was now only about |
| roads going up the mountains in Southern California. It | | | | 50 horizontal feet from the rim of the canyon facing |
| was summer but also the rainy season and usually the | | | | Cotahuasi (I had come up the back side) so walked |
| rain clouds come from that direction in the afternoon. I | | | | over to enjoy the view and see if it was possible to |
| decided to give it a try on a Wednesday, about a | | | | hike up to that point (looked challenging) and also |
| week later, but when I woke up at 6:30 it was very | | | | hoping that my watch would "catch up" and register |
| cloudy and looked like it would start raining early. | | | | over 14,000 feet, but it didn't. At this point the road |
| However by 8:00 it started to clear up so I decided to | | | | dipped down again and the next high spot was |
| go for it. | | | | probably a couple of miles away. ' |
| It was 9:05 before I finally left my house and it had | | | | The weather was cloudy and cool but rain didn't look |
| turned into a beautiful but cool morning. I knew it would | | | | imminent so I continued. At 3:08 I went over 14,000 |
| be cold on top so I put my tights on over my bike | | | | feet but decided to continue on to the high point. A |
| shorts. The first 20 minutes is a technical single track | | | | couple of minutes later I was at a narrow flat topped |
| that goes down into the canyon, crosses a bouncy | | | | ridge and could look down at the road I had just come |
| suspension bridge and then climbs back up to the road. | | | | up as well as over a few miles to where I had hiked |
| This is the walking shortcut. Following the road from | | | | up to the week before. The elevation here was 14,140 |
| my house takes about 40 minutes. From there it is | | | | feet and the road marker showed that I was 14 Km |
| about 10 minutes on the road down into another | | | | from Cocchapampa. I had climbed about 6,000 vertical |
| canyon and then the climb starts. However before I | | | | feet in about 15 miles and was already wondering |
| got to the second bridge, I had a flat tire. There are | | | | what my next goal should be (besides doing it faster). |
| cacti of many different kinds everywhere here and | | | | The road continues on the high plateau for about five |
| they all have nasty thorns. Anyway, I only had two | | | | hours by car to Oyolo, or going the other direction it |
| freshly patched tubes with me so was hoping I would | | | | goes near the base of Mt. Solimana at about 15,500 |
| be OK on the road. I found one thorn and removed | | | | feet. |
| that, fortunately I took extra time checking the tire and | | | | By now I was getting cold, had my fleece pants and |
| found two more thorns before putting in the new tube. | | | | jacket on, added a windbreaker, and a hat under my |
| I have had up to five holes in one tube when I went to | | | | helmet and started down, wishing that I had brought |
| patch it! | | | | my full finger gloves as well. You would think I would |
| For the next 1 ½ hours I was roasting but didn't | | | | remember, I had done the "cold-numb-white-knuckle" |
| stop to take off my tights because I kept thinking it | | | | braking thing before, coming down similar loose gravel |
| would be getting cooler any time now. About 2 | | | | switchbacks from the other rim. Fortunately it wasn't |
| ½ hours from the start, I went through the small | | | | as cold this day and I was soon down to lower and |
| village of Cocchapampa at about 10,500 feet, where I | | | | warmer elevations. Two hours and 40 minutes from |
| had attracted much attention from some kids the first | | | | the top, I was back at my house with no problems |
| time I rode up. I think I must have been the first biker | | | | (other than scaring the little girls again) but did walk |
| they had ever seen riding through there. This time a | | | | more going down the single track due to being very |
| group of little girls took one look at me and ran off | | | | tired, there is a very unforgiving drop of 150 to 200 |
| screaming like they had seen a monster! Just past the | | | | feet on one side, down to the river. Actually I walked |
| village the new road forks off, and after about 10 | | | | more of the uphill on the single track too. After nine |
| minutes of flat riding around a hill it starts climbing again. | | | | hours it was good to be home to warm food, cold |
| Looking ahead there was nothing but long switchbacks | | | | orange drink and a hot shower, pleasantly exhausted. |
| heading up the side of the mountain. | | | | The next day I hiked about 22 miles to a village |
| For some reason I wasn't feeling very strong or | | | | downriver (but up in elevation), returning the following |
| motivated this day and at this point wasn't sure if I | | | | day, but that is another story. |
| would make it to the top. I stopped for lunch at 10,750 | | | | |