Bike-packing Peru: A Birthday in Puno

3am and I’m wide awake in my little tent on a lake. An hour later and still awake, my mind consumed with thoughts of what to do and where to live next spring/summer. In March I’ll celebrate my 40th birthday and I have the desire to achieve a goal I set for myself many years ago; to ride across Canada. But then again, I do so love Salida, Colorado and the amazing group of friends I have there. I make some notes and by 5am, am asleep. By 6am the noisy ducks, flamingos and other birds have ended any further attempt to sleep. Bike riding time!

From off that high desert plain we descend dozens of glorious miles to the town of Tincopalca. Spending an amount on food that surely made the shopkeeper’s week, we carry on , mostly sure of our route. After one “bonus climb” we are back on track, riding past more azure blue lakes and the pink flamingos who call them home. Beautiful.

The next day, Wednesday, November 20th was Kimberly’s 34th birthday. Treating herself to a second cup of coffee and freshly brushed hair, we set out for what would be one our greatest days of riding. A perfect birthday present for sure.

With the standard fair of steady climbing behind us, we eventually start to descend…for about two hours. The soft grade of that smooth dirt road twisted and turned all around the mountainside. The smiles on our faces were as broad as the mountains were high. Around every corner was another switchback to carve, another view to relish.

Back on flat dirt roads and with the wind at our backs, we cruised past sprawling pasturelands, around charming farmlands and into the town of Manazo, people smiling and waving all the while.
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Drinking Coka-cola and eating cookies in the town’s plaza, we chatted with a very colorful character, Dominga. More than just shop-keeper, she announced that she was also an evangelist. Sending us along with her blessing, we had just 42kms/26miles to our destination of Puno on Lake Tittikaka.

Those final miles went from gravel/dirt to pavement to pavement under construction to freshly laid asphalt. While we enjoyed the smooth conditions, the tar burned our nostrils. No matter, it was a day like no other.

The miles flew by. Soon enough, Puno and Lake Tittikaka lay before us. Rolling into town, we quickly found a pizza joint where beers were served and toasts to Kimberly’s birthday were made. A few hours later, we all dined on Peruvian delicacies followed by cups of ice-cream.

At our hostel for the night, we fell asleep thinking of those glorious four days of riding from Arequipa to Puno, dreaming of what lay ahead.