Feeling that the main dirt road out of town was too "main", i took off on a climb straight out, although there were some sections missing on the map, it all looked good on satellite view. It took barely an hour to get back into the high mountains.

Where the vicunas roam free and there are some high altitude cats and mixed puffy sheepdogs with temper

Across the hill came a giant mine but it didnt seem too active, i found good camping on the road and even wood for fire if the wind would stop. The only visitors were a mom and baby goats.

Coming around the mine was bigger than it looked. Up, down and up again, despite the mine this route felt nicer than what i assume the main road would be, for parts it felt like no car or moto had passed for a while.

what the adjacent hills look like and what that above photo may have looked like

I had planned to take a left at the top but due to some safety concerns and two cyclists being robbed few years ago I took the road down to a big valley which turned out to be an amazing car and moto free old road.

After an unsuccessful attempt at finding a road or trail going up to a lake I eventually came around another monstrosity across the hill.

I spent half the day looking at those huge mountains where I initially wanted to go. Despite the mine it was a quiet and beautiful place.

The morning was surprisingly cold with frost only at 3300 meters. Luckily there was a 200m climb to warm me right up before joining the main road.

A road that was fairly busy with traffic.

Ok, there were cars and pavement.

And a looot of switchbacks.

But i am luckily not going up those..

But these...

Half way up there were few puppies roaming the road but I could not find the owners. I have been thinking of getting a dog lately.

The town of Pampas had a whole new spin on the red riding hood story. Big bad wolf? No problem, just grab a rifle!

There seemed to be a lot of cacophony at the main square so I tried to find a place to stay further away from it. None of the hostels had anybody in them and noone was answering the phone numbers so I headed for the school. It was the perfect spot on the podium, water, electricity and even a chair! Not to mention a roof to protect from the nightly downpours.

it was the perfect spot, nothing could go wrong, right?

wrong! at 8am all the kids would start singing the national anthem to you. It was really odd as I wasnt sure if i should stand or stay in my tent. I stood in my tent.

Thats when trouble began. Kids here are a little less behaved than anywhere else and i guess classes did not begin right away
"Gringo, gringo."
I started packing up but I was literally swarmed. It was the fastest I had ever packed up and was on the way out. Just a final guantlet of teachers, hand shakes and goodbyes. I thanked the director for letting me sleep here and was off.. looking for some quiet time at the town plaza...

Loud music was playing, people were dancing and when I sat down I was again surrounded by the army and the police and the marathon runner kids.

As I did final rounds of shopping people were calling me from left and right.
"Gringo, come here", "come have a beer gringo."
I still wasnt feeling too well from going down and up the hot canyon yesterday but through the rush I managed to gather some info that I can actually go to Pelegatos since the dangerous zone was a little further up.
A drunk man with great sadness warned me not to go further up, saying "they killed that professor"
Some were asking me to stay as there will be a big feast others wanted to be my guide to the lake but I dont think I can handle any more of this.

2 minutes out of town. Whew.

It was really a good day to go sunset hunting, a flat and out of road view spot was easy to find right before the road goes up a narrow valley. I still felt a little bad from yesterday's heat. (And that was just a climb out of a 2200m bottom...). Still in earshot of the town and the announcer man's voice ran across the valley. I think he must be silent all year just to be able to talk for these two days!

Ever since I stopped setting alarms I have been getting up earlier and starting earlier. Mornings are normally clear and the roads surprisingly dry!

Out of nowhere came houses, buildings, big ones and through slow walking up the steep switchbacks it was the ultimate ghost town experience. Except it wasnt a ghost town. Some 30 people still live here after the big tungsten mine had closed.

Luckily, I would not be going to that mine but to the touristic zone of Laguna Pelegatos and toward these big mountains I looked at with jelaousy few nights ago.

There really was nothing touristic about the lake. Just 7 families here, friendly people and suspicious dogs. I made friends with amigo the dog while the others barked at me and the young ones even tried to bite me while I was talking to their owners. The nice lady at the little store sold me breakfast and dinner to go. Three eggs each with a mix of potatoes, rice and pasta.

The lake somehow unimpressive compared to the approach and too big to really capture in a photo and even then, you never can.

After the switchbacks the road seemed to go on into the cold windy ridges, the rugged terrain eventually winning over the Peruvian dream of building non steep switchbacks everywhere.

Looking back at the lake

And looking forward, somebody just filled the road with rocks...

But that was not the end. Not even close. The big mountains popped out in the distance and made me wonder if I will go near them.

There was a good spot at the 4500m ridge, just far away from the peaks not to worry about lightning and right on the road. That must be the second part to the great peruvian dream - sleeping right on the road. Even if clouds roll in and I spend the evening in my tent waiting out the rain.

I could clearly see the surveying cuts across the valley, a road here, one there and an uninhabited camp on the bottom. Perhaps this would be a mine in the future?
Then I got to a gate and what made sense was that it was all private property back there. But what didnt was that the guy was not letting me leave the "restricted" area and telling me to go back. I kindly tried to explain to him that it does not make sense to go back into the mine when I am right on the edge of the public lands and the only exit to town. He was like a broken record player, asking where is my autorization and his hand in his jacket pocket (assuming he has a pistol in there).
I just told him that I am going through and he can call the police if he wants to but he cant keep me in the mine. Luckily that went without incident.

The ride down was nice but quite rocky and steep, i was lucky to be riding in without much food or water which made it easy and also very happy to be rocking proper brakes now.

My first stop was the mine office to explain to them what happened and that there were no signs whatsoever (well except that rock block on the road) that you cant go in. The guy was pretty cool about it and said he will speak to the security guard. He also asked if I would like a permission to go back... so for anybody thinking of riding this, you can and should call ahead. (North to south, stop at Milpo office in Conchucos or call: 989 061 687, ask for Luis). They even let me recharge my batteries in their office while I ran about town.

oh yeah and these big mountains I was looking at in the morning? I am going right there!