The Grand Tour - Part 15 - Going home

The route home seemed fairly straightforward, Pacora to Lambayeque, pick up the Panamerican Highway and then straight all the way to Huanchaco. I had looked at the map beforehand and it looked simple, too, only one large city, Chiclayo, to go through and it appeared that the Highway ran right through the middle. Except there are no signposts in Chiclayo, and once I got into the city traffic I simply had to follow the flow - and it was almost grid-locked. Traffic was crawling, and I was looking all around to try and get some clue if I was on the right road, but just seemed to be getting further into the middle of town!
Eventually I came to a major (unsigned) junction and decided I had to go right to try and get back to the coast and the Panamerican Highway, and after a convoluted journey reached the ring road! The roundabout where it met the main road was badly signposted (I found this out on a later trip the same way), but it certainly saved a lot of time round Chiclayo - although the ring road did turn into a narrower road through a residential and shopping area, looking like anything but the main route through a city! Bear in mind that this is part of the Panamerican Highway - the road that runs from Alaska to Argentina - and not just a minor road in urban Peru!
Fortified with a tankful of petrol Oli and I proceeded Southwards, eating up the miles on the Highway. Around midday I was in need of a break and something to eat so started looking out for a likely eatery. There are loads along the way, but many didn't look that savoury and I needed somewhere that seemed safe for the bike too, so eventually pulled into a place in Chepen. They had a nice covered seating area outside, and I asked what was the "Menu" (fixed price lunch) for the day, and ordered it. The owner suggested I might like something else instead of what I chose, so, assuming that this was another Menu alternative, I agreed. But when the bill came I was being charged much more - as I had "ordered a la carte" and not Menu! A mistake I will not make again!
Back on the road and not far left to go - but the Panamerican Highway is probably the most boring road I have ever driven/ridden along! It is wide and relatively straight, but runs through miles and miles of the coastal desert, with just sand as far as the eyes can see, and at times the wind whips this sand across the road in a fine mist. The wind is so strong at times you really have to fight against it on a bike, and when you pass a heavy truck and then appear out of the lee the resumption of the cross-wind hits you like a fist!
Then I reached Paijan! I had been through Paijan a couple of times - once on my outward journey, and also when I did  test run to a place a little further up the coast - and through traffic was heavy through the town, there were no real dramas. The three wheelers can be a problem as they crisscross the main road, and the heavy trucks slow to an almost stop to navigate the speed bumps, but I had come to expect this in any urban area.I had slowed to meet the speed limit on the entry to Paijan, and from the North there is quite a long run-in to the centre of town, with a few businesses dotted along the way, but traffic generally light - and I recall that there were no vehicles in sight either in front or behind me, just a lone cyclist going the same way as me, who suddenly decided to turn across my path without looking back!! I yelled out - "Nooooo!" - but too late and we both crashed to the ground!
There was a flurry of activity and several bystanders came to our assistance - including a policeman who had been right there where it happened. We got Oli and the bicycle off the road, and assessed the damage. My left arm hurt like hell, and I initially thought I might have broken it - but I could move it so realised I had just taken a knock on my elbow, and other than a few grazes (and some bruises that developed over the next few days) we had both gotten off very lightly. I was expecting problems with the policeman - a Gringo knocking a local youth off his bike - but he had witnessed the accident, alerted by my yell, and grabbed the youth by the scruff of the neck and asked if I wanted to prosecute!
I was more concerned that the youth was not injured himself, but he appeared to be fine, so the policeman elicited an apology out of him, made me confirm that I had no wish to take the matter further and then lost interest in us!
Oli seemed to be OK at first glance, and started first time so I set off on my way again - but soon realised that the bars were a little twisted, as was the gear change arm. I managed to get the gear change sorted, as well as the brake pedal, which was also a little bent, but had no choice but to ride on with the slightly off-line bars. I proceeded slowly at first to make sure that all was well, then once I was sure things were acceptable sped up and completed the remaining 50 kms home!
I had been away for 15 days, covered 2400 kms, and the only real drama came a scant 50 kms from my destination back home! Damage to Oli was a little worse that I had first thought, as the forks had been twisted a little too, so I had to replace them as well as the handlebars, and the speedometer binnacle had also been cracked, though I didn't change that for another two years. My bruises came out over the next few days, but there was no lasting damage - though my helmet and boots bore the scars.

Riding boots showing accident damage

The metal lace retainers also  scuffed by the accident

Again I was thankful that I always wear a crash helmet!

Overall verdict - I had a great time, and Oli, the bike, had ridden like a dream - though the seat was a trifle uncomfortable on long rides, and the knobbly dirt tyres very noisy - and was already planning my next adventure.