Chiclayo, Peru: 481 kms (21111 kms)

We've just had an incredible day that can be split into 4 stages: the run to the Peruvian border, the border crossing proper, off-road and "get-there-before-the-sun-goes-down". It took two hours to get to the Peruvian border over high passes on roads of a very questionable quality. But in doing so we were preparing ourselves nicely for stage 3 later in the day. The border crossing was one of the smoothest to date despite little Hitler on the Peruvian side excersing his muscle in paperwork. Matt was scared, probably because he didn't laugh at his jokes, but he didn't phase me with his big boots and featureless face. The difference between the two sides of the border was vast, Ecuador characterised by a nice climate high up in the mountains and Peru by it's flat, arid, boring terrain and markedly higher temperature. The heat must have affected us almost immediately as we decided that all Pan American riders before us must be stupid not to see the obvious short cut on the map. Cue TransAmericas faux pas number 24. Having been kindly lead by a local for 5 kms off-road from Tambo Grande, to turn back to the black stuff and the well trodden path would've meant swallowing way too much pride. And besides, it was a lot of fun. The next 40 kms off-road will no doubt serve as one of the highlights of the trip, not least because just about everyone on route thought we were rock stars as we rode by standing on our pegs! By the time that we arrived back on the slick stuff we had only 2 hours in which to cover 180 kms to civilisation. Now that may sound easy to you Europeans but try throwing in an array of wild and domesticated animals to the mix and such a task doesn't appear so easy. We rode flat out on a fantastic road through beautiful country side rolling into Chiclayo as a clear sun dropped over the horizon. And I'm sure she hesitated her descent just to see us home. Quite the day.