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Peter Weiss is a name in the Hard Enduro world that you have most likely heard of. This is the guy that gets contracted by race organizations to build hard enduro race tracks. Look him up sometime...He has a long list of great race courses under his belt. In addition he does enduro schools and exhibitions that usually accompany his travels to various parts of the world. While Peter was in Peru laying out the route for the El Inka Hard Enduro, he wanted to come out to Cusco and do some tourism stuff as well as pack a couple of good days of riding into his schedule. It was ON! This is what its like to ride the Andes with a pro! I don't always have the chance to ride with pro level riders like Peter. What I like about it most is that I get a chance to stretch my ability by trying new things. I can't take big risks when riding solo, which is what I do most of the time. So Peter shows up and my buddy Alex and I decide to show him some of what the Andes are all about. Big mountains that stretch up to the 16,000 ft mark just behind my house. He was stoked to give it a go. We rode for two days, covered a bunch of types of terrain, and returned home with huge smiles on our faces. I will let the video do the talking. This guy likes the routes tight and crazy...He got what he wanted! Keep your eyes out for Peter Weiss. He puts down some killer GPS tracks for a number of races in South America and other parts of the world. Check out The El Inka Hard Enduro(ZICK is the race organization) in Peru which takes place around the beginning of December. Peter's route this past race left only a small handful to reach the finish line... Mario Roman took home the prize. I always look forward to riding with Peter. If you get a chance to take part in an enduro school of his, you won't be disappointed. Enjoy the video and make sure to follow this blog so you can stay tuned to what's happening in the enduro world of Peru... Wheels down, Scottiedawg Scott Englund of MotoMission Peru is a social entrepreneur who puts together hard enduro tours in the Andes of Peru. Feel free to contact Scott via this blog, or catch up with him on Facebook at MotoMission Peru. Also, you can see all of his tour videos and more on the official MotoMission Peru Dirtbike Adventures channel on Youtube.

Hard enduro has really developed rapidly here in Peru. In fact, it was just a few years ago when the first, what I would call legit race was held. The El Inka Hard Enduro entered the stage with a bang. After Jorge Nieto and Branko Bozovich of Lima, spent some time traveling around the world to participate in some of the hard enduro favorites like Romaniacs, Sea to Sky, Avandarocks, Ukupacha and so on, they decided to take a shot and organize the first hard enduro race in Peru under the umbrella of ZICK, a company founded with the purpose of developing hard enduro in Peru. This is the 2016 Race Video...Check it out! The courage to chase down the idea came after some big names like Cyril Despres, Gio Sala, Chris Birch and Martin Freinademetz came to Peru and stated what Jorge and Branko had known for a while: Peru has some of the most amazing terrain for hard enduro in the world. In order to obtain a world class track for El Inka Hard Enduro they contacted Peter Weiss, a popular name in Hard Enduro, he came out and developed the route along with the local knowledge provided by Zick. This guy knows how to build a race course! The race was held in San Bartolo, which is a cool desert riding area just south of Peru's capital city of Lima. The race brought in some good talent. An entourage of riders from Lima wanted to give it a go. In addition, a handful of guys from Mexico came down and if I recall, a rider from Equator. A Spaniard living in Peru, throw me in there to represent the US, and there you have it...the birth of an amazing international hard enduro race event. There were about 85 racers if I recall. The race was as organized as anything I have ever seen in Peru. I was pleasantly surprised as it exceeded my expectations. The prologue was a fun obstacle riddled course on the beach in Lima. Great for the spectators to enjoy, a challenge for the riders to make it around especially as the tide came in, and a convenient place for an event to bring the new sport to light. Fast forward one year to the second El Inka and we found the likes of Kyle Redmond and Cory Graffunder. The reigning champ from Mexico, Didier "Frodo" Goirand also came back to defend his title. This time Jorge and Branko developed a track that was basically drawn out in Google Earth and supported by their "weekend warrior" knowledge of the area. For year two, they brought Peter Weiss and his buddy Mike Skinner to put the final touches on the route. They spent countless hours marking trails and figuring out ways to destroy the riders...It was perfect. Just what we were all wanting...another impossible route with a super slim chance of making it to the finish. The prologue was bigger, better, and devoured a few more riders this time. Each rider got to take two separate laps to qualify for the semi, then the top eight of the sixteen in the semis raced for a cash prize and choice of starting position for the following day. Again, the prologue was a fantastic spectator event that is just fun for anyone to watch, let alone someone that likes motorcycles. The second day was a three lap time trial. The course was intermediate in level and about 15 miles. Each rider took at least one lap. If satisfied with their time, they could bow out. If not, there were two more chances to better their position. Day two's results determined the starting line-up for the final day. Day three was the big race. The first dozen positions started seconds apart, then paired up two at a time until all the riders were on the course. The course was laid out in four sections. The first was Iron/Acero which was the easiest level. Some of the riders had it in mind to reach the end of the Iron/Acero section and that would be a success. Then came the Bronze/Bronce section. The technical level went up and began to create some traffic and chaos on the course. After the Bronze/Bronce section was the Silver/Plata section. This was the part that took out most of the field. Many good riders threw in the towel during this phase or at the final silver checkpoint. Gold/Oro, was a hideous mix of obstacles intended to test the best of the riders. Only a handful made it into this section. An even smaller number made it to the end. Of course, the winner was the one who reached the finish line first after completing all the stages. Cory Graffunder came out on top. It was another successful year for the El Inka Hard Enduro. Year three is coming up. December 1-2 will be the 3rd annual El Inka Hard Enduro. Sounds like Kyle Redmond is coming back, Cory Graffunder will be defending his title and another name from the States will show up: Mitch Carvolth. Mario Roman will take a shot at the El Inka Hard Enduro if Sherco manages to get a bike in Peru. Still waiting on some other big names, but I am sure this race is here to stay. The World Hard Enduro Series has put the El Inka as their final race of the series this year. That alone, should draw some more riders from around the world. Peter Weiss will be managing the course once again. He also puts on a great enduro school during the few weeks prior to the race. The whole thing seems to be building a lot of momentum. The riders in Peru are moving up in the ranks of hard enduro. Nine riders from Peru went to Romaniacs this year. Thats a huge number! It's really cool to see the sport taking off like it is in a place like Peru. I am convinced there is no better place to ride than the Andes. Keep your eyes out for more big news from Peru...It's certainly worthy of being put on the international enduro map. If you are interested in the El Inka Hard Enduro, check out the organization ZICK on Facebook as well as the El Enka Hard Enduro Facebook page. I can't wait to tackle this beast again! Now I gotta go out and train! Scottiedawg About Scottie Scott Englund is a social entrepreneur operating hard enduro tours in the Andes of Peru. All of the profits from the business are used to support a number of social projects in the Cusco region of the country. You can best find him on the MotoMission Peru Facebook page or email at Scott@motomissionperu.com. Also, check out the Youtube channel at MotoMission Peru Dirtbike Adventures to see what tour in the Andes looks like.

"While at Machu Picchu, one of the seven wonders of the world, Ryan was counting down the days for our dirtbike tour." Todd explained just moments before heading out on the trail. It's hard to look down upon the Andes as you fly into the Cusco valley, and not have your mind blown with the enormity and vastness of the terrain below the wings. If you are crazy passionate about dirtbikes, it's even more mind blowing to imagine riding it on two wheels. Todd and Ryan joined up with Scott Englund of MotoMission Peru for a custom three day hard enduro ride. The ride catered to their skill levels, journeyed across the type of terrain that the boys wanted to ride, and filled their minds with hundreds of unforgettable images of Peru. Each teetered on the edge of comfort as Scott managed to push them beyond their norms of riding in Colorado. The official tour video...Check it out! Toothbrush anyone? "There is something special about leading a father son duo into the back country." Englund said as he explained how his own father bred a bit of adventure in his own heart. "I get people from every corner of the planet. They are all awesome peeps, but to share this experience with Todd and Ryan, that's a thrill." Three days of exotic dirtbiking. Beginning at Englund's home, the trail begins just minutes from the garage. "No trailers, you'll see what I am talking about. You won't even have time to warm up before we hit the trail." Englund explained. What goes on inside of Motomission is nothing short of a dream. Scott has been running MotoMission Peru for a number of years. He is a social entrepreneur who gives 100% of the profits of the business to charity. His family is supported by a number of people and/or businesses who believe in his mission. Sponsors have supported MotoMission with equipment and gear. The marketing arm of the business are happy customers that tell others about the experience and share the included tour video via social media. Scott does what he loves to do. Riding dirtbikes, exploring new areas, cinematography, adventure, travel, serving others, business...It all fits his lifestyle. You can see it in his smile when he hands over the bike to you at the beginning of the tour. So many views! "I've got the coolest gig on the planet!" Englund states. "In my wildest of thoughts, I couldn't have dreamt up a better situation. I live here with my amazing family, all who ride, and I get to do what I love to do, while giving it all away." It's not all happy and easy. "It really sucks when you have to haul a bike out of a canyon in backpacks." recalled Englund of a time when a customer launched a bike off a ledge so steep and deep he couldn't see where the bike had landed. Good times with Dad! Todd and Ryan got the full package. Englund was able to lead the men into an unforgettable riding experience like they had never imagined. Beyond tired, they had to make it to the next town for the night. They rode a section that is typically a two day ride, all in the scope of one day and a little bit of night. "My hand is so tired I can't squeeze the clutch anymore." Ryan said as the cramping in his forearm curled up his hand. When it comes to an exotic dirt bike adventure, MotoMission Peru has the holeshot. With countless untouched routes, an epic landscape, and a personable and capable guide, you owe it to yourself to check out this little gem in the Andes. You can reach Scott at Scott@motomissionperu.com to find out more about tours and riding in the Andes. He is always ready to talk shop! Also, don't forget to "FOLLOW" this blog if you want to have access to MotoMission Peru's new posts and videos.

Follow along for a great three day ride! I often receive the privilege to ride with people from all the corners of the globe. While living in Peru, one thing I notice is that very few Peruvians have ever ridden in the areas around Cusco where I live and ride. So when I get a chance to show some locals(Peruvians) some of the secrets of their country, I try to do it well. This is what its like to ride in the Andes of Peru...Check it out! I met up with the boys in the Sacred Valley on the first day. They told me that they wanted to make another attempt at the trail that we rode two years prior, but never even came close to finishing. It really doesn't matter where you are from, if you are a dirt biker and there is an unknown or impossible trail in front of you, you want to give it a shot...Maybe not everyone is like that, but most that I run with are. The First Day-The impossible trail These guys have seen and heard the stories of countless attempts to reach the end of this particular trail. I took a group of some of the best riders from Lima and they fell quite short from the end. I think somewhere in my language, I may have fostered a bit of competition between the guys from Lima and the guys from Arequipa. Sebastian kept asking me if the guys from Lima made it this far. Regardless, I am the only one that has reached the other end of the trail on a dirt bike and neither group has come close. I do look forward to the day when I can cross over and down the other side with another rider or two. Not sure when that will be, but hopefully soon. We started up the trail like a herd of deer. The route is super fun with every type of obstacle one could imagine, while taking breaks when someone got hung up. That means it was quite often. The trail was dry at first, then the rain came and put a little bit of extra difficulty in the path. Regardless, we all pounded through hundreds of obstacles in the first couple of hours. The trail is relatively short in distance, but time is another measure. The entire trail to the other end is 18 km or about 13 miles. My guess is that we completed about half before throwing in the towel. The constant struggle to keep your wheels on the ground and your sanity intact is not easy. Regardless, the day was a huge success. Smiles all around. Nobody with broken bones, only a few bike issues that we managed to deal with on the trail, and a bunch of sore fellas for the next day of riding. Day one...SUCCESS! Just getting started... Day two was also a trail that would challenge each of us. It was a trail that I have done a number of times, but this time was different. We went the reverse direction. I was sure it would make it more difficult, but how much? As we started up toward the couple of alpine lakes, we found ourselves exerting a lot more energy than we expected. The toll from the previous day may have had something to do with it. Day two was a loop, so the plan was to reach a certain point of no return and keep on going till we reached the place where we started. The weather was cooperative, the trail was formidable, and the good times were had by all. Little by little we made our way over and down to the valley, then up and over another to reach our destination. Check out the videos to see what it was like. Be careful, you might want to come down and join me for a ride after seeing the video...Here is my contact info- scott@motomissionperu.com. The final day on the Cresta overlooking Cusco With all that said, we finished the day, absolutely smoked. With one more day of riding to go, we made the plan to meet up for the final day. The guys wanted to ride a bit closer to the city of Cusco. I took them to one of my honey holes. The "CRESTA" I call it. The longest ridge ride that one can imagine. Its filled with nearly impossible hill climbs, drop offs, fast rhythmic sections, and views that are mostly missed due to concentrating on the trail in front of your tire. Another perfect day of riding. Finished off with a plate of local cuisine in the small Peruvian town of Ccorrau and said goodbye to my buds. I can't wait until they come back so we can give it another go on that impossible trail. Make sure to follow the blog to stay tuned for the next ride. Also, for more info about Motomission Peru and riding dirt bikes in the Andes of South America, check out our website at www.motomissionperu.com. Also feel free to reach me through TT at Scottiedawg. Stay tuned for the next one! Scottiedawg

Peru, has an astounding number of riders that will participate in the 2017 Red Bull Romaniacs hard enduro race. The final count is nine riders. Each has a training regimen that consists of various modes of mental and physical preparation as well as a keen focus on building the technical wherewithal that will increase the odds of reaching the finish. Two days of Romaniacs training on video...Check it out! One of the hazards... One of those riders, Joso Fatule, will be a contending force in Romania. Joso is the top hard enduro rider in Peru. He has participated in a Romaniacs before. He knows what he is up against. Joso asked me if he could come out and do a two day training ride in the Andes around Cusco, Peru. I obliged, as it sounded like a good time, with the exception of the suffering that might come as a result of pushing ourselves beyond our limits. We scheduled a date. It was on! Just another view... Joso arrived from Lima on one of the first flights in the morning on day one. We returned to the house, geared up, and headed out with no time to spare. The days ride would take us over a section of trail that has only been crossed on one motorcycle; mine. I knew just how the trail would beat us down. Yup, we're going down there! It certainly did. The trail is not impassible. However, after one's body is spent, there will be another 500 more obstacles to overcome. Relentless, physically exhausting, and seemingly no end in sight...It breaks down every bit of will to keep going. We forced ourselves into finishing. With no overnight gear, we either made it all the way, or chicken out and come back. Onward we pounded up the trail to reach the pass, or abra as we say in Spanish. The drop dead goal of reaching the abra was 3pm. If we couldn't reach it by 3, we would have to head back the way we came to return to the valley floor by nightfall. We arrived with 15 minutes to spare. On top of the pass...the view is usually better, trust me! Over the top and down into the valley on the other side. The views were incredible, and the ride was legendary. Not easy, but memorably fun. Our goal for the night was the Lares Hot Springs. It is a perfect place to finish a hard ride. Hotel, food, gas, and the sweetest hot springs to soak in after a tough ride. Rest for the weary. The second day would carry us up through another valley via a high speed ride filled with plenty of technical climbs, steep down hills, waterfalls, and views that would blow anyone's mind. We managed to play around in numerous areas where training could be had. Joso attempted to climb a moss covered section of rocks where the water cascaded down, attempted numerous short and technical climbs, side hill turning practice, and dropping off and down various obstacles. The day was very productive in being able to practice a number of varying types of terrain and obstacles that would be faced while in Romania. That was the point...TRAIN! Sweet! When it was all said and done, Joso, got on his plane exhausted and a bit more prepared to face a giant. I am honored to be able to help him prepare. Besides, it was a sweet couple of days of riding.

The official ride video...Make sure to watch in HD The day started by waking up in a lavish hotel room at the Aranwa Resort in Urubamba, Peru. I had a couple of hours to eat breakfast, gear up, and drive across the valley to another fine hotel to meet up with Imad. A month prior, I received an email inquiry about running a one day hard enduro tour. I was available for the dates, so I began discussing the options for the tour. What I found out was that Imad, who lives in Dubai, was vacationing with his wife. He had come up with a brilliant plan to offer a full day at the spa for his wife which in turn allowed him to take advantage of another type of "SPA." Brilliant! Normally, I begin the tours from our headquarters in Cusco, but in this case, I was able to accommodate by starting at Imad's hotel in Urubamba. This gave me an excuse to bring my entire family to the valley, put them up at a nice hotel complete with all the fixings, and combine it with a one day enduro ride that has kept a smile on my face for days. I hung out with my family when I was at the hotel, then snuck out for a ride with Imad, then returned to spend more time with the family. Perfect! A couple of happy fellas I arrived at the Tambo del Inca, one of the finest hotels in Urubamba. I unloaded the bikes, prepped the lunches, warmed everything up, then headed into the lobby to find Imad. There he was with his happy wife who was about to be pampered for an entire day at the spa. She couldn't have been more happy. Imad was stoked to be able to enjoy Peru on a dirt bike. A win-win in my book! His wife made sure that I was legitimate. She was a bit concerned about me bringing him back in one piece. She mentioned the fact that there are two young kids who have a special relationship with their dad. I also fit that scenario, so I piped in my story to appease his wife that it was indeed my plan to bring Imad back alive and in good condition. Within minutes, Imad and I found ourselves mounting up on the two Husqvarna TE 300's. The trail head, just a minute away from the hotel was screaming for us to come try her out. The trail started out with a daunting strip of tight rock walled single track that resembles a jungle tunnel. It wasn't raining at the time, but it was extremely wet from the rain the night before. Imad pounded out the section with a bit of wonder about whether or not the rest of the day would be similar. I think it scared him a bit. To his pleasant surprise, I explained that it's not all as difficult, but that we would face countless obstacles in the days ride...But not to worry, it would all be worth it. Just a little rocky section to play around on We continued to work our way up the canyon with a goal of reaching the lower lake. I figured it would be a worthy goal to reach the lake, have lunch, then work our way back down the valley. Along the way up, we encountered numerous switchbacks, rock gardens, open meadows, creeks, and many a wet alpaca poop pile. The ride was just what Imad had hoped for. As a guide, I never know how people will do with the altitude. It can be a butt-kicker for some, and for others, it hardly makes a difference. With Imad, he struggled with it at first, but somehow caught a second wind as we reached the bottom of the last big obstacle before the lake. It was a rocky staircase climb that typically wreaks havoc when its dry, but this time it was soaking wet. We had our work cut out for us. Like two mules, we worked up a good lather climbing up each of the rock steps. I made sure to tell Imad that the view would be worth it. Within a few minutes, he had the opportunity to agree with me. The view was just what Imad needed. In fact, he was so stoked about the view that he told me he wanted to try to reach the upper lake. We had plenty of time, so why not? Taking a break! The stakes go up on the route between the lakes. The terrain we saw below the first lake was only a warm up. Imad confirmed that he was indeed ready to give it a shot. Atta boy! The coolest part of the section is a waterfall that cascades down the mountain as the trail goes right through it. Check out the video if you want to see what I mean! We worked our way through the water, up a number of tight rocky switchbacks, and finally through a stand of scary red-barked trees where one would expect to find a creepy murderer with an axe. The ride is so fun that you forget the altitude. Just past the forest was the final climb before the upper lake. Imad was feeling his oats at this point. We crested the top to discover a sight to behold; The upper lake. It's absolute beauty. It was a perfect place to eat our lunch, take a million pictures and get ready to ride around the side of the lake to an untouched area where a dirt bike has never been. That is always a special treat that I can do for my customers. There are hundreds of places like that which can be explored on my tours. The upper lake never disappoints...well worth the effort! A bit of food and drink, then we mounted up and began a fun trials type of terrain complete with granite rock slabs, bright green grass, tons of mud, and views that continued to blow us away. We played around for a good hour until it was time to begin our descent to the bottom of the valley. Although it is the same trail, it seems like a different valley and route altogether. The downhill is sketchy. It's fast and rhythmic, but there are so many places to find yourself on your face. We experienced a couple of crashes, but coming down provides such a thrill...in fact, it's that type of thrill that keeps me riding. Pure smiles all the way down. A little ride through a waterfall We made it back to the hotel with nothing left in our tanks. No gas, nor energy. Completely smoked, but so satisfied! Another typical ride in the Andes of Peru! Make sure to check out the ride video to see what I am talking about. I can't wait to share another one next time around. Stay tuned and make sure to follow the blog so you can see the next post when it comes out. Until the next one, Scott Check out more of our hard enduro videos on our Youtube channel at MotoMission Peru Dirtbike Adventures.