The Nazca Lines and Back to Lima in One Day

Good day again to you all and a very happy and belated new year! I wish you all the very best for the year and hope that you all manage to get out and travel to some extraordinary places in 2007. It has been sometime since my last post – and this is mostly due to the fact that we’ve been busy working on the new class adventure travel website – www.cat-travel.com. It is also partly due to the fact that my family and I have spent a lot of time traveling around Latin America looking out for new tours, destinations, and new offices for CAT – in such places as Chile and Costa Rica. My first entry for the year however concerns itself with the Nazca Lines and how getting there, seeing the awesome sight of the lines, and getting back to Lima can now be done in one day.

Approximately 2000 years ago the Nazca Culture – for one reason or another (the theories are endless) – decided it would be in their best interest to carve giant geometric designs, patterns, and stylized animal figures into the surface of a rather flat, inhospitable, and barren plain. Whether in fact the Nazca people created the lines to appease the gods, or whether they made them simply in order to confuse us is largely immaterial, especially as the reasons behind their creation have been debated for so long that any hope of finding a concrete explanation for their existence seems to have disappeared. What hasn’t disappeared however, are the lines – and after 2000 years they are as resplendent, mind boggling, and impressive as ever.

The town of Nazca lies about 450 kilometers south of Lima and the amazing geoglyphs, located on the plateau outside of town never fail to dazzle me. What does annoy me is that if you’re on a limited time frame it’s a difficult site to see. Traditionally one has always had to take a bus from Lima to Nazca which takes roughly seven hours. It actually took me nine hours to get there by bus a couple of years ago. What this means is that unless you really want to spend some time exploring the region –you’re looking at a two day trip at the very least. If the bus is fast you can get there and back in 14 hours. It’s a large price to pay considering the Cessna flight over the lines only lasts 30 minutes. This rather time consuming, line viewing haul is no longer necessary though.

I recently discovered – to my pleasure I should add – that it is now possible to see the Nazca Lines in one day from Lima. A flight in the morning takes you to Ica – where you board a Cessna and fly directly over to the Nazca Lines. The trip over the lines lasts a little longer owing to the distance, and after returning to Ica one can enjoy a little seafood lunch, lounge about comfortably at the swimming pools at Las Dunas hotel, and even try some famous Huacachina sand-boarding before returning to Lima on a late afternoon flight.

I did this trip recently and found it to be not only a great way to get to see the lines, but also found it to be rather relaxing. It’s a little fast paced, but you are given plenty of time to sit around and catch up on some reading. I’d recommend this trip to anyone pressed for time while traveling in Peru, as well as for those who like to get things done comfortably and quickly. On the other hand there is a lot to be said about Nazca and other sites in the area. The Hacienda Cantayo, located on the outskirts of town, is possibly one of the finest hotels in Peru and is definitely one of my personal favorites. Another reason to stay in Nazca is to see the rather eerie - although fascinating - ancient bone cemetery of Chauchilla on the outskirts of town. So there are things to see and do in the area if you want to take your time. It is however, nice to know that we now have the option of getting down to Nazca, seeing the lines, and getting back to Lima in a day.

I hope this helps anyone interested. Keep on traveling!

Bart

www.cat-travel.com

By the way, I noticed that you can now find the Nazca Lines on Google Earth if you look hard enough. For those of you interested, search the Nazca Plain that lies in the vicinity of 14°41'00" S and 75°07'00" W.

It’s HOT,HOT,HOT!

Today we drive through one of the hottest areas of the United States. The Mojave desert is a beautiful but unforgiving environment, not a place to break down on a bike and not have support. In the hottest months (July and August) the temperature can go as high as 128˚ f (53.3˚C) and riding on a motorcycle is like riding a giant electric hair dryer. It’s very easy to get overheated quickly, and heatstroke can be a life-threatening reality. Keeping from getting dehydrated is one of the challenges on a long motorcycle trip. While riding it’s easy to get dehydrated, the problem is that when you sweat, it evaporates almost immediately and you don’t realize it. Getting dehydrated can be dangerous for a rider’s health, and make what should be a enjoyable experience a miserable one. I keep a cooler in the van well-stocked with bottles of ice-cold water, and at every rest-stop check to make sure everyone has adequate water. I also have a supply of Gatoraid powder on hand to mix with the water to keep everyone’s electrolytes balanced. I also encourage everyone to wear a bandanna and dip it in the ice-water in the cooler and wear it while riding. Keeping hydrated is even more essential in the deserts of the southwest, where heatstroke (hyperthermia) can even kill an unwary biker. It usually only takes one really hot day for everyone to realize how important staying cool is.
I also keep a special tool handy for when it is un-bearably hot, a high capacity supersoaker water gun. I drain the water from the melted ice in the cooler to fill it, and hose down anyone that wants it. When it’s 120f+ and the water is 33f it feels great and is so cold, it’s enough to make a big strong man scream like a little girl!
We start our day early to get moving before it gets too horribly hot. We leave the hotel and start over the mountains, stopping for a quick photograph of the desert below. Then it’s back on the bikes for a long ride leaving Nevada behind us and going into our last state on route 66, California. We continue down the route until we come to the small town of Amboy. Not much of a town, it primarialy cosists of a post office, chloride mine, a few small houses and hotel/gas station. The entire town was for sale on ebay last year, and was sold to Albert Okura who is currently attempting to restore it to it’s former glory.Here we stop for a rest break and some water and a quick spray from the water gun. It’s so hot by this time almost everyone opts for the watergun soaking, it’s so hot and dry that after 15 minutes on the bike you’re bone-dry again (now that’s hot)!
Then we get back on the road, passing the extinct volcano, the Amboy crater. Then it’s only about 70 miles for our lunch stop in Barstow. Depending on how hot it is, we either try to make it into town right away, or if it’s just too hot we stop about halfway at the highway rest-area for some more water (drinking and soaking) before we get to town. Once there we have a leisurely lunch because our hotel is only about 40 miles.
After lunch and everyone has had some food, water and air conditioning we get back on the bikes and ride the last 40 miles to our hotel in Victorville.
Once we get to the hotel it’s time to unpack the van, change into our swimwear and hit the cool water of the pool. We usually get in early because of the early start time and short distance, so we have plenty of time to enjoy the pool. This is also where we have our farewell dinner in the hotel resturaunt. During dinner we have a great time discussing our favorite parts of the route, things we’ve seen and just generally have a good time. After we eat it’s time for Stuart and Gary to give a brief speech about the tour, go over some of the best (and worst) parts of the trip and thank everyone for coming along.
After dinner we got to the hotel bar for a few drinks and conversation before we go to bed, to get rested and ready for the ride into the worst traffic nightmare in the United States, Los Angeles.

Saligman, Angel and the Old West

A beautiful day for a ride through the desert. This morning we start with a nice breakfast in the hotel, go to our rooms and bring the bags to the van for loading. After loading we head off into the beautiful southwestern deserts. The morning begins with a ride down the Kaibab Plateau toward the first stop of the day, Saligman, Az.

This is the home of the world famous Snow Cap diner, one of the most popular stops along the entire route. To travel route 66 and not stop in the Snow-cap for some food or a drink should be considered a crime.
The Snow Cap diner has been in business since 1953, started by propritor Juan Delgadillo, and staffed by his family. Juan was world famous for his comic antics and eccentric menu (and behavior) including cheeseburgers with cheese, dead chicken sandwiches hamburgers without ham, hazzardous mustard and ketchup bottles, rubber chickens, “Straws” , napkins, and many others. When you go into the snow cap, be extremely careful of what and how you say things, as they are experts at having fun at your expense.



To the dismay of millions Juan Delgadillo passed away on June 2nd, 2004, and with him went a small piece of Route 66. However his children are still running the Snow-cap and doing an excellent job, keeping alive the memory and spirit (and sense of humor) of thier father. Juan kept the travelers of Route 66 well-fed and amused for 52 years, and his family will continue to do so for another 52 years, hopefully longer. As long as the Snow-cap still stands, Juan will be remembered and admired.
























His brother Angel, is also a well known figure in town. Angel Delgadillo has been only a block away from the snow cap in his barber shop since he first started in 1950. He continued to be the town’s barber until he semi-retired in 1996. He still comes to his barber shop almost every day (usually by bicycle), not to work as a barber but to indulge in his other passion, the preservation of historic Route 66. He is considered the driving force behind keeping route 66 in Arizona alive and well. He’s considered Route 66’s “Guardian
Angel” for his devotion to the road he and his family have called home. He and his wife Vilma still run the Route 66 Gift shop, and greet travelers and tourists with a broad smile and hearty welcome. If you have the time, take a moment to sit and talk with Angel, you just may learn something. Angel was even nice to give me a quick trim (a bear’s gotta look his best you know!), thanks Angel! I was also able to takl him into giving Gary a shave, (he was starting to look a bit un-bearable) and badly needed to be cleaned up a bit. Angel did an excellent job, a true professional, he made even Gary look presentable.











































After a rest-break in Saligman we continue on our way down the road through some beautiful scenery until
our next rest break in Hackberry. Here we stop for a break, and enjoy looking around another historic gas station and general store along the route.


This place has the best men’s room on the entire trip and is not to be missed. Covered with pin-ups of beautiful women mostly scantily clad or not wearing anything at all, true Americana.



The station in interesting enough, but the exterior is also just as appealing with it’s 1956 Corvette, loving restored, and other classic cars strewn about in various states of disrepair and decay. After we’re rested and watered up, we get back on the road.


We continue on into Kingman, where we stop at the local Harley-Davidson dealership for our final visit to a dealership. This our last opportunity to buy whatever Harley merchandise we want for the tour. Afterwards we gas up and go, heading off into the desert toward our next stop, Oatman. A true relic of the old west, Oatman was a former gold and silver mining town of the old west, even though the gold is still there it isn’t profitable to mine anymore. Now the town survives on it’s reputation and history alone. A tourist town which has kept alive the feel f the old west.
One of the many reasons it’s still around is because of it’s non-human residents, the wild burros which freely roam the town streets. These animals anr the decendants of the miner’s best friend and work animal. Once the mines stopped operating the miners just set thier burros free to roam the mountains. Just be careful, they do bite and kick though! They will also follow you around town looking for handouts from the tourists, and many of the local shops sell bags of carrots so you can feed them.

Another place of note is the Oatman hotel, or as we have come to call it, “The Million Dollar” hotel. Not because of it’s ammenities, but more because of its interior bar and resturaunt, where the walls are covered in dollar bills with peoples’ names and home countries stapled to every available surface. If you’re ever in town, just ask the bartender for the marker and staple gun and put a bill up yourself! After we stop for lunch we continue on to our hotel/casino, the Flamingo in Laughlin, Nevada. Only about 40 miles away it’s just across the Colorado river. Once we arrive we unload the bags and go into the hotel/casino to relax, and loose some money! After dinner in the hotel buffet it’s off to our rooms for some rest because tomorrow we ride through the extremely hot Mojave desert!

A Trip for Two to Kuelap: the second Machu Picchu

Good day fellow travelers – It has been a while since we met and I thought I’d write something up on a recent return trip my wife Karin and I undertook to Kuelap, and how traveling to these amazing Northern ruins has become a lot easier over the past ten years.

My first trip to Kuelap was a ten years ago and was none to easy, but if you’ve spent some time traveling you’ll agree that on some occasions, the harder a place is to get to - the more worthwhile it is once you get there.

The beauty of Kuelap far outweighed the hardships of getting there, and so it was with very little hesitation and a lot of excitement that Karin and I set off once more to return to Peru’s secret ruins. Ten years ago I was fascinated by the enchanting ruins of Kuelap – described by many as a second Machu Picchu – and ever since then I have been eagerly trying to getting myself back there. Well, I was in Peru recently with Karin, and with some spare time on our hands we set off once more for what would be an inspiring trip up north.

To reach Kuelap one has to spend a few nights in Chachapoyas, a mountain town only accessible by road from either Cajamarca or Chiclayo. The route from Cajamarca passes though the Utcubamba Valley and provides superb views from a road that is literally carved into cliff faces thousands of feet high – it is visually stunning but can be very dangerous. Ten years ago Karin and I took the overnight bus from Chiclayo. We arrived early in the morning and after having spent the entire evening bouncing around on wooden seats at the back of a bus, we were tired, bruised, and in some serious need of sleep. At present however things have changed, one can now arrange private transport to Chachapoyas and the roads are in a better - albeit not perfect - condition. What this means is that the proverbial ‘pain in the ass’ has both literally and figuratively been removed from the trip. We were driven in private transport, were able to stop and walk around at sites on the way, and managed to get some sleep on route. I actually felt refreshed when we reached Chachapoyas this time around.

Surprisingly few tourists make it to Chachapoyas which I find remarkable; not only is it close to the ruins of Kuelap and a number of other attractions in the area, but over the years it has become increasingly more accessible to reach. It’s a laidback town, one of the most scenic in Peru, and perhaps one of my favorites. Outside the hotel a local kid proudly tells me that Chachapoyas means ‘Misty Mountain’ and that Chachapoyans are all ‘Cloud Warriors’. And who am I to disagree? - Clouds float through the town at eye level, and while the townsfolk seem too friendly and laidback to ever be warriors – they are said to be descendants of the Chacha culture that built Kuelap and warred with the Incas.

Nowadays private tours run daily to Kuelap from Chachapoyas leaving at about 8am and returning at about 4 or 5pm the same day. This doesn’t mean there are hordes of tourists visiting – on the contrary there are very few indeed. What it does mean is that one doesn’t have to spend 3 days waiting to get to the ruins as I had to ten years ago.
Even though Kuelap is only 27km from Chachapoyas (as the crow flies) – the drive there today can take up to three hours. It’s a rough drive it must be said that it scarcely compares to the hardships I went through in getting there the last time. On my first trip I was assigned to the rattling back seat of a collectivo (a minivan) with a couple of chickens and a collection of rusty farming implements for no less than seven hours. This time around I got to enjoy the stunning views over the canyons and ravines on the way there from a comfortable car seat, and we even stopped in one of the local villages to enjoy a fantastic Chacha lunch on the way back.

Ten years ago I finally arrived in Kuelap after taking a 14 hour bus ride to Chiclayo, an 11 hour bus ride to Chachapoyas, a hellish 7 hour ride in the back of a collectivo, and a half an hour steep hike. Minutes before I set my eyes on Kuelap I wondered whether it would all be worth it.

It is. Believe me.

And it still is now. Only this time round I actually enjoyed getting there.

Like the time before - I strolled around a corner and quite unexpectedly, there it was – towering yellow walls amid an explosion of vivid plant life. Groups of Llamas graze on green grass while being dwarfed by the gigantic walls of Kuelap, which appear barely able to restrain the natural overgrowth spilling down their sides. It took my breath away once again.

It is very easy to see that Kuelap was built as a fort; it is quite literally impenetrable and it is no wonder it took the Inca so long to conquer the Chacha people. Entering through the very narrow yet impressive entrance way we arrived within the complex to find an extensive number of ruins hidden under a jungle of brightly colored Air-plants, Bromeliads and Orchids. As with my first visit to Kuelap, I was filled with this inexplicable contentment – I had the same feeling when I first visited Machu Picchu, and while both places are very different from one another, they inspire the same kind of awe and admiration one reserves for sacred sites.

This time around, one of the most extraordinary parts of the trip to the ruins for Karin and I was that we were there for the better half of an entire day and were, save for the guide who had brought us, completely alone. We did not see another face, Peruvian or foreigner, for the entire time we were there. Ten years ago there had been a few other foreigners on site – but this time there was no one. We spent most of the day walking through the labyrinth of forgotten ruins and temples, and were filled with a sense of peace and isolation. Besides taking the occasional picture – there isn’t very much to do in Kuelap other than sit and admire the ruins in wonder and contentment. In the early afternoon we returned to the car for the ride back to Chachapoyas.

Once again Kuelap lived up to my expectations. Easier to get to this time around, my feelings of awe and my veneration for this sacred site are no different today as they were upon my first visit. Kuelap certainly has something very special about it, something I will never forget, and something I definitely want to see again.

Go for it – and keep on traveling

Bart

Useful Information on Kuelap

• Kuelap is the largest ancient building in the Americas and is estimated to contain 3 times more stone material in its construction than the largest pyramid at Giza, Egypt.
• Only 1% of tourists visiting Peru journey to the north of the country and only a tiny fraction of these few visit Kuelap
• At 3000 masl, Kuelap’s outer walls measure 600 meters in diameter in some areas and are as high as 19 meters in others
• Kuelap contains over 400 buildings within its walls with three distinctive sections, the first for the commoners, the second for the military, and the third for the royalty and high priests
• The Chacha culture, about whom very little is known, began building Kuelap circa 800AD
• Towards the beginning of the 16th century the Incas took control of Kuelap after a lengthy war, only to abandon it when the Spanish arrived in the middle of the same century.
• There are plans to possibly build a cable car up to the Kuelap fortress. While this project may take some time to be implemented, it will be much less detrimental on both the culture and environment around Kuelap when mass tourism discovers this amazing secret.

Travel Advice and Tips

• Keep your eyes open for blond haired, blue eyed locals in the area. Many theories surround the origins of these people who claim to have no European ancestry whatsoever. One such theory is that they are the direct descendants of the Chacha people whom the Inca described as a ‘tall and fair’ race
• Make sure you take a lot of water and a small snack on your tour of Kuelap
  El Chillo is the best hotel in the Chachapoyas area and is well worth checking out, but do not expect any luxury there.
• There is far more to the region than just Kuelap. If you have some extra time you should visit Revash, Yalape, and the cliff hanging Karajia Sarcophagi close to San Miguel de Cruzpata, which featured in National Geographic some years back. All are very impressive sites
• If you can, take a private tour to the ruins. Not only is the ride more comfortable, but its faster, safer, and provides a more personal experience

Hey! There's a really big hole in the ground…oh…wait…it's just the Grand Canyon!

This morning we have time to sleep in. We spend today in Williams to take time to go see the Grand Canyon. No rushing around for breakfast and to get the luggage loaded, just a day to relax and see the beauty of Arizona. After a leisurely breakfast we get on the bikes and head up to Grand Canyon National Park. It’s only about 70 Miles from the hotel, and a beautiful ride to the park. Once we arrive and spend our time in line at the park entrance, we make our way to the edge of the canyon. Here we get off our bikes and have a couple of hours to hike the rim trail, take photographs and admire the gigantic hole in the ground.


The Grand Canyon has taken millions of years to form, a result of the meandering course of the mighty, turbulent Colorado river, wind, rain and erosion. It still is forming today, as rainstorms, spring runoff, streams and the Colorado river sculpt it’s continually changing contours. One cannot really appreciate it’s immense scale from just the rim, to really understand how large it really is requires that you actually go into the canyon itself. This is harder than it sounds, the national park service strongly discourages anyone from attempting to go to the bottom and back to the rim in the same day.
They even consider this activity to be dangerous and irresponsible. Even if you are in the best physical shape and avaraged a good pace the round-trip would take at least sixteen hours. Of those who have attempted to do it, only a few have ever accomplished it, most falling victim to dehydration, sunstroke, extreme exhaustion, and in some cases even death. Since we are only at the Grand canyon for a short period of time we take the easiest option to go into the canyon…helicopter rides!


We continue to enjoy our surroundings until it’s time to go to the Grand Canyon airport to take our helicopter ride. Depending on our flight time we either go directly to the airport or to a local pizza place for lunch. Either way we go on the helicopter ride into the canyon (booked well ahead of time, being immensely popular the flights fill up quickly…especially in the busy summer tour months) to get a true apperciation on the size and scope of the canyon.



In all our tours I have never had anyone complain about the flight, and most are at a loss for words to describe it when they are finished. Gary and I have been on the helicopter tours so many times, the last one my silly human (Gary) fell asleep midway through th flight.





After lunch and the flight, everyone finds thier own way to enjoy the canyon, be it going back to the rim, hiking the trails, or just going to the IMAX theatre to see the Grand Canyon experience movie.









Another great way to learn about the canyon, it’s peoples, history and those who explored it (i.e. John Wesley Powell, a one–armed civil war veteran who first boated the Colorado river).







Now everyone splits up and goes thier own way, having a great time.

We all meet back at the hotel that night for dinner and to share our experiences of the canyon with one another over a well deserved drink in the hotel bar. Still in awe of the days events we retire to our rooms for a good night’s rest in preparation for the next day’s riding through the desert.

Standin' on a corner! Arizona Awaits!

Welcome to Arizona!

Today is another day on the old route. We wake up in Gallup and after a nice breakfast in the hotel, we load up the van and head off into the deserts of the southwest. Today is a hot one, as it will be for the remainder of the trip. If you like hot sunny days, this is the portion of the trip for you! We leave New mexico behind us and pass into Arizona, argueably one of most beautiful states in the nation.
Our first stop of the day is at Petrified Forest National Park and Painted Desert. After an hour and a half we stop at the entrance to the park, get something to drink, use the restroom and enter the park. Here we take at least two hours to ride through the 25 miles of the park with ample time to stop, take photographs and enjoy the natural splendor surrounding us. One of the nost intriguing things are all of the petrified treek scattered throughout the park. Once a teeming forest full of life it was covered by tons of volcanic ash and buried for millions of years. Over this time the minerals replaced the decaying wood fossilizing it for us to uncover and wonder at millions of years later. If you’re lucky and observant enough you also may come across local wildlife, including raptors, lots of lizards, and the desert pronghorn antelope.



















































After a beautiful ride through the park we continue on toward our lunch stop. On the way we stop at a route 66 icon, the teepee hotel. Made of cement they are still used and if you want to spend the $$ they are still being used as a hotel. We stop for some quick photos and then back on the bikes to Winslow.





Here we stop for a quick lunch and then it’s off to downtown to stand on a corner. Doesn’t sound like much until you remember the song Take it easy,(Standin’ on a corner in Winslow Arizona, such a fine sight to see). Here we stop for some more pictures and then it’s back on the road.



We stop only one more time at Grand Canyon Harley Davidson for a rest break and shopping in Flagstaff, before we get to our hotel in Williams. After retreiving our bags from the van we go clean off the road dust and meet for dinner. We have a nice dinner at one of the local resturaunts and then enjoy an evening at the bar in the hotel. Once again a great way to end the day.