ACROSS THE DESERT ON A HORSE WITH NO NAME
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Eduardo Risso

Lunch at Ocucaja

Harlan gets down

   Hot winds gusted across the pitch black desert as 14 Americans, 1 Welshman, 5 Canadians, 4 Peruvians and 1 Englishman rode trancelike through the dunes, unsure if their smooth Peruvian horses were standing still or moving. They had been riding since 5:00 that afternoon toward some unknown destination that never seemed to arrive. Finally over the top of a dune, distant flickers of light were spotted. The horses picked up their pace, somehow knowing the end was close as they approached the compound illuminated with candles where a meal of *anticuchos, *papas a la huancainas along with other typical Peruvian food waited. Even by Peruvian standards, midnight is late for supper, but the riders, dazed by the 7-hour ride through the night desert, stood around congratulating themselves for the completion of their first ride in Peru before they moved into the rustic structure where food and Pisco were being served.

   That morning before the long desert ride began, the group had boarded a large bus that would take them south from Lima on the Pan Americana Highway to the valley of Ocucaje. From the start there were the usual discussions of the Third world scenes along the road until the first stop in Ica where the group visited the regional museum, which has exhibits from the local Incan cultures that lived in the area centuries ago. The group was most intrigued by the Mummies with their possessions to help them in the afterlife and the mysterious lines of Nazca.

   From the museum the next stop was a visit with a living legend, Alfredo Elias, who shared his experience of breeding some of the foundation lines of the Peruvian breed while he showed us his champion Peruvian Horses. Of course no visit is complete without a *pisco sour and food typical of the Ica region that was served on the enormous porch of the old Hacienda Santa Ramon.

The Aspargus fields at Mike Mewhinney's ranch

Diner in the Winery at Ocucaje

Lunch with Alfredo Elias

   Heading south on the only highway in Peru that runs the entire West coast, the bus turned off onto hard packed sand; heading into the desert with nothing in sight but sand dunes; the road nothing more than a barely discernable path. Winding around the dunes, the bus crested a rise; bringing the green valley of Ocucaje into sight. The area, once owned by one family was divided during Peru’s Agrarian reform among the peasants who worked the hacienda. A small piece of the once famous winery was recently returned to the family of its original owners who have made the old hacienda and winery into a charming hotel. It was from this little piece of paradise in this barren region that the rides for the next two days would originate.

   The second ride of the trip found the group gaiting through the small desert town of Santiago; the towns people amazed by the sight of 26 Peruvian horses ridden mainly by women, and the riders equally amazed by the sights common to Peru’s outback, areas seldom seen by tourists.

Unloading the horses

Burro with corn stalks. Strange creatures on the road

   After a huge buffet lunch at Ocucaje, the tour proceeded to *Fundo Cantoral, birthplace of many renowned Peruvian horses and home to some of the finest pisco to be had in Peru. Hugo Nieto, owner of Fundo Cantoral, explained his secrets of breeding top producing horses while the group sipped on pisco and watched his display of horses.

   That evening, while relaxing by the pool, and rehashing the events of the previous days, an apparition of a Monk ringing a hand held bell, appeared in front of a surprised gathering.

   The Monk, motioning for the group to follow, led the way into the old winery where Gregorian chants were playing and giant kegs of wine lined the ancient stone walls. For once the chattering people were quiet, in awe of the magical atmosphere. Finding their place at two long rows of beautifully set tables, everyone sat down to be served an outstanding meal followed by an evening of energetic dancing.

Trina is interviewed

   The next morning the bus headed back north to the Paracas National Reserve Park for a visit to the museum and a hike on the beach.

   Afterwards lunch was waiting for the tour at the newly built Hacienda del Sur owned by Mike MeWhinney and Eduardo Risso. Following lunch, Eduardo treated the crowd to a showing of excellent Peruvian horses. Our patient horses waited, tied to trees along the dirt road until Eduardo and his son mounted their own horses to ride with us on another night ride: this time through the desert to the Pampas of Villacuri. Just outside the ranch were old Incan ruins with lakes long dried up. Four hours later, the *cabalgata rode into the ranch of Sr. Jose Gagliardi for a typical Chinchano dinner and a presentation of his national champion horses.

Lessa Steves has a drink while riding on the beach

We made it to the top!

Along the beach

   Morning found everyone sitting in a boat heading out to the Paracas Islands, which are filled with pelicans, sea lions, penguins as well as other birds and animals native to the area.

   Lunch and more excellent horses waited for the tour at the Fundo San Fernandito of Julio Peschiera.

   Using San Fernandito as the base, the cabalgata rode out on to the dirt roads lined with ancient eucalyptus trees and old adobe walls; passing through lush farmland where cotton, asparagus, corn and citrus trees were growing in abundance. The old Incan irrigation ditches flowed with water turning the dry desert into a lush garden. Late in the afternoon the natives were returning to their small plots of land herding sheep, goats, donkeys laden with corn stalks and small, rangy cattle to their small corrals. The Peruvian horses passed through the braying, mooing, baaing crowds of animals barely turning an ear; causing the riders to reflect on what would happen if their horses back home happened on this strange rush hour traffic.

   Hacienda San Jose, complete with a 16th century chapel and catacombs with secret passages into the rooms, was the lodging for the last night of the cabalgata. The group’s only regret on leaving San Jose was the lack of time to explore the hacienda and its colorful gardens.

Lunch on the porch at Alfredo Elias Hacienda

Guillermo matches Horses & Riders

   Chincha Baja was the beginning of the end of 5 days of exploring Peru’s southeastern region on horseback. The *Alcalde of Chincha Baja spoke a few words as the cabalgata mounted in front a large Incan ruins for its last ride of the trip. Passing through small villages down to the beach with pounding surf, everyone marveled at the stamina of their mounts. Still energetic, passing obstacles that are never encountered in North American rides they showed the Peruvian horses’ capabilities; ridden close to a 100 miles in 5 days, each night in different corrals; they gaited into the final miles along the beach “with the sound of horses who walk like conquerors.”

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Footnotes:
• Anticuchos- grilled meat on skewers
• Papas a la huancainas-potatoes with yellow sauce made of aji and peanut butter
• Pisco sour- a mixture of lime, egg whites, sugar and Pisco
• Pisco-strong alcoholic drink made from grapes
• Fundo- ranch
• Cabalgata-trail ride
• Alcalde-Mayor of town