The Atacama Desert stretches 960 kilometers (600
miles) south from the border of Peru and its average width is
less than 160 kilometers (100 miles) wide between the Pacific
Ocean and the Andes Mountains. It is basically a rainless
plateau that is made up of salt lakes, lava flows and sand. It
is noted to be the driest place on earth, with some places where
no human has ever recorded a single drop of rain and with dry
river beds that have not seen water in 120,000 years.
The dryness of the desert and the abundant
natural mineral resources provide the perfect environment for
preservation. The land offers up relics and artifacts today,
evidence of man's inhabitation of the desert for thousands of
years. Some of the oldest mummies on earth have been found in
the Atacama, one over 9000 years old. Huge geoglyphic paintings
adorn the hillsides and ruins of Indian fortresses and sacred
Inca sites dot the landscape.
I ran this race in August of 2007 and put on
by racingtheplanet.com
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