Entering Peru on a remote back road towards San Ignacio

The ride through rice fields around Jaén

A wet work

The valleys are often structured by terraces.

What great colours

In front of the Casa de Ciclista at Miguel's in Jaén

Between Pedro Ruiz and Leymebamba:

Sneaking through an awesome canyon

Hike to Gocda...

... for once slow enough to catch sight of small things.

Gocda, a huge waterfall

The ordinary houses...

... are made of soil.

Arriving up in Chachapoyas at late hour

Towards Leymebamba - the valley becomes wilder.

Invited to a fruit yard - take what you like! we were told. Thanks.

Climbing over to the beginning of...

... the giant neighbour canyon "Marañón"

An almost three hour downhill is starting...

... with many spectacular views...

... down a loopy road...

... through the desert...

... in different colours...

... towards the oasis at the bottom.

Tired from braking and concentrating...

... but revived as we had arrived in the paradise.

Balsas' kids

Great idea :-)

Climbing over to Celendin the day after

Big 20

It turns dryer towards Cajamarca, a colonial town.

Wherever I show up with the recumbent within minutes there is a crowd around me.

I had to give them a presentation.

Baños del Inca - thermal springs

Take the bikes better into the restaurants! - Could you do that in Switzerland?

Towards Cajabamba - scenery pure.

Some special moments...

... with special effects

The road workers - always first class guys

Laguna Sausacocha

Plenty of gold mines around Huamachuco.

Break up on a desolated mining road towards Chuquicara to avoid the foggy coast.

Flat tire at the worst moment - thunderstorm with hail

Camping in the no-where:

An ambience I will never forget. (gold mine at the back)

A ride in almost 4000m altitude

Ride or slide!

Angasmarca - smart kids:

They want to have everything explained.

It's a different world here compared to Europe.

The old and the "new" bridge

That's where we are going ...

... and that's where we came from.

The fight against the mountain

The remoted ways - only gravel roads

The normal way of passenger transport and...

... the common way of cargo transport in the mountains' isolated villages.

Pallasca: We are riding into the huge canyon "Chuquicara:"

Downhill pure

Towards the bottom

Slowly but continually ...

... as I lacked often the grip

What a criminal passage:

We are lucky to be on the bikes...

...and enjoyed the ride...

...as there are a lot of different passages.

At the end the valley turns into an impressive gulch.

This is no detail, we observed it some ten times.

I loved the nice climate and the silence in Chuquicara. - "It's quiet, too quiet," a local said.

Visit by bus to Lucho's Casa de Ciclista in Trujillo, a must.

Finally I got the new brake pads from back home. - Thanks Reto, hopefully there are enough for the next 20'000km.

Break up towards the canyon del pato

The tunnels are mostly cut into the rock.

That's how I love it. - wilderness pure.

Meeting the Austrian couple, Anita and Andy.

You can make out the Swiss: they are sleeping in Mammut and on Exped.

The famous ride...

... through the 40 tunnels in the dusty canyon del pato.

No problem.

Cycling party: The Austrians, the Swiss and the French in Peru.

Lunch in the gulch.

Finally the canyon opens and you can see...

... the Cordillera Blanca.

A range of giants up to 6900m

Side trip to the lagunas de Llanganuco

Hanging out on a roof top in Huaráz; in the morning...

... in the evening...

... and at night.

Start to cross the Cordillera Blanca:

A ride into the wilderness...

... with a lovely flora

Camping on 4100m

-7°C at night but soon blazing sunshine in the morning

The biggest flower of Peru

The way leads up to the glaciers...

... until we reach the top of the tour with 4884m.

Beginning of a long and cold downhill

Towards Huánuco...

... with its enjoyable climate...

... end of the line for Stefan - 5000km for him since Cartagena - Good Bye