We couldn’t leave Caraz without checking out the beautiful Laguna Paron. Only about 25km east of town, we received a variety of skeptical looks, guffaws, and confused laughter when we told locals and fellow road warriors our plans to drive up the rocky road in the beast. Undeterred and camera ready, we prepared ourselves for another fantastically photogenic destination. And in that vein, we’ll let the photos do the talking this time around. Continue reading
After making our way through the altitude wonder known as Black Mud Pass, we were more than happy to land on the coast in the little beach town of Huanchaco. Sun, ceviche, and the mellow surf vibes did wonders for our dirt road rattled nerves. But after five days of luxurious lingering we had to face facts. Our friends would be arriving in a few short weeks and we had to keep moving. Convincing Breezer to say “Adios!” to our last beach town and plow our way through the sand and dirt ahead was nothing short of miraculous. She had many valid arguments from calloused hands (one too many grabs of the “oh shit” handle on our last dirt road Continue reading
Camped out at the foot of the Kuelap ruins, we awoke to find ourselves parked in the midst of a Sunday morning futbol match. Peeking out the camper windows at 6AM we saw toddlers, teenagers, and parents engaged in fierce competition. A middle aged man gently nudged his son out of the way and stole the ball, hollering in victory as he made his goal. Futbol is serious business in these parts.
Grateful for the unexpected wake up call we set the percolator on high and made an early start on the ruins. Once inhabited by the fierce warrior people known as the Chachapoyas (people of the cloud), their ruins are a testament to the ingenuity of an isolated people. Continue reading
There we were, cruising southbound from Chachapoyas when a diabolically camouflaged speed bump materialized beneath the front wheels. As the rear wheels hit, the spring loaded turnbuckles had just enough play to allow the camper to shift forward an inch. And thus we were liberated from of one of our rear windows.
We may or may not have been party rocking at the time of the incident.
Not 5 kilometers later the check engine light illuminated. We’ve got an 02 sensor out along with a fuel filler cap gasket gone bad. Problems easily remedied by two visiting friends who don’t mind packing a few auto parts in their carry-ons.
Life is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you Continue reading
After nearly a week in Vilcabamba Ecuador catching up with friends and planning our route through Peru, we head to the remote border crossing at La Balsa. La Balsa sits on one side of the Río Blanco, connecting Ecuador and Peru via a bridge (a raft once ferried passengers across, hence the name La Balsa). The crossing was established after Ecuador and Peru settled their border differences in 1999, ending the longest-running international armed conflict in the Western Hemisphere. It is the furthest inland crossing and by far the least frequented.
We set out from Vilcabamba at 11:00am hoping to camp before the crossing. The road turned immediately to dirt and we grinned in anticipation of the off-road Continue reading
