Day 1,014
Remoteness
After a breakfast of peanut butter and crackers, we said our goodbye to Francisco who had popped back to ensure we'd survived the night and headed out of the ghost town. Like yesterday the ride was simply sublime. If you've ever visited the UK lake District, well try and imagine you have it all to yourself and all the climbing is on gently graded hills. We had that, then so much more. We passed more salt flats with steam rising and twirling into mini-tornados. We passed an area with rocky outcrops and realised this was home to hundreds of chinchillas, and being on cycles they didn't dart away until the last minute. As far as the eye could see were mountains of all shapes and sizes and even a few volcanoes in the far distance. Then it got better, we had a proper downhill for 15 miles. No slight ups, no rough loose stones, potholes or washboard. Just mile after blissful mile on smooth dirt and of course no traffic.
Again we were heading for a village to see if we could get shelter and something to eat that wasn't biscuits. Tincopalca had a mention in iOverlander from 2019, then it had 3 shops, a village square and a police station. We rode in with high hopes. We immediately saw tienda no 1, biscuits, check, gasoline, check, but also some fresh oranges, result! Without any real hope I asked if there was a restaurant and was blown away when the owner said yes. A young guy led us there.
Technically I think it was shut. When I asked for food she said no. Fortunately my expression of sheer despair must have softened her heart and she offered to rustle up some rice, fried cheese and lentils. Never has a meal tasted so good. Our guide and about half a dozen children sat around us as we ate, asking us endless questions. I don't think they get many gringo cyclists passing through. On a high we returned to the tienda for help in finding someplace inside we could sleep, but we were out of luck. He tried a few places but no joy, so it was back on the bikes with the sound of thunder ringing in our ears.
Naturally there was an uphill, and all the flat ground was a wet bog, but finally just before the rain came down Tom spotted a piece of ground that would have to do. We were high up, the wind was blasting the tent, the thunder was deafening, but we were dry. If you've ever read the book The Princess and the Pea, you will understand when I say I am no princess, there was a rather large plant right in the middle of my sleeping map but I slept like a baby!
