At the second pass (15,800ft.) on the trek aeound AUSANGATE

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F O R   2009

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Hello from Cusco. 

  Hope you are well and staying fit.  Made it back from the Ausangate trek in one piece. Quite a journey… both - humbling and empowering. I took some watercolors with me to try to capture some of the majesty of Ausangate mountain with brush - - man…I'll tell you, I couldn't get it with my camera, how the heck was I supposed to get it with watercolors and a paint brush. Big- Big -- BIG and beautiful. 

  We went 360 degrees around one of Peru's most sacred mountains with 3 Q'ero shaman, a guide, a cook, a cook's assistant, a horseman, and a horseman's assistant, and 9 horses.   With gringo/lowlanders - - Rob Pettus and me.  And me, trying to ride it on a bicycle. 

  The first day we climbed from 12,300 ft up to 14,500 and we stayed at that level or higher for the next 6 days. I have a new respect for, "oxygen debt." 

   As we looped around the mighty Ausangate, with our shaman working non-stop to keep the Apu happy and the weather clear, we climbed the Mountain's four shoulders, each being in the 15,400 – 16,400 ft category. 

  Didn't see another tourist and hardly any locals the whole trip.  We had a blast! The shaman were incredible. I'm thinking about that as a next profession.  Trainer/Shaman - - that might work in Santa Fe. 

   Fernando Silva, our trusty guide never let us stray.  Rob marched through the whole 65 km like it was a walk-in-the-park. 

   I managed to stay up-right and ride about 75-80% of the loop.  Of the 25 (or so) percent that I didn't ride, I pushed about half of that.  The other half I had to rely of the generosity of the shaman to help push my bike. 

   I'm NO SLACKER...but on the third day, pulling out of our camp at 15, 000 ft., after having it snow all night, I had a real hard time climbing the 1,500 ft in 3 km.  I literally hit the wall.  Juan, from the Q'ero, was pushing my bike and Augustine; our main Q'ero shaman asked me if he could carry my backpack.  I'll tell ya…I almost started to cry. But I kept my backpack and hiked in my cycling shoes up to Palomani Pass at 16,400 ft.  A new personal record. 

   At the top…Augustine preformed a Q'ero ritual, honouring the mountain spirit of Ausangate and then sprinkled some of my dad's ashes in the four directions of the wind while chanting prayers in the ancient Quachua language. 

  After, I carved a wicked line down the backside of Palomani, following llama tracks, 2,500 ft into the Uchuy Finaya, valley. When I finally stopped, I smelled something burning.  Being a little high from the altitude and from all the coca leaves I was chewing, I reached down and touched my disk brake and instantly melted the tip of my glove.  Now, that's a descent! 

   According to Fernando and all of the locals I spoke with, I am the first person to ride/drag a bike around Ausangate.  I can understand why no one else has ever tried. 

   On the second to last day, Augustine was performing a special and very scared ritual to Ausangate and I looked up at the mountain's face towering above me and saw a condor circling. 

   "Condor?" I stammered.

   "Apu Condori", Augustine said with a huge smile, as if20he had known the condor was going to be there at that exact moment. Maybe he did. 

   On the final leg from Pacchanta, where famed weaver Maria Merma Gonzalo lives, and after I had dropped off a 25 pound load of school supplies from Maureen Dunn to the local school, I hit 40 mph on the dirt road down to Tinqui. 

   Locals popped their heads up and I'd laugh, "Allillanchu?" - - "How are you" in Quechua, like riding 40 mph on a bicycle on their dirt road was the most natural thing in the world. By the time they could answer, if they did…I was long gone. But I'd yell, "Par-ca-ring-coma" - - "See ya latter"…anyway.  Maybe I will… 

   Looking forward to being back in Santa Fe, first week of December. 

Jeff Della Penna 

Jack's Cafe

Cusco, Peru 

Nov.30, 2008

For more information contact Jeff Della Penna (505) 231-5039

jeffdellapenna@aol.com      www.jeffdellapenna.com