The tour participants, an international mix of amateur but committed cyclists, begin their adventure August 8, 2008 at the 30-meter-high (90 feet ) Mitad del Mundo monument near Quito. Appropriately named Middle of the World, the monument marks the Earth's Equator. The expedition finishes December 14th, 2008 at the Fin del Mundo, the End of the World, the name given to Ushuaia, claimed by Argentinos to be the southernmost town on earth. Along the way, participants will encounter awesome scenery, bad roads, ruins of the Inca's, fierce headwinds, magical salt lakes, deep gorges, rumbling volcanoes and a lot more--all on their bikes !

This account covers the author's six-month-long bicycle survey of the route in preparation for the August 8, 2008 departure.

The original El Camino Inca was used almost exclusively by people walking, sometimes accompanied by pack animals, usually the llama. The Incas did not make use of the wheel for transportation, and did not have horses until the arrival of the Spanish in Peru in the 16th century.

In ancient times there were approximately 2,000 tambo inns placed at even intervals along well paved trails and roadways throughout the Inca Empire. Nowadays towns with names like Tambo Grande in Peru still refer to the location of a tambo in the past. The inns provided food, shelter and military supplies to the tens of thousands who traveled the roads. There were corrals for llamas and stored provisions such as corn, lima beans, dried potatoes, and llama jerky. Along the roads, local villagers would plant fruit trees that were watered by irrigation ditches. Inca rope bridges provided access at difficult crossings. This elaborate highway system also enabled chasqui imperial runners, covering as much as 240 km (150 miles) per day and working in relay fashion much like the Pony Express of the 1860s in North America, to keep the Inca Lord in rapid communication with the far reaches of his empire.

These days cyclists of The Andes Trail are followed by a fully equipped truck with supplies, a kitchen and water tanks. A second vehicle, a large 4x4, is used to provide a lunch halfway and to pick up tired cyclists along the road. The fast riders in the lead make only a short stop. For most of the riders, it's not a race. They take it easy and sit down for a more leisurely lunch of about an hour. A mechanic and a nurse take care of all problems concerning bikes and bodies, so that everybody arrives safe and sound in Ushuaia.

Three meals are provided every cycling day based on the local cuisine and the chef's particular specialties. However, cyclists have always the possibility to stop along the road for some truly authentic food.

Ecuador and the Avenue of the Volcanoes:

The Andes Trail expedition starts from the equator located 20 km north of Quito. It is a must for riders to acclimatize a couple of days in the capital of Ecuador after arrival. Quito is situated 2,850 meters (9,350 ft.) above sea level, and it takes some time to get used to the high altitude. Fortunately, Quito offers much of interest for the tourist. Only few cities have a setting to match that of Quito. The city sits on a narrow valley at the foot of the volcano Pichincha. The Old City is the colonial center and still the charming heart of the city. Pastel-colored houses and ornate churches line a warren of steep and narrow streets. North of it you will find the New City with broad avenues lined with fine private residences, parks, embassies and villas.



After the days of acclimatization it is time for the official start and the real work: time to hit the road. The famous "Avenue of the Volcanoes" takes us along the slopes of the beautiful snow-capped cone of Volcán Cotopaxi and the giant Chimborazo, Ecuador's highest peak at 6,310 meters (20,700 feet). Indians in bright colored dresses look up surprised from their fields as a pelotón, a pack of fancy riders on modern bicycles passes by. The colorful Sunday market at the plaza of Alausi attracts many Indians from outlying villages to sell the products they have harvested.



Further south the Inca ruins of Ingapirca provide a fascinating insight into the remarkable Inca civilization. The most significant building is the Temple of the Sun, an elliptically shaped building constructed around a large ceremonial boulder. The structures in this religious complex were assembled in the Incan way without mortar. The stones were simply chiseled and shaped to fit together so perfectly that, to this day, it is difficult to slip a knife blade between many of them. The Temple of the Sun was positioned so that on the solstices, at exactly the right time of day, sunlight would fall through the center of the doorway of the small chamber at the top of the temple. In later centuries, Ingapirca became a curiosity in the middle of a huge hacienda belonging to a wealthy Ecuadorian family, and many of the stones were taken away to use in constructions and repairs for the hacienda. Today, the site has been recognized as one of the most important archaeological remains in Ecuador.

The Heritage City of Cuenca:

After 5 days of riding it is time to relax for a day in the designated UNESCO World Heritage City of Cuenca. This third largest city in the country is considered by many to be the most attractive. The riders enjoy the flower filled plazas and the many historic buildings. The city still retains its traditional and colonial atmosphere, with a rich collection of colonial-era churches, plazas, and buildings. Before the coming of Europeans, Cuenca was second in importance only to Cuzco, and to this day, the foundations of many of the city's major secular as well as religious buildings are Inca in origin. As it is a day of rest, the riders are thankful they do not have to navigate the traditional but bumpy cobblestone streets. Finally, after a day off the bicycles and a bit of sightseeing, the road calls, and it's back in the saddle again. A quiet section of the Pan-American Highway through spectacular mountain scenery takes them away from Cuenca and to the Peruvian border.

Peru, the Heart of the Inca Empire:

Peru starts with a couple of easy days along the nearly flat Pacific coast. One of the interesting towns along this section of the route is Lambayeque, notable for its exceptional museums featuring artifacts from local archaeological sites. The Bruning Museum, established in the early 1900s, contains hundreds of gold and silver pieces, as well as textiles and ceramics, from the Vicus, Chimú , Moche, Inca, and Lambeyeque cultures. Perhaps, one of the more dramatic reminders to the cyclers that The Andes Trail truly is a journey through history is a visit to The Tumba Real, a new museum Inaugurated in 2002. The museum displays splendid artifacts from the royal tomb of the Lord of Sipan, a benevolent ruler of the Moche people who ruled his kingdom of Sipan at around 200 A.D., predating the Inca peoples. He was a noble warrior who assumed almost mythical proportions to his people. His elaborate tomb was uncovered in 1987 and is considered to be the richest burial to be found in the Americas, comparable in the beauty and craftsmanship of its treasures to those of Egyptian King Tutankhamen.

The relatively easy rolling section along the Peruvian coast ends with a day of relaxing at the sand beaches of Huanchaco. This resort is only 5 km (3 miles) from the extended excavations of Chan Chan, the imperial capital of the Chimor Kingdom and the largest in Pre-Columbian America. So important is Chan Chan from an historical perspective that in 1986 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. Nowadays the city is severely threatened by erosion from El Niño, which causes heavy rains and flooding on the Peruvian coast. However, at its apogee in the 15th century about 30,000 people lived in the vast mud city before it was finally conquered by the Incas. The city is divided into nine walled citadels or palaces each forming an autonomous unit proving a strict political and social strategy. Each citadel housed ceremonial rooms, burial chambers, temples reservoirs and some residences. It would require days to visit them all. The cyclers mark this city down as one to examine more carefully on a return visit to Peru, but the road calls again.

A gradual climb--spread out over one week of pedaling--will take the group from the Pacific to a mind popping altitude of 4.882 meters (16,000 feet), the roof of the tour. Meanwhile, they will be navigating through the 50 dark tunnels of the spectacular Cañon del Pato, a narrow canyon between some of the giants of the Andes. The cyclists go across a couple of scenic Andean mountains and pass unspoiled Andean villages. This area has seen very few tourists and is fresh from its lack of exploitation. As herds of llamas are watching, it is time to enjoy the impressive wide views of the Andes. The exceptionally long down hills are fun and a relief from all the climbing. The group may stop at a local restaurant in a remote village, where the local food specialty is roasted guinea-pig. The funny rodents, considered pets in many countries, are allowed to run free in the kitchen of the restaurant before the unlucky ones are transformed into a tasty meal.

As the riders continue their descent, they pass the temple of Kotosh where the remains may be visited of the oldest settlement in the Americas, dating aback to 4,200 BC. The archeological site is also known as the Temple of the Crossed Hands because of its most famous artifact, a life-sized relief sculpture of a pair of crossed human forearms. The molding is one of the oldest examples of sculptures in the Andes. The absence among the ruins of housing foundations point to the fact Kotosh was not a residential community, but rather was a sacred pilgrimage center. The riders restrict move on quickly since a short distance away is the picturesque highland town of Huanúco and another day of rest.

As the riders soon learn, it is best not to ask locals for distance estimates to the next town. After receiving puzzled looks, the answer may be as vague as, "Two hours." Two hours later of hard riding with no town in sight may lead to another equally inaccurate guesstimate from another native trudging along the highway. This is not surprising since, for most locals, distance is the time spent sleeping on a rickety bus rather than time required to pump a high-tech bicycle from point A to point B. Even more frustrating is that the locals consider the world to be flat behind the mountain that lies ahead of the group. The bikers soon will notice that the world is NOT flat at all.



Cuzco and Machu Picchu:

The most famous tourist attractions of Peru are in and around Cuzco. The ancient capital of the Inca Empire is considered the archaeological capital of South America. The city of Cuzco, like no other place, illustrates the complexity of the hybrid borne of a blend of Spanish and Inca cultures. This can be appreciated especially in the fusion between Inca ruins and Spanish colonial architecture. Not specifically on the tour but reachable as a day trip on a picturesque train ride from Cuzco is Machu Picchu, the famous "Lost City of the Incas. This mountain citadel, re-discovered in 1911 by a Yale University professor, is in an extraordinarily beautiful and once remote setting. Machu Picchu was probably the most amazing urban creation of the Inca Empire at its height; its giant walls, terraces and ramps seem as if they have been cut naturally in the continuous rock escarpments.

Lake Titicaca:

In southern Peru on the road to Lake Titicaca the riders pass a couple of archeological sites. In Raqchi, the Temple of Wiraqocha, an enormous two-story roofed structure, dominates the skyline. In Inca mythology Wiraqocha was the creator of civilization, and one of the most important deities in the Inca pantheon. The structure consists of a high central wall flanked on each side by a row of twelve columns. The 4m (12 ft.) high foundations for both the wall and the columns are classic high Inca stonework with the remaining height built of adobe. Prior to its destruction by the Spaniards, the temple had what is believed to be the largest single roof in the Incan Empire. But the site shows the remains of all the elements of a full-sized city: well defined street grids, housing, temples, astronomical observatories, palaces, aqueducts, food markets, public squares, fields and peripheral walls. The entire complex is a clear indication of a typical urban environment during Inca times.



Then the cyclists hit the shores of the cool sapphire-blue water of Lake Titicaca, the world's highest navigable lake at an altitude of 3,800 meters (12,467 ft.). It is also the original home of the Uros Indians and their unique Floating Islands. These ancient inhabitants of the lake, known as the Water Tribe, have built their own islands by periodically adding new layers of Totora reeds which grow in the lake. The dense roots that the plants develop support the islands. They are anchored with ropes attached to stakes driven into the bottom of the lake. The reeds at the bottoms of the islands rot away fairly quickly, so new reeds are added to the top constantly. This is especially important in the rainy season when the reeds rot a lot faster. The islands last about 30 years. Much of the Uros diet and medicine also revolve around these reeds; and not only the islands but also the homes and boats of the Uros Indians are made from the Totora reeds. It is a Totora world !

Tough conditions along the trail:

The pioneers of the first edition will encounter unexpected road conditions at the 11,000 km (6,800 mile) southbound mark. Fortunately, about 65 percent is running over smooth paved roads. The rest varies from rough roads with washboards to rocks and loose sand. This area proves the wisdom of bringing mountain bikes for the tour. Not only the road is unpredictable but also the weather conditions which vary enormously in the Andes. In general, the weather will be perfect for biking. However, the cyclists must be prepared for intense heat, severe rain showers, freezing temperatures and fierce winds. Finally the mountains give an extra dimension to the tour with altitudes of close to 5,000 meters (16,400 ft.).

Bolivia, the "Tibet of the Americas:

At the south side of Lake Titicaca near Copacabana the tour crosses into Bolivia, a country of unparalleled natural beauty, vibrant indigenous cultures and whispers of ancient civilization. Bolivia is the highest, most isolated and most rugged country of Latin America. The track doesn't get below 3.000 meters (9,800 ft.), altitudes that leave normal Europeans and Americans gasping for air. Despite the altitudes there won't be many meters of ascending in Bolivia, thanks to the nearly flat Altiplano. It is a sparse land where the Aymara and Quechua Indians scrape a living from their small plots of land in the harsh climate. Spectacular scenery, friendly people and interesting towns make the crossing one of the highlights of The Andes Trail.

Salar de Uyuni, and the Altiplano:



In the south of Bolivia, the market town Uyuni serves as a gateway for tourists visiting the world's largest salt flats, the Salar de Uyuni. It also is an important railway hub where railroad lines converge from La Paz, and towns in Chile and on the Argentine border. An interesting attraction in the town is the cemetery of old rusted steam locomotives.

After a stop in Uyuni, the tour then loops around the volcano Tunapa, bringing the cyclists to the Salar de Uyuni with its 10,582 square kilometer ( 4,085 square miles) of salt flats. As a matter of interest, this is an area that equals more than 25 percent of the size of the Netherlands .

Some 40,000 years ago, the area was part of Lake Minchin, a giant prehistoric lake. When the lake dried, it left behind two modern bodies of water and two major salt deserts, Salar de Coipasa and the larger Uyuni. Cycling across the Salar de Uyuni is the most distinctive section of the trip. On the vast white planes you can bike everywhere, and there are only same vague tracks to follow. Biking the biggest salt desert in the world is a surrealistic and unforgettable experience.



Featureless as an empty page, a plain stretching white from horizon to horizon, then blurring seamlessly into sky, the vastness of this phenomenon is startling. It is not a panorama of water, nor snow nor ice, but of seemingly endless salt. Cycling for 100 kilometers on these flats with no road and only vague tracks to follow makes it a memorable challenge.

"How to guide a group across the Salar?" is one of the challenges for the organization. Each year the Salar is filled with water in the rainy season. This causes no problem for us since the rain only comes by November and the cross of the Salar is scheduled for October. The problem is an absence of road. The only way to navigate the flats is by using the position of the sun or the silhouette of the mountains at the far side. It is not a very accurate way to navigate and promises no guarantee of hitting the goal. 24 satellites in the sky and a GPS system calibrated to pinpoint one's location within 5 meters anywhere on Earth will guide the group across the salt plains. Where would we be without this invention of the U.S. Army?

Cycling the rugged Altiplano of Bolivia is breathtaking, both literally and figurative. The lack of air and unpredictable road conditions at altitudes of over 3,000 meters (9,000 feet ) will force the cyclist to take a couple of extra stops. Result: loads of photos of the fantastic mountain area around Tupiza, full of canyons, valleys, red rock outcroppings and cacti. Crossing the Altiplano feels like riding in the Wild Wild West. And, appropriately, this was the area where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid ended their days. But for the tour, it is not the end of The Andes Trail, as the journey is not even at its halfway mark.

Crossing the border between Bolivia and Argentina seems like a trip through time: passing from a developing into a well developed country, from chaos in the streets into a well arranged world, from queues of people carrying heavy bundles on their backs in Bolivia to well packed lorries at the Argentinean side of the border.

Patagonia and its wild nature:

Typical weather conditions of the region--a bright sun and a roaring wind that seems never to stop--make cycling in Patagonia a definite challenge. The sparse trees, continuously whipped by the winds and permanently bent out of shape, tell the story. The western winds rule.

Typical weather conditions of the region--a bright sun and a roaring wind that seems never to stop--make cycling in Patagonia a definite challenge. The sparse trees, continuously whipped by the winds and permanently bent out of shape, tell the story. The western winds rule.

In this part of the world there are few accommodations and fewer amenities. The exposed emptiness of the land and the strong wind makes it difficult to find a suitable place to pitch the 20 tents that are required for the whole group. There are stories of other cyclists who were forced to sleep in the culvert drainpipes next to the road, the only place providing shelter from the wind during a storm. Fortunately, suitable spots for tenting behind clusters of trees or shielded by the occasional building can be found to serve as make-do campsites for the group each night.

Why do this arduous trip by bicycle?

In general, the cycling days will have the same schedule: eating, cycling, eating, sleeping. Sunrise is the signal to wake up, consume a nutritious breakfast, pack and drop the luggage in one of the support vehicles and cycle the distance to the next place. Halfway through the day, the organization provides a lunch and the opportunity to refill empty drinking bottles. The stages have an average length of about 100 kilometers (62 miles), depending on the course, the conditions of the roads and the locations of the next suitable accommodation. The route through the Andes has been divided into 105 cycling stages and 22 rest days. Each cyclist gets a detailed map which helps to navigate to the next place.

If no suitable campsite or hotel is available the organization will make a bush camp somewhere along the road. Life goes back to basics at these stops, with no coddling of guests. Rest rooms and showers are not available. However, under the Big Sky of southern South America, nighttime skies could well qualify this type of accommodation as million-star hotels.

Who is riding the trail?

The Andes Trail is open to men and women from all over the world prepared to experience a unique and challenging adventure. The riders of the first edition in 2008 originate from Canada, Ireland, France, Belgium, Czech Republic and the Netherlands. The ages of participants range from 28 to 69. Among them are computer experts and newly retired but still fit senior citizens. For an expedition such as The Andes Trail, it is more important to be an open-minded traveler who likes the challenge than to be a fanatic amateur cyclist. Participants can cover the distance within their own capabilities and in a pace they determine. This means that, if they so choose, they can compete with the dedicated cyclists to try be a winner at the end of the-world. On the other hand, they can choose to take it easy and enjoy the beauty of the Andes in all her facets: the landscape, the culture, the people, the opportunity to visit a ruin, church, museum, local market or other attraction. Most of the rest days are planned near one of the tourist highlights in South America.

The Andes Trail is not the first long durance bike ride organized by Bike Dreams. In 2006 and 2007 they organized "Paris-Dakar by Bike", a bike expedition of 7,200 km (4,500 miles) traversing the Sahara, the biggest desert on our earth. Starting in Paris, continuing through France, Andorra and Spain, crossing the Mediterranean to northwest Africa traversing Morocco, through portions of the Sahara, Mauritania, and ending in Dakar, the capital city of Senegal.

The credo of Bike Dreams is, "Life is not the dreams you have, but the dreams you realize". The participants of this first The Andes Trail will actualize long held dreams and perhaps will encourage adventurous bicycle enthusiasts to consider joining future bicycling expeditions now being planned by Bike Dreams to some of the world's less-traveled places.