Imagine flying down intensly technical singletrack high in the Andes(15,000 feet) up in the clouds with a handful of friends on trails that have been used as agriculture trade routes for thousands of years! Up above you to your right is a towering range full of Alpacas, Llamas and farmers who seem precariously perched up above the clouds and observe you with curiousity and humour.
Our new friends at FreeridePeru  were gracious host's who provided perfect companionship and expert local knowledge. If anyone out there is considering pushing their downhilling to the next level all the while imbibing amazing culture, you need to take a hard look at Peru and FreeridePeru!

Before this adventure, I was getting a bit disenchanted with downhill mountain bike racing. It seemed that a 4 minute run and broken parts, gas money and 60 bucks was hardly a deal. But 2 30 minute race runs plus qualifying within the most amazing scenery this side of New Zealand alongside 300 people, all starting at once was where it was at! Adrenalin was flowing let me tell you as you lined up ready to hurl yourself down a huge mountain at top speed!

Peruvian bike legend Mateo designed the course and was rocking it aboard his new Sinister Splinter MX. The first couple days was very trying, as we dealt with the altitude and the laborious task of downhilling rigorous terrain. Some local indigenous mountain dwellers showed up and wanted to help us shuttle our bikes to the top of the course. I put my full face on my little buddy, Alesandro and pushed him up part of the way, he was in heaven! The kid was priceless, trudging through the frigid high-mountain pasture in sandals! 
 

 

We actually ended up doing pretty well too! Rob and I were 16th and 20th overall, Mateo 21st and the rest of the crew not too far back. Rob was the first US finisher while I was 2nd and Mateo was 3rd in his age class!
We even got to sign autographs for the locals after the race, full rockstar treatment!

World champion Steve Peat won the race, despite a over the bars crash right out of the gate.

 

 

We got to explore some amazing freeriding in our off days and even some serious urban assault! Vange even geared up one day and came along and tore it up! The girl has no fear and put the hammer down and flew through the most technical trails and then urban that she's ever done! She had never even done stairs before this trip so she had to learn quick as we would hit big flights of stairs at full speed through the cobblestone streets!
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A big thanks go out to everyone who helped out including FreeridePeru.com Giorgio, Mateo and their amazing guides! Santiago Garcia and Atlantic Bicycles, Kenda Tires, MMUSA, and Sinister Bikes.

Stay tuned for more adventure!