On Mountain Biking Peru ride Day 8, we left Calca in the Sacred Valley in the morning and rode our way to our new home in Cusco.  We did 3 rides on the town square side of Cusco and one across the city called El Brujo that was definitely a classic.  Overall another day of lots of riding, though not quite as spectacular as riding in the sacred valley.  I think I’m a mountain girl more than a city girl!  Regardless, still super rad.

Ride 1 – Inca Cárcel 2:

While this ride was cool, I kinda rode the struggle bus on it!  There was more climbing than I thought and lots of traversing.  Some choose-your-Own-adventure … less obvious trail than I’d anticipated.  Nice endo over small water bar with a drop … some rocky sections with turns – didn’t clear as many as hoped … more traverse and climbing than anticipated.  Put my foot down and re-rolled my ankle from yesterday 🙁

Ride 2: El Brujo 

Riding El Brujo is definitely one of the classic Cusco rides.  It’s a bit cross country at the beginning along a grassy ridge, and then goes through rocky sections and rideable switchbacks.  Then comes flowier sections of rocks and grass sections interspersed … some ‘off road’ through fields and a final drop section to the road.  The trail doesn’t t descend all the way to valley due to the city encroaching in!  All the same, a rad ride, some cool countryside, a different view of Cusco, and a highlight of the day for sure!

Ride 3: Inca Cárcel 1 

This ride was Peru ‘flow’ – mostly downhill with minor pedal at end – fun rocky sections including big staircase – rode all.  Very fun trail.  It’s one that you could definitely ride a lot harder and faster if you knew it – felt a lot like a resort-style trail and is clearly heavily ridden and maintained by locals.  There are actual berms and jumps built, and probably felt like the most mountain bike specific trail that we rode on the whole trip (perhaps with the exception of Moro Solar in Lima).

Here’s the irony: it rode so fast I don’t have pics!  I’m not sure we really even stopped!

Ride 4: Balcon del Diablo to Main Square

This final ride of the day was a super fun ride to end with . . . it was Peru flow, and needed Peru skills of line choices.  But by this point, we’d had plenty of practice with that skill so it was awesome!  The ride was open up top, then a traverse section, and then a super cool descent into forest.  There was a sharp left hander at the bottom of a steep section (that I missed), and then out to some steep steps with a turn (rode them all!).  The ride pops out of the forest right at the guest house, which is only a block from the main square – so cool!