It was so cold that I waited until 6:40 to start. The strong wind which blew the night before brought clear skies (and will blow right straight in my face for the next three days). It was one of the nicest days so far – for the entire day I was riding through high alpine area, between 4,200 and 4,500 meters high. I passed lagoons, saw loads of alpacas and the first snowy peaks in the distance.

22.03_1_up where the lagunas are

Still nature with bicycle
22.03_2_with the bike

On the high plateau
22.03_3_on the high plateau

High mountains in the background
22.03_4_mountains in the background

Weather gets menacing…
22.03_5_cat and mouse with the weather

but what nicer view at the end of an exhausting day and with bad weather chasing you ? (the sign says steep descent ahead)
22.03_6_going down

The valley of Rio Chalhuanca
22.03_7_the valley

Thanks to the nice weather and two handfuls of coca leaves I reached Pampamarca Alto before evening, and slept in the house of a family who was raising cuy (guinea pigs) and who treated me with fresh chamomile tea.

And this is the view from my backyard when I went to bed…
22.03_8_arrival view