Skip to content Skip to footer

My Peruvian Adventure, 2015

Saludos queridos amigos :-)

Last year I went to help a couple of true entrepreneurs set up their very first Hard Enduro event in the magnificent deserts around the countrys capital, Lima. I was in Peru for a few months and I left with strong desires to come back and luckily, I’m soon on my way back to the land of the incas. The story of Peru is interesting, as really any of the latin american countries stories are. Incredible to think back on the times when this continent was inhabited by tribes of all sorts, speaking many different languages only to be killed by the spaniards. I’ve been very fortunate during my latin american trips to have met tribes in the mountains and I’ve even met people speaking Nauhautl (Mexico) and Quechua (Peru).

Anyways, pictures tell more than a 1000 words, so scroll down and enjoy :-)

If my story inspires you to travel to Peru, don’t hesitate to contact me, I’d be more than happy to share further details with you regarding what I know. If you want to know more about the Hard Enduro Event I’m referring to, you have to talk to these guys.

img_1898
The Peruvian coastline from the area of Lima called Miraflores. There’s plenty of well developed and rich areas of Lima, but even more poor and sad areas.
img_1714
I stayed with one of the two organisers in his house and one day I saw he’d left the housekeeper with this note. It’s not that I don’t understand enough for us to talk about how I want my eggs (the latin lifestyle!) it’s just that some people speak so horribly bad! Or fast, which my brain just can’t handle yet :-) The note btw says “Fanny (housekeeper), Peter speaks a little spanish, give him breakfast”.
img_1803
The biggest friendly fight ever between Colombia, Peru and Ecuador… They all want to be known as the country with the best “Ceviche” in the world. I say each country has their own version of what the believe is the REAL ceviche and they’re all good!
img_1674
Peru is divided in two… One part is like this (desert) and the other (which I haven’t experienced yet) is the jungle part touching the great amazon rain forest. Plenty of options of where to go right?
img_1831
Jorge Nieto, one of the 2 organisers and his Beta showing me around their ideas of a racetrack. A few hundred meters higher and we would break through the clouds.
img_1689
One of the many many many fantastic off-camber trails we scouted and used for the race.
img_1693
Poor education and poverty results in horrible things like this. People burning off their shit in the mountains polluting heavily.
img_1722
I guess it’s a guy trying to fix a wheel. Just thought it was a funny situation.
img_1813
San Bartolo (Lima) has so many enduro riders it’s ridiculous. Here people leave their bikes in a garage where a company takes care of them and keeps them race-ready for their clients. Kind of nice if you’re busy normally, live in an apartment etc. This concept works great in countries with low salaries.
img_1814
Poor dog trying to stay clean in a workshop.
img_1825
Chicken en mas. I was told that the black plastic curtains are used to make the chicken fall asleep only to be woken up 3-4 times daily. Apparently, a chicken by nature starts eating when it wakes up. This results in a fast growth = quick sell = good business. Pretty disgusting and I almost went vegan after seeing this.
img_2136
Just looking proper retarded while I’m supposed to teach these guys how to ride motorcycles.
img_2155
Some solid hill climb practice that for this guy didn’t go super well. He ate dirt a second later :-)
img_1817
What happens when you get stuck on a hillside and need to get going? We practiced the very delicate line between too much clutch, gas and weight on the rear fender. Good times :-)
img_1889
And then they thought they were Graham Jarvis all of a sudden! I believe the guy getting fucked up is El Pan Frances :-)
img_1884
Branko Bozovich, one of the 2 organisers, lend me his badass 430 4banger Beta and let me rip the dunes for a day. Best day of my life.
img_2238
Freaky Franko (Branko) showing how 12 o’clock looks on the 230. This is where we did the prolog, pretty cool to have raced motorcycles on the pacific coast of Peru…!
img_2262
Franko wore out the rear brakes leaving me to play only with the front brake…!
img_2272
The Mexican wunderkid Didier “Frodo” Goirand enjoying some sunshine at the press conference :-)
img_2417
Watching the prolog take off, people throwing their bikes left and right to great amusement of the crowd. One of my jobs in this years edition of El Inka will be prolog track design and i’ll make sure to make it spectacular!
img_2413
I decided to join the fun myself and actually had a great time racing my friend Sergio Liziers KTM. Good times until I hit a rock while challenging for the lead and almost fell into the water.
img_1096
The bald long-haired dude is Martin Freinademetz, the owner of Red Bull Romaniacs and Minas Riders. He came over to see what the fuzz was all about as well as took part in the race. The old guy finished a very respectable 2nd.
img_1525
Wheelie time, always a nice activity and a good way to make sure the balance is still intact.
Frodo took a convincing win in the inaugural Inka Hard Enduro. The young kid is the future star of Hard Enduro, he just doesn't know it yet :-)
Frodo took a convincing win in the inaugural Inka Hard Enduro. The young kid is the future star of Hard Enduro, he just doesn’t know it yet :-)
Political message I believe. There's a strong sense of eager to change things in Peru and there truly are many things that need changing. As in almost any other poor country you have to start with the asshole corrupt politicians.
Political message I believe. There’s a strong sense of eager to change things in Peru and there truly are many things that need changing. As in almost any other poor country you have to start with the asshole corrupt politicians.
Selling handcrafted products is a popular business, especially around Cusco and Machu Picchu.
Selling handcrafted products is a popular business, especially around Cusco and Machu Picchu.
Cusco by night. Very high in altitude.
Cusco by night. Very high in altitude.
They call it Saksaywaman but all I hear is sexy woman. Mind-boggling how these rocks some day tons of years ago ended there.
They call it Saksaywaman but all I hear is sexy woman. Mind-boggling how these rocks some day tons of years ago ended there.
Just beautiful.
Just beautiful.
Train ride from Cusco to Aguas Caliente, the village just before you get to Machu Picchu. Stunning ride through these mountains.
Train ride from Cusco to Aguas Caliente, the village just before you get to Machu Picchu. Stunning ride through these mountains.
Somebody's sons. I didn't know them but they made a funny pic.
Somebody’s sons. I didn’t know them but they made a funny pic.
See the blocks in the lower left corner of the pic? Those are transparent cubicles designed as "hotels". Good night :-)
See the blocks in the lower left corner of the pic? Those are transparent cubicles designed as “hotels”. Good night :-)
Danish guy on ancient inca trails. I was stoked.
Danish guy on ancient inca trails. I was stoked.
Couldn't keep going on this trail though. No entry.
Couldn’t keep going on this trail though. No entry.
The classic lama pic :-)
The classic lama pic :-)
I'm not gonna lie. Travelling to work with these event without having the chance to experience something completely different wouldn't suit me. I love my job with the events but i also love seeing "normal" people and unique places.
I’m not gonna lie. Travelling to work with these event without having the chance to experience something completely different wouldn’t suit me. I love my job with the events but i also love seeing “normal” people and unique places.
Every day moment. But not for me. And that right there folks, is one of the beauties of travelling.
Every day moment. But not for me. And that right there folks, is one of the beauties of travelling.
There she is... This is the reason why you should come to race El Inka, so you find yourself damn close to watching this with your own eyes.
There she is… This is the reason why you should come to race El Inka, so you find yourself damn close to watching this with your own eyes.
Adorable little girl hiding in her mothers garments :-)
Adorable little girl hiding in her mothers garments :-)
Cheap real estate!
Cheap real estate!
The Sacred Valley.
The Sacred Valley.
The Sacred Valley.
The Sacred Valley.
Pisac!
Pisac!
Eagle flying over Pisac.
Eagle flying over Pisac. Where’s my crazy zoom when I need it!!!
Pretty nature in the Sacred Valley.
Pretty pretty nature in the Sacred Valley.
Chilling.
Chilling.
Working hard!
Caption this.
Nice Inca style.
Inca Fashion.
Old people.
Cuteness overload.
Budget bus being filled up!
Budget bus being filled up! Still room for 8 more.

 

img_2038
The Peruvian kitchen is by a mile one of the best i’ve ever experienced. Super delicious and apparently somehow influenced by the japanese, someone please explain?!
img_2039
Here’s the proof. Sushi-style all over my plate!
img_2046
Balance is balance. And learning through fun is the best way to learn – period.
img_2061
Ohh you damn traction!
img_2075
The sweet view after breaking through the clouds.
img_2101
Franko giving his best to scout and plan the best tracks for Peru!
img_2114
This could be you :-)
img_2137
I believe I went down these tracks the first time. Just incredible.
img_2143
Hard Enduro is not for girls. Actually it is, and there’s some really good one’s out there but they are few and hard to find!
img_2516
I chatted up some european backpackers and Sergio didn’t mind :-) This is called sandboarding and my shoulder popped out after the first 5 meters when I was waving my arms wildly to balance my ride.
img_2533
Good times! Behind is a small picturesque oasis!
img_2551
Close to Paracas we went to some sort of closed park and found this fella.
img_2575
Again… What did I say about Peruvian food?
img_2599
Huge car taking on the dunes… We did some serious offroad driving that day!
img_2627
After the race me and a guy I met in Lima, called Sergio, went for some dune tripping down in Huacachina. Epic! Sergio took this pic and i’m next to his bodyguard.
img_2632
Didn’t see any bodybags in this accident, but I did see 2 in the streets of Lima during the time I spend there. Definitely the worst traffic I’ve seen. And yes. I’ve been to China.
Translate »

What about my newsletter?

My newsletter goes out on the 1st of every month and basically sums up the past, the present and the future.