Happy New Year!

The Christmas season has been busy with gatherings of family and friends so I haven’t checked in for awhile. Now as the Holiday season draws to a close I’m ready to focus on finding my bike legs for 2010. With some extra time off over the next several days I’ll have the opportunity to become reacquainted with my trainer.

With Daylight Savings Time and the start of our weeknight hammer sessions just a little over 10 weeks away I guess there is no better time than the present to focus on finding some of that lost fitness.

A Beautiful Day to Ride

Sunday proved to be a terrific day to get out and ride. Temps in the mid to upper 50’s with a strong wind coming out of Northwest. I met up with the boyz in Delaware at the Beehive for a 2 hour spin and was surprised we only had about 6 riders in our group, especially after all the eating that took place during Thanksgiving.

Chairman Fred stopped by on his bike to say “Hi” but was headed on to attend a family birthday party. Marco was our ride leader and led us north into the headwinds. On a sad note, as we headed north we rode along Klondike Road and saw a small group of people gathered at the spot where two Dublin high school students were killed in a fatal car crash the previous evening. My thoughts are with the families and friends of the young people involved in this tragic accident.

After working hard to fight the wind we turned east and then south to enjoy the strong tailwind that carried us back to Delaware where Marco and I enjoyed a hot cup of Java and some homemade pie at the Beehive. This time of year I always think we are just about out of nice days to ride so I’m glad I made it out on Sunday.

Heading out to San Francisco - Part 2

Part II – Point Reyes, San Francisco & Alcatraz

After a restful sleep at our B &B in Sonoma we were treated to another great breakfast before checking out of our room and heading off to visit a few more wineries. We stopped at Imagery and BR Cohn wineries for tastings. I enjoyed BR Cohn the best out of these two. BR Cohn is the winery owner and manager of the Doobie Brothers. In addition to having a great selection of wine, the tasting room had several band pictures and gold records on display. After visiting these wineries we traveled west through Sobastopol toward Bodega where we picked up Hwy 1 for a really great drive south along the coast. We stopped at a few neat shops on the way south back toward San Francisco. Along the way we stopped at the Point Reyes lighthouse . The light house was a pretty long drive off the main road and I was a bit worried as we drove and drove knowing that our rental car was due at the airport that evening. We arrived at the lighthouse with just enough time to walk around and take a few pictures. The wind at the light house was strong and the views were spectacular. I think we both felt Point Reyes light house was well worth the drive.

After visiting the light house we drove back toward Hwy 1 and traveled south toward Hwy 101. We really enjoyed the drive along the twisty road that looked out over the sea. We stopped a few times to take pictures and check out the view. We missed sunset by about a half hour which was too bad. However, we weren’t sure how long it would take to arrive at the airport so we tried to keep moving as best we could. When we arrived back at Hwy 101 we gassed up and picked up some burgers and In N Out , a well known California burger chain. We then headed to the airport and dropped off our rental car with about 30 minutes to spare. We caught the Bart metro train which took us into the city and then took a cab to the Mayflower hotel. We were going to take a bus from the train to the hotel but the clerk at the hotel suggested a cab since the bus would have gone through the Tenderloin which is a rather dicey area. The Mayflower is an old hotel that was modest, but clean and it suited our needs. Our room was only $98.00 which is a steal in downtown San Francisco.

The next morning we enjoyed a really nice breakfast and then checked out of our room. The hotel was kind enough to let us keep our bags in a secure room while we enjoyed the day walking around San Francisco. Our walk included China Town, Fisherman’s Wharf and Alcatraz. At fisherman's Wharf we shared a clam chowder bread bowl and then watched the sea lions before taking our tour of Alcatraz. Our tour was fun but it began to rain while we were in the prison. The rain prevented us from walking around the grounds so we headed back to the ferry for the short trip back to the city. After returning on the Ferry from Alcatraz we walked to Ghirardelli Square and then caught the cable car back to China Town. We visited a few shops and bought a few souvenirs in China Town before walking back to the hotel to pick up our bags and then catch a cab to the train station. We then rode the Bart train back to the airport and grabbed a quick bite to eat before catching our red eye flight back home.

In 4 short days we really fit a lot into our trip. I’m looking forward to our next adventure – wherever that may take us.

Heading out to San Francisco - Part 1

Part I - Muir Woods, Sausalito & Sonoma

A few weeks ago Sweetie and I took a long 4-day weekend trip to San Francisco. The trip came about as a result of some flight vouchers we received after our epic journey south this past summer. We left on a Thursday after work and arrived in San Francisco late that evening. After catching some sleep at our hotel we were up early Friday morning to pickup our rental car at the airport and then we headed into the city to see a few sights on our way to John Muir Woods. We drove through Golden Gate Park and the Presidio en route to Lincoln Park where we stopped to take a few photos of the Golden Gate Bridge. We then drove on Hwy 101 up to Mill Valley where we exited the freeway and traveled along some really pretty roads to Muir Woods. Muir Woods was definitely one of the highlights of our trip. Walking through the park into the forest full of giant redwood trees was pretty spectacular. The forest had a prehistoric feel to me and I felt like we had gone back in time to prehistory.

After our trip to Muir Woods we drove back to Mill Valley and stopped at Studio Velo before getting back on Hwy 101. In addition to having some really cool frames and gear, Studio Velo had a vending machine out front with inner tubes, gels and other cycling necessities that were available to cyclists even when the store was closed – pretty cool!

It was then back on the highway to Sausalito where we took in the beautiful sites and checked out a few shops before having a really nice dinner at Poggio. Sitting by the window enjoying the view of the harbor with a nice glass of wine, it was cool to watch the steady flow of cyclists riding past us on the street. We quickly realized how cycling friendly the area is in and around San Francisco. After dinner we stopped at Bicycle Odyssey another great cycling shop. This may be one of the coolest and most complete bike stores I have ever visited. Great gear and a HUGE selection of top end road frames. Sweetie picked up a neat bike bell that lit up in multiple colors when you rang it – the perfect accessory for an upcoming night ride.

By now it was getting dark as we hopped back on Hwy 101 to travel north to Santa Rosa where we would spend the next few nights at Melitta Station, a small bed and breakfast that would be our home base while we checked out Sonoma’s wine country. After arriving we met the owners, a really charming couple from Great Britain, and then settled into our room to rest up for the next day’s bike ride into wine country. The next morning we enjoyed a nice breakfast and met Melitta Station’s other guests before driving into Sonoma to pick up bicycles for our ride. We rented bikes from Sonoma Valley Bike Tours . The bikes were OK and the service was so so and I’m not sure I would recommend this company to someone else. However, we really enjoyed our ride and we stopped along the way at Acacia Winery for a testing. After returning our bikes we drove to Bartholomew Winery for a tasting and we bought a few bottles of wine to bring home. We then walked around Sonoma’s town square before having dinner at Lasalette, a Portuguese restaurant recommended by our hosts at the Bed and Breakfast. We enjoyed our meal and the weather was warm enough to dine outside. After getting back to our Bed and Breakfast that evening we enjoyed a relaxing dip in their hot tub before calling it a night.

Coming up – Hwy 1 & our walking tour of San Francisco

Torelli Selvino Review

Late last year I managed to acquire a Torelli Selvino road frame. The previous owner is much taller than me and could not ride the size Medium frame. Brand new and never built up, I spent the next several months assembling it into a bike as finances would allow and component deals would present themselves. Late this past summer after checking and re-checking measurements & torque settings, I took the bike for a few short spins around the neighborhood before it made an official debut at one of our Tuesday evening hammer sessions.

While the Torelli Selvino is a compact frame it has different dimensions than my Giant TCR. The biggest differences I noticed are that the bottom bracket is slightly higher and the seat tube angle is a bit different. In order to postion the saddle equal to the TCR relative to the BB, the saddle sits slightly more forward on the seat post. The handlebar stem is a few mm’s longer than on my TCR in order to have the same reach.

I have always been pleased with the performance of my TCR, but the stiffness of the Torelli Selvino translated into noticeably improved acceleration. The Selvino handles very well and is very comfortable to ride, although the stiff frame and oversize carbon tubes make road bumps a bit more noticeable. Weighing in around 1000 gm, the frame is quite light. Weight for the entire bicycle is ~ 16.5 pounds.

The more I ride the Torelli Selvino the more I enjoy it. I would recommend this frame to anyone looking for a high quality, good looking, cost effective road racing frame.

Torelli Selvino component highlights:

Frame --- Torelli Selvino - Medium

Drive Train --- Dura Ace 10 Speed

Wheels --- Easton EA90 SLX

Tires --- Continental Grand Prix 4000

Handlebars --- Torelli Aspect

Saddle --- Selle Italia SLK

Seat post --- Easton EC 90

Pedals --- Look Keo Carbon

Don't be a dope?

Saw this article on the Velonews site this past week and thought it was interesting. If the article is accurate, a Cat 1 racer from TX received a 2-year suspension after testing positive for a banned substance he received from an OTC supplement. I know more than a few cyclists who take all types of OTC supplements and I'll bet they aren't familiar with all the ingredients.

http://www.velonews.com/article/98978/houston-based-amateur-accepts-doping-suspension">Velonews Article

As long as Gatorade and Powergel is allowed I should be OK.

Hiking to Mt. LeConte

This past weekend I had the opportunity to hike up to the lodge at Mt. LeConte with my sweetie. Mt. LeConte is located in the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee and is the 3rd highest peak of that range behind Clingman’s Dome and another peak whose name escapes me right now.

This opportunity came my way when someone from the original group of 4 had to cancel due to a scheduling conflict. As it turned out two others also cancelled so it was just the two of us on this trip. I was already scheduled to be in the area for work so we met at our motel in Townsend, Tennessee on Friday evening. Our motel was located next to a visitor center which was hosting an annual Bluegrass music festival. Whether or not you enjoy this type of music (I do!) it was really cool to be in the Smokey Mountains and hear these local musicians playing their instruments just outside our room.

Before we called it a night we watched The Weather Channel to see the forecast for Saturday predicting a 100% chance of rain. As it turned out the forecast was right on the money. Fortunately we had packed with this possibility in mind so we were pretty well prepared for showers. There are 5 trails leading to the lodge and they ranged in length from 5 miles to a bit over 8 miles. Since we had two cars we thought it would be nice to hike two different trails. So we parked one car at Newfound Gap which was the trailhead for the 8 mile Boulevard Trail and then drove a few miles to Alum Cave Trail which is about 5 miles long. Since we were pretty sure we would get wet we felt hiking the shorter distance on Saturday would be the way to go. If more rain fell on Sunday we could still come down this same trail.

We hit the trail with grey skies overhead and the first hour or so was pleasant and dry. After awhile a light rain began and it gradually became heavier. For the last hour or so of our hike the rain fell hard and even with Gore-Tex boots and jackets we eventually became pretty wet. Alum Cave Trail was pretty challenging toward the end and the trail effectively became a stream as we neared the top. Some really impressive waterfalls could be seen all along the trail. Despite being wet I really enjoyed the experience of testing myself against the elements as we reached the peak.

Mt. LeConte Lodge was our overnight destination and I really enjoyed its rustic simplicity. The lodge consists of several 4 person cabins and a larger group cabin. The lodge has no electricity so each cabin is heated by a small propane furnace and has a small kerosene lamp for light. Food and supplies are brought in by llamas that travel up the Trillium Trail a few times per week. We packed along some wine, cheese and crackers which we enjoyed after getting into warm dry clothes. Dinner was served at 6:00pm and included roast beef in gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, cornbread, spiced apples and peaches. Coffee and hot chocolate was provided as well. What a great meal after a cold wet day on the trails.

Before dinner we heard someone yelling “YAAA – YAAA - Get Away, Get Outta Here!”. We learned at dinner that the folks next to us saw a bear outside their cabin. Overnight that same bear broke into another cabin and tore up a mattress while probably looking for food. Unfortunately this same bear had been in the camp before and will likely be euthanized if seen again near the cabins.

We were up early the next morning for a terrific breakfast including pancakes, scrambled eggs w/ ham and biscuits with honey. What a difference a day makes! The early morning was foggy and as we headed out on the Boulevard Trail the weather became more sunny and beautiful. We even had the opportunity to stop at a few scenic spots to enjoy a snack. Our hike down the trail was beautiful and was a great way to finish out the weekend. The last few miles of our hike went along the AT which brought us to the car where we loaded up. I was dropped off at my car and then we headed off for home.

Both trails we hiked were pretty challenging but doable for anyone in reasonable shape. Rain or shine, Mt. LeConte is a terrific trip which I would highly recommend to anyone if the opportunity comes their way.

Tripping to Peru (Part 3): Machu Pichu

Tripping to Peru (Part 1)

Tripping to Peru (Part 2)

More from our recent trip to Peru...

The morning after our last evening on the Inca Trail we woke up at 5:00 for a quick breakfast before heading off for our final hike to Machu Picchu. There is always a big push for groups to be the first to arrive at Machu Picchu each day so our guides staged our group at a small restaurant near our camp site to wait a short while until the initial rush of hikers were on their way. This would allow our group to hike at our own pace and avoid the potentially dangerous situation of getting caught up in the rush and possibly falling and hurting ourselves during the pre-dawn scramble.

As it turned out waiting was the right course of action. The final hike to Machu Picchu was a short one and our group arrived in plenty of time to see the sun rise over the ruins - a really incredible site that words cannot describe.

After waiting to see the sun rise we proceeded on to take a leisurely tour of the grounds. Our guide, Martin, was very well versed on the architecture, history and ancient significance of Machu Pichu and our tour was great. Being there to experience the vistas and buildings in person after seeing them so many times in books and on TV was really special.

The weather was sunny and hot - perfect for a leisurely walk around this ancient Inca ruin. We learned more about the skills and the resourcefulness of the Incas as well as their religion and the spiritual significance of many spots within Machu Picchu.

Many parts of the Inca's former empire were pillaged by the Spanish when they arrived in Peru during the 1500's. During this era the Inca's retreated into the mountains and found refuse from the Spaniards at Machu Picchu. Since the Spanish were not able to follow the Inca's to this location they were unable to pillage Machu Picchu so it stands to this day as an important site for the Inca's history. Althought the spanish never located Machu Picchu, many of the Incas who retreated there had been exposed the small pox and popular belief is that this disease caused Machu Pichu's population to die out less than 100 years after Machu Picchu was established. As a result, construction at this site was never completed.

Over the years the Peruvian people have restored sections of Machu Picchu to show how the buildings may have looked when this area was an active community.

After spending the morning at Machu Picchu, we needed to catch a bus down the mountain where we would board a train to take us to Olantytambo where we spent the night before traveling to the Sacred Valley. The bus ride took us down a long gravel road made up almost entirely of switch backs. One time our bus came to a rather sudden stop when it met another bus face to face that was coming up the road. Our bus backed up a few meters through a corner and allowed the other bus to pass and we were back on our way to the bottom of the mountain.

After we reached the end of our bus ride we walked to a nearby restaurant to bid farewell to our fellow travelers along the Inca Trail. We also met back up with Luchu and Tilley who would accompany us to the Sacred Valley and then on to the Amazon Jungle.

Coming up - The Sacred Valley and the Amazon Jungle...

County Fair Time

Every year the company I work for supports the Champaign County Fair by bidding on animals that are owned by our employee’s kids who are active in 4H. The Champaign County Fair was this past week so I attended and bid on a rabbit and two meat pens of chickens. My company was the winning bidder for all three sales and the kids seemed to really appreciate our support & participation. The kids are always pleased to learn that we let them keep their animals and I’m always pleased I don’t have to tote any pens of livestock back home with me to the city.

My co worker's daughter with her Grand Champion Rabbit!

This was probably my 5th or 6th year of bidding on the 4H animals and it is always a lot of fun. This year the rabbit we bought was “Grand Champion” so the local news paper took our picture and my company received some nice pub in the local paper. Champaign County has one of the largest 4H programs in the state (4H began in neighboring Clark County in the early 1900’s) and one of the parents I spoke to this year said the Champaign County fair displays more animals and horticulture than the Ohio State Fair.

Speaking of Bicycle Safety...

Saw this photo on Bike Rumor and thought "Are you kidding me?". Mounting a lap top computer on your bike seems like a bad idea for so many reasons...

Last night I made it out to our Tuesday evening hammerfest in Delaware. We had a great group last night and a good sized turnout. Most of the major instigators were present and this was one of the fastest paced Tuesday rides I have attended. A few sustained efforts of around 28 mph. About 6 of us were together at the finish and our average speed for the entire ride was 23 mph on the button.

After the ride Chairman Fred mentioned to me that the pace of this ride seems to increase each season - I would have to agree.

July has been a tough month for cyclists here in central Ohio. For me, a good friend and team mate experienced a painful race-related crash that required an extended hospital stay as part of his recovery. And, along with countless area cyclists, I experienced the tragic loss of a kind, safe and well respected rider. The sad details of this fatal accident are well known so I won’t elaborate on them here.

This morning I read a post from a cycling friend in which, as a result of last week’s cycling fatality, he shares his feelings regarding the dangers of our sport and some questions he has about getting back on his bike and riding on the roads. I guess I’ve been having those same thoughts as well.

Unfortunately serious bike accidents on the road can stir up feelings of “us against them” between cars and cyclists. Some motorists feel cyclists are dangerous obstacles that have no place on the road while some cyclists feel motorists resent cyclist’s legal rights to be there. These conflicting perspectives put me in a bit of a tough spot.

I am a cyclist and I love this sport. For me it is much more than a hobby or fitness activity. Cycling is a lifestyle and a way of life. My friends are cyclists, my vacations are cycling related and my free time is spent racking up thousands of miles each year. Cycling defines the person I am.

I’m also a motorist. My job requires that I drive around 50,000 miles each year visiting customers throughout Ohio, the adjoining states and beyond. Unfortunately bike commuting is not an option for me but I support (and sometime envy) my friends who have the wonderful opportunity to choose this healthy and environmentally friendly mode of transport.

I try to use my “dual role” perspective to be a safe driver who is considerate of cyclists I encounter on the road and to be a safe, predictable cyclist who is aware that I share the road with motorists facing their own share of daily challenges. I think most folks feel the same way. But it is that small minority of inconsiderate or distracted individuals we need to be aware of when we are behind the wheel or on the saddle.

In the end I acknowledge the dangers of road cycling and plan to continue doing so because of the enjoyment and quality of life it provides. While this past weekend’s tragedy demonstrates that safe riding does not eliminate serious dangers, I’ll ride as carefully and defensively as I can to reduce these risks as much as possible. I’m also hopeful that increased awareness and empathy between motorists and cyclists will help make our roads safer for everyone.

Steve Barbour Update – very sad news

Last night I learned that Steve Barbour had sustained serious, irreversible brain damage as a result of his cycling injury this past Saturday.

This morning I was informed that Steve has passed away as a result of his injuries. Our cycling community has experienced a terrible loss in Steve's passing.

The understanding that the motorist who struck Steve was intoxicated is currently pending confirmation. If this is true I can only hope justice will be served to the fullest extent of the law when this irresponsible driver has his day in court.

Steve's family remains in my thoughts & prayers.

Painful Riding

Summer is a great time of year for lots of reasons. Cook outs, concerts, vacations, and of course, cycling with friends. However, summer also seems to have become a very dangerous time of year to be out on our bikes. Earlier this summer, on two separate occasions, a few good friends of mine (including Marco) took bad spills when a dog chased the group and ran into them during a regular weekly ride. Both of these accidents could have been avoided if the dog’s owners were responsible and law abiding pet owners who kept their animals tied up or inside a fence. Each incident resulted in the riders taking a trip to the hospital to be X-rayed and patched up.

This past weekend two other friends were involved in cycling accidents which were even more serious. My team mate George is currently in the hospital with 6 broken ribs and a fractured scapula after tangling with someone at the Troy race this past weekend. Steve Barbour, a long time cyclist who is active with COP, was struck by a motorist in Hilliard early Saturday morning while on his way to lead a group ride headed to Bellefontaine. Currently Steve is hospitalized and is in a coma. Sadly, rumor has it the motorist who struck Steve was intoxicated.

Cycling is a great past time and it’s a big part of my life. Unfortunately cycling also seems to be getting more dangerous. Maybe it is simply due to more people becoming involved in the sport as it grows in popularity. But at the end of the day each of these incidents could have been avoided if the individuals causing them had been acting in a responsible manner.

Tripping to Peru (Part 2): Cuzco & the Inca Trail

Tripping to Peru (Part 1)

More on our trip to Peru from this past May:

Cuzco:

After our walking tour through Lima it was back to the hotel for some well needed rest before flying out to Cuzco the next morning.

The next morning we were up at 4:00 am to take a quick shower, pack and enjoy a quick breakfast of coffee and warm bread with jam. We also met Tilly, an attorney from Germany who would join us on our trip to Cuzco, the Sacred Valley and the Amazon Jungle. Tilly is an attorney from Germany who has lived in the UK for many years. So many years, in fact, that she had developed a British accent. Around 5:30 we were picked up by a van and taken to the airport where we would catch our flight to Cuzco.

We landed in Cuzco and met Lucho, our guide for the next several days. He was a really great guy with lots of enthusiasm and knowledge about the area. Cuzco is a beautiful, historic city that was once the capitol of the entire Inca Empire that totaled as many 4 million people at it peak sometime in the 1500’s. Firm dates and history on the Inca people are unknown since their civilization did not have a written language.

We spent the day in Cuzco touring the city, checking out the food market and the San Pedro craft market where we bought lots of great souvenirs. We also walked up the steep roads to Sacsayhuaman (pronounced "sexy woman") to check out the remains of a really incredible Inca community. Lucho took us to a great shop that sold delicious coca tea and coca chocolates. We enjoyed this shop so much that we visited it again when we returned to Cuzco later in our trip.

While we were in Cuzco we went horseback riding over some paths that took us to a number of different Inca remains. One memorable part of this activity was almost getting kicked by my horse when I made the greenhorn mistake of walking behind it. Lesson learned, I’m pretty certain I won’t make that error again.

After a nice dinner at a great authentic Peruvian restaurant, it was back to the hotel for bed before another early morning wake up call for our trip on to the Inca Trail!

The Inca Trail!

Early the next morning we were up for breakfast before meeting our Martin & Joseph, our tour guides for the Inca Trail. They weighed our stuff sacks of clothes and mine was about 1 pound over the weight limit. Porters would carry our bags along the trail and there was a weight limit for the amount of baggage we could bring. I removed a half dozen Mojo bars and 1 base layer shirt and stuffed them in my daypack and this brought the weight of my stuff sack within the limits. We then climbed aboard the large van which included the rest of our Inca Trail group and we were off and running.

The ride to the start of the Inca trail probably took an hour or so and included a few memorable events. As we climbed up the mountain and along the curving roads someone in our van yelled “pull over” just before Kyle, one of the passengers, became sick. We originally thought Kyle was suffering from motion sickness but later we learned that he and the rest of his family ate something that didn’t sit well with them. After pulling off the road to dismount and clean up the inside of the van, we loaded up again and continued on. As we got closer to the start of the trail we saw several sections of road with piles of rocks in them that became obstacles for our van as well as other vehicles traveling along in front and behind us. We later learned from our guides that the rocks had been placed in the road by local farmers who were on strike in opposition to the Peruvian government’s plan to privatize the supply of water that flowed from the Andes Mountains. This water was a free resource the farmers used for their crops and privatization would create a major expense that would threaten their livelihood.

After stopping a few times to move rocks from the road our van arrived at the start of the Inca Trail where we grouped up, received our bag of snacks for the 4-day hike, received a briefing on our upcoming journey and paid our fees to hike the trail. We also receive a very cool stamp in our passports!

It is really difficult to summarize the next 4 days of our trip. Our hike though the Andes Mountains along the Inca trail was totally incredible and this portion of our adventure was a highlight of the trip. We started off at a relatively low altitude where the weather was sunny and warm and we would eventually hike up to an elevation of 13,800 feet where we reached at “Dead Women’s Pass” the day before reaching Macho Pichu. The entire trail was paved with large stones set into the ground hundreds of years ago. According to our guides it is believed that the Inca people had quarries throughout the region to supply the stones and that slaves may have been used to set the stones in place. But the skill, time and human resources that must have been required to complete this incredible task are mind boggling to me.

We were really well cared for during our trip along the Inca Trail. Each day we would stop for lunch at a scenic spot where tents had been set up and hot, delicious food had been prepared for us. We would then hike the rest of the afternoon before arriving at our campsite for the evening where the dining tent had been set up along with the tents all of us would sleep in each evening. We were served hot coca tea and a light snack before dinner and we enjoyed a great meal by candle light each evening. Our porters set everything up and tore everything down each day and then carried our moving campsite along the trails. It was incredible to watch these nimble footed men fly past us on the trail while carrying large loads of tents, chairs, food and personal items. One memory that stands out for me was watching one porter carry two 5-gallon cans of water up a steep section of the trail as I struggled to climb the same section with only a light daypack. These guys were truly amazing.

Our first evening at camp the sky was crystal clear and we could see satellites passing along the sky. We also saw the Milky Way, the Southern Cross and a large, brilliant shooting star.

The sights along the trail were more incredible than anything I can put into words. Beautiful valleys, mountain views, wild life and flora were our constant companions as we hiked toward Machu Pichu.

Coming up: Machu Pichu!

Tripping to Peru (Part 3)