05/15 What didn’t happen today? The big news first. I successfully created hard boiled eggs for the 2nd or 3rd time in my life. One of my poor Shimano sandals that have been through so much ripped again. Luckily I had a heavy duty needle and was able to sew it back together again. My front tire went flat again. Not sure why. My narcotics intake is way up on this trip. Some guys sitting next to the road offered me some cocoa leaves which I happily took. This time I did it right and chewed the leaves into a ball and left it sitting on the inside of my cheek. I didn’t get anything out of it except having a ball of crappy tasting leaves in my mouth.
The road after Angasmarca was a tad brutal. It was fine for the first 4 miles until the road crossed over the river and then the climb was up loose rocks, gravel, sand. Lot’s of steep sections too. This went on for 8 miles and then it just wasn’t steep anymore. It could have been worse. 2 different guys told me the way I wanted to leave town was to head up into the hills. Not knowing any better I started riding up but thought I’d ask a lady if I was going the right way. She said yes but there was a more direct way that avoided the hill. Glad I ran into her.
The village of Mollebamba was where I thought I’d be spending the night after seeing what a huge climb awaited me to get to Pallasca. They had a hostel there but the lady wanted S20 which seemed kind of high. It was about then that I figured out I wasn’t where I thought I was. There’s another place called Mollepata and its on the way down to the river before the climb starts for Pallasca. I told her no thanks and rode off.
The only hostel in Mollepata was closed but the few people (literally) in the village went to get the owner. She lives just down the road and came over a few minutes later to fix up a room for me. It’s kind of cool having the entire hostel to myself (of course some guy shows up in the evening and ruins it). She gave me a key to the front door and to my room. If I could stop smashing my head on the very low arches I’d be pretty happy. Nothing is open except a store where I picked up some eggs and beer. Dinner will be pasta, a tomato and bread (and eggs).
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