Monthly Archives: March 2016

Robbed in Pisco, Peru

Friday March 25, 2016, 180 miles (290 km) – Total so far: 15,817 miles (25,455 km)

March 24, 2016 We’ve had two over 100km days thanks to the wind not being as strong. The Pan-Am south of Lima has much more traffic than north of Lima plus there are many beach resort areas. We preferred the northern part. The very disrespectful Peruvian drivers continue to bother me as they just don’t care about pedestrians, bicycles or anyone in their way. They would just as soon run you over. Lima is crazy just trying to cross a street even within a crosswalk and with a green light. It doesn’t matter; young and old often run across a street. It is very sad to see an elderly person having to run. The shoulder is used as a passing lane for both ways! We are always very observant because at any time you may have a car ride up to your rear honking and have one coming head on also honking. It is so crazy and frustrating. There are traffic police but they don’t regulate anything that has to do with pedestrians.

March 25, 2016 We continued riding south in the heavily increasing traffic with a shoulder of potholes and dirt. While riding the white line I was really close to being hit twice. This part of Peru is nerve whacking. It is Easter week with much more traffic than usual. After the second close call I told Jocelyn that it was much safer to bus. After another 15 miles we rode into the town of Pisco that has a bus station. There we purchased tickets to the next city. While unloading our bikes someone ran up and stole my Arkle “purse”. It was very fast and we were never more than two feet from our bags. Security saw a man jump onto the Lima bound bus. We immediately called for the police that showed up 15 minutes later. We thought they could call ahead and catch the guy on the bus but that’s not how things work here. I immediately offered a large reward of many months typical salary. Jocelyn went to the police station to file a report. We waited and talked with police for 3 hours. Finally after nothing was done we checked into a hospedaje next door and let the bus attendant who spoke a little English and the police know where we were in case the bag was recovered. We figured it was a longshot for the recovery but once we leave here it will be gone forever.

In the bag were two cameras, USB drives, and lots of other stuff. Fortunately I carry my passport on person. No cash was stored in that bag either. It’s funny that in the last several days I was thinking of how much I didn’t like Peru. I’m probably in the less than 1% of other touring cyclists. But that is my observation after biking in the mountains, deserts, and coast.

Tomorrow we will bus to the next city then continue riding. I guess that in the last almost 20,000 miles we are lucky that only two bad things have happened to us. The first was in the 2014 in the Republic of Georgia. I didn’t talk about it then and still won’t. Bicycling around the world sounds glamorous and people think we are on vacation. But s!@# does happen. It’s a tough but still very rewarding journey that we will not quit.

Jocelyn summed it up quite well tonight. We still have our health and maybe the thief has a family that will benefit from this. It is only stuff for me along with a few things from my late mom and dad that I have been carrying. These mementos will be most missed.

The attached pictures are the last I have stored on my computer. I will update with a few of Jocelyn’s pictures later.

Leaving Lima in the fog.
Leaving Lima in the fog.
Presidential election in Peru next month. 35 people and 35 parties.
Presidential election in Peru next month. 35 people and 35 parties.

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We met a Colombian cycling to Bolivia.
We met a Colombian cycling to Bolivia.
Huge billboard.
Huge billboard.
Typical Peru beach resort.
Typical Peru beach resort.

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Lots for sale.
Lots for sale.

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Robbed in Pisco, Peru.
Robbed in Pisco, Peru.