Hazards of a Video Camera Operator

After posing for some photos out front of the Eco Inn we were off again. The directions to Moquegua sounded like the directions on a shampoo bottle. Left, right, right, left repeat. The route was something out of a movie and the kind of thing rider’s dream of. Well at least road riders. Smooth pavement and more twists and turns that I’ve ever seen. Perfect riding weather complimented the day and things were working well until we left the gas station down the street.
Within minutes the team is off in at least four different directions. After several starts and stops for directions from the locals Piero rides past us, with the classic "what the hell are you guys doing" look, followed by a few others and we're once again reconnected. Thankfully nobody was relying on us because there were moments where we couldn't be helped...much less help anyone else.

The land is spares and incredible all at once. The road has you climbing and descending repeatedly making you really ride the bike. This was no time to get lazy. Without a cloud in the sky we worked our way around busses and trucks using every gear the motorcycles had. With many great vantage points you could catch glimpses of what lay ahead. You'd be excited about the twists and turns to come before you'd finished the ones you were in. It just kept getting better.

After a short stop Kiko has taken up a position on the back of Piero’s mighty GSA. Kiko is facing backwards as he plans to get some cool shots for the video. We each take turns coming up behind, waving and then passing in something I’m sure we all thought looked very “feature film-ish”. As I approached I noticed a rather large speed bump and begin to gesture to my new friend that he might want to find something to grab on to. My charades were as effective as my attempts and speaking Spanish...a total loss. With his free hand Kiko just waved back at me and smiled behind the little video camera. Then it happened. The bike mounted the speed bump and with in a flash Kiko bounced up towards the sky and the crashed down wrapping both arms and legs around Piero’s top box. Tentatively Kiko relaxed and smiled until IT HAPPENED AGAIN.

I felt bad for not being able to warn Kiko of the dangers awaiting him. Thankfully he was no worse for the wear and while I’ve not seen it yet...I bet the footage is hilarious. We rolled into Moquegua and had a great lunch. We fuelled up and prepared to cross the Peruvian dessert that lay between us and Tacna.