A troublesome transition
May 1, 2024
WAK! Our transition back to Huaraz is one to remember. Transporting our bikes in taxi's, buses and airplanes was a hassle, but we managed. Fixing our damaged wheels on the other hand (see previous post)... headaches!
Long distance riding on a touring bike is not very common in South America. And finding specialized quality components can be difficult. A combination of factors we found to be particularly worrisome when it came to building our new wheels. Which we learned is a science and an art, not mastered by every mechanic. And although imperfect wheels may roll just fine for a while, they are not ideal for a heavy bike trying to make its way through the Andes. And so, after going through a stressful phase of conscious incompetence, we became more knowledgeable and critical, causing the process of getting Jaap's wheels fixed in Lima to take more time and resources than expected. Waiting for parts from Europe. Having wheels built and revised multiple times due to errors. A second opinion regarding Aimée's wheels that were built in Chile, resulting also in re-work. What a mess. We lost faith a couple of times, but we kept pushing for better. For we didn't want to risk having to deal with more issues onces we set out into the high mountains again.
With remaining doubts, we eventually decided to just move to Huaraz because we knew there to be one more bike shop. Again, one wheel needed adjustments going through its third revision. This time, however, we felt confident enough to call it quits. All issues detected along the way addressed and taken care of in the best possible way. Finally. Learning the hard way.
But now it is time to move forward again! We are in Huaraz and well underway getting reacclimatized for our coming high-altitude life. Testing our wheels, hiking, horse riding, enjoying a mountain lodge. What a weird sensation. It all started here. So much has happened in between, but somehow it also feels like time has stood still. There is no mistaken though, the extra wrinkles on our faces, and the evolved view of the world through our eyes, make it clear we are indeed very different people now. It's good to be back!
