Feb. 23 – Abancay to Cusco

When we came down in the morning from our room, we discovered another rainy day, and that the bikes had been moved by someone, out onto the street!  There they sat, out in the rain.  We wandered around the hotel area, looking for a place for breakfast, and that was a joke – nothing at all anywhere except caldo de gallina – rooster soup!

We experienced our usual confusion getting out of town, no signs, of course.  It was simply up this crazy steep hill and turn right!  Should have known!

The decent road went straight up into the mountains.  First we had to stop and take some clothes off, as we had dressed warm expecting super cold like yesterday;  soonwe were back above 12,000 ft, and had to stop and put more clothes on.  The rain started again, and we had another high, wet, cold ride.  Climb even higher, then travel on the high plateau, with more snow-capped mountains in the distance.  At one point, Levi has a close call with a lamb that darts across the road just in front of him. All along the road, we see many dogs, just sitting by the roadside.  I have no idea what that is about?  Finally we descend into a steep river valley, and stop again, to take off clothes! 

Getting close to Cusco, we climb higher again, having to stop yet again to put on more clothes!  Heavy rain starts, with lightning on the horizon.  We finally see the large city spread out in the valley below us.  A beautiful sight, all the buildings red adobe with Spanish tile roofs.  Quite a sight.  We wander into the city, and manage to find the Wanchaq area, where we know the train station is located.  We find a hotel near the Wanchaq market, and they agree to let us leave the bikes in the parking area for two days while we go to Machu-Picchu.  We re-pack our gear for the trip on the train, taking only what we need for the one day, go out for chinese food, and get to be early.  We have a 5:00 wake up call in order to make the 6:50 train.