Chat Zone for The Big Big Trip Journal!

[cwskas]

Just an FYI ......
The Trampoline of Death is coming up soon

Well that looks like it well generate a lot of notes and photos.

 

[Scoosh]

The lady refused me sugar, telling me that her coffee was so good it didn't need sugar!

Love someone who takes a real pride in their product !
We used to have a local ice cream shop which had plenty of lovely flavours but when we asked which was "the best" the man said "Oh, the vanilla – but we don't put it on display because we'd be forever refilling the display tub !

There were other cyclists something I haven't seen in a while. With one exception none acknowledged me.

Typical roadies !!!

A looooooooong way down!

That's almost vertigo inducing – and I'm looking at it on a computer screen !!!
Beautiful, though.

We look forward to hearing from you "on the other side" – and do try not to bounce off the trampoline !

 

[HobbesOnTour]

That's almost vertigo inducing – and I'm looking at it on a computer screen !!!
Beautiful, though.

Wait until you see what's coming!!

 

[HobbesOnTour]

We survived!😀
Normal service will resume after a hot, hot shower, lots of scrubbing, laundry and general pampering😊

 

[cwskas]

A quiet night was had. And at midnight I turned 49.

What a youngster, you are!

 

[cwskas]

chatted to Jay from South Dakota here on a motorbike. He flew into Bogotá with his bike, is touring Colombia then going to fly to Chile and try to get into Argentina. He presumed I was on a motorbike too. He wasn't quite sure how to react when I pointed out Roccado!

Inside I am sure he was jealous!

I really like the sign for San Agustin and the variety of interesting wall art!

 

[cwskas]

the archaeological park

What an interesting place. I hope you have more photos. Here is a link to the UNESCO reference.

 

[cwskas]

Just enjoy

Sounds reasonable to me.

San Juan de Villalobos isn't so much a one horse town as a three legged blind mule town stretched along the road.

I may be 49 but there's still a lot of 17 in me!

Well a birthday didn't cost your sense of humor!

 

[cwskas]

Trampoline of Death Day One

What a fine collection of photos from an amazing place.

Did you have cell service at "The famed cellphone tower #2"?

 

[HobbesOnTour]

What a fine collection of photos from an amazing place.

Did you have cell service at "The famed cellphone tower #2"?

Thanks Willie!

The photos only give the barest taste of the experience!
And no! No cell service! Apparently, it's referred to as a cell tower but it's actually TV/Internet I believe!

I picked up random weak coverage as I progressed but it wasn't until I'd hit the high point on day three that I had a consistent signal.
Bliss!

 

[cwskas]

Setting off into the mist and the mystery . . . I was full of enthusiasm . . . there were always phantom trees to amuse me.

Sounds like a great start!

I . . . became aware of my gender as the women suddenly focused their attention on poor little old me!

A cursory run through my trip and the conversation quickly focused on my single status with lots of in jokes shared amongst the ladies. They knew to slow down their speech when talking to me so I knew when the tempo increased they were talking about me. I'd had a look around outside and saw no comfortable places for a tent and fearful of a night alone with this pack I headed back out into the weather.

Kathy and I were quite entertained by this story. She especially liked the fact that you could tell when they were talking about you.

Amazing photos! Maybe this chapter can be titled "Hobbes in the Mist" .

 

[cwskas]

The restaurant where I'd get permission to bed down in the school with a "chicken bus"* parked up outside.

What a great photo. That bus looks a lot better than the one you posted from a previous city . . . and you got "The king of bikes" in the photo as well.

 

[cwskas]

I'm delighted with myself for doing it, moreso I think for having achieved a kind of dream rather than the physical act of riding the road.
There's a tremendous amount of satisfaction in that.

Well done!

Not that you need or want our approval!

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Well done!

Not that you need or want our approval!

Thanks, Willie!

Ah, a little approval does no harm😊 I'm not a robot!

 

[Scoosh]

A bit late catching up , so here's the first "catch-up" comments:

Stopped to admire the coffee plants a tiny humming bird put in an appearance.

Love the way you are still seeing the little things like this.

I'm not about to pull out my own food at a roadside restaurant especially not one as impoverished as this.

A surreptitious shot of my coffee and empanada stop. A simple display of crisps, soft drinks and empanadas. A flask for the coffee. The couple live in a two room shack their bed a mattress on the floor. It's a tough life in these parts

Very gracious and absolutely right, IMHO. Traveller vs Tourist again.

... a voice whispered "This is for you. No need to share. Just enjoy".

Sensible voice !
I fully get how very difficult it is to get a photo which captures the full emotion, colour, atmosphere, humidity, smell and feeling of that exact time and place. Even more so on a small phone camera !

I couldn't have designed it better myself

What an amazing and beautiful view.
... and I know it was actually better in "real eye view" ; the camera lens/sensor always compensates for the lighter or darker bits of the photo, while the natural eyes just take it all in !

Being a totally selfish git I was thinking that it was a poor thing for cyclists if this road is improved while on the other hand I was glad that I got to travel it before the improvements are completed. What a dick!

You can always go back and do a comparison when it's finished !

Then Wonder Wuss takes over ... ... but this happened less and less as the day wore on. I guess we really do get more comfortable as we push out our boundaries. Literal and metaphorical.

Knowing we didn't die or injure ourselves can do a lot for our confidence – and we realise we are more able/capable than we thought !

There were times when I was feeling very emotional looking down on these scenes. Not only was I living my dream I was doing it in such spectacular circumstances.

A magical, magical road!!

Thank you for inviting us to join your dream and live it with you !

Uncompacted clay and stones, minimal visibility, magic tape..... I wanted adventure and I'm sure getting it!!

Tremendous photo ! Really captures the contrast between the clearer skies and the mist and damp. How many others who have ridden this road have seem the brightness you have ? Not many AFAICS from the few reports I've read ...

No words

Then there's the scenery. I've become quite accustomed to it all. That's not to say I'm bored. Not at all. But I wonder if someone from far away would be able to process it all? Would they have the time and the luxury to make friends with the trees? To know which ones speak to them and lift their spirits?

I genuinely doubt it – but that's because you are a fascinated traveller, absorbing all you can and sharing it, your thoughts, pictures, experiences etc with us.
You stop enough to be amazed at the views etc; do you ever take time to look and think "Wow – I've just cycled up that ???

One blog I had read before inspired the note "not as friendly as before". A couple had noted over the whole Trampoline that people shunned them, ignored them and generally made them feel unwelcome. I didn't notice that at all, quite the opposite in fact.

Maybe being solo, interested and courteous makes the difference ? Also this…:

... and often short chats

More than 'communication' - that's 'connection'.

I also asked myself what it must be like to fly into a place and do a route like this or the Alto de Letras .... As I rode up I wondered what those people would be missing.

Tourists vs Travellers ... but, to be fair, not everyone can have or make the time to be the Traveller. Many just don't have the time/flexibility in their lives to be able to take off and do as you are doing and "a marathon or ...(a) triathlon or do *one of those obstacle courses that involves lots of mud and tears*" is as much adventure/ challenge as they have time/ inclination/ courage/ nerves to do.
Families are great ... but also change one's priorities/ requirements/ desire for adventure ...


*...*: Yes, I signed up for one of these 2 years ago, to complete it shortly before another 'significant' birthday. It's been Covid-delayed since then, so I now find myself faced with the prospect of doing it past that 'significant' date and 2 years older !
Now whose bright idea was that ... persuasive Mrs Scoosh ??? (she did one a few years ago ...)
There will not be a Report.