Day 36 Mayocc Bushcamp to Ayacucho

Another fine day and only the sandflies to get angry with at breakfast and while taking down the tent, I have given up counting the bites per leg, more like the bites per square inch per leg!!  On top of this I have a very tight lower back which is making life difficult.
After setting off I realise this is going to be a long day, my back is feeling every bump in the un-paved road and there is 30K to go before the smooth paved section starts.  Also within about 500 metres there is a drag up of around 11%, not what I want so early when the legs are still waking up.  The countryside this side of the river is more dominated by the Saguaro type of cactus along with the Prickly Pear and others.  The road is un-paved but flatter and soon there are more in the way of agricultural fields on each side growing maize and other types of cultivated crop.
Eventually I get to the paved section and the relief on my back is good, but I still feel any bumps.  The lunch stop is around 40K in the centre of a village where as usual the kids gather around us.  Didier gives me an Ibuprofen tablet to ease my back pain which works after a few more K on the road.  Sadly, about 10K from the finish a double dog attack takes place and by the time I have safely out-ridden them my back has cramped up again.  I was relieved to get to the finish and a rest day in Ayacucho, I hope my back gets better with the rest.  Just about 80K and about 1000 metres of climbing have taken place today, and if my back had been in good condition it would have been a pleasant day, but I don't want to admit how long it had taken today!!

Saguaro type cactus dominate.

Fascinated kids look on at lunchtime.