After a lengthy discussion we decided to head back the way we came…
It is over 250 miles more to continue on the same road. This is the gravel/dirt/mud/track we rode yesterday. It took us about an hour and half to go 22 miles!!! It also beat the crap out of our bikes. Dans started making the scrunching noise again about 10 miles after oiling the rubber cush drive for the rear wheel. Johns bike started making the same noise about 5 miles from Santiago De Chuco. We think its just the fact that muddy water, grit and crap found its way into the cush drive… Without getting to technical, the cush drive is just some rubber dealy’s that absorb the shock between the rear sproket and the wheel. Grit and stuff gets in there and then the rubber grinds against the metal causing it to squeak. Sounds like a good theory doesn’t it???
Anyway we decided to head back to the pavement as there is 6000 plus miles left in the journey and we don’t want to have too much trouble with the bikes. Call us pansie’s if you wish. About half way back to the pavement John noticed his fairing bouncing. After a close inspection all the bolts had come loose. We got out the tools and tightened it up. Then we started looking around and found most of the subframe bolts loose as well and looked on Dan’s bike and there were numerous bolts loose there as well. The road was reallly taking its toll.
The rain held off on our trip out and the scenery was beatuiful – huge vistas that were very hard to capture on camera.
After 3+ hours of crappy roads we arrived back at the pavement and had a nice smooth cruise into Trujillio. With the exeption of a quick stop to shed our wet weather gear, at which time Dan’s bike decided it needed a little nap. So it laid down for a quick rest…. Dan let it sleep long enough for John to take a couple pictures. It started to tip over and Dan realized his footing wasn’t too good on the loose gravel so he let it go rather than risk some injury trying to keep it upright.
We stayed at the same hotel and played a few games of cribbiage. Over a few beers we looked at the maps and made up a new route south down the PanAm.
Tomorrow we head south again –
Cheers.
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