The Big Big Trip Journal! If you want to make the man (or woman) upstairs laugh, just tell him your plans!

[HobbesOnTour]

Day 740, Wednesday, September 22, 2021, Ciénega to Santa Marta, 35 km Total KM 12007
Min meters 35, Max Meters 77
Total Climb 116 Total Descent 120
Min Temp 25 Max Temp 37 Ave Temp 33

The day the smiles came back!

I was kind to myself only rising at 6am and popping out for a coffee. Ready to go at 7, the ladies at the hotel were anxious for me loading Roccado outside the door - they wanted me to do it inside without ever giving a reason why. Security was the only logical conclusion.

A still image lacks the noise and movement, but believe me there was chaos on the street!

​

The first challenge was to get across the road! A constant line of trucks, buses, cars, pick-ups, horses, bike taxis, motorcycles and pedestrians in both directions. Once across though, I felt comfy despite the craziness. Loud, dusty, noisy, dirty, horn-filled, cloudy with fumes there was a lot in the air but no malice. Well, I'm excluding the Taxi drivers who have replaced Costa Rican and Panamanian bus drivers on my hit list!

From the other side! Yes, that lady in the middle of it all is selling coffee! It took so long to cross the street the location of my nightly stops may need to be considered!

​

A little settlement a few kms along provided a breakfast opportunity - empañadas and coffee - and a smile. Getting ready to leave a man approached looking for a hex key. Of course, I had no idea what he needed but a quick mime and I handed over my multitool. He promptly disappeared back down the road. I got organised and started to roll back and saw him exiting a truck on the far side of the road. He was all fixed up and ready to go!
I may be well loaded, but my gear fixes trucks!
We had a little chat and went on our respective ways.

That's where I'm headed to! There are actually three National Parks located close to Santa Marta, and a lot of mountains.

​

A little later I came to a junction with the road to Bogotá requiring me to cross a two lane sliproad that took most of the traffic. A parked truck made it all the more complicated.
When the beeping started I was surprised and ignored it for a few seconds but when it persisted I looked back to see it was a motorbike rider, gesticulating wildly for me to go ahead while he directed traffic! I did and he did!
He pulled up beside me, a smile beaming through his helmet, called me a great adventurer and wished me a great journey before taking the slip road we had just passed.
Not one driver demonstrated a bad reaction!
That put the smile back on my face.
It's bizarre too, that I understood what he said while moving in three lanes of traffic and he speaking through a helmet but floundered with the ladies in the hotel!

​

A hillier landscape, a quieter road, a smile plastered on my face, a sense of belonging and a short distance made for a very pleasant day's cycle.

Spying a shop I pulled in to buy some smokes. As I was leaving a big man asked me if I'd cycled up from Cartagena today.
Hmmmmmm. Let's look at the evidence.....
It's not even 8:30 am, Cartagena is more than 200 km away and I've just stopped to buy fags! We had a bit of a laugh about that one!

A little later I stopped on a bridge, smoked a ciggie looking at this view and thought about how feckin' lucky I am.

​

Then it was onwards and a little upwards to Santa Marta, a touristy town, but I'm hoping less invasive than Cartagena.
I headed for the Malecon (Promenade) to find it closed and very effectively blocked off.

I consider myself to be easily pleased. A seaside town I want to see the sea!

​

I headed for the Plaza and had time to buy a lemonade from a vendor before the heavens opened!
I moved when the rain stopped only to get caught again.
I found a hotel, showered, tended my ass (a better placed mirror gave me a decent view - not so pretty!) and set off for the main museum in town that closed at 1pm.
On arrival, it was open until 5 (never trust Google!) but by reservation only. I went online to make a reservation but only tomorrow was possible.
What is it with museums not wanting me????? (Yes, this one is closed Mondays too!)
I explained my predicament to a guard who told me to return at 1pm. I did only to be asked for my passport!

I eventually got in!

As usual for me in these places I found the building as charming as the exhibition. I don't think I'll ever lose the thrill of a big tree in the middle of a building

​

A decent history of the area was explained from prehispanic times to the present day. There was also an exhibition on the life of Símon Bolívar (The Liberator) who stayed in the building before dying. That was a man who lived a lot and dealt with a lot of death.

Some really bad planning on the main Plaza. The lovely, old museum building is on the left and someone let them put that ugly monstrosity on another side!

​

I'm looking for a handheld water heater, something small and light for being able to cook in a hotel room. With the rain, camping is, I think, a last resort and hotels here seem to offer less opportunities for Trangia cooking - I don't want the fumes to kill me!
So, that was my mission, no harm that it made me talk to people. To a man/woman they were all very helpful but not a one to be found. Wandering around town I was again reminded of the vitality of life here. Hectic! And it only a Wednesday!

The pleasant, simple church

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There's an entrepreneurial spirit here. On two separate streets after the rain I witnessed it. In one location a man had a long, wide and sturdy plank of wood that he placed across the river flowing down the street so that pedestrians could keep their feet dry - for a tip! When traffic came up went the plank.
In another location, two young lads no more than ten provided the same service utilising two beer crates.

In the rain the street becomes a river. It's just another money-making opportunity!

​

I was offered weed and cocaine but it was a tad less invasive than Cartagena. Lots of calls of "Amigo" but generally less persistent than before.

I did have the thought coming up here that I may stay an extra day if it was nice. It wouldn't do my ass any harm either. It is, but the fact that the beachfront is closed off is a PITA. I think I'll press on tomorrow, heading south.

A fixer upper opportunity! Santa Marta, despite being the first proper "Spanish" city was regularly attacked by Pirates and demolished on many occasions.

​

I had a startling thought in Cartagena. Chatting to friends I commented how I was on the last leg of my trip! That was a sobering thought!
Now, to put things in perspective, this "last leg" could be up to 15000km but it still struck home.
Always on a bike tour we hit that point where we're heading home. Have I just passed mine?

Chat? Yes Please!
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[HobbesOnTour]

Day 741, Thursday, September 23, 2021,

Rest Day Santa Marta

Sleep is a funny thing. I dreamed that I overslept, waking up about 8:30 and reconciled myself to missing the best (read coolest) part of the day for cycling.
Then I woke up.
The truth was I'd had an iffy night's sleep and was very tired so waking up in that frame of mind my decision was already made for me so to speak.
A day off for my ass would not be a bad thing. There's an oval patch, about 2cm across without skin. It is not pleasant.

The old(ish) and the new in Santa Marta

​

Santa Marta was a bit like Cartagena in that it both charmed me at times and appalled me at others.
The charming is easy - narrow streets full of character, old buildings, bright colours, a couple of plazas to hang out and watch, a bustling commercial area that is just so full of life.
The appalling, though, was never too far away - the constant solicitation and regular offers of drugs.

Some buildings are ruins, others are well cared for - all on the one street

​

Just wandering around, aimlessly, as I like to do is proving to be difficult and less than pleasant. It's hard to be in the moment when someone, somewhere is calling out to me or thrusting something under my nose then whispering in my ear.

The rather impressive Palace of Justice, located on one side of the "Children's Park". A lovely place to sit, relax, meet. Restaurants line two sides of the park and two adjacent streets are full of eating places. Street vendors sell coffee, juices and ice creams. Lovely, unless you're white and sitting on your own. I visited in the morning, afternoon, early evening and night. Each time I could get no peace.

​

There are a lot of tours on offer here, the most famous being a 4 day return trek to a "Lost City".
Back in Cartagena, one of the couples were thinking of doing this and another guy at the restaurant chimed in to say he had just done it. "Miserable", was his judgement, "ferociously hot, humid, a neverending battle against bugs and being constantly wet and muddy", were some other comments. "But", he added "you think about what you're doing and you feel really great".
That made up the mind of the female member of the couple and she turned to her (far less vocal partner) to announce that they would do it! His face, which had become more and more uncomfortable as the other guy spoke, formed, what I assumed to be his regular "Yes, dear", look.
Sometimes being solo has its advantages!
I thought it interesting that there was no talk of the city itself, what was to be seen, just a focus on the hike itself.
In any case, it's not on my to-do list!

The main beach with the closed prom behind. The blue things are for sitting in (I'm presuming sun protection). At the end is a small container port. There's a coal port (for exporting) further back the coast with a line of freighters waiting to load. Bananas were traditionally a major crop from here

​

The prom being closed really disappointed me but I did take a wander over to the marina - no entry and spied a couple of beaches. The beaches here tend to be small and very commercialised. Perhaps I'm just nostalgically thinking back to Irish beaches but, to me, something is missing.

I bought some gauze for my ass and continued my search for a water heater with no joy. I did buy a softer pair of shorts for my ass. This brought me away from the old town and into the newer areas. Not a lot to see of interest.

I did enjoy the artwork. It was pretty much everywhere and to a higher standard than the wall deserved usually. Of course, taking a photo was the same as taking iut a megaphone and announcing that I'm a tourist

​

I finally got to bring my Strava feed up to date, it had been languishing back on the Pan-American in Panamá and nothing deserves that!

Sitting at a table this was dropped down for me. I was intrigued by the specificity of "50 beautiful girls" and bemused by the no guns sign.

​

In the cool of the evening I took another wander around, braving the restaurant folk thrusting menus at me. I ate cheaply and well at a non touristy place but treated myself to an ice-cream afterwards on one of the little streets. I thought it would be peaceful and quiet. It certainly wasn't peaceful.

Taken through an iron barrier, the ruin of an old building.

​

My ass is worrying me a bit. I should not have ignored the discomfort on the first day but I was reluctant to stop.
I met a chap once along the Rhine as he headed to the most northerly point of Europe - for the second time.
The poor chap had terrible problems with saddle sores on his first attempt and ended up in a Scandinavian hospital with blood poisoning! His story has always stayed with me. He just kept on going, being a rather plan orientated chap, not pausing to give himself some recovery time.

An early night was had in preparation for another long day tomorrow.

If you get the timing right it's a lovely old town full of character

​

Chat? Yes Please!
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[HobbesOnTour]

Day 742, Friday, September 24, 2021, Santa Marta to Fundación, 101 km Total KM 12108
Min meters 16, Max Meters 78
Total Climb 277 Total Descent 254
Min Temp 26 Max Temp 38 Ave Temp 33

Feeling it - in my ass of all places!

Getting out of town at about 6:30 wasn't too trying. From México down the motorbike has been well represented on the roads but I think Colombia may be hitting peak motorbike. They tend to be lawless and a little intimidating on foot and at traffic lights. This morning I was moving before the most of them were up and out.

Santa Marta is a well spread out town with what seems to be a bit of a new town built up around the airport. It was there I stopped for a bite of breakfast - a couple of empañadas and some raspberry juice.
The man who served me was slow to talk but eventually couldn't resist asking about the bike. Every answer was carefully considered with a serious expression. He looked a tad shocked that I had cycled in México! It's always dangerous in the other place!

Apropos nada - a display where I stopped for my coffee. Old Parr Whisky is very popular in these parts. Has anyone ever seen a bottle?

​

I set off again and after about 30km pulled in for a coffee at a biggish restaurant. I was the only customer. When I asked for a second cup the lady did her best from an almost empty pot. She was very smiley and pleasant and I enjoyed my half cup.

I was actually travelling back towards Ciénega on the opposite side of the road but I had different views so wasn't bothered about a do-over.
I wasn't looking forward to the junction that the motorbike had helped me with on the way up but it was easy peasy.

Looking back at where I had come from before taking the road to Bogotá. I declined going into the mountains after Santa Marta because of weather and expense. I wanted to be in mote normal places and out of the tourist zone

​

Then I was on the main road to Bogotá!
Bogotá! Wow! I'm not in Kansas anymore!

The road started out as a simple shoulderless two laner and after a few km morphed into a tiny shouldered two laner.
The traffic after the junction was heavy in both directions and a lot of it was heavy trucks.

I should not have enjoyed today as much as I did. But I did!

Two lanes, no shoulder and a lot of traffic. Surprisingly good cycling!

​

One thing for certain is that I am not in Panamá any more!
One closeish pass over the whole day!
There was a tremendous amount of respect for the cyclist with traffic slowing down and sitting back if an overtake was too dangerous, lots of space given for the overtake and more often than not even oncoming traffic abandoned their overtakes when they saw me.
I started saluting every act of respect but soon had to give up because riding a loaded bike one handed (and at times hands free!) for a sustained period is neither comfortable nor safe!
I'm back in a place where I'm a welcome part of the road.

The neverending banana field!

​

Then there were the views! National Geographic won't be sending a crew but they were interesting and varied. The bends and the rolling hills gave different perspectives. Best of all were the trees, normally lining the road, sometimes forming a tunnel over it. When they were absent I had miles and miles of banana plantations to my right and densely covered hills to my left.

When I had turned on to the road I saw the temperature rise on Gizmo but paradoxically felt cooler. Regular shade was a blessing and a wind from the south was cooling too.

Views were interesting if not spectacular and I felt comfortable enough on the road to be able to enjoy them

​

Along the way were several little towns and villages meaning I didn't have to worry about food or drink and that I always had a regular bit of entertainment.
Unfortunately, none of these had accommodation if my ass was acting up but the gauze seemed to be doing a decent job of giving a bit of protection. The saddle was set at an unusual angle to remove as much pressure as possible from the afflicted side without repeating the injury to the healthy side. It seemed to be working.

There were rivers too! Lots of them, big and small. I'm leaving the sea behind me and not quite sure when I'll see it again. Rivers and lakes will have to satisfy my water cravings and Columbia is looking after me so far.

This river was singing to me as it bubbled underneath

​

I pulled up to a little stand in a little village and didn't get hassled at all! There's a lot of deep-fried food here so I had deep-fried meat and veggies in batter. And a chat. My Spanish is coming back! My hostess took pity on me and offered me a chair, gratefully accepted. The chat was the best part and sitting watching the little town live.

All the motorbike taxis were parked up on one side (the bus stop was on the other). A motorbike taxi is a motorbike. And generally a young fella. Don't be expecting a big, powerful bike or even one that's young and shiny. These are well used machines. A helmet? What's that?
I saw a woman get off a bus laden down with two heavy bags. The first bag, biggest and heaviest gets placed on the fuel tank and is supported by the rider's arms (it took the driver and a helper to lift it on).
Then the passenger gets on the back and the second bag is placed between her and driver. Off they go!
While waiting, the other bike taxis will help out passengers getting on or off the buses, hauling bags and flagging the right bus down. It's all very dramatic and loud, I reckon the more drama and noise the bigger the tip. A lone cow grazed at whatever is available on the side of the road in a small Colombian town. Untethered, she was free to roam as she wished. Other towns had goats - a bit more lively but just as free!

Mountains! I'm passing these ones but there are more waiting for me down the road!

​

Back on the road it was really great cycling and I was really enjoying powering along. The first few shoulderless kms I had pulled in a few times to let trucks past but now the shoulder was just wide enough for me and besides, everyone pulled out anyway. Great progress was being made and that always feels good.
My ass, sensitive as it was, wasn't rebelling as much as I expected so that was good too!

I pulled into another little village for cold water and waiting trying to cross the busy road I was approached by another cyclist wondering if I had a problem. And then another! So a nice chat was had on the side of the road amidst all the trucks! I waxed lyrically about how much I was enjoying the road.
The girl cyclist offered me some coca leaves, something I have read about and wanted to try. They're not illegal! and have traditionally been used to ward off hunger, thirst and to give energy.
I followed their instructions and set off again.

The road was making eyes at me!

​

I was happily flying along and soon came to little towns that had accommodation but was feeling so good I kept on going. I didn't think I'd make it but soon I was at the turn off for Fundación. Here, I could choose a simple hotel at the side of the road or bike 4km to the town itself. The town it was!

Surprisingly green and wild landscape

​

There was no obvious Plaza to head for so I wandered around until I spied a bakery. Yes, they had coffee so I sipped a delicious café con leche and enjoyed a pastry before seeking out a hotel.
It's a crazy and busy place. Loud too! A few places were closed but I found one and got their cheapest room.
A shower, an ass inspection (not so bad for a 100km day!) and I went awandering.

Again, the town is much larger and busier than I expected. Of course, it does actually have a small Plaza in front of the church, but not in the usual place in relation to the town and the street numbering system. The church would fill (following social distance guidelines) later with more outside for evening mass.
I especially liked painted lamp-posts with squirrels and other animals. Simple, cheap and effective at bringing a bit of life and cheer.
The commercial area was chaos! Intersecting streets jam packed with stores and stalls! One street for fruit and veg, another for meat and poultry. All the hardware places together, a neverending number of phone shops and stalls. Music pumping out of every second store and of course none of them played the same songs!
I always had to watch where I was walking. Broken kerbs, potholes and even a tiny kitten were all obstacles!
Some streets were flooded - from what I don't know as there was no evidence of rain.
I managed to locate a water heater! The older lady knew immediately what I was looking for, had a think, hauled a chair and pulled it down from a hook high on a shelf. Covered in years of dust I asked her if it worked.
She looked at me, smiled, shrugged her shoulders and said "of course!" with a twinkle in her eye. At slightly over one Euro I took a gamble. Four minutes to boil the contents of my flask!

The pleasant, simple church a bit off the beaten path. There's less ostentation to the churches I've seen here.

​

I ate at a little place on the Plaza then returned the long and winding way to the hotel. Long queues at all the atms suggested a busy Friday night and lots of little food and drink stalls were set up. I was amused to see some women, all done up in their finery for a Friday night on the back of a battered motorbike getting a ride from some scruffy chap. I'd chosen the hotel for location and was pleased to see that it was now in a quieter area since most of the shops were closed.

Small town Colombia is fascinating and frantic. Not the best for sleeping!


Chat? Yes Please!
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[HobbesOnTour]

Day 743, Saturday, September 25, 2021, Fundación to Bosconia, 72 km Total KM 12180
Min meters 62, Max Meters 176
Total Climb 233 Total Descent 172
Min Temp 23 Max Temp 42 Ave Temp 35


On the Ruta del sol

I woke up this morning before my alarm refreshed and well rested but nowhere near as ecstatic as the lady in the room next to me. She was very vocal in expressing her satisfaction!

I was in no particular rush; Breakfast was included and I reckoned I only had 70 odd km to go. More trees, more shade, sure it'll be grand.
Breakfast wasn't worth waiting around for as things turned out so I headed off a bit late and a tad annoyed.
I put the time out of my mind and the road looked after the annoyance. A crazy little town to exit, a quiet road to the highway and I was reunited with my friend, Highway 45, also known as the Ruta del Sol. It is an appropriate name.

The quiet road back to the main road. The town itself was chaotic with motorbikes everywhere

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It was busy in both directions, a lot of trucks but I relaxed back in to my place.
Yes, it was quite relaxing. The road surface seemed bumpier than yesterday which was a minor PITA, literally, and there was definitely less shade which was more of an issue.

Back on the Ruta del Sol. Look at all that lovely shade!

​

Thirty kms passed easily enough despite a bit of gentle climbing to the first little town where I pulled in for water and an apple. Then it was on again. This time 20 km to the next town. Twenty harder, hotter km.

There are a lot of little rivers which normally have a crash barrier or low wall along them, perfect for stopping if there's shade. I made good use when I could, but the greatest relief from the heat were the few stretches of a few hundred meters of shade. Oh bliss! Like hundreds of cool, featherlight kisses all over me. They always ended far too soon and the blast of the sun was a shock again!

While the views won't win awards I enjoyed the varying landscape, the colours and the textures

​

The bigger bridges over the bigger rivers can be trickier. Pretty much all the bridges have work going on around them. They seem to be expanding the road into a dual carriageway so prep work is taking place. On one bridge with a truck looming up behind me I pulled into the shoulder to give him room. The shoulder, because of nearby work, was full of sand, gravel and crap.
Two rapid toots from behind could have been translated as; "Hey, you on the bike! Get your ass out of that crappy shoulder and take your rightful place on the road".
I did, gratefully, got across the bridge and when the shoulder was its usual clean self pulled back in, saluting the driver. He pressed out a happy horn rhythm as he passed.
I'm really starting to like Colombia!
Similarly, if stopped on the side of the road all traffic gave me a wide berth. I've become accustomed to being invisible when stopped. Not here.

It's starting to heat up!

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At the 50km mark I was approaching the town of El Copey and since I'm in no rush decided to pedal through, rather than past. It took a while for the chaos to kick in, but it did! No real plaza that I could find but I did find a little eating place for lunch. I had chicken with rice and some kind of pulses in a delicious, meaty gravy. And fried banana! Very tasty!
The lady looking after me was very pleasant, very smiley and approached me at the bike to return the tip I had left for her. I had to explain it was a tip, for her. Such a refreshing change from Panamá and Costa Rica where a tip was normally included on the bill. It was similar yesterday at my lunch stop.

I had a very disturbing thought today - at some stage I am going to run out of Palm trees! I have no idea when that will be but Palm Trees for me are special signs that I am in a different world

​

I'd had a good rest and was ready to go again. I'd spotted a hotel and debated with myself about staying but there's little to see and besides, it was only 11 am!

Bosconia was the next biggish town, another 20 odd km. That'll do.
It was more of the same. Pretty straight roads, too much sun and not enough shade. It helped that there was a gentle decline generally and a headwind.

These trees have some kind of a hanging moss. I found them captivating

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Bigger town, bigger craziness, but I'm getting used to it. I'd emailed a hotel yesterday evening but had no response. iOverlander had an unusual listing and I knew there were some trucker motels on the road out of town.
I headed for the iOverlander place, an unnamed, unsigned hotel. Surprisingly good! When I asked the guy if he needed my passport (a requirement thus far) he just looked at me and asked "why?" I checked in and as a testament to the heat here, king wimp turned off the (first) hot water (for weeks!) in favour of the cold!
With decent internet I chatted to a friend in Ireland, then set off to explore.

No caption necessary!

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Oh dear! Not a lot to see. The principal Plaza was a disappointment, just a big ooen space devoid of any culture, history or soul so I went off in search of food.
My restaurant feelers are in good order! With no menu I had to explain what I wanted which was fine. Set menus are common here with soup as a starting course. Now, I have a mental block when it comes to soup and my first reaction is to say no. The waitress, however, ignored my refusal and with a smile brought me a delicious soup!
The rest of the dinner was just as good. "Sweaty" chicken as I had translated it seemed to be poached in delicious herbs.

Lovely mountains because I don't have to climb them!

​

I bought some water and returned to the hotel, took out my big map and had another look further south. I'm getting a feel for the country now and there are a few options I can consider.

There is always great life along the rivers here

​

Research done I used the good internet to watch a rugby match from earlier today. Youtube can be great!

The very disappointing Plaza and church

​

Chat? Yes Please!
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[HobbesOnTour]

Day 744, Sunday, September 26, 2021, Bosconia to Curumaní, 100 km Total KM 12280
Min meters 44, Max Meters 96
Total Climb 53 Total Descent 62
Min Temp 27 Max Temp 43 Ave Temp 35

There must be be great overtime rates for Sunday truckers!

One of the problems with solo touring is that there is no-one to give me a gee up in the mornings! In fairness, someone had been having a party somewhere close by that went on until 4:30ish. A party here involves a lot of music!

Slow to rise I promptly stopped for a coffee. The lady suggested an arapa with eggs - sure, why not?
Standing on the side of the road munching on a fried envelope of cornflour filled with egg and a salty, white cheese and sipping on a café con leche is a great way to get an appreciation of these small towns. Not bad energy food either!

Heading off for the day. I was so confident that the road would stay cool and shady like this!

​

I set off then onto a well shaded two laner and settled back for a long, interesting and shady ride. Shade was going to be important since Gizmo was already reading 30C.

Ha! Dumbass!

It didn't take long for the two lanes to turn to four and everything to open up. Fantastic riding, for sure, with a great wide shoulder but bloody hot! Even at 7:30 the sun burns!

Unfortunately the road went to four lanes (the other two are way over there!) and opened up. Heat was a big issue today.

​

Removed from the countryside (it was now over there rather than beside me) I just enjoyed the cycling. Pleasant mountains peeked out of clouds off in the distance. As long as I could keep the speed up I could stop the heat getting too oppressive

Surprisingly for a Sunday there were a lot of trucks on the road. A lot!
I stopped off at a little bakery after 30 fast kms for a snack and since they had no coffee, a cold drink. Then back onto the road.

There were a lot of ponds today, big and small, some covered in lillies. (The last time I ever saw so many ponds was in the countryside around Ieper / Ypres. It took me a while to figure out they were originally bomb craters!)

​

It was two lanes for a while, narrow shoulder and a rough surface that my ass was not happy with. It was as if the road had melted at some stage and been compressed from both sides so that "waves" of tarmac ran along it. They were tricky to avoid and once in the gap between two, trickier to get out of.
It passed however and I was back to four lanes - and bright sunshine.

I had a bit of a surprise when "my" side of the highway was closed off. What do I do? Live the dream and take the closed road or be boring and follow the directions?
Gizmo showed a river further down and fearing a bridge issue I did the boring thing and took the shoulder on the opposite side. It's too hot for taking unnecessary risks. Besides, I had the perfect set up in the shoulder.

So it continued for most of the day, swinging over from one side to the other since the road is being expanded. Sometimes both sides were open, sometimes only one. For a loaded cyclist it made little difference.

A swiftly moving river. There was a collection of lines criss crossing the river, other lines descending from them to plastic bottles in the water. I presume some kind of fishing system. The rushing water made a very powerful noise

​

At 50km I stopped at a little stall with shade for a coffee. Temperature was now 40C and above. I resisted the urge to check in to a cheap hotel because it was too early and there was nothing, and I mean nothing, except the hotel, a filling station and this little shop. I'd go crazy!

On again and the heat was really getting to me. Or more accurately, the sun. With little shade I was getting the full blast. At about 70km I pulled into a deserted service station for the shade and passed an hour.

To my right the countryside often opened up. This area is in the floodplain of the Magdalene river so tends to flat.

​

I was only about 25km from the next town and that would be enough. Booking had a deal so I booked, hopped on the bike and pedalled off.
Within minutes the touring Gods were shining shading down on me as the road reverted to two lanes under a canopy of trees! Shade! Glorious shade! I rejoiced! And sang! To be honest I think I rivalled the woman in the room next door the other morning with sounds of pleasure!

I just love the trees!

​

And then I had the closest experience I've ever had with a truck.
I had stopped in the shoulder, now much narrower, about 1 meter wide to photo the road and the traffic.
With no warning a truck started blasting its horn and moved into the shoulder. I distinctly recall seeing its wheels crossing the line into the shoulder.
I looked on as the wheels (and everything attached to them) rolled beside my feet, brushing my panniers.
In a bizarre mix up in time it was over before I knew it yet seemed to happen in slow motion.
A car had overtaken the truck into oncoming traffic and pulled over too soon.
I waited for the shock to hit me but it never arrived.
I was looking at the space I had in the shoulder, estimating the width of truck tyres and trying to figure out how I wasn't hit or squashed.
Remarkably calm I continued on.

Mountains to my left

​

Passing a village I stopped again and was struck by the loud music pumping out across the road. Who was she giving her kisses to now? the singer wanted to know.
How cool is that? I can understand lyrics!
It was a bar, typical of here, just a small block building half filled with speakers! This one had a decent sized shaded area outside where men and women were sitting drinking bottled beer. It looked so inviting! I was sorely tempted to join them but my sensible head overruled me. It wasn't the booze I wanted, but a bit of social interaction.

And that was my arrival into Curumaní along narrow roads floating along in a river of trucks but in the shade.
I found the hotel easily enough, downed a cold beer and had a long, cold shower! Such bliss.

Right after this photo is when I had my near squishing experience. Earlier I had been rejoicing in the shade. It is amazing to me just how much of a difference there can be in temperature and comfort

​

Then I set off to explore the little town, typically crazy and quite busy, even for a Sunday with a lot of shops shut. A few bars had people sitting outside. I saw no evidence of the large scale Sunday drunkeness I'd seen in Central America. In fact, the bars here are quite open or have people sitting outside. In previous places it was next nigh to impossible to see the drinkers.
There was no Plaza that I could see, but the church was simple. It had a car beside the altar wrapped up in a bow! I presume some prize for a fundraising effort. It's not often I see a car in a church!
Along the busy road I spied two iguanas hanging out under a tree. With all the traffic, people, not to mention dogs and cats around I was surprised, but it didn't seem to be an unusual sight.
A family of five (two adults, three kids) passed being driven in a tuktuk with the baby's buggy strapped on the roof. Never have so many travelled in such a small space! I also spied a couple and their three children on a motorbike! Strangely, there are a lot less pickup trucks here and it is rare to see people being transported that way.

The scenery thus far is interesting. It varies so keeps me interested but there's no huge reason to cycle this road except to get to where I want to go. I'm loving the rivers, though, and there's a lot of them!

​

The slogan on the window of the Police Station said "For God and the Fatherland" (Dios y Patria). Hmmmmm. It's not as if either of those have ever been the inspiration for unpleasant acts.
There are a lot of Police checkpoints but I have never been stopped and I see a lot of Police daily. Usually there are in quasi military uniforms and machine guns are common.

There's two iguanas in this picture. Slap bang in the centre of town, beside the road that is chock full of big, loud trucks. I was the only person interested in them, marking me out as a tourist!

​

By 5pm all the food places were closing so I had to rush to get a bite to eat. I picked up a few bits and pieces in a supermarket and got back to the hotel. They have a pleasant outdoor area where the daughter of the owner, all of about four years old came over to chat, telling me of the iguanas that live here.

Not a bad way to end the day!

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Day 745, Monday, September 27, 2021, Curumaní to Pelaya, 68 km Total KM 12348
Min meters 36, Max Meters 86
Total Climb 230 Total Descent 195
Min Temp 24 Max Temp 39 Ave Temp 32

I cycled through Las Vegas today!

It was my plan to be up early, head away at first light (about 5:30 these days) and do another century day. But as is the way with my plans there was some outside intervention. In this case it was an attack of the Flying Monkeys from the Wizard of Oz!
Well, that's what I thought it was when I awoke in a tizzy at about 3:30 but it turned out to be rain. Lots and lots of rain.
It was still going at 4:30 and at 5 so I gave up on my early departure.

It's not that I'm a rain wimp - in fact I quite enjoy a cycle in the rain so long as it's not too cold (hardly an issue at the moment) - it's that the roads and especially the sides of the roads flood easily and the water can disguise all kinds of perils.

I do like my layers of mountains with different shades

​

It was close to 7 when I finally rolled away, down the street to stop for a coffee and a bite. Today I got to sit down and I have to say I am really enjoying the morning scenes in these towns.
There is just so much activity and life!
This morning I was watching a stray dog who kept approaching the food stall looking for a tidbit then nervously running away. A big dog, he was timid for his size but friendly. He had approached me yesterday as I wandered and bumped his head against my hand looking for attention.
Today it was all about food for him. The one time his courage took root and he didn't scamper nervously off a bitch came out of the shadows, barked once and he was off to the other side of the road.

No, the views aren't spectacular but they are varied and interesting.

​

I rolled out of town, a whale in a flood of motorcycling sharks. There really are a lot of motorbikes! I was pleased to see that apart from the odd puddle the drainage systems seemed to have worked well and I was able to sit back and enjoy the relative cool. A shady road helped a lot too.

Like yesterday, the road would vary between two and four lanes but I had a decent or a glorious shoulder most of the time. Most of the traffic (again mainly trucks) was coming against me so my environment was very pleasant.

I have no idea what these fruit were but they seemed ripe and ready for picking along the road

A motorbike passed me slowly, beeped then further down the road slowed right down and seemed to be waiting for me. A tad nervous I approached but had no need to worry when I caught the bright smile.
Carlos, about 16, was on his way to work. He kept pace with me and we chatted surprisingly easily. If any traffic was bothered by a slow moving motorbike on the road no-one complained.
Despite saying that he wanted to practise his English he didn't use a word and I didn't embarass myself too much either.
We stopped so he could take a photo and stopped again so that I could show him DuoLingo to practice his English.

Mountains and clouds. Great for atmosphere

​

I couldn't pass the town of Las Vegas without stopping! I had a coffee and observed life in the small town. The taxi and moto taxi guys hanging out in the shade, three women on the side of the road selling fruit and drinks to passing truckers. Flirting too if that would help a sale. They seemed to take it in turns, the two sitting down passing judgement on what the seller was doing or saying. Regular screeches of laughter from there.

On the way into town a guy slowed down his motorbike and asked me where I was from. The expression on his face when I said "Ireland" was hilarious!

Leaving town I saw three pigs, loose and snuffling in the verge, moving towards town. What drew my attention to them was the behaviour of the trucks - to a one they all slowed down, put on hazard lights and gave the pigs a wide berth. Not a one beeped a horn or did anything to drive them away. I found that to be quite heartwarming even if I am treated similarly!😊

Three little pigs on an adventure! I pulled in to watch these vigorous animals and at one stage it looked like they were going to come over to me. Every single truck avoided them without upsetting them. No signs of annoyance or irritation. I moved on quite light-hearted.

​

The towns and villages were nicely spaced out today and I took advantage stopping in most after deciding to abort my century day. My ass was feeling very sensitive and I was having trouble finding a comfortable position.

Sitting and resting in one such town I received a tap on my shoulder from Winder. He's cycling from Bogotá to Santa Marta, saw me and stopped for a chat. He was heading for Bosconia and about 150km for the day! He was travelling lighter than me making use of a type of homemade bikepacking setup. A very pleasant chap he didn't stop smiling the whole time.
His bike, a knobbly tyred MTB with front suspension, would not be considered suitable by many but I think they forgot to tell him!

It's getting hot now. That's the other side of the road. Separated here means way over there!

​

At that stage I had decided that the next town, Pelaya, would be enough for today. Beyond that, I had a hotel in the middle of nowhere or 45km more to a town with more options. A rest for my ass and another little town would do the job.

The Touring Gods, however, weren't finished with me yet!
Cruising along the shoulder I spotted a slow moving vehicle in front of me. It turned out to be a wheelchair tricycle manned by an old man travelling from Venezuela to Ecuador!
Venezuela to Ecuador!
In a wheelchair with pedals and a front wheel and a load of knick knacks for sale hanging off the canopy that gave him some weather protection.
I didn't want to enquire too much about his story but he seemed to be in a very positive state of mind. I offered him water which he declined but happily accepted the fruit and nut mix I had picked up yesterday.

iOverlander had a recommendation for a hotel/restaurant on the edge of town so I had a quick look at the town, returned, ate and checked in.
A shower and a decent mirror to inspect the damage to my ass and off out to explore.

And, of course, a river! Lots of rivers.

​

Colombia is confusing with prices. A bottle of water can vary in price significantly. A fresh lemonade (divine on a hot day) can too! Of course, there are no pricelists offered, and sometimes I do wonder if I'm paying the "Gringo price". Thankfully, in these smaller towns it happens much less. I had a coffee and a fresh lemonade for less than 50 cents.
Refreshed and rejuvenated I wandered to the little Plaza, got an ice cream and plonked down to watch.

There is a lack of activity in these places which is a bit of a shame if for no other reason I can't quite be lost in the crowd if there is no crowd.
I returned to the main street where all the activity was and enjoyed another coffee watching the world go by in all kinds of crazy ways. Then the heavens opened and most of the activity stopped.
One of the older ladies running the stall was all chat asking me about my trip. My understanding is improving, but it's still very difficult.

When the rain stopped a quick dash to a shop for water and back to the hotel for an early night.

The interesting Plaza in Pelaya. There was seating around the edges and a few low trees for shade, the church had ooen windows (no glass) and sections of wall to allow air through. And there was a big corn cob!

​

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Day 746, Tuesday, September 28, 2021, Pelaya to San Martín, 83 km Total KM 12431
Min meters 57, Max Meters 282
Total Climb 441 Total Descent 409
Min Temp 25 Max Temp 35 Ave Temp 30

Feck me these roads are straight!

Grumpy. That's the word that best described my mood this morning. I've no idea why.
I woke up about 4:30, tired, but heard the rain bucketing down and thought that there was no point in getting up.

When the rain stopped I got up and slowly got organised. Thankfully, I'm in Colombia and knew what I needed so I rolled a couple of hundred meters down the road and had a little breakfast and coffee from the same lady as yesterday. She couldn't quite figure out that I didn't really know where I was headed to today!
I have to say that the "street coffee" here is fantastic! I like to start the day with a café con leche (coffee with milk), normally more milk than coffee. The coffee is already sweetened.
Alternatively, a café tinto is a black, sweetened coffee. Rich and delicious!

Heading off. What a great road and cloudy mountains - my favourite!

​

Then it was back on the road, out of town easily enough and straight on to a lovely wide shoulder that stayed for most of the day.

The sky was cloudy, some very dark clouds in some places but it was refreshingly cool even though I was late starting off by recent standards. It's great to just power along and I find the roads very relaxing. Yesterday with all the chopping and changing between two and four lanes I regularly forgot if I was on a one or two way road - it made no difference to me!

Soon enough I spied a familiar shape in front of me - the old chap in the wheelchair trike. I was delighted. I'd been able to visit a bank so I pulled up beside him and passed on that money I got in Honduras with a bit of interest.

An interesting old bridge. The other lanes had a more modern one

​

Generally flat, there were a few rolling hills to keep me honest. I knew there'd be a bit of climbing later. I also passed quite a few hotels, usually attached to a petrol station, presumably for truckers.

I pulled in for coffee after about 10 kms and while sitting down was approached by a guy looking for money. Demanding money would probably be more accurate.
This is quite common here and I'm surprised by the expectation. It seems as if I'm seen as a foreigner so money is demanded. Yesterday, having my coffee a kid came up munching on a chicken leg and just said "limonada". Insistently. When I refused he returned to his family sitting at the table behind me.
Unfortunately for this guy I only had enough small money to pay for my coffee. Then he wanted a cigarette so, having sympathy for a smoker, I went over to my bike, took out the packet, slipped one to stand out above the others and offered it to him. He tried to grab them all which really bugged me. I handed him one, offered a light but that was declined as he opened his own pack and put it with his own!
When I sat back down he started shouting at me!

A little rio

​

Setting off again I realised that I'd underestimated the strength of my (two) coffees and my heart was going loopy! I pulled in at a crash barrier for a few minutes and was on high alert as a scooter slowed down as it approached.
No need to panic, just a girl wanting a chat and to offer me some fruit!

I passed a bridge where Wilgar had graffitied his love for Irene. On one wall was "Irene y Wilgar" and on the other "Te amo Irene", with the date 21/03. I was amused at the idea of dating it, almost like a "best before" or "use by".

See what I mean about straight roads?

​

There are a lot of animal warning signs from snakes to foxes to ant eaters to monkeys and occasionally cows! I'm not sure if the signs are geographically significant or if they mix them up just to keep people interested.

The scenery, like other days is interesting without being spectacular. It's a good thing too because the roads are very, very straight. On the flat I can power along even into a headwind and the road is so comfortable that I can relax and enjoy the views on offer. In fact, for most of today the traffic was lighter than Sunday!

Not spectacular but interesting

​

After about 30km the road became lumpy and I had to face into a 125 meter climb. The worst thing about it was that with the straight roads it was well telegraphed in advance. To add to it, several rockfalls filled the shoulder forcing me to take the lane. The first time I signalled I nearly fell off the bike when the truck obediently moved over for me!
I'm not in Panamá any more!

Near the top there was a bigger rockfall with a crew working to clean it up. With a long line of trucks coming up behind I pulled in rather than take the single lane. A young woman who seemed to be supervising the work was straight over for a chat and to get a photo with the crazy Irishman.

Interesting but not spectacular

​

Setting off again I had a downhill run to Aguachica my destination for the day. There was a long entrance to the town and stopping at the first food place I saw I was turned away. No food at the inn! When I arrived in the town proper I pulled across the road for a coffee and a snack and contemplated.
There was a vibe. I can't really explain better than that. I didn't feel the place. I decided to keep on rolling even though the sky was looking a tad ominous. Google & Osmand showed a fair few trucker hotels and a small town 40km further.

I'm really enjoying all these rivers. Normally lots of space to pull in I can spend a bit of time with the view and the river noise

​

I set off - completely forgetting that I had crossed the road - in the wrong direction!
That's why I use Gizmo!
(It also meant that the sky now in front of me was a lot less threatening than the sky behind me!)
Seriously, it's well known that I am very navigationally challenged! For anyone reading this who is similarly afflicted and fearful of touring, if I can do it, anyone can!

I turned around and headed off in the right direction!
Pretty much immediately I started hearing a strange, non rhythmic noise, something light and kind of tinny. Given the amount of crap on the road I thought that perhaps something was caught in the mudguard. On and off it was there. I couldn't be quite sure where it was coming from and sometimes I thought I could feel it.
I stopped and did a visual check to make sure nothing was broken or hanging where it shouldn't. I found nothing. I continued on. Still there. Coming and going, independent of the pedals.
Spying a filling station I pulled in and started removing panniers.
Aha! Either I goofed this morning (most likely) or one of the straps attaching my rackbag to my pannier had come undone. That swinging could easily account for the noise.
Triumphantly, I loaded up and set off.
Nope! Still there.
I unloaded, upended the bike and spun the back wheel. The hub. Again.

Now, I had the bike serviced in Cartagena and had asked for the rear hub to be serviced as well, even after the greasing in Costa Rica.
I've had to:
Remove the WD40 that was sprayed on the bike and the wheels (the feckin' wheels!!)
Retune the gears and I think the chain is too long.
They broke the gear indicator for my rear gears and my back brake has been feeling very strange.
If there's something up with the hub, the Lord knows what they have done.

Nothing for it but to continue on.

There's a tremendous variety of vegetation in just one shot!

​

It was pretty much flat and hot for the rest of the way. I turned off for the small town of San Martín and was immediately impressed with the colourful and bright entrance and noticed a distinct lack of crazy!
I saw a place recommended on iOverlander but it was full! They suggested a place around the corner, the cheapest yet in Colombia, and I got checked in.
First, I needed a coffee and finding a bakery I was made most welcome and savoured a café con leche and a mini homemade swiss roll.
On my way back to the hotel I spied a cheerful chap selling plastic cups of fresh pineapple! Yes please! Did I want salt, pepper and lemon juice? Hmmmmm. Ok?
Feckin' delicious!

The pleasing and bright approach to San Martín

​

Then off to the only bike shop in town.
It was a young fella, early twenties who listened to me and more importantly looked at the bike (the word for hub is different in Colombia) and then set to work with a focus and confidence that was incredibly reassuring.
The whole hub was taken apart, bearings discarded, degreased, blown dry then painstakingly put back together.
Now, I'm no hub expert but it had a whole lot less grease than it had in Costa Rica where the chap smiled as he thumbed it in.
When the time came to pay he didn't want to charge me - it was from his heart, he said, his contribution to my journey.
I couldn't accept that so when pushed, he offered up a fee of 5000 pesos, a tad over €1! I gave him 20K and still think it was cheap.
I walked in, his other work was dropped and my problem was sorted. How about that for service?
If you're ever in San Martín, Bike Fish is the unusual name for an enthusiastic mechanic.

The Birdhouse in the park. I thought it was fab!

​

Happy as Larry, I dropped the bike back to my room and hit the little Plaza. Small, neat, with a small playground in front of a simple church I was most impressed with a huge and slightly wobbly looking birdhouse in a tree! Then a wander around the little town, neater and less crazy than others, found a little place with a smiley waitress and enjoyed a simple dinner.
I'm telling you, small town Colombia is where it's at!

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Day 747, Wednesday, September 29, 2021, San Martín to San Alberto, 32 km Total KM 12463
Min meters 128, Max Meters 165
Total Climb 70 Total Descent 63
Min Temp 26 Max Temp 34 Ave Temp 29

A Colombian Figary!

What with my room being the cheapest so far there were a few things to take into account;
Firstly I had only a ceiling fan for cooling. The airco normally present, if feeble, has been pleasant even for a non-fan () like me recently.
Secondly, there was no shower - or to be specific, there was a shower but without water. Instead, a big barrel of water for a "bucket wash". Refreshing!
With only the fan and no external air it was a warm night and a fitful sleep.

Up and out, I stopped for my now regular coffee and (this morning) empañada. There's a long line of similar stands, usually manned by women. I can't for the life of me figure out how people choose one over the other. Also, are they ferocious competitors or gently cooperative?

Getting back on the road. I bounced out of the little town in a mass of motorbikes and rejoined the highway. It's not often we get the perfect vista to signify a whole new day on the road. It may be too straight and a bit of a hill but I still want to know what's down there

​

The big, big difference about San Martín and what gives it its relaxing vibe is that the main road bypasses the town. I had no problem crossing the road as a result! Believe it or not, side of the road is an important factor for choosing a place to eat or stay.

I set off through the usual motley collection of motorbikes and soon was back on the road, four lanes, split, with a lovely wide shoulder. Cycling bliss!

The early morning views are improving!

​

I'd a bit of a quandry about destination today. In a little while the highway is going to split - the new one will keep the wide shoulder and zip along to Bogotá while the old road runs into the mountains. Without a shoulder. I'm planning on taking the old road because it will be cooler and goes to more interesting places. I'm happy enough with what I've seen of the traffic that a lack of a shoulder won't be too much of an issue.
It's the climbing that bothers me, especially with my sensitive ass. In the heat. And the doubt about accommodation availability.
I think I'll be wise to balance distance, climbing and time in the saddle for a few days.

This view is just one of the things down the road!

​

But enough of that for now. I put plans and logistics out of my head and enjoyed the early morning road.
It was quiet, smooth and very, very straight with rolling hills to keep me honest.
To my left, magic mountains, a silvery grey colour loomed through clouds and a heat haze. Unfortunately, my left was east so that the sun messes with photos. A bit too warm to be mysterious, they were nonetheless interesting and ever changing as I flew along the road.

It's strange but these straight roads aren't bothering me at all. There's a headwind too which should have me craving a bend but I'm happy enough to roll along.
Today, my thoughts were occupied with my cheapy, red plastic mirror. I had spent quite a considerable amount of time researching mirrors and trying to determine what would work best.
Something too big was liable to attract attention, too small would be useless. It would need to be robust and ideally easily removed. Lots of research, weighing, balancing in an effort to get everything just right.
Now I'm using the only one I could find on the Costa Rica / Panama border and it works just fine!

I am really enjoying the rivers! If you look at a reasonably detailed map of this area you'll see lots and lots of thin blue lines.

​

I took the slight detour through Libano, a small village and stopped for a bag of water. Lots and lots of things are in bags that we would not expect. Water. Milk. Cheese. Yoghurt!
The bags of water are very cheap (but everything is cheaper in the countryside) but the water tastes a bit plasticy. Also, it can be tricky to fill a bottle from them.

On again and after about 30km I came to the split in the highway. Hmmmmm. I would have expected most of the traffic to take the main road, but the split was about even. Mind you, traffic was light.

Magical mountains melding into each other and the sky. Since México I've been captivated by these and they're still thrilling to me. It must be all those years living in NL!

​

A little after I came to San Alberto, a little town but busy. I pulled into a bakery for a coffee and a snack and watched the chaos as truck after truck weaved down the main road that was the main street in this little town. Realising I wasn't far from the Plaza when I returned to the bike I took the short detour.

My kind of Plaza!
Quite a few trees for shade, paths weaved through the raised beds that were pleasingly full of weeds. Scattered along the shady edge were a few vendors, one selling orange juice. Yes please!
A few kids were playing with a big, black, bouncing Labrador, screaming when he came too close. I've no idea if he belonged to them or not but he seemed to be enjoying the chasing game.
Across the road a pleasant church and elsewhere in the park people sitting in the shade, solo or in little groups.
If I strained I could hear the chaos on the road not too far away so I stopped straining.
All the activity is elsewhere, either on the main road or two or three principal streets off it. Here is calm and peaceful.

My kind of Plaza! Not too many seats but lots of low walls for sitting on. A decent number of tallish trees for shade. And delightfully calm

​

So, I decided to take a figary and stop for the day with 30 odd km on the clock. It's a nice place, there's accommodation, the sun is out and it is hot, hot, hot and I'm unsure of accommodation further for about another 30km. Besides, my ass isn't going to complain.

I checked out one hotel on the Plaza itself and was offered a rate on the pricey end but unusually for me I didn't like the vibe so passed. I tried a hotel mentioned in iOverlander but no-one was there so took a wander. I found a cheap room in a courtyard filled with old women watching soaps ..... And a monkey!
It's nothing to write home about, another bucket wash but it's cheap!

The relatively simple Church. Tall spires like this have been relatively uncommon so far making my searching out of Plazas a tad more difficult

​

I checked in washed, tended my derrière and went awandering.

A slow coffee at the Plaza confirmed that as pleasant as it is, it's like others and not very busy. When the heavens opened and the rain poured I was glad I wasn't on the road!

There really are a lot of motorbikes here. I mean a lot!
They carry everything - earlier two guys passed me on a motorbike with a flatscreen tv between them!
Yesterday a man rode past me cradling a baby in one arm - can you ride a motorbike one handed?

I went back to my room for a little while and redid the back brake cable. Whatever they did it's not feeling good and my confidence has dropped to zero. Job done I went wandering again.
I've been getting messages from my phone company that I have to register the unit or it will be blocked. The system refuses to recognise my passport (of course!) so I found a shop and a young woman fixed it, I believe.

The Plaza by night with the church on the opposite side

​

I chose the worst possible location to eat for the best possible reason - at a chicken restaurant along and a little below the main road. I wanted to see the action!
Chaos. Noise. Dust. More chaos!
It was an interesting experience.
The patience of the truck drivers is phenomenal! People think nothing of pulling up for a chat - on a two lane road that's a jam! A shop getting a delivery? That's just tough on anyone behind them!
The shops have loads of merchandise on the paths so pedestrians walk on the road too.
Then there's the aforementioned motorbikes not to mention tuk tuks and cyclists who seem to choose a side of the road as they see fit as opposed to troublesome concepts like rules.
And dogs! Wandering over and back as if traffic is as unsubstantial as a mirage.
On such a narrow road when two trucks meet (and a lot of the traffic is truck) there is little they can do except squeeze by. Throw in all the other road users and dogs it must be incredibly stressful.
But fascinating to observe!
However, sitting where I was it was open season for every scrounger looking for money.

Another river. Great places to stop, sit and think about where I am.

​

These towns are interesting, chaotic and busy, modern buildings and ones close to hovel status. Decent street surfaces and just mud.
There are so many shops the same whether it be motorbikes or cellphones, hardware or speakers, usually located together in a bunch. Some shops just make no sense, half empty a few bags of crisps a few boxes of soft drinks (not refrigerated) and not much else.
Some shops are just a car. A few guys were doing a roaring trade selling plucked, but whole, chickens out of the boot of an estate car. On the roof sixpacks of some local softdrink.

There have been no shortage of hotels in the last few towns and San Alberto is no different ranging from the cheapest of the cheap to far more elegant with swimming pools. I'm assuming the commercial traveller on the road from town to town is the mainstay of business.
Banks, like everywhere else I have been are busy with queues. ATMs normally have a queue too, although here it's normal for each machine to have its own private cubicle.

The rather unusual view I chose for my dinner. Sitting within exhaust distance of passing traffic is probably not top of places to eat but it's interesting watching the interactions

​

Once darkness had fallen and I'd seen all there was to see I returned to my room and got ready for an early departure.

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Day 748, Thursday, September 30, 2021, San Alberto to El Playon, 51 km Total KM 12514
Min meters 129, Max Meters 772
Total Climb 1038 Total Descent 734
Min Temp 23 Max Temp 32 Ave Temp 27

I'm out of hill practice!

Continuing the theme of being awoken by nasty movie creatures this morning's rude awakening was by King Kong!
A ferocious crash of lightning had me leaping out of bed at about 3:30 am. It was really very startling! The noise continued with a downpour that lasted so long I was pretty sure I was going to be stuck here another day. About 9:30 it stopped, or at least lightened, so I went out to investigate. A light drizzle and a troubling sky was all around but it was hard to imagine much more rain could fall.

I went back to my room, packed up, rolled out and promptly stopped for coffee. Once caffeinated I set off.
The road was surprisingly quiet and the views were of clouds hugging mountains. There was a wonderful freshness to the world after all the rain. Birds were chattering when there were no trucks to drown them out. I passed a surging river, an orange brown colour from all the rainwater it was now carrying.

A wet morning it was, a gloomy day it became but there's something about mountains in clouds that speak to me

​

Traffic, as I'm coming to expect here, was very respectful which was very welcome on a road with no shoulder. There was a rain gulley to my side which varied in angle. At times it was so flat I could use it like a shoulder, at others so steep it would kibosh me. I learned a valuable lesson early on as I pulled in to take a photo and the bike just slid away from me. Under tree cover it was as slippery as ice. No harm done I continued on.

After the fall

​

A short steep climb was my introduction to some proper climbing again and even though the temperature was cooler than previous days the humidity had me pumping sweat and losing energy. I despaired when I lost all the height gained!

One of today's rios surging under me

​

After about 20km I came to the small town of La Esperanza on the bottom of a big climb. I pulled in for a cold drink and had a pleasant chat with the lady behind the counter. She kept her eyes on two small children playing on the floor.
Sitting outside I noticed that my new shorts were dripping. Standing up, my sweat had travelled down the legs and could be wrung out!
I considered calling it a day there and then but figured 20km wasn't long enough and I didn't fancy facing into a long climb first thing in the morning.
As I was leaving, the little girl half carried half dragged her little brother, a toddler, so that he could give me a little bar of sweet stuff. How sweet!

When the road was busy it was busy! Under those trees the rain gulley would be lethally slippy. Safer to hang back. When the traffic was gone? Bliss! The birds sang to me!

​

I set off up and got a kicking. Not so much the climb itself, more the combination of humidity and climbing. Typically it was steep and sometimes up to 12%. The road quickly became a series of sharp turns that were a bit tricky when there was traffic. The traffic tended to come in batches on both sides. Basically, everything tended to get backed up behind a slow moving truck. When it passed the road could be pleasantly quiet. I took to stopping when these long lines were passing for safety's sake and a breather was welcome too!
For the really twisty turny bits I preferred to walk for safety's sake.
The climb peaked at about 450 meters and there was another descent to be followed by another climb up to about 750 meters.

I moan and whinge and swear my way up hills...... But the views always, always charm me

​

I was really feeling it now and was also conscious of the time and daylight. I didn't want to get caught out in the dark.
That's when I met Pedro, pulling up beside me on his motorbike. We chatted as we moved along and spying a restaurant with rooms I indicated I was going to stop. The chat continued on the side of the road and then moved over to the restaurant. I asked about a room to be told (after a discussion) that there was no room at the inn. I'm not sure that they just didn't like the look of me.
That changed things as there were no more options until at least the top. I said my goodbyes to Pedro and set back off immediately into the climbing.

And I used to think that Ireland was green!

​

Slightly less steep it was also far more rewarding. I followed a violent river crashing over rocks for a while then made my way upwards through a spectacular valley. I rested often and enjoyed the views but was taking on a lot of water to replace what I was losing.
I was happy enough at my progress and didn't feel any pressure even though the sun was sinking lower.

When there were no trucks labouring up or down the hill I could hear the river below!

​

I reached the top and felt great! Seeing the hospedaje (basic hotel) at the top I had second thoughts. There was a little town about 10km along. It would have more options and the road was either flat or gently downhill.

It's hard not to be impressed.

​

Of I went laughing at myself. One moment all my focus was on getting to the top, the next I was going another 10km. It was great to be pedalling and making swift progress again. The countryside was very pleasant but I wasn't stopping for photos. I even started to feel a bit cool and saw that it was (only!) 24C!

Up high there is no shortage of vistas!

​

I arrived into the little town of El Playon as the sun was disappearing behind the hills and cycled through the chaos and the noise that is so typical. I passed signs for hotels in the noiseiest parts and near the far side of town I spied a hotel sign and pulled in. Immediately a man was over for a chat struggling to believe that I had cycled as far as I had. In fairness to the chap I'm pretty sure I looked a wreck!
Explaining my need for a room he called out a young woman who quoted 25k, then offered another at 20k. Apparently the difference is proximity to the street (and noise). Noise doesn't bother me!
She seemed captivated by the hair on my arms, bleached blonde by the sun against arms that are tanned a little but pale in comparison to the locals.
My room is new, clean and compact and it has a working shower! Yaaay!

After a shower the restaurant across the road hit the spot although what I thought was going to be grilled beef turned out to be liver. Very tasty!

There wasn't much to El Playon and with my lateish arrival, need for a shower and food I never explored anywhere beyond the road through town. I don't think I missed anything that compares to this

​

Exhausted and later than usual I took to my bed. Watching the news before sleep I saw a report from Barranquila (I cycled around it on the way to Ciénega) of severe flooding. They showed video clips of cars being washed away! Once again, I seem to be missing the worst of the weather.

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Day 749, Friday, October 01, 2021, El Playon to Rionegro, 24 km Total KM 12538
Min meters 443, Max Meters 801
Total Climb 574 Total Descent 360
Min Temp 23 Max Temp 37 Ave Temp 29

Jeez! It's October already!

There was noise last night, both from the trucks rolling by through the darkness and the restaurant across the road that was pumping music out until the early hours. Oh! And rain! Lots of heavy rain!
None of the above stopped me sleeping though!

Because I was tired and had options today I never bothered setting an alarm. My body would wake up when it was ready. It was after 6 when my eyes opened and I still felt tired. I got up and wandered down the road in search of a coffee and even found some breakfast. Colombian eggs aren't as much fun as Mexican ones!

Fueled and caffeinated I returned to my room, packed up and returned my key. The same young woman was there and this morning my legs were the focus of her obsession! Maybe I've missed an opportunity here!

8am bang on the button. I'm up, breakfasted, had a pretty young thing flirting with me, am back on the road and this is my view! Feck me but I'm just so damn lucky!

​

I set off into bright sunshine, hoping that the shade would be my saviour and it pretty much was. The same narrow and twisty road as yesterday with lots of tree cover. It didn't take long for the climbing to start. It was grand for a while but then the grades went into double figures. There were less twists and turns than yesterday so I could keep going, stopping only for heavy traffic. Until near the end. Then I got off and pushed.
The worst thing about this climbing is that it was all for nothing - I'd drop the height and have to gain it all over again! And again!

A surging river flowing to where? Wouldn't it be fun to hop in a canoe and see what's around that bend?

​

In fairness, it was a very pleasant road. Traffic as respectful as always, decent views and even a few yappy dogs to liven things up! Sometimes I could hear the river below rushing past me, at other times the sound of smaller rivers toppling down to join it. Waterfalls were common, often hidden behind the flora.

I stopped for a cold drink after the top then sailed down to start the process all over again. I stopped before the climbing for a juice and couple of empañadas.

The rio down there is a bit smaller!

​

I'm seriously out of practice for this climbing! At least there was lots of shade and regular crash barriers to stop at. I don't know how many different ways there are to describe the amount of sweating taking place but at one stage, pulled in as two convoys were passing in both directions, one hand on the handlebars the other on the saddle there was a drip drip drip of water from my wrist. Not a drip.........drip...........drip a dripdripdrip! Not surprisingly I was working through my water!

Again, near the top I ran out of puff and walked the last bit. Just over the top I pulled in again at a little shop with a barking dog. He was more afraid than aggressive and after I sat down came over to make friends.

Those yellow trees are very eye-catching. There'll often be one, solo, amongst a forest of green ones.

​

I'd a decision to make now. I was facing into another downhill and after that another climb regaining all the height I was about to lose. Girón was one of my destinations today, a recommendation of my Colombian friend. But it had another couple of climbs after this one. Another small town at the bottom of this hill would be the last chance for accommodation for a while. I'll see what I feel at the bottom.

The greatest bike in the world? 25 years old, 21 speed. I can't say but he's a great companion

​

Descending was fun! I learned yesterday to let the slow trucks away before beginning otherwise I'll get stuck behind them. Sweeping down not being bothered by the sun because of the wind was fabulous and so, so different to struggling up! My descent was a lot shallower and longer than the ascent.

Another yellow tree!

​

Arriving at Rio Negro I pulled off the main road. Whoah! This is a hilly town! With narrow streets! I followed my nose then a steeple and found the Plaza, pleasant but bare although the trees on the perimeter offered shade. I'd difficulty locating a coffee but found one and sat and savoured.
Jesús, a juice vendor from Venezuela was straight over for a chat. He says he's seen me in YouTube (but I doubt it! Maybe all us white folk look the same ). All questions and chat it was a pleasant, if tiring introduction to Rionegro. He told me of a little hotel just down the road from the Plaza so I decided I'd stay. Girón will still be there tomorrow.

I might be melting and if I didn't have lots of water have the feeling that I'd crisp up and collapse in a pile of dust but the country is so lush and green

​

I got checked in, a little room on the third floor with a fan but decent internet and a big friendly dog too. My bike is downstairs in a workshop.
A cold, cold shower (mountain water, I reckon) and I set off to explore.
The town barely touches two biggish roads so there are no trucks just lots of motorbikes and tuktuks.
It's by no means big but it is bustling with all the types of stores I'm used to seeing. I'm guessing that this isn't a tourist town as people keep looking at me - more curious than intimidating.

Rionegro. Narrow, steep streets and hills everywhere!

​

I had a very pleasant wandering. The place isn't big, but it is steep. Wandering is still a workout.
Sitting in the Plaza having another coffee a kid came over looking for money for food. I understood the intent but not the words and repeatedly told him that he should speak slower, that I was only learning Spanish and couldn't understand him. Eventually he got the hint and I gave him some money. Then, interestingly, he asked if I was really cycling around Colombia! The bike was nowhere around!
I had a similar experience in a little bakery/coffee shop. While waiting, a man at a table asked me the same!
I'd showered and changed my clothes but I clearly look different and I guess in a small town word travels fast!

The church and the little Plaza in front of it. It is a great feeling to wander off the road into a little town like this, give it a few minutes and think "yep, this feels like home".

​

There's an Avacado park here along the river but unfortunately closed. I traipsed around enjoying the views the height offered me. There's a kind of viewing platform over steps that lead down to the main road and below two guys were busy making one of those "step pictures" that so captivated me in México. They're not painting but using tiles. Slow work! I was going to go down to them and ask them how they do it but poor Jesús got there before me and a huge dog, hidden from view, went for him. I passed.

It might not look like much but wandering around, seeing and feeling a place with no rush is very rewarding​

As the sun was going down the Plaza came to life as hundreds and hundreds of birds returned to the trees chirping and discussing the day's gossip. No doubt some of it is about the guy cycling around Colombia! Noisy, and not particularly melodious it's still an attractive sound and another layer of life in a place that is already very lively.

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Day 750, Saturday, October 02, 2021, Rionegro to Girón, 29km Total KM 12567
Min meters 575, Max Meters 851
Total Climb 517 Total Descent 471
Min Temp 23 Max Temp 44 Ave Temp 33

A day of two halves! And a happy ending!

Getting back to my little hospedaje yesterday evening at about 8pm there was no one home! A business card stuck on the door had a number so I called that. Whoever answered was clearly in a pub or at a party. I couldn't understand a word but a few minutes later a happy man showed up to let me in.

Maybe it was the small room (or all the coffee I'd had in the afternoon - the coffee is soooooooo good!) but I had problems falling asleep.

For the start of the day it's not too bad!

​

I was up and about for 7 am, late for but I was in no rush. I retrieved my bike after waking up my hosts and packed up on the street - no easy thing on sloping streets. Then down a big hill to the main road and an empanada. The coffee was instant so I passed! I was shocked!

Back in Cartagena I changed my screen protector on the phone. This one is better able to deal with sweaty fingers but is darker. Every now and then it scares the bejaysus out of me by making the screen go dark. The phone is set to adjust screen brightness automatically. I spent about 10 minutes trying to find the settings by memory. I finally got it sorted then had to check what else I had inadvertently changed!

There's something about the early morning in the mountains.....

​

Then it was on to a pleasantly familiar two laner with minimum traffic. What a lucky fecker I am!
I had a lumpy 5km despairing on every descent because every meter lost would need to be regained but the views were great, early morning sun casting a gold sheen on everything.

Then it was a 3km +/-300 meter climb!

Indulge me.......

​

I have no idea why I enjoyed it so much. It was a bloody hard slog but the sun was beaming making everything shimmer and shine - there's wonderful contrasts between the blues of the sky, the whites of the clouds and the unbelievable numbers of greens of the landscape.
It varied as I climbed, views becoming closer or changing after a sharp bend. Boring it certainly wasn't!
Traffic, when present was invariably respectful, often encouraging and never a threat. There's a lot to be said for feeling safe.

The sun working its magic..... I liked the teeny tiny puff of cloud

​

A few scattered settlements provided a few yappy dogs, but no more. Curious more than anything the loose ones gave me someone to talk to as I sweated uphill.
I passed a hoarse cockerel. At first I had no idea what the sound was - a dog, or perhaps an old wolf howling? And the I spotted the poor chap on the side of the road. Even with no voice he kept giving his all.
It helps too, I'm sure that today is relatively short and that I have an actual destination too. Because it's a bit touristy and it's the weekend I booked an interesting looking place for two nights. There's no pressure on me at all today.
I know nothing about Girón other than it has been recommended to me.

There's an intensity to the colours that screams "life"

​

I was having one problem though and that was with the gears on the bike. The indexing had been out on the front but yesterday and today I couldn't use the granny gear - the chain kept dropping back. Since my indicator is broken after the service and no longer "indicates" it took me a while to realise I wasn't using the granny gear. Then when I tried to use it I just ground to a halt.

A bloody tough road but when I had it to myself....... A little bit of heaven

​

Coming off the bike the other day was a timely reminder to not relax too much. I had another today - a motorbike went over on its side in front of a bus. I first became aware when a bus just ahead of me suddenly pulled out into the other lane. I pulled up, dropped Roccado in the ditch and went to help. He seemed OK, the bike seemed OK, his visor was hanging off his helmet and he seemed a bit shook. I helped him lift the bike up and expecting him to take a breather was a bit shocked when the threw his leg over. Off he went.

I moan and I groan, whinge and complain, swear and curse going up hills..... But I keep on turning into the mountains and I have no idea why

​

At the top I pulled into a restaurant for a coffee (real coffee!) and empanada. It was here, sitting in the welcome shade that I noticed that the music of late has changed again. Gone is the Carribbean influence in terms of beat and instrumentation and the guitars and accordions are back! My kind of music!

A few people had set fires below me, for what I have no idea.

​

The sweep down was gentle fun, the road alternating between four lanes and two. Once things levelled out I was in urban territory and approaching the city of Bucaramanga with all that means for a cyclist - more broken surfaces, a variable shoulder and slightly more aggressive traffic.
This was my second climb of the day but generally in a shoulder and distracted by everything it was over before I knew it.

My route took me away from the city, thankfully, and on to a rather dull and dreary one going steadily uphill, albeit more gentle than previously.

Uh oh! That's a big looking city!

​

I seemed to go from dusty highway to narrow city streets in a flash and headed for my hostal (more like a B&B).

Slightly confused and stopped on the street a very elegant lady engaged me in conversation asking if I was alright. Explaining that I was just checking my bearings I may have missed another opportunity!

Too early to check in I rang the bell anyway and was admitted. The boss wasn't around but I could leave my stuff and grab a coffee. So I did!

Awandering I went.
More by accident than design I'm only a couple of hundred meters downhill from the Plaza in the old town. Despite the heat a coffee was had sitting in the shade and soaking up the atmosphere. There's a lot to soak.
After about an hour I went back, was warmly greeted by my hosts, a very friendly Colombian/French couple with a toddler.
Staying an extra day is not going to be a mistake!

Today's rio (there were quite a few!) surging along

​

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Day 751/752, Sunday/Monday, October 03/04 2021 Girón

I have an old college friend and he would hate Girón! He has an extreme aversion to pigeons, sees them as flying rats and can have quite the reaction to a pigeon in close proximity. Sitting in the little Plaza he'd have conniptions because the pigeons fly low and care not a whit about people! But not sitting in the Plaza would be a loss. A major loss.

As well as pigeons there was no shortage of vultures like this guy hanging around. Not in the Plaza but near to the (food) market area they were hanging around what seemed to be an unofficial dumoing spot

​

The old town of Girón is charming. Cobbled streets, narrow and steep between low, white buildings that are obviously under some kind of a protection or preservation system?. The most obtrusive thing to be seen on the buildings are hanging baskets of colourful flowers - signs are standard and flush with the walls or doors. The same phone companies that scream their presence elsewhere whisper it here, their brightly coloured branding only on the inside.
Roofs are teracotta tiles and above the roof, depending on orientation there's a bright blue sky, green mountains or a handful of ugly tower-blocks. Sometimes you'll see them all in one vista - the old world, the uglier newer world and the Natural world.
The mountains, especially are very attractive. Some are wild, uninhabited, unfarmed, vividly close, others have habitation spreading upwards. They stretch almost the whole way around. Occasionally, there's nothing except some sign of human habitation at the very top.

A side street in the old town. Cobbled, narrow and steep! When I tried to ride the bike on these streets I soon wished I hadn't!

​

The feckin' little yellow cabs are back displaying all the traits of feckin' little yellow cabs here - loud, impatient, aggressive. Other than these buzzing bothersome buzzards the town is relatively hassle free.
Stepping out of the cocoon of the old town there is the craziness I'm used to in towns in the Latin world. I know I keep harping on and on about it but there is a life, a vitality in these places that surges like a lot of the rivers the past few days. Dropping into it and being carried along is invigorating!
I passed a clothes shop with mannequins outside. I'd passed the "male" side and passing the "female" side stopped and did a double take - one of the mannequins was a young woman! Sure enough, looking back a real man was modelling fashion beside a mannequin!

A higgledy-piggledy view of a higgledy-piggledy town. The charming white houses and terracotta tiled roofs, the steep streets, mountains in the distance, an ugly tower block, plants and cables running everywhere.

​

But back to the Plaza.......
Depending on perspective and persuasion the focal point is either the church or the Plaza itself.
The church is pleasingly simple, all in white. It's big doors remain closed. People queue outside in roped lines for early mass, the previous massgoers exiting through a gate on one side as the next batch wait to enter on the other. Judging by the numbers, the fashions and the heights of folk there's a lot of people of all ages wanting to go to 8 am Mass.
One young man in a black sleeveless top with gym toned arm muscles carried a holy book (not a bible) and the words printed on his top included love, respect and empathy. It's not often I'll see a young person so clearly demonstrating their faith. Mind you, when push comes to shove the Catholic Church as an organisation is hardly a world leader in empathy and respect.

This car has been specially modified for the sale of bananas

​

At that hour, there's a few coffee vendors who do a brisk trade as the even earlier massgoers exit. For a few minutes the Plaza is full of people sipping coffee heading off in a multitude of directions. I've always thought that one of the great opportunities of a regular religious service is the social aspect - a chance for people, especially those out of the loop, to meet and chat.

On one side of the Plaza there's a string of carts selling fruit and flavoured ice. At the corner an old tree provides lots of shade and this is where the taxi drivers gather, their yellow abominations lined up, harmless and quiet for once. Later, a few more stalls will set up selling orange juice, sweets, knick knacks and the usual entertainment for kids revolving around painting. A man sets up a tiny goal so that kids can practice their penalties.
The atmosphere is convivial, family oriented and very, very pleasant. It really comes to life later, after the worst of the day's heat has burned out.

The pigeons are the kings and queens of this Plaza. Disappearing when there is nothing for them they can appear at a moment's notice when a child opens a bag of seed. Flying low under the radar they descend from all directions, pulling up suddenly and landing deftly in a fluttering of wings somehow avoiding midair chaos to sorround the now screaming (with delight!) child. Neither people nor animals will disturb them and when all nutrition is gone, they'll strut like the rulers they are before flying off and awaitIng their next sortie.
If someone had told me a couple of years ago that I'd find the feeding of pigeons to be so interesting I'd have had questions about their sanity. Now I question my own!

The oldtown skyline

​

There are no museums that I'm aware of so I spent a lot of time wandering, sitting, watching and being charmed.

I took a break on Sunday to have a good look at the bike.
The chain was about 6 or 8 links too long. On attempting to index the gears nothing was happening with the barrel adjuster - because the feckin' spring was gone! On opening up the trigger shifter it was packed with grease. I mean packed. I also found the little plastic leg that rendered the indicator useless.
It was a challenge not to go ballistic but I calmed myself down by focusing on the positives;
Firstly, I knew what was wrong and could fix it (for someone who couldn't fix a puncture a few years ago that's some progress!) and secondly, I was going to have another day in lovely Girón since I needed to visit a store and they're all closed on Sundays! An expensive spring!
There are far, far worse places to be stranded!

Because of the uniformity of the old town there were few old doors..... But I did find some!

​

Lunch was had at one of a long line of open air restaurants serving meat and not a whole lot more. A solid structure contained the kitchen where everything was grilled, tables and chairs were spread out haphazardly, often pulled together to accommodate groups. This is a family place. Spotting a plate being prepared with chorizo, mocilla (blood sausage, what we in Ireland call black pudding) and potatoes I was hooked, sought out a table and ordered some. Delicious! The atmosphere was lovely. The place was full of families, sharing was common and even though beer was available there was no indication of excess. In fact, nowhere on Sunday did I see drunks like I have elsewhere. People drinking, for sure, but not to excess. It reminded me a lot of a typical German beerhall in terms of the relative simplicity of the surroundings, the basic, meat based food that is incredibly tasty and the lovely atmosphere.

The church on the Plaza. That's the tail end of the queue for a mass on the right. Entry through a side door on the right, exit on the left.​

Sunday evening and night was for more wandering. The new town was still hopping until late with most of the stores open, excluding the likes of hardware stores. The Old Town was hopping too - but in a very gentle way.
The Plaza was heaving. The fruit stalls supplemented with grills featuring different meats on skewers and chirizo. A family of six shows up and there's no room to sit in the plaza? No problem - a young fella has a stack of plastic stools and out they go on the path.

Sitting down munching on a tasty chorizo straight off the grill and sipping on a orange juice I was approached by a man with his own plastic glass looking for a drink. This is quite common here and is not the first time I've been approached. I've seen it done to other folk too. It's common in a restaurant, for example, for a family to share a large bottle of Coke and someone to request a drink.

The "ice cream" Plaza, quiet in the heat of the day. In the evening it is packed with families and lovebirds

​

A Honduran singer does his stuff in a corner. He's got a small mixing desk, a microphone, a speaker and his phone for a backing track. It might be far from a professional setup but he's dressed to impress!
Patent leather shoes (no socks), black dress pants with gold embroidery and a black shirt with rhinestone stars glittering as he moves.
There's more entertainment too. Clowns are very popular in these parts using a microphone and speaker to interact with and mock the audience.
The kid's entertainments have expanded too and stay going long after night has fallen. Just like in CDMX there's a woman blowing bubbles to generate sales for the simplest of kid's toys.

Another rooftop view

​

Another small Plaza has a few icecream stores. The place is full and the remains of a day's sales are everywhere - scooped out pineapples and other fruit that I do not know have been carefully stacked up beside the bins. Long after the sun is gone the plaza is filled with people of all ages savouring their fruit and icecream.

Paradoxically, Monday seemed quieter. I got the bike sorted early. Good Lord what a hames they made of it.
I also decided to lighten my load, somewhat. I left some of my tools that I don't think I'll be needing. There's a lot of mountains in my future.

Based on a suggestion of the French lady host I spent a bit of time looking at an off road route to the south. Her Colombian husband when he heard of my investigations just said "No". I was tending to agree with him as I'm heading into a dry area that will either be very, very hot (and empty of people) or very, very wet.
He has also planted the seed in me of visiting Bogotá!

I'm back to visiting cemeteries!

​

I took a short ride to test out my bike repairs. Good God! I used to think Belgian cobbles were bad!! It's a wonder any children are born here such is the abuse nether regions get!

Based on my amiga's suggestion to visit Girón I'll be paying more respect to her other suggestions! It's a lovely little town, chaotic but relaxing, and quite welcoming.

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Day 753, Tuesday, October 05, 2021, Girón to Pescadero, 49km Total KM 12616
Min meters 620, Max Meters 1304
Total Climb 763 Total Descent 831
Min Temp 23 Max Temp 37 Ave Temp 29

A little bit of everything

If I'd looked a bit closer at the map I'd have realised what I was in for this morning. Heavy traffic and skirting a big city (Bucaramanga). As it was I'd been busy exploring options further south. Oh well, I wanted an adventure and there was no real avoiding it anyway.

Up, coffeed and leaving for 7amish I was a bit later than I wanted but it was a lovely comfortable place and hard to leave. Surprisingly cool, there were even a few raindrops for the first half an hour. Just a few.

Planning is overrated! If I had looked properly this scene wouldn't have been such a surprise...... On the other hand there really weren't any alternatives!

​

Girón is a town of contrasts and this was demonstrated as I left. Bouncing through the deserted old town down to the chaos of the new.
I thought things would settle down out of town but I had over 20km of heavy urban traffic and usually no shoulder.
In fairness, traffic was good and I generally had lots of room. It was loud, dusty and all uphill though.

There were a lot of roadies out but only a teeny tiny minority recognised me in any way. I couldn't imagine cycling regularly along here for fun so maybe these are all the odd-ball roadies
The highlight though, was three Police on bicycles who pulled in ahead of me and as I passed two saluted me (hands to forehead) while the third took a photo!
Another was an oldtimer who slowly came up behind me then asked where I was from. On answering, he started laughing, not in a take the pish way more in an amazed way. Still laughing he congratulated me and wished me a good journey.

Leaving Piedecuesta, four lanes reduced to two....

​

It's funny how our minds work. Once again the annoying little yellow cabs caused me the most bother. Pulling in suddenly, stopping, starting then stopping again. Cutting across and passing too close for comfort. Yet, I still think cycling here is pretty safe.
I think it's the fact that they are easily recognised and separated from other traffic that I can have a very negative opinion of them with no "bleeding" to other drivers.

Approaching the town of Piedecuesta I pulled in to a little stall for a coffee, fresh oj and a delicious empanada. The couple running it were very, very pleasant and chatty. He asked me what we grow in Ireland - the first time anyone ever asked me that!

After the town of Piedecuesta the dual carriageway reverted to a two laner. Uh oh, I thought but it was like the other days - the traffic seemed to die off outside the town and tended to travel in batches. Very manageable on the twisty, up-and-down road.

There was still a fair bit of climbing to do and then the Touring Gods threw a spanner in the works. Well, a spanner in the works for normal people, a gift for the likes of me!
Road works!
For about one km one lane was closed and traffic was controlled, only allowed past in batches.
For me, this meant that after a batch of traffic my side was empty! I could go (or stop) as I pleased!
Once past I pulled in, leaning the bike against a new concrete barrier and watched all the trucks labouring uphill past me. A man came over for a chat and couldn't resist trying to lift the bike! He was very pleasant but was in severe danger of getting in my bad books by constantly telling me how much climbing I had to do and how steep it was going to be. There was enough red in Osmand - I didn't need to hear it!

As rest-stops go this wasn't a bad one!

​

On the now quiet road I set off again. The only thing to watch out for were oncoming overtakers venturing onto my side.
Of most interest were the trees lining the road. They gave me lots of shade. After a few motorbikes passed me I looked for a likely spot to pull in and let the next batch of tail to tail traffic by.
And so I ascended!

When it was quiet it was a blissful road imbued with magic from the trees

​

Just shy at the top I pulled in for a bit of lunch (so far here there's some kind of a village at the top and bottom of each hill). Then off again to crest and descend.

Wow!
Everything changed! I was soon barrelling down through a canyon getting ever drier. Trees gave way to cacti and scrub. Looming hills on both sides became cliffs. A wild river crashed and roared over rocks to my left, the road builders letting it lead them to weave through the hills.

Things are changing, the scenery is opening up

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More roadworks just broke up the traffic more - on both sides. At times I had this natural wonder all to myself. I could have let go and flown down but the scenery was so stunning, so different I meandered down at a very sedate pace.
I'd still pull in after the warning of the first few motorbikes and relax as a long line of traffic rumbled past.

As regards destination I was flexible. San Gil was the next target but that involved a whole lot of climbing. There were a few cheap hotels that I could use but services were going to be the issue.

Sweeping along with the river roaring in my ears, on an empty road..... This is what touring's all about!

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As I cycled along really enjoying the scenery I decided to forego San Gil and pull up at a river crossing. Tomorrow I'd be straight into a big climb, better done in the cool.

Now this is fun!

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I pulled into a filling station with hotel and enquired about a room and decided to roll on down to the village at the river for a bit of life. There was a simple hotel but I was told it was full. Back up to the modern one just as rain started to fall.
Nothing special and with no wifi in my room I watched some tv. Venezuela has decided to bring forward Christmas to October. Three out of every four people live in extreme poverty. It is frightening to see what has become of Venezuela. Also interesting to see the compassionate attitude of the Colombians.
Such were my thoughts as I drifted off to sleep.

Maybe, just maybe a motorbike would be more fun...... But I was having a ball! I was not, absolutely not, thinking about tomorrow!

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Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Day 754, Wednesday, October 06, 2021, Pescadero to San Gil, 56km Total KM 12672
Min meters 489, Max Meters 1899
Total Climb 1618 Total Descent 1086
Min Temp 18 Max Temp 37 Ave Temp 26

The Chicamocha Canyon

I'm gutted.
I'm going to throw up some photos but none of them, not even the really good ones, are a fair and accurate depiction of the scenery today.
The Chicamocha canyon deserves better.

With a big day ahead of me I was up early. I used my water heater to boil some eggs and washed them down with coffee. So far as I knew there was going to be little option for refuelling until I'd climbed 1km up in the air.
Unfortunately, my morning abloutions resulted in cramping and a rather unpleasant stool. I'd had a minor version yesterday that I put down to eating a pineapple full of fruit (and ice cream the night before). Not an ideal way to start a big journey.

The Río Umpala. I was an innocent, naïve guy on a bike when I crossed the river. I had no idea what was in store for me!

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Dawn (and sunset) here happens fast. I was outside having my morning coffee in the dark. I returned to the room and started bringing my bags downstairs. In those few minutes daylight had arrived. It would be a while before I saw the sun directly though since there were big mountains in the way.

Setting off about 6am it was pleasantly cool and surprisingly busy. Just like in the towns I needed to cross the road and that took a while!
A little downhill and the toll booth had a tailback, modest in my direction long on the other.
I crossed the river, pulled in for some photos and started climbing. I was at an altitude of 489 meters and I'd have no break until I hit almost 1900!

It really didn't take long for me to realise that this was going to be one of those days - one of those special days!
To my right was a river and beside it mysterious mountains literally topped with clouds. To my left were mountains in the shade as the sun slowly worked its way up the sky behind them. All around me was traffic, but it hardly registered. Like yesterday it tended to come in batches, most of it on the other side and all of it perfectly happy with a cyclist on the road.
I didn't realise it then but I'd be following that river most of the day but while it meanderd I'd be soaring. Soaring in every sense of the word.

I was going to be seeing views like this, from different angles and from an ever increasing altitude. Many, many times I thought that this is the road to bring someone to show them what bike touring is all about. Except they'd have to climb a kilometer and a half

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The road was in pretty good nick and I had a wall or crash barriers to stop me plunging down to the river that was quickly sinking beneath me. Lots of places to stop! Despite appearing to be straight the road swept left and right creating bends.

After about 90 minutes and a series of switchbacks the river was now on the opposite side of the road leaving me with fewer options to stop but with cliffs towering over me. Small rockfalls made the edge of the road trickier but traffic was patient and considerate.

A sweeping bend (not that I was doing much sweeping going uphill!) and clouds atop mountains. I could stop at will, and did often.

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By now it had well sunk in that today was no normal day and plans went out the window. I was not going to rush this road! If it took two days so be it!

A number of roadies passed me with most ignoring me which I found to be very rude. Poor feckers are probably used to cycling this road - they probably don't even see it anymore.

As I gained height the road often swung right gifting me an incredible view of a big drop and mountains straight ahead. This isn't a road for those with a bit of vertigo!

There's something about the contrast that speaks to me.

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Progress was slow but on a road where slow was the best way. There was so much to see. I was constantly gaining height so the river was getting smaller and smaller. Each bend gave a different perspective and every now and then I'd round a bend to a whole new world. Slow, yes, dull, not at all.

As well as my earlier cramps my mouth felt dry and furry - like I had a hangover (chance would be a fine thing!). As the temperature rose I was sipping my water. But I was doing a lot of sipping.

Caption? Beyond me.

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Since the barriers were now on the other side of the road opportunities to rest on my side were limited. Spying a bit of a wall I pulled in and sat down. Not for long! Not for a nanosecond! Something was biting my ass! Instinctively I grabbed whatever was biting me to get several fingerfulls of thorns. I had sat myself down on some kind of a mini cactus. Using my left hand I carefully pulled the thorns out of my right hand stabbing my left hand in the process and then, there I was on the side of the road for all passing traffic to see gently probing my ass very tenderly with both hands and extracting more thorns.

Surprisingly, on one corner, there is a large shrine to Our Lady, Mary, the mother of Jesus. There are even parking spaces on the opposite side of the road! It made no sense to me at all. No-one lives around it, transport is needed to get there and the bend is very steep and sharp - in other words it doesn't need any distractions - it's dangerous enough as it is.

There were some magical, and I mean magical bends!

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I climbed and I ogled, ogled and climbed. At times I could see the road above me and sometimes twice! Those views are always more scary! As always on these types of roads it's impossible to judge if that truck groaning is coming up behind or ahead.

With water running low I came to a most amazing bend. The road swung right at what seemed a confluence of valleys. Impressive is not the word. Two guys had parked up as well and we got to talking. Asking one of them if they had passed a shop he said there was one close by - about 12km away! 12km uphill is not close by! As it happened, there was a little shop about 500 meters down the road! Watered up and bottles refilled I set off again.

What can I possibly say?

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The next stop (where I was hoping to eat) was a National Park. I saw the attached water park first and then the entrance to the park itself. Closed!
I spotted a railing over an epic valley and rolled over for a great photo.
Oh no I don't! A female soldier was straight over, her finger wagging to emphasise her "No, No, No".
I tried turning on the charm and asking for the photo but that resulted in more finger wagging!
Deflated I rejoined the road. I was pretty glad I had filled up my water earlier.

I'm feeling a pressure to put into words what the photos lack and I'm struggling.
The river (spoiled a bit, I thought, by all the sand extraction) captivated me by the way it weaved through the country. The mountains, so smooth with grooves running down were a new sight for me. Greener and warmer than the photos depict there was something strong, almost ferocious about them. Yet, clouds floating on top almost made them fantasy mountains and the occasional lush, fertile valleys between them suggested protection.
Light and angle meant that as I laboured along the view changed, subtlely for sure, but there was always a fresh perspective. The light in these parts can be incredibly bright. It's presence or absence changes a vista. Reflected sun also has similar effects. The peak of a mountain bathed in warm sunshine while the base is in shadow is a sight to behold. Watching that light move upwards, the sun literally bringing life to the mountain as the greys become green is like watching art come to life.

An epic landscape let down badly by my photography skills (or lack of them!). These are among the best I have and do not convey the depth, the colour nor the sheer impressiveness.

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The few kms after the National Park there were a few small restaurants, all closed. A little later I came to a shop with a couple of tables and pulled up. I needed food. Unfortunately, nothing except snacks and a lot of artesan sweets. I had some crisps, some coconut sweets and some dried sausages I'd picked up last night. Not the best but I needed fuel.
The views from here were fantastic, looking down on a village in the valley below.

Setting off again I passed a proper restaurant one or two kms further! Too full to eat I continued on.

About this time I started thinking about my destination. I still had a load of climbing to do - as far as the village of Arteca. After that, downhill with some ascents to San Gil. If San Gil was going to be like Girón I wouldn't want to rush it. Maybe the trick would be to overnight in the mountains and get to San Gil early in the morning. Then I don't rush this road and I have a lot of time in San Gil. Ah! The flexibility of the solo traveller.

I didn't realise it at the time but this is one of my last shots of the canyon. Excited at the prospect of a coffee and distracted by the threat of rain - yet another example of what a terrible tourist I am!😊

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I came across a very well equipped shop and restaurant just as some raindrops started to fall and passed an hour over a coffee and a cold drink. The rain didn't hang around but I'd made up my mind - I'd head for San Gil.

The road now had changed and I was enclosed by trees in a much greener world. If the river was still around it was hidden and silent.

As an indication of entrepreneurship, every crash barrier (located usually on the bends) and a lot of the walls had the phone number of a mechanic spray painted on!
I also saw the value (or perhaps the folly of dating graffiti declarations of love! I saw one from 1979! I'm not sure if it's to Goivanny Baron or Giovann y Baron ("y" is "and" in Spanish). How will I ever sleep again?

The village of Arteca, the top of my climb was playing with me. The road circled the village climbing, climbing, climbing, dropping only to climb some more. At last I reached the top just as the rain restarted, heavier than before. Then I started to roll down.

Gismo's temperature dropped faster than I did - as far as 18C! I was actually cold! At speed the rain felt heavy but it was little more than a drizzle.
The landscape was agricultural, pleasant but not captivating. I questioned my plan to continue to San Gil. It would be less pleasant in the rain but the sky was brighter where I was going. I pulled in under a tree and booked a room on Booking.

San Gil was nothing like I expected! This is a big place and nothing like Girón. It is busy, a couple of junctions are nightmares to cross. I found the "hotel" easy enough and got checked in. They changed my reservation from a family room to a smaller one (fine by me) but also changed the private bathroom to communal. Less fine. Finally there was no key for my room.

In fairness, even in the rain and without a canyon the trees did a good job of keeping me interested

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I showered and went straight out in the dark heading for the Plaza. Surprisingly pleasant and relaxing. And dry! I wandered around needing food, but something simple. In the end I opted for a simple Subway sandwich and was overcome with tiredness as I ate it.

I returned to the hotel and with minimum wifi in my room was soon fast asleep.
Maybe I should have stayed in the mountains!

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098

 

[HobbesOnTour]

The Chicamocha Canyon - some extra pics

Early, early morning

Spot the truck!

There'd be something wrong with me if this wasn't a bit inspirational!

Or this! A bit tricky for sufferers of vertigo, though!

Beauty and the Beast!

The National Agua Park! Opposite the National Park. But what a location!!

Epic. Just Epic.

I like the colour contrast

There are a few of these. I was disappointed to see them sponsored by local businesses. This was a ridiculous medieval castle themed hotel

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098


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