Piura to Tumbes - March 24

We rode west out of Piura on the Panamerica Hwy and then north along the coast to Tumbes just south of the Ecuadorian border.

The landscape was mostly desert badlands, although around El Alto we passed through a deep canyon with some fun twists and turns.

The word of the day is - HOT - most of the day we were riding in 39 degree C heat at 110kph.  The wind feels like an oven door when you open it too quickly!  All of my gear smells like hockey bag.

We stopped for lunch in Mancora, renowned for surfing and good seafood.  I ordered Cangrejo Revantado, which I was told was whole crab.  Turns out the literal translation is "exploded crab" - as though the whole crab had been run through a blender and served on a plate - every mouthful containing a dozen shards of hard crab shell.  Impossible to eat, so a hungry afternoon ride for me!

Tumbes was busy, but again, remarkably friendly.  Each time we would stop to investigate our location or a hostal, we'd be surrounded by smiling, curious, helpful locals.