From the Library

[Biggles]

We turn to plan B- finding someone to rebuild the factory shock. One man tells us to come back at five o'clock and he will have it done. I explain in broken, near impossible to understand Spanish, this won't work, it must be earlier. No problem, how about three o'clock? That's perfect. I can be on the road by five and only have a few hours of difficult night riding ahead.
Later that day, with the sun gracefully retreating below the horizon, I blast past the last tollbooth exiting Lima and ride onto the autopista, hoping for an overnight in Pisco. From there, I'll deviate off the Pan American Highway and spiral back into the Andes.
Yet in my hurry, I failed to inspect the rebuilt shock when we re-installed it and later discovered that all the mechanic did for the fifty bucks I paid him was clean it. Even though there was no improvement, there is still a bright side. At least toll roads in Peru are free for motorcycles and the government does something here that I found in few other countries- they repair their potholes.
Two Wheels Through Terror  Glen Heggstad  p203

[Biggles]

As the winds subside, a light ocean mist deposits a film of salt on my face shield, which I stop to clear every twenty minutes. During these moments, I shut down the engine just to savour the roaring silence. Marvelling at the enveloping chilly desolation, it's difficult not to linger. I love the desert as much as the mountains and the jungle, and am continuously captivated by the contrasts this planet has graciously offered its inhabitants. While a prisoner in Colombia I dreamed of these moments, knowing if I survived, I would one day complete this ride no matter how long it took. Once again, I eagerly plunge southward, overwhelmed in the pure ecstasy of feeling alive.
Two Wheels Through Terror  Glen Heggstad  p204

[Biggles]

There is a paved road leading to Cusco that would have been much easier to travel, so why would anyone intentionally set out into such extreme conditions? Because on a journey like this, challenges define life and make a man feel alive. Also, it's the best darn ride since departing California. Storybook Andean scenery opens like secret pages of ancient mountain marvels unfolding for only those who witness it firsthand. Grinning until my jaw aches, I peer outward through my face shield at the sharp multicoloured canyons and towering peaks above- it's as though I'm ricocheting through time with little to indicate what century this is. For hundreds of miles in all directions in the frigid mountain air, no two viewpoints are alike, rendering me breathless in awe of this natural phenomenon that I've only imagined. This is the reason to experience Peru and it's worth every second of hassle and discomfort.
Two Wheels Through Terror  Glen Heggstad  p205

[Biggles]

As the back end of the bike abruptly begins to sway, I'm not sure if it's due to a rutted road or my rear tire going flat. I don't want to stop and find out which. 
The bike is too unstable to shift out of second gear and suddenly the road ahead leads downward. Yet this is a sword that cuts two ways; I'm rapidly descending but also out of control on frozen ground. My brakes are useless and all I can do is keep my legs stretched out, wildly paddling with my feet in an attempt to remain upright.
Within thirty minutes I'm exhausted from struggling for stability but at least I'm descending. As the foul weather lessens and temperatures climb, the frozen road returns to mud. Another mile down the steep grade, twinkling lights appear. Maybe a car, a truck, a farmhouse? At this point, anything means relief from shivering. 
My rain suit is completely soaked but my electric vest pumps lifesaving heat.
Two Wheels Through Terror  Glen Heggstad  p212