It files, 24 of March of 2002

It slept placidly were the 5 and 15 minutes in the morning when it sounded to my alarm-clock, it was hour to rise and although it even was at night had to call to Tony to wake up it and to say to him that to it had to come to my house, because to 7,00 in the morning after reuniting to us with Miguel, Lucho and Christian we would be embarking course to us to Sings.

Tony arrived at my house about the 6. 30 in the morning, I raised my bicycle the taxi in which it arrived. We were something uncomfortable, since station was a light truck "wagon" in which as soon as they entered bicis the area that includes the later seat, reason why both had to go ahead.

The driver tried to go towards the terminal by the route that crosses the center of Lima, could not be, since due to the coming of George Bush (President the USA) many streets were closed, reason why the conductor chose to change of way.

When or we were in the UNI (National University of Engineering) in the avenue T?pac Amaru, we saw three cyclists who advanced by the auxiliary track of the right side were Miguel, their brother Lucho and Christian which or they were near the terminal.

We disembarked in the company of transports "My Chaperito" and they had spent about five minutes not well, gave to the reach the three us already mentioned personages.

After the rigor greetings, we bought the passages and we approached the 7 bus that would be to start off for in the morning the passage cost 8 suns per capita more two suns by "load", concept this one last one, whose reason we did not get to include/understand.

Good, we hoisted the bicycles to the ceiling of the vehicle and soon we approached to begin the ascent to Sings, the bus he was narrow, apparently it had too many rows of seats, since there was no possibility of seating suitably, however, already we were on way.

The ascent was slow and tedious, without counting on the "intervals" that raised in the way, there was no greater conversation, rather all we have dozed some moments.

I woke up passing Santa Rosa de Quives, and noticed that they had put to work the equipment of music of the bus, one melod?a "Tropical/Andina" was let listen gladly by the loudspeakers of the vehicle.

When watching after the window I could observe the verdor of mountains, seemed that we were entering the valley of Chanchamayo, the hills completely covered with vegetation, the fog that settled on its slopes, the cold air and dry of the mountain range they announced to us that we were arriving at Sings.

They were approximately the 9,30 in the morning when we arrived at our destiny, we had raised during two hours and average until reaching the 2720 m.s.n.m. We unloaded the bicycles and I put myself to observe the panorama, tried to remember in what corner was that I saw, does some time, to a salesman of humitas, memory the pleasing aroma that dismissed (the humitas) And the sweet flavor that they had, I managed to need the corner, but the lady was not, reason why I could not obtain what she had thought to eat.

We began to talk about which it hoped to us and we arranged ourselves to have breakfast in a restaurant of the main avenue. Some requested bread "Cante?o" with fresh cheese of the zone and kills of cocaine, others we requested the same drink but with tamales and breads also of It sings.

By to be aims of season of rain in Mountain range (season to that they call "Winter"), the mountains were dressed green completely, that made us recall to mind in the fact that, the best seasons to make "Cross Country" are indeed these, those that occur immediately after the seasons of rains.

The humid morning was something and cloudy, everything was verdor, where the glances in the skirts and until in the peak of hills settled, there was profuse vegetation, breathed a provincial atmosphere, o?a to the distant spot rebuzno of the donkeys and mugir of the cows. It was almost one illusion.

Once we had finished having breakfast, we undertook the ascent towards the Seat of Arms of the Locality, this one is in the highest part of the city, at a first moment I considered that this ascent would be debilitating since we perhaps were over the 2700 m.s.n.m. nevertheless, outside the motivation, or perhaps the contaminated air less, but the pedaleada one by the hill became very pleasant since, in spite of the acute slope, she was placentera by the cold and vigorizante by the mountain air that is breathed in that zone.

In the Seat we already made some photographies and until I could listen to part of the sermon that the priest gave in the Cathedral of the town, she spoke of the suffering of Christ, and narrated of vivid way, "with hairs and signals" the details of the martyrdom, preached about of crujir of the bones and until of the pain in muscles and sinews of the Nazareno while he was crucificado, I understood that it was part of the essence to vernacular of the villagers.

After the photos we undertook the reduction towards Obrajillo by a rural way something narrow, footpath by which runs people, animals and vehicles. Being season of rains the route was so in a state that any motorist would have described it as terrible, but for us, who we were with mountain bicycles, she could not be better.

The way begins with a strong inclination in curve to the right by a changing land between humid earth, fangales, pools and until brooks that cross it in all the senses.

Lima, 24 de Marzo de 2002

Dorm?a pl?cidamente eran las 5 y 15 minutos de la ma?ana cuando son? mi reloj despertador, era hora de levantarse y aunque aun estaba de noche deb?a llamar a Tony para despertarlo y decirle que a deb?a venir a mi casa, pues a las 7.00 de la ma?ana luego de reunirnos con Miguel, Lucho y Christian estar?amos embarc?ndonos rumbo a Canta.

Tony arrib? a mi casa a eso de las 6. 30 de la ma?ana, sub? mi bicicleta al taxi en el que ?l lleg?. Fuimos algo inc?modos, ya que se trataba de una camioneta "station wagon" en la que apenas entraban las bicis en el ?rea que incluye al asiento posterior, por lo que los dos tuvimos que ir adelante.

El chofer intent? ir hacia el terminal por la ruta que cruza el centro de Lima, no pudo ser, ya que debido a la venida de George Bush (Presidente USA) muchas calles estaban cerradas, por lo que el conductor opt? por cambiar de camino.

Cuando ya est?bamos en la UNI (Universidad Nacional de Ingenier?a) en la avenida T?pac Amaru, vimos a tres ciclistas que avanzaban por la pista auxiliar del lado derecho eran Miguel, su hermano Lucho y Christian que ya estaban cerca del terminal.

Desembarcamos en la empresa de transportes "Mi Chaperito" y no bien hubieron pasado unos cinco minutos, nos dieron el alcance los tres ya mencionados personajes.

Luego de los saludos de rigor, compramos los pasajes y abordamos el bus que habr?a de partir a las 7 de la ma?ana el pasaje cost? 8 soles per c?pita m?s dos soles por "flete", concepto ?ste ?ltimo, cuya raz?n no llegamos a comprender.

Bueno, izamos las bicicletas al techo del veh?culo y luego abordamos para empezar el ascenso a Canta, el bus era estrecho, al parecer ten?a demasiadas filas de asientos, ya que no hab?a posibilidad de sentarse adecuadamente, no obstante, ya est?bamos en camino.

El ascenso fue lento y tedioso, sin contar con los "intermedios" que sub?an en el camino, no hubo mayor conversaci?n, m?s bien todos hemos dormitado algunos momentos.

Despert? pasando Santa Rosa de Quives, y not? que hab?an puesto a funcionar el equipo de m?sica del bus, una melod?a "Tropical/Andina" se dejaba escuchar alegremente por los parlantes del veh?culo.

Al mirar por la ventana pude observar el verdor de las monta?as, parec?a que estuvi?ramos ingresando al valle de Chanchamayo, los cerros completamente cubiertos de vegetaci?n, la neblina que se posaba sobre sus laderas, el aire fr?o y seco de la sierra nos anunciaron que est?bamos llegando a Canta.

Eran aproximadamente las 9.30 de la ma?ana cuando llegamos a nuestro destino, hab?amos subido durante dos horas y media hasta alcanzar los 2720 m.s.n.m. Descargamos las bicicletas y me puse a observar el panorama, intentaba recordar en qu? esquina fue que vi, hace alg?n tiempo, a una vendedora de humitas, recuerdo el grato aroma que desped?an (?las humitas!) Y el dulce sabor que ten?an, logr? precisar la esquina, pero la se?ora no estaba, por lo que no pude conseguir lo que hab?a pensado comer.

Empezamos a conversar acerca de lo que nos esperaba y nos dispusimos a desayunar en un restaurante de la avenida principal. Algunos pidieron pan "Cante?o" con queso fresco de la zona y mate de coca, otros pedimos la misma bebida pero con tamales y panes tambi?n de Canta.

Por ser fines de la temporada de lluvia en la Sierra (temporada a la que ellos llaman "Invierno"), las monta?as se encontraban completamente vestidas de verde, eso nos hizo recapacitar en el hecho que, las mejores temporadas para hacer "Cross Country" son precisamente estas, las que se dan inmediatamente despu?s de las temporadas de lluvias.

La ma?ana estaba algo h?meda y nublada, todo era verdor, donde se posaran las miradas en las faldas y hasta en la c?spide de los cerros, hab?a profusa vegetaci?n, se respiraba un ambiente pueblerino, se o?a a lo lejos el rebuzno de los burros y el mugir de las vacas. Era casi una ilusi?n.

Una vez que hubimos terminado de desayunar, emprendimos la ascensi?n hacia la Plaza de Armas de la Localidad, ?sta se encuentra en la parte m?s alta de la ciudad, en un primer momento consider? que esta subida ser?a extenuante ya que nos encontr?bamos por encima de los 2700 m.s.n.m. sin embargo, quiz? fuera la motivaci?n, o tal vez el aire menos contaminado, pero la pedaleada por la cuesta se hizo muy agradable ya que, pese a la aguda pendiente, fue placentera por el fr?o y vigorizante por el aire de monta?a que se respira en esa zona.

Ya en la Plaza hicimos algunas fotograf?as y hasta pude escuchar parte del serm?n que el sacerdote daba en la Catedral del pueblo, hablaba del sufrimiento de Cristo, y narraba de manera v?vida, "con pelos y se?ales" los pormenores del martirio, predicaba acerca de del crujir de los huesos y hasta del dolor en los m?sculos y tendones del Nazareno mientras era crucificado, entend? que era parte de la esencia vernacular de los lugare?os.

Luego de las fotos emprendimos el descenso hacia Obrajillo por un camino rural algo estrecho, senda por la que discurren personas, animales y veh?culos. Por ser temporada de lluvias la ruta se encontraba en un estado tal que cualquier automovilista lo habr?a calificado de p?sima, pero para nosotros, que est?bamos con bicicletas de monta?a, no pod?a encontrarse mejor.

El camino empieza con una fuerte inclinaci?n en curva a la derecha por un terreno cambiante entre tierra h?meda, fangales, charcos y hasta riachuelos que lo cruzan en todos los sentidos.

The lived sensation is really overwhelming, the tension to maintain the stability, the course of the bicycle, the rate of pedaleo and the part of the way by which there would be to run our vehicles made pleasant extremely on a par that complicated the effort, we had to cross some pools in which when pedalear, the feet submerged in the water.

We raudamente continued descending, I took the left side from the way because in the right there was a fangal, in the footpath which I chose hardly ran hilillo perceivable of water, I continued advancing and v? suddenly pedaleando to me in a brook, I did not have left more remedy than to encaramar the front wheel of bici on the way, to impel bici with the pedals, and to continue by the muddy zone; it went as well as we arrived at the locality of Obrajillo, place that once was dedicated to the textile manufactures.

The town was a mountain small village typically that has happened to be a luck of I generate hybrid between a "incipiente progress" with fort influences coste?a and a net Andean town of century XIX, where before only were old large houses of mud and red roofing tiles which still they are conserved, have opened to step "modern" constructions of brick and iron, is enough to say that to visit one of the waterfalls that there is in the town, it is necessary to pay a New Sun by person to the guardian of the estate; the grace of that torrent is in which it appeared when beginning a national soap opera.

Nevertheless, cascade exists other, is even more beautiful than first and his visit is completely gratuitous, finds located (for that it wants to visit it), turning around to the left after crossing the bridge that is after the very old cemetery, the way can be crossed in a high vehicle, he is not recommendable for that have small hoops. The cascade is not to much distance of the bridge, reason why it is possible to be visited after a brief but vigorizante long walk. We happened that way with the bicycles and we stopped to contemplate its majestic beauty, seemed one of those typical cascades of the Japanese gardens, with the exotic one added of being a this one masterpiece of the nature.

La sensaci?n vivida es realmente abrumadora, la tensi?n por mantener la estabilidad, el curso de la bicicleta, el ritmo de pedaleo y la parte del camino por la que habr?an de discurrir nuestros veh?culos hac?an sumamente agradable a la par que complicado el esfuerzo, tuvimos que cruzar algunos charcos en los que al pedalear, los pies se sumerg?an en el agua.

Continuamos descendiendo raudamente, tom? el lado izquierdo del camino porque en el derecho hab?a un fangal, en la senda que eleg? discurr?a un hilillo apenas perceptible de agua, segu? avanzando y de pronto me v? pedaleando ?en un riachuelo!, No me qued? m?s remedio que encaramar la rueda delantera de la bici sobre el camino, impulsar la bici con los pedales, y continuar por la zona barrosa; fue as? como llegamos a la localidad de Obrajillo, lugar que otrora se dedicara a los obrajes textiles.

El pueblo era un caser?o t?picamente serrano que ha pasado a ser una suerte de engendro h?brido entre un "progreso" incipiente con fuerte influencia coste?a y un poblado netamente andino del siglo XIX, donde antes solamente se ve?an antiguas casonas de barro y rojas tejas que a?n se conservan, se han abierto paso "modernas" construcciones de ladrillo y fierro, baste decir que para visitar una de las ca?das de agua que hay en el poblado, es necesario abonar un Nuevo Sol por persona al guardi?n del predio; la gracia de ese torrente radica en que aparec?a al empezar una telenovela nacional.

Sin embargo, existe otra cascada, es aun m?s bella que la primera y su visita es completamente gratuita, se encuentra situada (para aquel que quiera visitarla), volteando a la izquierda luego de cruzar el puente que se encuentra despu?s del vetusto cementerio, el camino se puede recorrer en un veh?culo alto, no es recomendable para aquellos que tienen aros peque?os. La cascada no se encuentra a mucha distancia del puente, por lo que se puede visitar tras una breve pero vigorizante caminata. Pasamos por all? con las bicicletas y nos detuvimos a contemplar su majestuosa belleza, parec?a una de esas cascadas t?picas de los jardines japoneses, con el ex?tico a?adido de ser ?sta una obra maestra de la naturaleza.

The water ran violently among rocks, we stopped to contemplate extasiados the beauty of the spectacle that was to us.

The landscape seemed escaped of a painting, La Paz that can represent the calm water of a lagoon, did not exist there, perceived clearly the force, the energy, speed and that instantaneous sensation of the express that runs the time, and with him the life.

In this place we had the luck to find us with a pair of Japanese which they had arrived at the place in a light truck of double traction, were they those that had the gentility to photograph to us there.

We continued descending by the "highway" the land was humid and the sky threatened collapsing in rain, some drops fell on us, happily the destinies accompanied to us and after a brief celestial indecision they decided to reserve the heavy shower for another occasion.

We continued lowering until arriving at a point in which the humid dirt road finishes in the intersection with the highway that raises Sings, we continued our reduction by that track, although it is certain, the tendency of the way it is of slope, it must stand out that in this one they also exist prolonged ascents that are pedalean over 1800 m.s s. n. m. what causes that the trip is not what usually could think, that is to say, that it is tried solely to rise in the bicycle and to let themselves drag by the slope.

The ascents are quite extensive and with good hill, which added to the altitude causes that the effort is considerable. In one of the conversations that we had during the passage was unanimous the voting, the route most difficult that we have made until the moment is Sings Trapiche (km 40 of the highway towards Sings), followed by the route Lima - Cieneguilla - Lur?n and in the extreme of difficulty the Ticlio reduction - Lima, without meaning that this one is a simple reduction, since pedalea over the 4800 meters on the level of the sea and that also has raised forts.

Friend reading, if after this it continues thinking that the offed-hook one from Sings is simple, I invite it to cross in bicycle the route of Cieneguilla and to multiply the effort made by two or until by three, to occur an idea approximated of which it represents the slope from Sings.

We were practically the masters of the highway since as soon as raised and/or lowered vehicles, we could feel as the morning began to warm up, we slid raudamente between green hills and the precipices, we saw mostacillas that they hung of slopes of mountains as if they tried to reach its back and to shelter covering them them with its beautiful yellow mantle.

In summary, the trip was like making it eternal, infinite.

At a certain moment the squad was divided in two groups, Tony and I we went ahead, we lowered at great speed by the highway, the crossing of the furrow drains that serves as torrenteras for the water that lowers in the puquiales ones was something spectacular, left a curve, saw that a furrow drain approached and in him a brook crossed the highway, we demanded more to our bicycles and when happening through the water we obtained an inexpressible sensation of energy, power, of spectacularity, was like a life roar.

We walked a good stretch until that we noticed ourselves already that the distance del rest del equipment was too great, that we did not see them by any side.

We decided to stop to wait for, while we did it we decided that for all future excursion we will have to take whistles that ensure communications in the distance.

We stopped near a rustic bridge that came from a dirt road that was in the right margin of the river, in the place were, it affluent memory, plants which they have esferillas with many thorns, we waited for 10, 15, 20 minutes and we even continued without seeing them, was not left another remedy, before the fear of which it had happened some accident we decided that it was time to undo the walked thing in the search of our companions, before undertaking the ascent, Tony was noticed that many of those thorns had become engraved in the tires of their bicycle, we chose to retire them and we undertook the ascent.

We were still around the 1900 or perhaps 2000 meters of height, and walked hill by four above or perhaps five kilometers until finally when turning in a curve we could see them, one of the rims of the bicycle of Christian had been deflated him and had been changing the camera to him, we arrived indeed at the exact moment to finish to the repair centering the hoop in its place and re calibrating the later brake of the vehicle.

Ibamos to reinitiate the reduction and Tony noticed that now the problem was the front rim of his bicla, apparently one or perhaps several thorns had arrived until the camera, no longer were more spare parts, so it borrowed the inflator that took Miguel and we undertook the reduction again.

Without wanting we returned to separate, every 10 minutes (approximately) Tony had to stop to inflate the rim, we happened through some sembr?os of coliflores, its characteristic scent was first that we perceived, soon we saw the plants of green-grayish color.

We continued in the route until we arrived at Santa Rosa de Quives, we crossed a bridge and we saw the hill by which there were to raise to arrive at the town (that really does not happen to be a small village) I arrived at the foot of the ascent, I got off myself bici and I began to push it by the ascent, I believe that I was the unique one that it did this, since the others pedalearon it.

We reached the locality in which Santa Lime?a passed part of her childhood, the house in which lived with its parents is even conserved and in prefect been, in her is a cell in which they conserve a small altar and a stone in whom Santa reclined to pray, is also a church in tribute to Santa patron of the Am?ricas and the Philippines.

We stopped in the restaurant Juan Huayanay, is a personage that I knew some years ago when I went by first time to Sings, as would not be my surprise al to find out to me that he was also friend of Miguel and Lucho Lipa.

We were in favor there of a good short while, entered and we requested some drinks, we were indecisos between if having lunch or no, decided on the second option, since even it was left enough way to cross.

Lugo of passed average hour or such time forty and five minutes, we continued the reduction, the exit del populated begins that a slope very pronounced and curve towards the right to enter the highway, were earth sections and stones already that by that zone are quite common that they fall huaycos a time which we passed these places, imprimimos greater speed to bicis, Tony continued inflating the rim every 10 minutes.

On the right margin of the river it began to become well-known that the vegetation in mountains raleaba, every time was seen clearer in slopes of hills.

The small farms could be seen in which they cultivate variety of foods, were like carpets done of all shades of green. An pleasant scent to basil was perceived in the air, the one that dissuaded to me immediately to my childhood, I vividly remembered my grandparents, to my parents and until the great inn in which with uncles and cousins we ate "Spaghetti to the pesto", I remembered including until music that we listened during those lunches. Memories of a childhood already going and even presents/displays.

Thinking about these things I did not repair that already it came lowering single, to the distant spot and forwards I managed to see another cyclist who went with a yellow pole and that also was lowering by the highway. I seted out to reach it, reason why I increased my rate of pedaleo, I raised it 80 r.p.m., was very slow the distance that was shortening, but it was it doing, although the fatigue was enough, I did not stop until obtaining it in the entrance to the town of Zap?n. It turned out to be an ice-cream dealer who took a tied thermal box to his bicycle, I bought an ice cream and I arranged myself to wait for the group.

Approximately after ten or fifteen minutes, it arrived Tony, it had delayed by the problem of the rim of its bicycle, we seated in a bank that was in the door of a warehouse and we arranged ourselves to wait for the other members of the equipment.

It spent one hour and they did not arrive, after about fifteen minutes it arrived Miguel, it commented to us more that the later rim of the bicycle of Christian had been deflated again, reason why continued the slope accompanying it while it pushed the bicycle until finding some place in which they repaired rims. It is there where it let to start off to give them us the encounter.

We continued hoping, the hour happened and the night approached, reason for which Tony left its bicycle with us and on board of a Combi it went to find them.

Passed approximately about 45 minutes more already they were of return, had raised the bicycles an omnibus that would be to take to us until the terminal in the Av. Habich. We arrived there when the sun already had been hidden.

Shining decision went the one of to raise omnibus, not single because night us came above, but because when descending from the bus, Tony realized that the two rims of their bicycle had been deflated, which would even have meant more delay in arriving at the terminal.

As something anecdotal I comment that most of people who traveled with us in the omnibus they were village of Sings and its bordering zones, the huaynos attention called much to us that we came listening to Cante?os, which made us feel that really we lived the adventure.

Gustavo To Alva Ducato

galva_ducato@hotmail.com

El agua discurr?a violentamente por entre las rocas, nos detuvimos a contemplar extasiados la belleza del espect?culo que se nos mostraba.

El paisaje parec?a escapado de una pintura, la paz que puede representar el agua serena de una laguna, no exist?a all?, se percib?a claramente la fuerza, la energ?a, velocidad y esa instant?nea sensaci?n de lo r?pido que discurre el tiempo, y con ?l la vida.

En este paraje tuvimos la suerte de encontrarnos con una pareja de Japoneses que hab?an llegado al lugar en una camioneta de doble tracci?n, fueron ellos los que tuvieron la gentileza de fotografiarnos ah?.

Continuamos descendiendo por la "carretera" el terreno estaba h?medo y el cielo amenazaba con desplomarse en lluvia, algunas gotas cayeron sobre nosotros, felizmente los hados nos acompa?aron y tras una breve indecisi?n celestial decidieron reservar el aguacero para otra ocasi?n.

Seguimos bajando hasta llegar a un punto en el que el h?medo camino de tierra termina en la intersecci?n con la carretera que sube a Canta, continuamos nuestro descenso por esa pista, si bien es cierto, la tendencia del camino es de bajada, debe destacarse que en ?ste existen tambi?n prolongadas subidas que se pedalean por encima de los 1800 m. s. n. m. lo que hace que el viaje no sea lo que usualmente podr?a pensarse, es decir, que se trata ?nicamente de subirse en la bicicleta y dejarse arrastrar por la pendiente.

Las subidas son bastante extensas y con buena cuesta, lo que sumado a la altitud hace que el esfuerzo sea considerable. En una de las conversaciones que tuvimos durante la traves?a fue un?nime la votaci?n, la ruta m?s dif?cil que hemos realizado hasta el momento es Canta- Trapiche (Km. 40 de la carretera hacia Canta), seguida por la ruta Lima - Cieneguilla - Lur?n y en ?ltimo grado de dificultad el descenso Ticlio - Lima, sin significar que ?ste sea un simple descenso, ya que se pedalea por encima de los 4800 metros sobre el nivel del mar y que tambi?n tiene fuertes subidas.

Amigo lector, si despu?s de esto sigue pensando que la descolgada desde Canta es sencilla, lo invito a recorrer en bicicleta la ruta de Cieneguilla y multiplicar el esfuerzo realizado por dos o hasta por tres, para darse una idea aproximada de lo que representa la bajada desde Canta.

?ramos pr?cticamente los amos de la carretera ya que apenas sub?an y/o bajaban veh?culos, pod?amos sentir como la ma?ana empezaba a calentar, nos desliz?bamos raudamente entre los verdes cerros y los precipicios, ve?amos las mostacillas que pend?an de las laderas de las monta?as como si pretendieran alcanzar su lomo y abrigarlas cubri?ndolas con su hermoso manto amarillo.

En resumen, el viaje era como para hacerlo eterno, infinito.

En un determinado momento el pelot?n se dividi? en dos grupos, Tony y yo ?bamos adelante, baj?bamos a gran velocidad por la carretera, el cruce de los badenes que sirve de torrenteras para el agua que baja en los puquiales era algo espectacular, sal?amos de una curva, ve?amos que se acercaba un bad?n y en ?l un riachuelo atravesaba la carretera, exig?amos m?s a nuestras bicicletas y al pasar por el agua obten?amos una inenarrable sensaci?n de energ?a, de potencia, de espectacularidad, era como un rugido de vida.

Anduvimos un buen trecho hasta que nos percatamos que la distancia del resto del equipo era demasiado grande, ya que no los ve?amos por ning?n lado.

Decidimos detenernos a esperar, mientras lo hac?amos acordamos que para toda futura excursi?n habremos de llevar silbatos que faciliten la comunicaci?n en la distancia.

Nos detuvimos cerca de un r?stico puente que ven?a de un camino de tierra que estaba en la margen derecha del r?o, en el lugar hab?an, lo recuerdo bien, unas plantas que tienen unas esferillas con muchas espinas, esperamos 10, 15, 20 minutos y aun continu?bamos sin verlos, no quedaba otro remedio, ante el temor de que hubiese ocurrido alg?n accidente decidimos que era tiempo de deshacer lo andado en la b?squeda de nuestros compa?eros, antes de emprender el ascenso, Tony se percat? que muchas de esas espinas se hab?an incrustado en los neum?ticos de su bicicleta, optamos por retirarlas y emprendimos el ascenso.

Est?bamos todav?a alrededor de los 1900 o tal vez 2000 metros de altura, y anduvimos cuesta arriba por cuatro o tal vez cinco kil?metros hasta que al fin, al virar en una curva pudimos verlos, se le hab?a desinflado una de las llantas de la bicicleta de Christian y hab?an estado cambi?ndole la c?mara, llegamos precisamente en el momento exacto para terminar la reparaci?n centrando el aro en su lugar y re calibrando el freno posterior del veh?culo.

Ibamos a reiniciar el descenso y Tony se percat? que ahora el problema era la llanta delantera de su bicla, al parecer una o quiz? varias espinas hab?an llegado hasta la c?mara, ya no hab?a m?s refacciones, as? que pidi? prestado el inflador que llevaba Miguel y emprendimos nuevamente el descenso.

Sin querer volvimos a separarnos, cada 10 minutos (aproximadamente) Tony deb?a detenerse a inflar la llanta, pasamos por algunos sembr?os de coliflores, su caracter?stico olor fue lo primero que percibimos, luego vimos las plantas de color verde-gris?ceo.

Continuamos en la ruta hasta que llegamos a Santa Rosa de Quives, cruzamos un puente y vimos la cuesta por la que hab?amos de subir para llegar al pueblo (que realmente no pasa de ser una aldehuela) llegu? al pie de la subida, me ape? de la bici y empec? a empujarla por la subida, creo que fui el ?nico que hizo esto, ya que los dem?s la pedalearon.

Alcanzamos la localidad en la que la Santa Lime?a pas? parte de su infancia, la casa en la que vivi? con sus padres aun se conserva y en prefecto estado, en ella hay una celda en la cual se conservan un peque?o altar y una piedra en la que la Santa se reclinaba a orar, hay tambi?n una iglesia en homenaje a la Santa patrona de las Am?ricas y Filipinas.

Nos detuvimos en el restaurante Juan Huayanay, es un personaje que conoc? hace algunos a?os cuando fui por primera vez a Canta, cual no ser?a mi sorpresa al enterarme que era tambi?n amigo de Miguel y Lucho Lipa.

Estuvimos ah? por un buen rato, entramos y pedimos algunas bebidas, estuvimos indecisos entre si almorzar o no, optamos por la segunda opci?n, ya que aun quedaba bastante camino por recorrer.

Lugo de transcurrida media hora o tal vez cuarenta y cinco minutos, continuamos el descenso, la salida del poblado empieza que una bajada muy pronunciada y curva hacia la derecha para entrar a la carretera, hab?an tramos de tierra y piedras ya que por esa zona es bastante com?n que caigan huaycos una vez que pasamos estos parajes, imprimimos mayor velocidad a las bicis, Tony segu?a inflando la llanta cada 10 minutos.

Sobre la margen derecha del r?o empezaba a hacerse notorio que la vegetaci?n en las monta?as raleaba, cada vez se ve?an m?s claros en las laderas de los cerros.

Se pod?an ver las chacras en las que se cultivan variedad de alimentos, eran como tapices hechos de todos matices de verde. Se percib?a en el aire un agradable olor a albahaca, el que me retrajo de inmediato a mi ni?ez, record? v?vidamente a mis abuelos, a mis padres y hasta la el gran mes?n en el que con t?os y primos com?amos "Spaghetti al pesto", record? inclusive hasta la m?sica que escuch?bamos durante aquellos almuerzos. Recuerdos de una ni?ez ya ida y aun presente.

Pensando en estas cosas no repar? que ya ven?a bajando solo, a lo lejos y hacia adelante logr? ver a otro ciclista que iba con un polo amarillo y que tambi?n iba bajando por la carretera. Me propuse alcanzarlo, por lo que aument? mi ritmo de pedaleo, lo sub? a 80 r.p.m., fue muy lenta la distancia que iba acortando, pero lo iba haciendo, aunque el cansancio era bastante, no par? hasta lograrlo en la entrada al pueblo de Zap?n. Result? ser un heladero que llevaba una caja t?rmica atada a su bicicleta, compr? un helado y me dispuse a esperar al grupo.

Aproximadamente despu?s de diez o quince minutos, lleg? Tony, hab?a demorado por el problema de la llanta de su bicicleta, nos sentamos en una banca que estaba en la puerta de una bodega y nos dispusimos a esperar a los dem?s integrantes del equipo.

Pas? una hora y no llegaban, al cabo de unos quince minutos m?s lleg? Miguel, nos coment? que se hab?a desinflado nuevamente la llanta posterior de la bicicleta de Christian, por lo que continuaron la bajada acompa??ndolo mientras ?l empujaba la bicicleta hasta encontrar alg?n lugar en el que repararan llantas. Es ah? donde los dej? para partir a darnos el encuentro.

Continuamos esperando, la hora pasaba y la noche se acercaba, raz?n por la cual Tony dej? su bicicleta con nosotros y a bordo de una Combi se fue a encontrarlos.

Transcurridos aproximadamente unos 45 minutos m?s ya estaban de regreso, hab?an subido las bicicletas a un ?mnibus que habr?a de llevarnos hasta el terminal en la Av. Habich. Llegamos ah? cuando el sol ya se hab?a ocultado.

Brillante decisi?n fue la del subir al ?mnibus, no solo porque la noche se nos vino encima, sino porque al descender del bus, Tony se dio cuenta que las dos llantas de su bicicleta se hab?an desinflado, lo que habr?a significado aun m?s demora en llegar al terminal.

Como algo anecd?tico comentar? que la mayor?a de gente que viajaba con nosotros en el ?mnibus eran lugare?os de Canta y sus zonas aleda?as, nos llam? mucho la atenci?n que vini?ramos escuchando huaynos Cante?os, lo que nos hizo sentir que realmente vivimos la aventura.

Gustavo A. Alva Ducato
galva_ducato@hotmail.com

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