Sacred Rides MTB Holidays

SacredRides · Site Admin Joined: 03 Jan 2008 Posts: 37

Welcome everyone! This is the online discussion board for all participants in our May 24-June 03 Inca Trail XC tour in Peru. Please introduce yourself on the forum, add a photo or two, and tell people what you do when you're not riding (job, hobbies, etc...)

Formal studies have shown that tour participants have 34.8% more fun when they get to know their fellow riding buddies beforehand*

*the Institute of Non-Science

wayo · Joined: 11 Jan 2008 Posts: 15

Hi everybody,
I'm glad we have a full tour for this XC Inca Trail tour. Since now I'm very exited to meet everybody on this fascinating tour. I will assist you at all time during the tour and I hope you are also exited to ride the Inca trails.

I'm a business administrator with a masters degree and I have worked in imports/exports and also construction. Now I'm more happy and less stressed working as a guide for Sacred Rides!

My passion is mountain bikes, mountain bikes and mountain bikes. I have been riding since a kid and I would be happy to give you some riding tips!

Suggestions for the tour:
- those who comes with their bikes, please bring small carton cases. Try to avoid those big hard cases because the plane to Andahuaylas is not too big.
- You will need to be very fit and very confident with your bike. Try to make a workout plan until the date you fly to Peru to come with as much physical strenght as you can. Also practice your riding skills on technical trails near home. (Not road riding). Laughing

I will post later some pictures of me so you can recognize me at the airport Shocked

ENjoy your day!

Wayo

mandnsoni · Joined: 18 Jan 2008 Posts: 1

Hi Everyone,
I look forward to meeting all of you throughout the spring. My wife, Margi, and I will be joining you in an unconventional fashion: we're bringing our 4-yr-old daughter, Asha. She'll be accompanied by her babysitter/nanny Rachel throughout the trip, but she's such a good traveler that we couldn't bear to leave her behind.

Our first experience with Fernie Fat Tire was in 2003 when Margi was 14wks pregnant and we were doing the British Columbia cross-country experience. Mike Brcic had just finished rehab after his femur fracture at the time, so it was quite humbling to be riding with him.

Speaking of medical issues...I just tore my ACL in Whistler. I'm going to have it repaired tomorrow morning and will start the rehab right away. End of May should be just perfect for a strenuous high-altitude fortnight of biking.

In real life, I'm an ER doctor and my wife's a Nurse Practitioner. I look forward to meeting you through this forum and then in real life.

Neeraj (Boise, Idaho)

Mark Setter · Joined: 30 Mar 2008 Posts: 1

Hi Folks
Im Mark from Keswick, Ontario, part of the three weekend warriors going to Peru this spring. Were all waiting for the snow to melt so we can start to trail ride, the road riding is good for keeping in shape, but quite boring.

I get to ride mostly forested technical terrain around my home , not very hilly, so Im looking forward to some serious mountains.
Ive ridin some BC trails around Whistler for a week and did the Spruce Lake Trail out of Tyvec Lodge a few years ago.(sacred rides has it on their agenda now.)

I can't wait to meet you all and cruz some mountain trails with Wayo and his Peruvian mates. My mates from Ontario are Pat and Thomas.

Rene · Joined: 12 Jan 2008 Posts: 1

Hi Everyone,

Finally got around to posting something on the forum and introduce myself. My name is Rene and I am Chemical Engineer living in Vancouver, BC. I just realized that I am out of shape (did my first ride this year 2 weeks ago) but have a plan in place to achieve the required fitness level by the time I leave for Peru. I will be traveling with my friend Brian who also lives in Vancouver. We will be visiting the Amazon rainforest before the MTB-ing starts and plan to stay a couple of days afterwards to visit Macchu Pichu.
I ride a Cove Hustler all-mountain bike which is capable of way more stunts/drops/jumps than my brain allows me to do, but we get along great and spend a lot of time riding in Squamish as well as on the North Shore trails in Vancouver.

Happy Trails!

wayo · Joined: 11 Jan 2008 Posts: 15

Hello everybody,

I want to make sure you all know the changes on the initial itinerary. We are not going to Andahuaylas because Aerocondor who was the only airline capable to take us with all the bikes has cancelled that itinerary. They argue many things but what is real is that is very difficult to get in Andahuaylas and ride the remote trails and pass over that in-Andes area.

The new plan is as amazing as the first one. It's true that we are not going to visit those remores areas between Andahuaylas and Cusco but it's also true that on the second itinerary, we are going to ride excellent trails in Lima and some remote Inca trails in Cusco.

Here is the detailed itineray for the new plan and then I will comment some days:

Highlights:
• Mountain Bike on real Inca trails with more than 500 years old.
• Ride a unique destination: a section of the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.
• Impressive and unique landscapes with big valleys, glaciers and deep canyons.
• Main locations: Lima, Cusco and Sacred Valley, plus Machu Picchu!

Itinerary:

Day 1: Reception at the Airport
Most flights arrive late at night, between 10 PM and midnight. We will pick you up at the time your flight arrives to Lima and transfer directly to your hotel in Miraflores, a tourist neighborhood where it’s possible to find good restaurants, shops and malls.

Day 2: Pachacamac Inca Trails
Pachacamac was an important place during the Inca’s time. There is a big fortress with impressive constructions that dominates the entire Lurin Valley. We will have the opportunity to discover hidden Inca constructions deep inside the valley and the mountains. It’s a great introduction trail for our first day in Peru.
The morning is free to set up the bikes and recover from the long flight. We will meet in your hotel at 10:00 am to finish set up the bikes and discuss the afternoon riding. After having lunch in Lima, we will be transferred to Pachacamac, 45 Km. south of Lima where we will meet our friend Alfonso who is a mountain bike legend in Peru. He will show us great trails on his amazing backyard.
We will ride approximately 20 Km. in 3 hours. The altitude range goes from 100 to 400 meters (328 to 1,312 ft.). At the end of the day we will return to our hotel in Miraflores.

Day 3: The Cactus Trail
Early in the morning, around 6:30 am we will have breakfast in our hotel. At 7:00 am we will be transferred to Huaral, a fertile valley located 100 Km. north of Lima. It takes approximately 1 ½ hours to reach Huaral where we will visit our friend Jose and his Mandarin’s and guinea pig’s farm. We will take some fresh fruits directly from the plants and start riding our bikes on the trails that Jose has for us.
Jose knows like the back of his hands the trails in Huaral. He will show us his local trails where he have developed some cool lines that goes around the hills. There is a special surprise that Jose has for us, we will have to wait until we are there riding our bikes on the middle of the mountains. We will have unique views of Huaral and if the day is clear it’s possible to see the Pacific Ocean.
We will ride approximately 30 Km. in 4 hours. On the afternoon we will enjoy a delicious lunch that consists of BBQ chicken and salads served in the middle of his farm. At the end of the day we will return to our hotel in Miraflores.

Day 4: Olleros Epic Downhill
Santo Domingo de los Olleros, or simply “Olleros” is located 150 Km. east of Lima on the Lurin Valley at an altitude of 3,150 masl (10,356 ft.). The start of this trail is located at an altitude of 3,657 masl (12,000 ft.) and 4 hours away from Lima.
The trail of 56 Km. long is our most famous mountain bike trail as we have had great riders enjoying this amazing trail like Hans Ray, Robbie Bourdon, Richie Schley and many other top mountain bikers. From the start of the trail, on a good clear day, it’s possible to see the Pacific Ocean, where we will end our tour!
It’s a 3,657 meters of vertical descent that will take us directly to the Pacific Ocean. We will end at San Bartolo beach, where we will have lunch tasting the flavors of the sea like our famous ceviche made of fresh fish and lemon. We plan to return to Lima approximately at 6:00 pm.

Day 5: Transfer to Cusco
We will pick you up from your hotel at 7:00 am and take the am flight to Cusco. The rest of the morning is free to establish on our hotel and complete the acclimatization process.
We will also build our bikes again for the afternoon ride.
After a local lunch near the main plaza, we will pick our bikes and start riding from our hotel to the upper part of the city. We will pass through main Inca sites and have a great introduction ride in Cusco. Once we are on top of the city, we will ride down a main Inca trail that will give us a lot of surprises. We will end our ride on our hotel and have the rest of the day to know a little bit more the city of Cusco.
We will ride approximately 20 Km. in 3 hours. The altitude range goes from 3,400 to 3,700 meters (11,155 to 12,139 ft.).

Day 6: The Inca’s Backyard Trail
Early in the morning, after we take breakfast, we will be transferred to the village of Salkantay located on top of the city of Cusco at an altitude of 4,150 masl (13,615 ft.). We will ride an ancient Inca trail that was used like a shortcut to go from Cusco to the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. As we descend this amazing trail, we will reach other Inca sites like Saqsayhuaman, Puca Pucara and Tambomachay to finally reach the village of Yuncaypata and end in Cusco.
We will ride approximately 30 Km. in 4 hours. The altitude range goes from 4,150 to 3,300 meters (13,615 to 10,827 ft.).

Day 7: Sacred Valley Inca’s Treasures
Early in the morning, after a nutritious breakfast, we will be transferred to Chinchero, one of the most important Inca sites near the Sacred Valley. Chinchero is located at an altitude of 3,700 masl (12,139 ft.) and from this place it’s possible to see the entire plateau of Maras and the Vilcanota’s Mountain Range with its +5,000 meters glaciers like Chicon and Veronica. We will cross agricultural fields, border Lake Huaypo and reach the Inca site of Moray at an altitude of 3,600 masl (11,811 ft.). We will stop here and explore this Inca agricultural lab and its round terraces.
After our visit to Moray and experience the special energy of this place, we will continue our tour riding an Inca Trail that will take us to the town of Maras and its Inca Salt Mines. It is a spectacular place where we will have amazing views of this salt mine and also the Sacred Valley below us.
Finally we will end our tour on a side of the Urubamba River, at an altitude of 3,000 masl (9,843 ft.). It’s possible to continue with our bikes to the town of Ollantaytambo, where we will stay for the next three nights.
We will ride a total of 40 Km. in approximately four hours before we reach Ollantaytambo.

Day 8: The Origin of the Inca Empire
There are three theories that explain the origin of the Inca Empire. The three of them coincide that it was near Ollantaytambo, on the Patacancha Valley.
Early in the morning, we will be transferred to the top of the Patacancha Valley at an altitude of 4,000 masl (13,123 ft.) and where it’s possible to find the origins of the Inca Empire on the Patacancha Village. We will visit some Inca sites and see how people still live and dress like 500 years ago! Then we will continue riding our bikes and visit the village of Huilloc where we can interact with local people helping them on their farms or developing clothes, just like the Inca’s did more than 500 years ago.
Finally, we will continue riding down the valley and after a 30 minutes climb, we will reach the Inca site of Pumamarca and see the impressive terraces that goes from the bottom of the valley to the top of the mountains. From this place we will ride one of the best singletracks in all Cusco and we will descend directly to Ollantaytambo.

Day 9: Free Day
This day is free to relax near the Sacred Valley or make other activities like visiting Machu Picchu, considered as one of the new 7 wonders on earth.
We suggest you to take the train and discover Machu Picchu!

Day 10: Lares Inca Trail
Early in the morning, after we take breakfast, we will be transferred to the town of Calca on the Sacred Valley and then go to the mountain pass of Lares located at 4,350 masl (14,300 ft.). From this place we will start our ride down hill following another impressive Inca trail with thousands of rock steps that looks like they were made for our mountain bikes!
We will pass maybe one of the most impressive landscapes of all the tour, crossing a deep canyon where it’s only possible to make it on our bikes. We will pass different terrains, from flat surfaces on top of the mountain to great valleys at the middle of the trail.
We will finally end our tour on the town of Calca where we will be transferred to the city of Cusco.
If we have enough time and we have still light we can drop with our bikes into the city of Cusco riding another impressive Inca trail that ends in the middle of the city.
This day we will ride a total of 35 Km. in about 4 hours.

Day 11: End of Tour
The tour has reached the end and it’s time to return home. Flights depart every 30 minutes until 3:30 pm. We will arrange your airport transfers.

In Cusco we will have the chance to ride almost every day on Inca trails that we used and built more than 500 years ago.

On day 6 we will ride very close to some interesting Inca sites (near Cusco). We are going to ride the trails and pass close to Saqsayhuaman, Q'enko, Puca Pucara and Tambomachay. I suggest strongly to buy the tourist ticket in Cusco that allows you to visit all these sites plus Pisac, Ollantaytambo and Chinchero. We are going to be 3 nights in Ollantaytambo so it's another site you can visit. The ticket cost S/. 70 New Soles, that is around USD 27

This way we can make stops on these sites and walk the main locations to know a little bit more about the Incas Culture. You will get amazed with the high level of engeneering and astronomy of these people.

On day 8 we will visit two remote towns and there we will have the special contact with local people and see how they live and work on the farms and on clothes. Then we will reach following a nice singletrack maybe the first Inca construction: Pumamarca. It's located above Ollantaytambo and all the area surrounding is amazing for all the Inca terraces and history involved.

The rest of the days in Cusco we will have the opportunity to visit other Inca sites, so I think that you will have at the end of the tour a good idea of all the work and development that the Inca Culture had.

Hope everybody comes in good shape and ready for the tour!

Happy trails!

Wayo

Thomas · Joined: 17 Apr 2008 Posts: 1

Hallo,

I am Thomas from Aurora, Ontario, a small town about 30 minutes North of Toronto. This is my first time on a blog, much as the Peru trip is my first of that kind so I am eagerly looking forward to it. I have been mountainbiking for many years, but only as a weekender, since I also play and coach soccer, which takes up quite a bit of time. I am 43, married and have a son ( Cool

and a daughter(14). I was glad to read that a nurse and a ER doctor are coming along and I hope that you two a bringing a defibrillator in case that I should not be at the required fitness level when we are at 3500 m height. In order to pay for this trip I am selling replacement parts for German and Swedish cars.

I am looking forward to riding with you.

See you down there,

Thomas