11-Jul-2002 -- Complete Story at:
www.ultimatejourney.com/chap119.html
...we were about 23kms south of Nazca and I was checking the time on the main info screen on the GPS, and noticed we were at S14.58.778 W74.59.110 --- something clicked and I immediately stopped. I created a new waypoint with the coordinates for the confluence S15.00 W75.00, and found we were only 1.18kms away! The area around was desert, with parts of deep sand, but I was too close to not go for it. I hit the "go to" button, and followed the arrow. Erin said she'd follow along the road, and wait while I ventured off into the deep sand.
Well, would you believe this confluence is not way off the beaten track, but on the (paved) shoulder of the north-bound lane on the main highway!!!! It was so easy, and I wasn't even looking for it. I didn't know if anyone else had already registered this confluence, but I really didn't care -- I way psyched! (When I went to register, I discovered a nun was planning to visit this confluence later this month, and thought it would be sacrilegious to register it before her. Oh well, I was still happy)
After a few photos, we continued down the barren coast, as desert murky sands meld with cleaner beach sand and left a light film on the highway. The coastline would be quite extraordinary if not for the wind and haze that draped over us for the entire day. Peruvians and Bolivians flock to the beaches for the summer months of January through March, when the air is clear, there is no wind, and the beaches are at their finest. We arrived in the beach resort town of Camana, after some 400kms. Most of the houses on the beach look pretty crummy, and we later learn a Tsunami wiped them out the previous year. We hunkered down at the Sun Valley resort, which has nice new cabanas near the beach, and a sand dune for sand boarding out back. We’re the only guests, as it is the off-season, so we have a wonderful fish dinner with the owners.
A fitting end to an exciting day!
Ride safe, ride far, ride often,
Erin & Chris Ratay
Email: bmw@ultimatejourney.com
Web: www.UltimateJourney.com
1999-2003 World Tour on 2 BMW Motorcycles