As soon as I was able I was ready to leave Pozuzo. I liked Pozuzo and, perhaps, if I was going to spend some time there exploring I would feel differently, but I could not move. More so than other places people were interested if I wanted to stay - they want people to move into the area who are industrious. And I received a lot of kudos for how I arrived through the mountains. Pozuzo is almost 150 years old but still very much a frontier. The most common stores were veterinary and cattle supplies, people distill the strongest cana I have tasted to date (too strong in my humble opinion), and they grow their own tobacco for cigars, or "puros". But I was bored, though loved the food. Typically, when I travel I go somewhere and stay to explore for a month or more . . . but now I am always passing through. I must. I have two to continents to cross. So onwards and upwards for 1000 meters into Yanachaga-Chemillen National Park on a narrow dirt road.
I originally learned about this park by reading accounts of scientific expeditions to discover new species of bird, bugs, and plants. Made me wonder what I was looking at all the time. The park in re known for some of the highest biodiversity on the planet. So I took my time and watched butterflies, birds, and a troop of capuchin monkeys leaping through the trees feeding beside the road. I tried to take photos but they were quick poking their heads out to stare at me for two seconds then leaping 5 meters to the next tree. The road climbed a steep sided ravine along the river for the entire route through the jungle. Waterfalls continually cascaded off the highlands crossing the road but never so deep that I could not keep my feet dry. The rainy season is just beginning so most waterfalls were dry. But give it a month and this would be a very different ride.
After 50km the road topped out into a beautiful wide river valley that was largely give over to cattle. Every time I stopped people approached me to ask where I was coming from, going to etc. . . People are friendly, curious, and tickled pink that I wanted to see where they lived. . . they also think I am a little crazy but in a good way. Everyone is convinced they live in the most beautiful and friendly part of Peru. I finished my day in Oxapampa - a larger cattle town than Pozuzo and I am pleased to be there. My previous adventure was still exacting a toll. I took a quick tour around town and found a hotel and noticed a nice looking bar. I should have more photos of Oxapampa because I enjoyed it immensely but that is why I have no photos besides the obligatory hotel window picture - this time a sunset. I spent 3 nights parked at Otto Vater's bar drinking beer and pisco with locals and wannabe locals from other areas of Peru and the world. And I spent my days hunched over my computer wrting. I just missed Oxapampa's fiesta celebrating its heritage by a day and spent a night chatting with Oscar, a photojournalist from Lima, that was a driving force behind the event, along with many others. Oxapampa itself is not what you would call picturesque but the area is gorgeous and the people wonderful. Now I wish I had photos but it is a place I will return to. Oxapampa is a place that captures people.
I switched back to my roads treads and rolled out of Oxapampa at a a righteous clip covering 85km in a short afternoon. However, I did pay for my speed with one high velocity slide. The roads have periodic water channels, or concreted low spots to channel drainages from the hillsides. I hit one and noticed a little squirrelly swinggle but momentum kept me going then the next one set me sideways . . . I was reminded why I shave. However, my touring bags took the brunt and kept my legs, mostly, off the pavement and only an arm lost skin - now my arm is partly shaved as well. Shaving makes bandaging much easier because their is no hair in the wound and I don't rip out all the hair each time I change my bandage. (besides it is traditional, feels good, and chicks dig it . . . well some chicks)
I crossed another river and hooked left stopping for a beer. Evening was approaching and after passing through a small city I found a nice camp site beside the river. Perfect for a roadside - 50+meters down on a steep skidder path below a land slide with huge boulders in the road. All vehicles are looking at the boulders, not the river, I was below line of sight, quiet, and who is gong to be there at night. I washed up in the river, made dinner and enjoyed the sunset with a puro.
I woke to enjoy the sunrise and continued on my way.
The sunrise was equally beautiful and perfect riding along the river averaging 23+rkph . . .until noontime then it was hot as Hades (though not Central America hot).
I pulled arrived in Satipo in the mid afternoon and checked into Henry's, that was recommended by his brother-in-law from where I stayed in Huanuco. Satipo is the end of the road and has the biggest chainsaws i have ever seen - explaining why the immediate trees are not so big.
To give perspective - the poster behind is two feet wide - the bar is over 50 inches!
Satipo is a literally the end of the road, the dreamt of trans-amazonica highway, sitting on a river. I have been eating lots, writing, and caught up with friends from Oxapampa.
As soon as I was able I was ready to leave Pozuzo. I liked Pozuzo and, perhaps, if I was going to spend some time there exploring I would feel differently, but I could not move. More so than other places people were interested if I wanted to stay - they want people to move into the area who are industrious. And I received a lot of kudos for how I arrived through the mountains. Pozuzo is almost 150 years old but still very much a frontier. The most common stores were veterinary and cattle supplies, people distill the strongest cana I have tasted to date (too strong in my humble opinion), and they grow their own tobacco for cigars, or "puros". But I was bored, though loved the food. Typically, when I travel I go somewhere and stay to explore for a month or more . . . but now I am always passing through. I must. I have two to continents to cross. So onwards and upwards for 1000 meters into Yanachaga-Chemillen National Park on a narrow dirt road.
I originally learned about this park by reading accounts of scientific expeditions to discover new species of bird, bugs, and plants. Made me wonder what I was looking at all the time. The park in re known for some of the highest biodiversity on the planet. So I took my time and watched butterflies, birds, and a troop of capuchin monkeys leaping through the trees feeding beside the road. I tried to take photos but they were quick poking their heads out to stare at me for two seconds then leaping 5 meters to the next tree. The road climbed a steep sided ravine along the river for the entire route through the jungle. Waterfalls continually cascaded off the highlands crossing the road but never so deep that I could not keep my feet dry. The rainy season is just beginning so most waterfalls were dry. But give it a month and this would be a very different ride.
After 50km the road topped out into a beautiful wide river valley that was largely give over to cattle. Every time I stopped people approached me to ask where I was coming from, going to etc. . . People are friendly, curious, and tickled pink that I wanted to see where they lived. . . they also think I am a little crazy but in a good way. Everyone is convinced they live in the most beautiful and friendly part of Peru. I finished my day in Oxapampa - a larger cattle town than Pozuzo and I am pleased to be there. My previous adventure was still exacting a toll. I took a quick tour around town and found a hotel and noticed a nice looking bar. I should have more photos of Oxapampa because I enjoyed it immensely but that is why I have no photos besides the obligatory hotel window picture - this time a sunset. I spent 3 nights parked at Otto Vater's bar drinking beer and pisco with locals and wannabe locals from other areas of Peru and the world. And I spent my days hunched over my computer wrting. I just missed Oxapampa's fiesta celebrating its heritage by a day and spent a night chatting with Oscar, a photojournalist from Lima, that was a driving force behind the event, along with many others. Oxapampa itself is not what you would call picturesque but the area is gorgeous and the people wonderful. Now I wish I had photos but it is a place I will return to. Oxapampa is a place that captures people.
I switched back to my roads treads and rolled out of Oxapampa at a a righteous clip covering 85km in a short afternoon. However, I did pay for my speed with one high velocity slide. The roads have periodic water channels, or concreted low spots to channel drainages from the hillsides. I hit one and noticed a little squirrelly swinggle but momentum kept me going then the next one set me sideways . . . I was reminded why I shave. However, my touring bags took the brunt and kept my legs, mostly, off the pavement and only an arm lost skin - now my arm is partly shaved as well. Shaving makes bandaging much easier because their is no hair in the wound and I don't rip out all the hair each time I change my bandage. (besides it is traditional, feels good, and chicks dig it . . . well some chicks)
I crossed another river and hooked left stopping for a beer. Evening was approaching and after passing through a small city I found a nice camp site beside the river. Perfect for a roadside - 50+meters down on a steep skidder path below a land slide with huge boulders in the road. All vehicles are looking at the boulders, not the river, I was below line of sight, quiet, and who is gong to be there at night. I washed up in the river, made dinner and enjoyed the sunset with a puro.
I woke to enjoy the sunrise and continued on my way.
The sunrise was equally beautiful and perfect riding along the river averaging 23+rkph . . .until noontime then it was hot as Hades (though not Central America hot). 
I pulled arrived in Satipo in the mid afternoon and checked into Henry's, that was recommended by his brother-in-law from where I stayed in Huanuco. Satipo is the end of the road and has the biggest chainsaws i have ever seen - explaining why the immediate trees are not so big.
To give perspective - the poster behind is two feet wide - the bar is over 50 inches!
Satipo is a literally the end of the road, the dreamt of trans-amazonica highway, sitting on a river. I have been eating lots, writing, and caught up with friends from Oxapampa. 
A growers paradise. What are they fishing for in the river?
ReplyDeletecertainly is! but first you have to cut down the jungle . . . or burn it. large variety of fish in the river incl trout higher up but i only know the names in spanish.
ReplyDelete