Jujuy to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
Jujuy was a short day and I planned another short day riding about 4 hours to Susques. Susques is the last gas stop before the big hills. Its also a bit over 11,000 feet. My plan was to stay the night and acclimate to the altitude before encountering Paso de Jama and its 15,853 feet (on the Chilean side). Well the one hotel in Susques was booked by a tourist bus load and I was looking at 180 miles of Andes to get to the next stop. I left Susques at about 2:45 with all the pent up worries about how I would deal with high altitudes. Knowing that you usually can't average many mph in the mountains I was looking at getting into Chile's first town (San Pedro) at between 7-7:30. Fortunately I made good time and arrive at the Chilean Aduana around 6:30. It's so good to have enough daylight to find suitable lodging. Well if you call $48 bucks for a tiny room with no TV or AC.
Other than a few trucks and fewer cars there was no traffic. Just height. At the Argentine officina de aduana (customs) I wasn't at all sure of my condition. The Aduana was at, I imagine, the highest of places. Getting off the bike I felt strange and walking inside the office was likewise. I asked to sit while they processed my papers. I think the "cold" may have affected me as much as the thin air. I clearly didn't dress warm enough. I needed 3-4 shirts under my heavy coat instead of two. Long Johns would have be good as well.
I have read that the Jama pass gradually increases from the Argentine side until reaching 15,853 ft and when it gets close to San Pedro de Atacama it just drops. Yes indeed. My guess is it drops from maybe 12-13,000 feet to 2,500 in about 15 miles. The incline was so great for that a distance big trucks were crawling along about 5 mph. The incline was an almost completely straight road for several miles. There were 3 trucks that couldn't even make it up the incline and one or two that had stopped completely going down.
The animal of the day was clearly the "Llama". Not as many llamas as goats the day before but quite a few. At least you could see them running across the barren land so I didn't have the same fear that deer give you, when they "pop out" of the woods, back home.
By the way for you bicycle enthusiasts I passed two bikes coming from the Chilean side crossing the Paso de Jama. One was a lone rider heavily packed and the other was a man and woman on a tandem. The couple looked to be in their 50's. Amazing!
Day 5 (Oct. 8)San Pedro de Atacama (second day)
Had a great steak, got laundry done, worked on e-mails and web page and otherwise hung-out. Enjoyed more interaction with the Americans. One couple was from Montana and the other from South Carolina.
Unlike my experience in Mexico and Central America, breakfast (desayuno) is not a major meal. Most hotels have a light breakfast of fruit, croissants, and bread with thin sliced ham and cheese. Unfortunately the last couple of times they served "Nescafe" coffee instead of the good stuff. Pastries with fruity filling are popular in shops and really great ice cream is abundant.
Day 6 (Oct. 9)
San Pedro de Atacama to Pozo Almonte
Not a fun day so I kept it short (270 miles) The Atacama desert does appear as advertised. The driest on earth. I'm glad that I only rode about 200 miles. It was hot and dry and a bit boring after about 20. Straight as can be with about 150 miles with no towns, gas stations or Llamas. For more info on the Atacama desert.
The real fun began when I reached a gas station at Officina Victoria. Five dogs (I think three were German shepards attacked me as I slowed in the gravel next to the gas pump. I was of course worried about the loose gravel and keeping my balance. One shepard bit me twice! Crap! I've a nice bruise but no blood. Well you can imagine why I'm happy to make it a short day. Tomorrow I will reach the Peru border. Pozo Almonte is a small town right on the highway. Not much to say other than the hotel is nice and the people even nicer.
Day 7 (Oct. 10)
Pozo Almonte to Moquigua, Peru
A day of contrasts. The Atacama stretched on for miles then mountains then more desert then more mountains. The border crossing was hell. It took about 30 minutes at the Chilean Aduana only to find when I went down the road a bit the Peruvian's said I still needed one "stamp". This of course took another 20 minutes and then the Peru Aduana took about 30 minutes to complete their task.
Tacna was the first city in Peru and its a "Whopper". Imacculate with two rows of palms on a wide divider down the main street. This main street went on for about a mile. Then (because there was of course no signs showing the direction to Moquigua) I rode for another mile or so before wondering about the lack of signs and found that I was lost. Asking 3-4 people didn't help until a Taxi driver recognized my plight and had me follow him. Seriously you would think once in a town as huge as Tacna there would be signs to the next major cities. From the border heading toward Tacna there were multiple signs showing "Tacna and Moquigua".
Moquigua is also large (I don't think as large as Tacna). Located in the mountains there seems to be a 1-2 mile long main street with only three or four secondary street on either side. Once again my stupid limited Spanish made it hard to understand the directions people were giving me when I asked about "un hotel". Oh well tomorrow is another day. By the way, I'm sure most of you know how the days are hot and nights are cold in the desert, boy is that right.
1. Switchbacks leading to the high Andes. Eventually reaching nearly 15,000 feet.
2. Llama crossing. There were many llamas and alpacas in the Andes.
3 & 4. Images of San Pedro's tourist haven.
