A nice mostly desert ride including finding a middle-of-nowhere restaurant stop.

The irrigated areas around Casma lasted the first five kilometers. Not quite sure what these trees are but part of an orchard in the area.

After this the road headed up the hill and into desert areas where I’m not sure I saw a blade of green grass for another 70 kilometers. There were some longer more gradual climbs. Fortunately, not much wind until the last 25 kilometers.

Even growing cactus in this desert requires extra water.

A few of these simple residences along the way.

This guy was busy painting the inside shell of a restaurant, pretty much in middle of nowhere.

Looked like a pretty bad accident not extremely long ago. The cab for the truck was a little ways ahead. Accident victims were gone, but vehicles were still in the roadway and police were in the area.

I saw this sign and wondered, “what flora?” since it was barren again.

However, I did see some areas where these brown plants below are flora, so it wasn’t completely barren.

At 30 kilometers I came on this oasis restaurant known as “La Gramita”. There was friendly woman here who perked up when she saw my bicycle.

She brought out the journal book filled with short tributes from other cyclists and long distance travelers who had stopped by. On this page was one from someone from Iran. On other pages were French and other travelers. I added my short notation as well.

Also on the table was a coke and some oreos that I ordered as a snack. It was too early for more of a meal and I also wanted not to stay too long since I expected winds later. She would not take my money, but that 10 sole note (~$3) was my payment. Eventually I did leave behind a payment.

One wall was filled with framed pictures and accounts of other travelers who had stopped in here.

I was particularly enamored by this section from Karl Bushby from his walking north up South America.

Overall it was a great little place with very friendly folks. It would have been nice to have stayed a bit longer, though I was definitely trying to keep making progress today.

After this another thirty kilometers so slowly winding my way between and then over some of the lower coastal hills. Eventually the last twenty kilometers came more along the coast.

A distance sign from nearby toll booth.

The coast was now visible on the right. Unfortunately this also coincided with more winds.

One of the last little hills and then down into Huarmey.

Town square with church and municipal building. Had a late lunch and then wandered around some looking for grocery items to prepare for tomorrow. Overall, a nice ride through dry desert areas and particularly intrigued to come across La Gramita.

One milestone is I passed just south of the 10 degree of latitude line. In southern hemisphere it is almost winter and days are now eleven and a half hours long.