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

HobbesOnTour · 29 Oct 2021

Day 774, Tuesday, October 26, 2021, Puente Nacional to Velez, 28 km Total KM 13175
Min meters 1550, Max Meters 2142
Total Climb 792 Total Descent 287
Min Temp 22 Max Temp 38 Ave Temp 29

No puff. But I got an orange!

The thing with such a small town at night is that it is very, very still. The problem with that is that any sound at all seems loud. So it was about 3am when a car alarm went off. Such an alien sound in this place had me jumping to attention. Sleep was a little unsettled after that.

Up at 7 I showered (hot water! ^_^

) and toddled down for a coffee and pastry. They were so good I had another round.
I was in no hurry to leave even though the smart thing would have been to leave early.
I got bike and gear downstairs, loaded up and climbed out of town.

Pleasant and interesting. That's not meant to be a negative description

Gizmo told me I had a flattish start, then a descent as far as Barbosa. Yes! Barbosa! I'd take a turn there and then climb 500 meters on a smaller road. There'd be another bit of a climb later.

I'm still not feeling great but I can't put my finger on it. I don't have a fever but at times it seems like a bit of a head cold. At other times my head is fine but my belly feels uncomfortable. Just uncomfortable, nothing worse. And tired.

More pleasant and interesting!

The road was quiet, the sun was out and the start was easy enough, though more rolling than flat.
The scenery is interesting, not "Wow!" interesting but varied and changing with lots and lots to keep me occupied. Toddling along at a nice easy pace is the best way to enjoy it.

The descent towards Barbosa was trickier, the road throwing up all kinds of geological obstacles. Spending too much time looking at the scenery could have fatal consequences.
Approaching Barbosa (again!) I noticed the same as I did on my last approach, albeit from a different side. Lots of workshops lined the road, there was a lot of "Hey Gringo" calls and other incomprehensible shout outs. There was something of a sneer, a mocking tone and my waves weren't returned. It's strange how the tone of a town can be pretty clear.
I didn't have to enter the town, instead turning off and up.
Now the climbing began in serious - about 500m up.

I do like the trees!

Traffic was lighter on this smaller road and within a couple of kms the atmosphere changed too. People smiled, waved and called out positively to me. Cars beeped supportively, trucks honked. I found it very pleasant. Only dogs were a minor irritant, barking and giving a half hearted chase after I'd passed them. Minor.

There were lots of twists and turns on the road, a lot of trees for shade (helpful since after my late departure the sun was high and hot) and the gradient was gentle enough with ocasional steeper sections.

I'm paying a lot of attention to the road!

Pulled up at the side of the road two roadies were coming up behind me. The lead guy called out and tossed an orange at me! Delicious!

Later, I met Jesús coming up behind me on his bike. We chatted for a while and he invited me to visit at his little Finca (farm) up the road. I agreed but declined his request to swap bikes for the ride. He rode beside me often blocking the traffic which put me a bit ill at ease. Drivers were getting frustrated, a first for me and I couldn't blame them. Arriving at the junction to turn off for his place I baulked at the road - loose gravel and a sheer drop. It would be hell to get back up. I could get no meaningful distance from him how far off the road his place was. Sensing my hesitancy he seemed to become a tad annoyed so I decided to stay on my road, wishing him well.

Near the top of the climb I pulled in for a cold drink and a rest. I'd have a rolling platau for a while before the final climb to Velez, my destination tonight.

This is really very pleasant countryside

My body wasn't working well. At times all was good but at others I lost all power. There was no rhyme or reason to it. After a stop I'd set off and either be fine or have to pull in again a couple of hundred meters later with no energy.

Unlike other days when I could see my destination below me, today, Velez was above me! And while the road was a road as opposed to rocks and gravel it was very badly churned up by the geological faults.

The Church. The closed off Plaza is to the left

The town doesn't make the greatest first impression as I struggled and bounced up along through a variety of buildings in various states of repair. Another "town below the road" place I followed the main road for most of its length keeping an eye out for hotels then turned down for the "proper town".
It was a long way down!

My first disappointment was the Plaza - blocked off for rebuilding - but my disappointment was soon displaced by the sight of a saloon car bedecked with bright flowers outside the church! Parking the bike, out with the camera I weaved through the wellwishers standing outside, smiling through my mask, nodding at all and sundry, delighted and excited to get to witness a local, joyful occasion and taking a photo of the church. Then a bit closer. The bright, gleaming altar looked spectacular from outside and I stood in the door to catch it in all its glory.
That's when I saw the coffin in front of the altar!
Oh Dear God! I was grinning like a loon trying to photograph a funeral!
I was on the verge of wishing for the ground to open up and swallow me but thought that was not a good idea in this area. I slunk away and bought a coffee.
(The flower car was reserved for what seemed to be the "chief mourners").

The interior of the church - later!

There was a decent little hotel down the road with a decent little price so I checked in, showered and set off on a mission - Velez has a small, local museum. Damned if I could find it!
Without the Plaza there's not a lot to the town. Steep streets make navigating tricky, buildings are functional and when the heavens opened it became a whole lot less pleasant to explore!

A reminder of Colombia's history (We build the peace with our own hands. The change is now)

Rain in these towns is not like rain anywhere else. The streets soon turn to rivers and junctions can turn to rapids as different water flows collide and assert dominance. Pipes from buildings pour water down on the unwary.

I wandered around looking for shelter and some food and finally found a place. Afterwards, walking home was more adventure than stroll and I arrived back soaked. Stripping off and with nothing else to do I was tucked up in bed for 7:30.

I'm the last person to criticise art but this statue struck me as a tad ...... Amateur

I saw this on an Irish news site and realised just what a different world I am travelling in.
Dublin City Council's legal bid to remove street art murals to get full hearing next March https://jrnl.ie/5584369

Sometimes, these small towns are working with tight budgets and have to improvise. Earlier, I passed old tyres, painted in bright colours and stacked on top of each other to make flowerpots. I love this ashtray (in a tiny park with the statue above). So simple, so cheap yet with a whole lot of thought.

Chat? Yes Please!
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HobbesOnTour · 31 Oct 2021

Day 775, Wednesday, October 27, 2021, Velez to Landazuri, 53km Total KM 13228
Min meters 906, Max Meters 2587
Total Climb 661 Total Descent 1852
Min Temp 14 Max Temp 32 Ave Temp 20

A magical, mysterious, musical, mountainous day - with a fair whack of rain and frozen extremities!

Anyone who knows me in the real world knows that I can get a bit hyper and wax lyrical about things important to me. Today, I did that in Spanish! ^_^

Nothing spectacular but pleasant, very pleasant

My room was one of those internal ones with no windows to outside. My only window was to an internal corridor. I'd left my rain jacket on the bike outside the room to dry overnight and I was surprised to see my trousers reasonably dry. My shoes though, were still soaking.

I got up about 7:30 and headed out for a coffee. There were a few raindrops threatening and it was cool and cloudy.

I'm not sure if the tape is a warning or an attempt to hold the rock back

In no rush to get going I slowly packed up and rolled out of town. Stopping to buy some water in a little shop the lady didn't want to charge me! I was a traveller, a visitor, it was the least she could do. Looking around the pretty bare shop and the sewing I had disturbed her from I was very touched by her gesture but couldn't accept.

There was a hefty 500 meter climb out of town that soon had me heating up. The road had several examples of pretty serious subsidence so going slow was no bad thing.
Traffic was sporadic and light and like yesterday nearly everyone was expressively friendly.

I'm starting to take the "Geological" warnings seriously!

I still was suffering from random and unexplained bouts of low energy, like someone, somewhere had just unplugged me. A rest and I was good to go.

Not "Wow!" But very pleasant

The views were pleasant, interesting but would never be classed as Wow! What I did enjoy were the reglar little waterfalls along the side of the road. Some rushed with a muted roar but others tinkled to me as I meandered up.

Music!

There are times struggling up a long climb that I fantasise that the climbing information is wrong and that I'll summit just around the next corner. Of course, that never happens! Today, though, was a strange one. Osmand had me down for over 1100 meters of climbing but it made no sense. I could clearly see the first 500 meters but after that it was pretty downhill with a couple of bumps at the end. I couldn't figure out where the other 600 meters came from. *

Lots of places to stop...... So I did!

I arrived in at the summit marked by the very little outpost of Palo Blanco and pulled in for some food. I had been hungry for a while. I took that to be a good sign since the last while I've only being eating out of necessity rather than desire. I've gotten out of the habit of carrying any cereal bars in my barbag as they have all melted!
I picked a place with empañadas on display and a few kids doing schoolwork at a table. Silly me was looking for Mama or Papa but no, the eldest girl, maybe 10 years of age, was the boss!
I ordered 2 empanadas and asked for them warm. Cue her going to the counter of the kitchen;
"Junior, come here and heat these empañadas".
No response from Junior.
"Junior!! Come here now! The gentleman is waiting!". Whatever it was in her tone my plate disappeared for half a minute and was returned briskly.

The residue of a landslide

Eating, her little brother turned to me and started babbling. I explained that I was only learning Spanish and asked if he could speak a bit slower.
He wanted to know where in the US I was from. Telling him I was from Ireland confused him. And he fell silent.
A few minutes later he turned around again and had more questions, each one enunciated slowly.
Now that the ice was broken his sister joined in too and what followed was a very pleasant conversation. For a very young fella his questions were astute and intelligent. He even complimented me on my Spanish!
A lovely lunch break!

I layered up before heading off. I'd been warm on the way up but I had a long descent ahead of me. Ha Dumbass!
There was a heavy mist on this side, so heavy at times that visibility was down to less than 50 meters. After a few minutes I seemed to be below the mist but it quickly returned with some rain.
By now I was cold. As I descended the rain increased in size and intensity. Yes, the drops got bigger. I pulled in to put on my rain jacket.
By now I was very cold.
Down I went getting colder and colder. I'd ridden up in 30 degree heat. I'd set off from the summit at just above 20C. It was down to 14 now.
I could see feck all! I could sense epic views but couldn't see them.
All the time I had to be careful of the surface. It could disappear totally at any time. The geological faults could be anywhere (and were!). I had to ride the brakes the whole time with cold, cold hands.

Before the summit with wide open views.....

That sounds like a pretty crap bike ride.

To be continued.........

* Something went wrong with Osmand's calculations. I climbed ballpark one half of what it calculated. I've never seen this before. Climbing calculations are like a science in their own right and I have no interest in trying to figure it all out. Normally, Osmand is pretty close to what I'll actually climb - when I stay on route.
I'd even fired up the dreaded Komoot in the morning and it gave over 900 meters of climbing. Interestingly, Google Maps gives no option for bike routing in Colombia - not that its climbing info has ever been accurate.

Chat? Yes Please!
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HobbesOnTour · 31 Oct 2021

Day 775, Wednesday, October 27, 2021, Velez to Landazuri, 53km Total KM 13228
Min meters 906, Max Meters 2587
Total Climb 661 Total Descent 1852
Min Temp 14 Max Temp 32 Ave Temp 20

Part Two

It should be a pretty crap bike ride but it was anything but!

I like trees and some of the trees looming out of the white gloom were just magical!

There was a magical, mysterious shroud everywhere.........

The road, treacherous as it could be was a lot of fun. The further I went the more technical it became. I nearly came off when I hit a patch of deep, sloppy mud, again when I hit a stone, another time when I sank in some sand but I didn't. I wanted a bike adventure - this was a bike adventure!

There was something to the landscape ..... When I could see it!

I could see feck all in the distance but up close was life. Pure, varied life! I passed by sheer cliffs with an unbelievable amount of plants growing and thriving on the vertical walls. Wet, glistening in the rain it felt like Mother Nature was putting on a show - just for me. "Hey, Dumbass", she was saying, "You think you've seen it all? I'll show you a thing or two!"

The streams seemed to be all around pouring down from up above adding a very pleasant water sound to contrast with the much less pleasant pelting of rain against me. Again, it seemed like Mother Nature was reminding me who was boss.

Bitterly, bitterly cold I pulled in to a roadside shop asking if they had coffee. Of course they did. I was directed to where I could park the bike under cover and had a coffee and another empanada. I dug out my rain pants (it was that cold) and my waterproof gloves before I lost my fingers.

Setting off again it was amazing the difference I felt.
The mist seemed to be thinning, or at least moving and far off scenes faded in and out. I took to stopping and watching. I'd be rewarded with a brief glimpse of a small house high on a hill, or a pure white cloud below me in a valley before the veil was drawn closed again. There was no point in even trying to take a photo. I'd need to remember.

So much to see, yet so much hidden

The vegetation along the road continued to impress. There was a real jungle vibe to it. There's nothing like exotic plants, and lots of them, to remind me I'm far, far from home!
The road became ever more challenging but I was loving it. No longer shivering and with fingers that weren't frozen I could enjoy it all the more.
Pulled in at the side of the road, in the pouring rain, mist all around me it dawned on me that I was having a Great. Feckin'. Day!

When the mist and cloud cleared......

I remember looking at Gizmo's clock and realising that I'd need to get a mush on or I could be caught in the dark. These are not the roads to be on in the dark.
I tried. I did. The sensible side of me told the feckless side of me to cop on and be safe.
My feckless side? Said "Feck off! I'm in the Andes! This is what I wanted! Adventure. On the other side of the world. A bit of danger. To see things I've never seen before. Feck off with your clock!"

And when it didn't..........

Sometimes, in the distance I could catch sight of a little patch of blue sky. It seemed to be a sign that things would get better. It would disappear then reappear around a bend. It looked warm, dry and comforting.

I came across a man and a boy driving some cattle along the road. The young fella intimated that I should zip past but I held off not wanting to frighten the animals. A couple got too close to the rain gulley and slipped in, tumbling and tangling themselves. I could wait.

Little tufts of white cloud trapped in the hills

Not long after the cows the mist really started to lift and if I thought it was good before Mother Nature showed me just what she can do!

I had views of mountains, layers and layers of mountains. The Andes! All around me!
Best of all I was looking down on little puffs of cotton cloud trapped in the valleys. Head in the clouds? Hell no! I was way, way above them!
It was still raining but I didn't care!

This was now the lumpy bit on the elevation profile so I was working up a sweat in the rain. The road surface disappeared for one climb so I bounced up, myself and the motorbikes weaving every which way like we were all coming home from pubs at different ends of the road.

A wonderful, exciting, slippy, don't-look-down stretch of road.

Then the road flattened and narrowed and only for the yellow "no crossing" tape (Yes! Tape! Along a big drop!) I was an explorer. It wasn't a terribly long stretch but it was a magical stretch.

By now I was on my final descent of the day and the sun was even trying to get in on the act. The rain had already stopped and I was stopping with wild abandon. Trying to photograph what I was seeing was pointless. There was a scale that no camera could possibly capture but there were so many other components to the scene too; the birds were chirping after the rain, the light, glowing in the west was dancing on the water coating everything, the big drops falling from the trees could have been diamonds and it seemed that everywhere was the sound of falling water. A gentle wind wafted through the last lingering mist revealing and hiding, teasing. I tried to store it all.

The colour! The life! The scraps of mist still floating about!

Rounding a bend I caught my first sight of Landazuri, a hodge podge of buildings and a rather unimpressive church.
I bounced down to the old town looking for a hotel and as is the way with perfect days the hotel found me!
Passing a hotel a woman called out.
Did I need a room?
I pulled up.
A man standing with her asked me what my day was like?
That's when I found myself babbling away in Spanish, about mist and magic, cold and rain, beauty and suffering. I think the poor man will think twice before asking a similar question again.

To cap it all off the sun weaving some magic

I was home.
A fantastic day on the bike was at an end.

Chat? Yes Please!
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HobbesOnTour · 1 Nov 2021

Day 776, Thursday, October 28, 2021, Landazuri to Cimitarra, 29km Total KM 13257
Min meters 173, Max Meters 936
Total Climb 246 Total Descent 984
Min Temp 23 Max Temp 40 Ave Temp 33

Back on the flat and in the heat!

I was awake before 6am, unusual for the last few days. I hopped out of bed and spied the bakery across the road was open - coffee! Yay!
I got dressed and toddled down and out into a downpour! Uh oh! Rain in the morning is very unusual.
I had a leisurely coffee, then another and a couple of croissants. When the rain stopped I toddled back across, upstairs and started to get organised. My landlady even helped me bring the bike downstairs!
Interestingly, I spotted another motorbike/trailer combo with a washing machine in the trailer. I'm guessing renting washing machines is pretty common.
We had a chat and then I set off, bouncing along the rough street and around a corner to meet a traffic jam of all things!

Leaving town this is quite typical of newer buildings in these parts. For one thing the red blocks are very common. For another, it seems to be being built in stages (or at least is unfinished!). The ground floor is clearly in use. It's not unusual for the building not to be plastered or painted. The height differential isn't that unusual either - these towns have some very steep streets!

Resurfacing the road seemed to be taking place so the road was reduced to one lane. When it was our turn I bounced along the rough undersurface then pulled in to let all the traffic past. Two dogs were having a great time chasing everything that moved. Stopped as I was one came over to investigate and say hello. Once I started to move I got the full barking and chasing treatment! They were in for a long day!

Once the traffic was gone I set off again with the road pretty much to myself.
And what a road!

This would be the type of view from the house up above - only higher! The strange thing is that in the usual domestic markets that I am used to people would pay a fortune for that site - the view over the valley would be phenomenal!

I had all the vegetation along the road and on the cliffs as yesterday but with added views of mountains. The sun was beaming on everything and everything responded with beauty and colour.
It was both so similar and so very, very different to yesterday.

Of course, the fact that I was rolling downhill added to the pleasure. I stopped everywhere to savour. Not only was it comfortably warm, there was practically no traffic and I had birds (and possibly other animals) chattering all around. There weren't great quantities but few enough that I felt a part of the privileged group. And of course, the sound of falling water was a balming accompaniment.

I don't know but there is something about these scenes that just scream "Life" with a loud echo of "Mystery"

There were occasional clusters of houses and some standalone little farmhouses. Dogs were few and mainly placid. The road required caution, the surface disappearing regularly, dips, cracks and holes appearing at random. Hairpin bends were frequent and fun. I was riding the brakes and stopped regularly to let the rims cool down.

People were friendly and expressive today too. Cars beeped and drivers waved, trucks honked, pedestrians called out. One guy in a pick-up levelled up beside me and we carried on a conversation through his passenger window. Motorbikes too honked and waved.

I am definitely not in Kansas anymore! My road goes past that little red roof. I'm in the jungle!

I've found myself welling up a couple of times in the past couple of days. There have been many moments of pure elation, intense satisfaction, gratitude and beauty that I think there'd be something wrong if some emotion didn't leak out.
Truthfully, the Covid trajectory is a concern again. I'm watching places open up while others are closing down again.
I'm seeing a rapid decline in effectiveness of the vaccine after six months too.
It's not front and centre in my thoughts but it hovers on the fringes. I haven't checked in a while but by travelling to Colombia (and South America generally) I've made it more difficult to get back to Europe. Yes, I do think of having to bail out.
I am so damn lucky to be doing what I'm doing and the last couple of days, especially, hammered that home.

I passed an organic chocolate farm and cursed myself for not stopping. Spying a "Coco Lemonade" stand a little later I didn't repeat the mistake. Delicious and refreshing. What's my rush?

Today's theme is "Life!"

What is my rush? I had no real destination for today. Down the road I'm going to be meeting up with the 45 again (the newer version) and I'll follow the Rio Magdalena past Medellín where I'll turn into the mountains again and go exploring the "coffee triangle". I'll be at sea level shortly (and hot!). I'm not expecting much of 45 except perhaps a decent shoulder. It'll be a rat run for a couple of days. There's a town just down the road .......

It wasn't all downhill and the few climbs were short but steep. Actually having to pedal exposed a grating squeaking sound from the drivetrain so I pulled in, cleaned and oiled it and set off again. There was a lot of rain yesterday!

A butterfly! I can't possibly describe how satisfying it was!

I stopped and savoured an orange sitting on a wall in dappled shade.
I pulled up on a long bridge and had a chat with a farmer.
I stopped at a barking dog and he came over to be my friend and investigate my panniers.
Best of all a butterfly landed on the bike as I rested. Call me silly, but my recollection of any journey I've read from these parts is that butterflies land on bikes with great frequency. It hasn't happened to me - until today. To my way of thinking I'm becoming more and more of a bike traveller ^_^

Dozens and dozens of stories pass me every day. Today, I was passed by a couple on a motorbike, the female passenger clutching what to my mind was a homemade set of angel wings covered in silver tinsel. What's the story there?

The aftermath of a landslide. There have been news reports of unseasonably heavy rain

I rolled into the town of Cimitarra and promptly turned the wrong way onto a one way street. The first car signalled to me, the first motorcyclist beeped and pointed me in the right direction. I found the busy and noisy Plaza and bought a cold juice.
It's certainly not the prettiest Plaza I've seen but it is one of the busiest. People everywhere. The noise coming from a few petrol powered ice cream cone carts.

I wasn't terribly impressed but I'm a good way (in a lot of heat) from the next town. I took a wander, found a hotel (I'm back to choosing airco or fan) had a (cold) shower - a relief, did some laundry and headed out to explore.

I could ride roads like these until I fall off the edge of the planet! Of course, it helps that I'm rolling downhill!

A busy, functional place I spied an empty Barber and went in. My beard is out of control.
I approached two women and in asking if they "did" beards I removed my facemask as a physical representation of what was amiss. Their reaction confirmed its wildness! ^_^

Today's río. It's clear that it can be much bigger. Also, the life around a river in these parts is a joy to witness. There's a depth, a lushness and a variety that is mind boggling. Even the little ones seem to foster a huge variety of life.

I waited a few minutes until a very inquisitive and fast talking guy showed up and trimmed my face and head. One of the women wanted my phone number - I'll take that as a sign of a decent trim.😊
Then, again on the advice of the ladies, I set off to replace my trusty bandana. After several bike adventures there's a big hole for my hair to poke through. I'm surprisingly sad - I tend to get attached to things. My new one seems thinner and less absorbant but that might just be the "new" feeling.

I returned to my room planning on doing a few bits to Roccado but instead had an impromptu siesta. Then out for a bite to eat.

Do I need to say anything?

Chat? Yes Please!
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HobbesOnTour · 1 Nov 2021

Day 777, Friday, October 29, 2021, Cimitarra to Roadside hotel on 45 about 10km shy of Puerto Boyoca, 123km Total KM 13380
Min meters 118, Max Meters 197
Total Climb 467 Total Descent 465
Min Temp 22 Max Temp 40 Ave Temp 30

Dancing Lizards and friendly piglets

I updated this in the park of all places last night just as the rain was starting to fall. The hotel wifi was iffy at best and the usual State sponsored provider had been replaced by a free to use (for all) and powerful connection.

I'd taken a good wander around the town, easily done as it was flat and laid out in a perfect grid pattern. There was really little to note. An industrious town rather than an aesthetic town. Unusually, there was no football court (I'd passed an unusually sad looking one on the way into town).

While sitting in the dark in the park about to update my Strava I was approached by a young chap and engaged in a slightly unusual conversation. He was alternating between Spanish and a very slow English. His Spanish was so rapid it was impossible to understand and his English so slow I started to suspect that something was up.
Sure enough, he wanted my phone for a translator. To help him learn English. I said that we didn't need the phone we could just talk but he kept pushing for me to give it to him. It had started raining and there was no-one within the immediate vicinity. His agitation seemed to rise with every deflection and he rabbited away in high speed Spanish. The only time he slowed down was to offer to sell me some marijuana. After Cartagena and Santa Marta it was almost quaint to be offered only weed. I declined, satisfied his request for a cigarette and made my exit.

Clouds draping mountains - the perfect start to a day in my world

This morning I was awake, naturally, at 4am. I got up, brewed up some coffee and set about a couple of tortillas and peanut butter. Peanut butter here is semi liquid, nearly as juicy as my orange!

I was hitting the road just after 6am, the town only starting to come to life. I'm in pretty flat land now, no big climbs ahead and it was pleasantly cool in the low 20sC. I have a bit of a run on this road (62) and then I'll rejoin 45. My ultimate destination on this leg is Honda before turning off to explore more mountains - coffee mountains! I'll stop at a couple of river towns too. Or at least, that's the plan. Anything can happen! Tonight will probably be a roadside hotel of which there are a few.

Rolling hills. These would charm me all day long

It's great to be back on relatively flat roads and zipping along. I was passing through interesting farmland with wide open views. Hills were rolling and nothing too strenuous. The road surface was decent and there seemed to be a whole lot less "geological issues" than yesterday. I came across one crack and dip weaving across the whole width of the road but it had been painted white to alert drivers and grateful cyclists. Traffic was light, respectful and happy to beep or wave at me. Great cycling.

What a great road! And check out the fenceposts!

Then the road weaved around and through a whole series of small, rounded hills. Up, down and around. Very pleasant and very interesting. When I left the hills behind the road became straight and flat and I powered through some water laden plains. A few cattle were my only visible companions but birds chittered and chattered from the trees. This is farming country, cattle for the most part, it seems.

Stopped under a canopy of trees beside a slow moving brown river (so still in comparison to higher up) I spotted a lizard, tail up, dancing across the surface of the water. Splash, splash, splash, splash and he was gone, hidden in the tall grass at the riverside. It's the kind of thing to be seen on Animal Planet, probably in slow motion, camera zoomed in so we can see the expression on his face.
The next time I see something like that on the telly it'll remind me of a quiet little road in Colombia and the adventure of my life!

Glorious, cool shade

I met up with 45 after about 30km and promptly pulled in for fuel and a cold drink. A cloudy morning was heating up and I was having to deal with humidity again.
45 was busy with a lot of trucks and a shoulder that was rarely usable when present. I had an idea that later I'd have a decent shoulder.
A usable shoulder did appear, a good 15cm below the road surface. The only problem was that it regularly became too narrow to use, filled with crap or just ended. Because of the extreme drop between road and shoulder I stayed off the road and made the best of the shoulder.

Rural Colombia. For some reason this reminded me of old, John Hinde postcard scenes of Ireland

Eventually 45 split from 62 and turned south. I pulled in for a cold drink and hopefully a bite to eat. I got the drink alright, but there was little food. I chanced a bag of cookies, which turned out to be a soft, cinnamon and ginger flavour. Not bad. A hell of a lot nicer than the teenage daughter of the shopkeeper who complained to her mother that I could understand her I just wasn't answering her questions and when I did, didn't believe me.

The road quickly became 4 lanes, split and I had a very generous shoulder.
I was flying along, although now the land was a lot flatter. The Touring Gods compensated by throwing a decent wind against me. It helped keep me cool.

Freebirds! At my stop where I met the obnoxious teenager

There's a schizophrenia to these Colombian roads. I can be cycling on a perfect (or pretty perfect) 4 lane dual carriageway with a lovely smooth shoulder one moment and then for reasons I don't quite understand the road will be reduced to two lanes that may or may not have a shoulder. Hell, at times it may not even have a surface! A few kms later the perfect highway is restored.

I had a destination in mind, a stretch of road with three hotel options along it. The chances of all three being closed, I figured, were pretty small.

I was really enjoying the cycling. It's great after a period of constant ups and downs to have a relatively flat ride. When I had a shoulder I could fly and was making great time. Before I knew it I arrived at the first hotel and pulled in at a large restsurant for some lunch. With 80km on the clock I was a tad hungry!
Lunch was made all the more interesting when a random dog I felt rubbling against my leg turned out to be a friendly and curious piglet!
He sniffed my hand, didn't object to my scratching his neck and when I stopped would press his snout againt my leg until I started again! When he finally wandered away a young cockrel wandered over but was far more shy.

These little hills fascinated me. Sebastian tells me they were formed by the river flooding this area then retreating.

After some scrambled eggs and sausage(!) I was recharged. I decided to roll down the road and check out options two and three. Once back on the bike my legs kicked into gear and I was flying again. Option two looked very rundown with a swimming pool outside that I wouldn't wash Roccado in and three was beside a police checkpoint - trucks stopping and starting all night long. I continued on. About 40km to the next hotel.

It was great! I haven't put in such a long day in a while and I felt pretty good. The only issue was the sun when it eventually burned off all the cloud. It was hot! Very hot! There weren't many shaded spots to stop but I made use of as many of them as I could.

And trees. There are always trees. So many different ones

At one stage a big truck pulled in to the shoulder ahead of me and I was particularly vocal with my swearing. Pulling out into the road to give a wide berth an arm came out the window and flagged me down. A pleasant, old face, smiling under a grey moustache put me at ease. He wanted to give me a lift! Load the bike and gear and he'd drop me off down the road. Instinctively, I declined, with gratitude. I was enjoying the cycling. It was only later I got to thinking that it would have been an interesting experience, up high, chatting to the driver. It's been years since I was in a truck, back when hitching wasn't the closest thing to abduction and death that you could do.

Eating sausage and eggs and meeting sausage and eggs! The little piglet was very sociable

The hotel, when I arrived was modern and I got a room on the ground floor. Sebastian called down from an upstairs balcony then came down to invite me up for a beer. He's an archaeologist staying in town while looking for artefacts in the local area but was thrilled at the idea of travelling by bike. He had a driver, Carlos, who drove us by backroads to get to a shop which turned out to be a bar in the middle of nowhere. They bought beer, I bought water and we bounced back to the hotel.
I grabbed a bite to eat at a restaurant next door (where they could have bought their beer!) and with no working internet I soon passed out on the bed under the fan. Did I say it was hot?

Three rivers today!

Chat? Yes Please!
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HobbesOnTour · 2 Nov 2021

Day 778, Saturday, October 30, 2021, Roadside hotel to La Dorada, 83km Total KM 13463
Min meters 159, Max Meters 237
Total Climb 252 Total Descent 229
Min Temp 26 Max Temp 40 Ave Temp 33

A chance meeting!

It's hot again at night! Having chosen the cheaper fan only room I slept only ok, at one stage being wide awake at 3am!
I got up about 6am and set about brewing up some coffee. I finished off the cookie type things I'd bought yesterday and slowly started to get packed. I was in no real rush. My plan was to hit Puerto Boyoca, suss it out and then decide what to do. I know I was starting out later than yesterday but it already felt hotter.

I was soon rolling along at a reasonable pace making the most of the decent shoulder. Because I'd pushed the boat out yesterday I only had about 10km to Puerto Boyoca and soon turned off the highway, was waved through a Police checkpoint (only interested in motorbikes) and bounced along the long and rough road into the town.

As always, first stop the Plaza, a new design it seemed, surprisingly open, lacking trees and with several purpose built food and drink stands around the edges. This is the first time I've seen this here, although most were still closed that early in the morning.

The monument to Peace on the plaza, made, I believe from the melted weaponry of the AUC, one of the far right paramilitary groups who fought the FARC amongst others. A murky history involving state collusion against the FARC, the leaders supposedly trained by the Israelis and funded by big corporations and the drugs trade. The monument declares that this is the time to create a new history, to be able to disagree without becoming enemies.

I did a lap, stopping to read a monument to Peace, then pulled up at an open stand for a coffee and empanadas. A very pleasant lady looked after me and when I heard her practicing her English we had a chat about Duolingo. She's learning English to keep up with her kids.

I mounted up again and needing cash sought out a bank then turned towards the reason I was here - The Río Magdalena!
Well, I'm not in Kansas anymore!
I love rivers and I've been enchanted by them from the Shannon in Ireland to the Elbe, The Rhine, The Maas, The Danube in Europe and the Mississippi in the States. The Río Magdalena occupies a similar status in Colombia, a driver of development and wealth.
You wouldn't think it from my vantage point!

Trying to find a place to just see the river was a fruitless and slightly uncomfortable experience. There's certainly no development along the shore and the couple of places I got close the buildings could generously be described as shacks. A disappointment. I'd harboured an image of nice places to sit and just watch the river flow by. Maybe have a bite to eat. That wasn't going to happen!

My first view of the Río Magdalena. That's not a road but a dyke. Behind it (where I'm standing) a rough road filled with shacks. Not a place for lingering and relaxing.

On to the next town!

I bounced my way back out of town, now coming more to life, found the church, absent from the "new" Plaza and rejoined the highway.

Carlos, one of the guys from last night and local, had warned me to be careful in Puerto Boyoca. Medellín and this area was the stomping ground of Pablo Escobar and while he's long gone the remnants of his gang and methods live on. There's always something of an edge to port cities in my experience. I appreciated his warning for the fact that it was from a local and delivered factually. There was no "Don't go there", no "You're going to get mugged or worse", just some advice and background info.

There's a church in there somewhere with a bright but teeny tiny park.

Like yesterday there were sections of only two lanes and some of those were a trial with no shoulder and a dodgy road surface. On the decent shoulder, though, I could power along. Because of a lot of cloud I felt like I was being steamed alive, although a pretty forceful wind was keeping me cool.

I stopped for a cold drink and got chatting to an old chap about the bike. At first, I thought my Spanish was letting me down but as the conversation progressed it became clear that he wasn't the full shilling. No harm and a good workout for my Spanish.

When the road was bad it was really, really bad!

Like yesterday there were a lot of the little hills that charm me so much. Some of them were partially collapsed so I got to see that there was actually a thin layer of soil and grass over some pretty dry looking rock. I was glad to have distractions on either side since the road was pretty much straight!

You see lots of unusual things on the roads here. Today, it was a guy pushing a cart in the shoulder. His cart was piled high with bags and bags of plastic bottles. I've no idea where he was going with them but wherever it was he had a long, hot push!

When it was good it was excellent! I found the countryside, especially the constant hills to be very interesting

I was peed off when a powerful motorbike carrying two guys pulled into the shoulder ahead of me. For feck's sake why in front sending me out into the road???
As I rode past I heard "Irish!" from behind a helmet. There's only one guy that calls me that and he's safely back in NL. I pulled in to discover it was Pedro who I'd met on the side of the road about a month ago! What a small feckin' world we live in!
His brother was the other guy and they are thinking about a road trip to Peru together. His brother certainly had very romantic notions of the life of a vagabond traveller, mainly centring around the notion of a different "chica" in every town. I think he has visions of leaving a trail of weeping señoritas behind him!😀

In an attempt to keep my anonymity I will not say who is who

About 10km from La Dorada I pulled in to the first "fancy" petrol station I've seen since the coast. Airco!!! I sat and had a cold drink and a snack. A break from the sun was no bad thing.

I took off again with much gusto for the last short leg. I was making great time and would have lots of time to explore. But first I had to cross the river!

I was really enjoying the countryside. I still have problems processing all the green combined with the heat and power of the sun

A bunch of greenery in the road wasn't unusual enough to draw my attention but when a motorbike zipped past it it sprung to life as a large, bright green iguana and nearly darted under my front wheel! There's never a dull moment!

More strange animal signs

I do like my river crossings and I figured crossing the Magdalena would be special. It was, alright, but not in the way I expected!
Bikes were directed onto a pedestrian path which was so narrow getting padt anyone would be tricky. While the river side was fenced, the bridge side had gaps that allowed me to see right down to the surging river. Not a great fan of heights I walked the bike, trying not to get disoriented. To add dizziness to a touch of vertigo the bridge swayed and swung in horrifying fashion with all the traffic. I was incredibly uncomfortable and only snapped two photos, each time terrified that I'd drop the phone and see it consumed by the river.

A very unpleasant crossing!

It was a relief to get off the damn thing and join the flow of traffic heading for the centre. I'd stopped earlier and booked a cheap place on Booking but first headed for the Plaza. Traffic was so busy I aborted my attempt and found the hotel. More feckin' stairs! And I discovered why it was cheap!

A shower and out to explore.

The Río Magdalena from the bridge. It was flowing at a ferocious pace!

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HobbesOnTour · 2 Nov 2021

Day 778, Saturday, October 30, 2021, La Dorada

A very pleasant little Plaza outside of town. I actually cycled past this and didn't notice it so traumatised was I by the bridge!

In the middle of no-man's land I came across this beauty!

This looks like an old station house

The church and the main Plaza. A biker rally was taking place over the weekend

An interesting bike themed sculpture or mural

There were some eating places along the river. This one especially spoke to me. The bright tree really made an impression and I just love the animal made from a tyre and a piece of pipe

This is the roadway along a section of the river. Not quite what I'm used to

Tourist boats are the only "big" boats on the river in these parts. Interestingly, the big one is powered by two outboards. It really struggled going against the current

The disappointing and dilapidated Plaza

Río Magdalena

Chat? Yes Please!
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HobbesOnTour · 3 Nov 2021

Day 779, Sunday, October 31, 2021, La Dorada to Honda, 38km Total KM 13501
Min meters 193, Max Meters 255
Total Climb 207 Total Descent 183
Min Temp 32 Max Temp 40 Ave Temp 35

A land of hobgoblins or something else?

Getting out of La Dorada was a whole lot more straightforward on a Sunday morning than on a Saturday afternoon!
I'd slept poorly, too hot and with a whole lot of noise from outside. I guess a biker rally can be noisy!
I woke up about 2:30 am when some people came back to the hotel and had a conversation at a level that only drunk people can have. I checked my phone and had a bit of wifi signal so I got to update this, then back to sleep.

When I woke up properly, it was late, about 7 and it was to the sound of falling rain. I made a coffee in my room and felt lazy.
Then I packed up, got everything downstairs and set off to the first bakery for a bit of breakfast. Finally, I was on my way.

Way off in the distance strange hills started to take shape. As I cycled along they became clearer. The pointy one in particular, fired up my imagination.

The road was great, two lanes, a shoulder that was baby bum smooth most of the way and I didn't have too far to go - about 30km. I took it easy.
There was nothing remarkable about the landscape but it was interesting and varied. Mountains are looming again but still far off. Or so I thought.

I started seeing hills looming up on my right and was captivated by their unusual and irregular shapes. Not high, they were very unusual, covered in vegetation and put me in mind of hobgoblins and snorks and all kinds of magical creatures that were sure to inhabit them.

An early morning río with the added bonus of an old bridge

Trying to stop and take a photo of them was tricky on the side of the road so when I saw a sign for "Services" I pulled in hoping for a cold drink and a decent vantage point.
Either "Services" means something else in Colombia or the place has failed but there was no store (or anything much) in the very large building. There was, though, a gate giving me a perfect picture of one of the most captivating hills. Two security guards came over to check me out and I told them I'd been admiring this magical mountain for a while and just wanted a photo. I enquired if it had a name. Cerro de Teta I was told! (I don't really need to translate that, do I! ^_^

) So there I'd been cycling along entranced by a magical mountain and all the fantastical creatures that lived on it and all everyone else saw was a giant boob! What would Mr. Freud make of that? ^_^

This was another one that I was tracking from far off. Cerro de teta!

A little later I pulled off to visit the little town of Guarinocito. Just across from the pleasant Plaza I stopped for a cold drink and met Samwell, the popreitor of the shop. We had a pleasant chat. He told me that the river isn't used for cargo anymore, just local fishermen in canoe type boats and the occasional tourist boat. I'm not going to be seeing any barges at all.

More oddly shaped hills later on. The fact that they just seem to rise up out of the ground just adds to their mystery and allure

It's a funny old world. For this trip a lot of people expressed concern and gave warnings to be careful - México, Honduras, Nicaragua and now Colombia. Well intentioned, of course, but based on general bits and pieces picked up on the news and probably movies and books too. Being Irish, I can get the same in reverse - about Northern Ireland. It's been a regular question outside of the US but seems especially more common in Colombia. (There are good reasons for that).

Over in the Plaza a bunch of kids of all ages and sizes were being entertained by The Flash and enjoying themselves immensely it seemed. Tomorrow, November 01 is a Public Holiday and like a lot of places, Halloween is taking over from the traditional religious basis.

The pleasant and happy Plaza in Guarinocito

I said my goodbyes to Samwell who called out his wife to take several photos of him with the mad lad on his bike. Just as I was rolling away he presented me with two brand new facemasks!

It took longer than it should have to cover the last few kms but I was in no real rush. I stopped often to enjoy some shade.
Spying the top of a suspension bridge on a different road I took a detour since I'm still looking for a good bridge crossing!

A lovely tree guarding the Plaza

Honda is a strictly demarcated town - there's Uptown, literally up high that has old preserved, bright architecture and there is the Downtown that is like another world.
I took another detour across a bridge I didn't need to cross for another ariel view of the river. The river is flowing furiously at the moment. Along the shore there are temporary homes made from plastic and scraps of wood and metal.
Frankly, it was a relief to get out of it and up a lump of a hill to a pleasant church and little Plaza.

Going off course to a bridge......

Now I knew why any hotel seemed so expensive - another holiday weekend - and I quickly figured out there was nothing in my price range in Uptown. I fell to my backup plan - forget accommodation for the moment and visit the Río Magdalena museum. Osmand tried to kill me (unusual) on an almost vertical, cobbled street but I weaved around and found the museum in an old building, the entrance up a big series of steps. A museum that was actually open!!
I asked the ticket girl about the bike and she was adamant it should not be left unattended. I could bring it upstairs if I liked but the museum was open later due to the holiday if I wanted to find a hotel and return.
That sounded better! Like another person I had asked she had no idea of a hotel in her own town so it was up to my own devices. iOverlander only had a few all well out of town. The choice seemed to be luxury or a dive.
I found a dive. This is one place that I won't be remembering - someone even kept an eye on my bike in the street as I was checking in!

At last! A proper view of the Río Magdalena!

I got changed and ran back to the museum. It's small, quaint, pretty basic and absolutely wonderful! I had a lovely time!
Along one wall is painted the course of the river from source to sea with the towns marked off, a real labour of love stretching the length of the building. There is information about the fish and fishermen on the river, the myths of the river (always interesting!) and pictures and a scale model of the old paddle steamers. Honda was the the main place the steamboats departed from on their way downriver to the coast. I was in my element! They had a little room with loads of books where I could sit down and read. Such a simple idea, but so good! I picked up one book, Colombia from the air, and marvelled at alternative views of where I have been.

I put this photo in here especially for all those of you in the dark, cold and wet part of the world! No need to thank me!

I wandered back to Uptown in time to catch a wedding couple have their photos taken in front of the (closed) church. It seemed terribly stage managed and the groom was looking uncomfortable and acting like he was made of wood. As well as a professional photographer and his assistant they also had a drone guy.
I hate feckin' drones!

The old church high atop the hill

I wandered back to Downtown, very busy. Lots of people in costumes for Halloween. Entrepreneurs had set up little Halloween backdrops where for a few pesos kids could get their photos taken, some with a character. Of course, that meant that all the printing & copying places were packed too.

There was nothing remarkable to notice, certainly no interesting buildings. I retired to my hotel.

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

HobbesOnTour · 4 Nov 2021

Day 780, Monday, November 01, 2021, Honda to Fresno, 46km Total KM 13547
Min meters 219, Max Meters 1485
Total Climb 1500 Total Descent 263
Min Temp 20 Max Temp 35 Ave Temp 30

Man, I feel like a cyclist! (Yes! That is a Shania Twain reference - sometimes my musical taste brings me to strange places! ^_^

)

I didn't have a shower yesterday since I formed the opinion that I'd come out dirtier than I went in. I passed this morning too! Up for 5am I brewed up some coffee and drank it on the little balcony. Yes! I had a balcony - nothing like the one last week, though.

I'd slept ok having bought more alcohol and thoroughly spraying everything then laying out my sleeping bag liner. The fan was ceiling mounted directly above me and worked well. There seemed to be some kind of motorbike thing going on here too as at some stage several hundred motorbikes revved and beeped their way down the street.

There's a lot of work required to keep the roads safe in these parts. Geological issues and unbelievable rain for half thf year all have an impact. Look at the boulder Roccado is leaning against and the water channel

I got my gear downstairs, retrieved the bike from the storeroom and started loading up. The proprietor watched intently. In fact, a lot of people watch me. I think they're a bit amazed at where everything goes.

I rolled out of town not having any urge to stop and eat. The town didn't sit well with me and I saw no reason for tarrying. I'd picked up a couple of bananas last night and figured on stopping for a roadside picnic.

First stop would be Mariquita about 21km up the road. Up being the operative word. In a few days I'll be well above 3500 meters again.
The road was great, two lanes and a decent shoulder. The gradient was kind too so I could roll pleasantly along.

Which is more interesting; The rubble strewn across the road or the mysterious mountain?

Getting caught for roadworks is not something the typical traveller enjoys but for me it's a great sign. It means that on the other side the traffic will be broken up and I'll have large sections all to myself!

The guys were reinforcing a cliff and it was easy to see why - a couple of big boulders on the road. Forgetting about the stop/go one way only nature I stopped for photos and then got caught in the oncoming traffic. Oh, what's my rush?

Before the rain. The rain explains the sheer depth of green. I'm still not used to it. I can be riding in oppressive heat being burned by the sun, confused by all the green until the rain starts. Then I understand

Then a light drizzle started but I was warm and continued on chuckling at a motorcyclist stopping to don his raingear. I was swiftly punished for my sense of superiority when the drizzle became a whole lot heavier! Rainjacket time!

Today's río, very fast and wild

I was really annoyed because some interestingly shaped hills had been moving into camera range but were now hidden in rain and mist.

A brief moment of clarity

The cycling was fine, I wasn't cold but a layer of water quickly built up on the road meaning I got a good spray whenever a truck passed. I passed quite a few abandoned factories. I've no idea what they used to make but they had that same design of old factories everywhere.

Donning my arty farty head I call this "Old Friends"

I took heart when I saw oncoming motorcyclists pulling in to don their rain gear and sure enough the rain lightened then stopped altogether as I arrived in Mariquita.

A totally different town to Honda, it struck me as having spread out from an old centre in an organised way. I arrived at the disappointing Plaza, open with few trees and pulled in for an empanada and coffee.

Mystery! I love seeing these scenes along the road - they fire up my imagination

I rested up and then rolled out of town again to meet a sign from the Colombian Cycling Club no less! Apparently, this next 80km of road is quite famous for cycling! It talks of 3800 meters climbing in the next 80km!

Another río, angry, violent and very, very fast

Apparently my haphazard planning skills have fluked this one! I seem to be in for an epic couple of days!

To be continued......

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HobbesOnTour · 4 Nov 2021

Day 780, Monday, November 01, 2021, Honda to Fresno, 46km Total KM 13547
Min meters 219, Max Meters 1485
Total Climb 1500 Total Descent 263
Min Temp 20 Max Temp 35 Ave Temp 30

Part 2.

They weren't kidding at the CCC! The road took off at a ferocious gradient! The first few cars passed a bit close but things soon settled down. This road had no shoulder at all and seemed narrow at times, partly due to a lot of vegetation on each side. There was a rain gulley that sometimes was flat enough to use in emergency but generally it was too steep, filled with tree branches, fruit and leaves and usually had a green mossy slime. I'd be best avoiding.
Thankfully, my side of the road had the least traffic.

As I climbed the mist lifted revealing some of the mountains hidden to me earlier

After a couple of days of long, flat roads this one wasn't straight at all! Bend after bend after bend, some horribly steep but I nearly always had a place to stop and rest. Beside the rain gulley was a kerb most of the time. Prop the bike on one piece and my ass on another. I don't know if the sign at the start of the climb was having an effect on me but I decided that for every 100m I gained I'd have a rest. I still stopped for photos, but the 100m rest was that - a rest. I already had 300 meters climbing done and another 1200 or so to go.

This road is packed with atmosphere!

Interestingly, Osmand was wrong again today on climbing. It reckoned double but looking at the profile I couldn't see it.

It took a while for the countryside to impress me. Ha! How conceited is that?! The feckin' bike tourist reckons that the road should be impresssing him!
I was immersed in the usual scenery - lots and lots of trees and interesting, exotic vegetation.
That reads terribly. I was in my element! The constant variation in the road was reflected beside it. I couldn't see far but beside me I had all the plants and sounds that have become so familiar in the last few days. Lots of smells too! There was a definite hint of lavender in the air today.
Once I gained some height I caught glimpses of the oddly shaped chain of small mountains that had been denied to me by the rain earlier. Except they weren't ahead of me anymore - they were below me! Looking down after a climb is good for the soul!

Hard to believe it was raining earlier!

What was most surprising to me, however, was just how much I was enjoying the cycling. The cycling!
Perhaps it was that sign again but I felt good. Thankfully, I had none of the energy failures of days past and could keep on spinning the pedals.
Normally, I'm the world's greatest wuss when it comes to climbing - I bitch and moan and whinge and swear my way up. I love the result but despise the process. Not today! I didn't have a smile plastered across my face but for a lot of the day there was a definite, but small, smile of satisfaction.

Epic. I may be using that word a lot lately, but how else to describe a road like this through a landscape like this?

I pulled in at the 1000 meter elevation mark for a lunch of banana and peanut butter tortillas. Damn but the peanut butter is runny here - and messy to eat. Enid Blyton might not be acceptable these days but she was right about one thing - food always tastes better outdoors. (A "Famous Five" reference).

There are some big houses around here.

I pulled in at 1100 meters and passed a very pleasant half hour in the company of ants !
Yes! I'm going to prattle on about ants again!
What absolutely amazing creatures! These were big boys and carrying bits of leaves larger than normal which made spotting them very easy. The fact of regular long lengths of kerb along the road gave them their own highway. And they were using it! I followed them about 50 meters from where the bike was parked up and lost them when they turned away from the road and into the ditch. I figured their home was in there. Then I followed them in the opposite direction to see where they were collecting their leaves. Easily another 30 meters past the bike. That's a pretty big distance for an ant!

If someone had told me I'd be captivated by ants on this trip......

Traffic, generally speaking was fine with the closest passes coming at the start of the climb and at the end of the day at Fresno. There were a few crazy blind bend overtakes that spooked me. There were a lot of motorcyclists, but "normal" ones mostly, not racers. For some reason there were a lot of jeeps, especially red ones on the road. I couldn't be sure if there was only one and I kept seeing it but when I saw two together I realised there were more than one. (Later, in Fresno I figured out that they are local public transport carrying people in the back, in the front and on a board at the back. There's a rack on top for luggage. And they come in a variety of colours! This is farming country and once off the main road 4 wheel drive becomes a necessity).
I saw two other cyclists after Mariquita, one going up, one going down but there were a lot of cars with bikes on racks, on the roof or both. I don't think I've ever seen so many bikes being transported as I have in Colombia.

Break time! Am I the luckiest SOB? I sure think so!

My 1200 meter stop was at a little restaurant and shop for a cold drink and to buy some ciggies. A very pleasant lady looked after me and tried to encourage me to have something from the grill. Not long after lunch I couldn't but she gave me a chocolate toffee because I "must be tired". I was very touched.

Coffee country!

I was now in coffee country and I started seeing fields of coffee plants in various states of organisation.
I became very, very chuffed with myself.
I love my coffee. I've wanted to see coffee plants in the wild for ages. I was in coffee areas in México, Honduras and Nicaragua but Colombia was always the place for coffee in my head. Anyone following this on a map for the next while is probably going to become a bit concerned for my mental faculties but my understanding is that there are lots and lots of interesting coffee places to visit and I intend to find them. Quite probably more by accident than design. The less touristy the better.
So here I am, in coffee country and I've arrived on my bike. Damn right I'm chuffed with myself!

Donning my arty farty head again I call this "Pretty Plant" ^_^

To be continued.....

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

HobbesOnTour · 4 Nov 2021

Day 780, Monday, November 01, 2021, Honda to Fresno, 46km Total KM 13547
Min meters 219, Max Meters 1485
Total Climb 1500 Total Descent 263
Min Temp 20 Max Temp 35 Ave Temp 30

Part 3

I rounded a bend and I could see Fresno ahead of and above me. I stuck to the main road and then turned off for the Plaza.

Uh oh. Clearly a fiesta had been taking place and I found myself cycling over lots of broken glass. The Plaza was disappointing, very open, lots of concrete and that was before factoring in the tents and paraphernalia of a fiesta. The usual Plaza businesses were cleaning up and music was blasting out of one corner.

I have my little ritual of toasting my arrival with a coffee or cold drink but the only place I could find open was beside the loud music source. I pulled up and got a coffee and pastry keeping a close eye on the bike all the time then sat outside.

In all honesty I was disappointed. A mega climb and then this - the aftermath of a small town fiesta. I could spy a couple of hotels from my vantage point but both were rejected due to the intolerable noise. I'd passed a couple on the way into town, foolishly not paying much attention as I thought they'd be too noisy on the main road!

Even the church didn't inspire any affection!

I hopped back on the bike and retraced my pedalling. One was closed and the other was up a stairs. Thankfully, I can park up below in a car park and a very nice lady checked me in. I had a choice of rooms but took the smallest. I really don't need much. Last night I sweated under a fan tonight there's a big blanket on my bed that I'll probably be needing. I'm back to cold mountain water showers! Rejuvenated, and donning a fleece I went down the road to a grill place that I spotted that seemed busy. I got a big plate of meat!

Feeling even more rejuvenated after a meal I braved the centre of town again. I learned that the town was celebrating its anniversary as well as Halloween. Shops were open and crowds of people milled around. As well as shops there were the usual stalls selling sweets, cigarettes and I even spotted young chicks and rabbits for sale from a specially made box!

Yep! Horses tied up outside a bar! You gotta love country towns!

I was wary but didn't feel unsafe. For proof that I was in farming country people moved on horses and a few were tied up outside bars. Drink as much as you want and the horse will get you home. Maybe I need a horse!😀

Chat? Yes Please!
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HobbesOnTour · 5 Nov 2021

Day 781, Tuesdayay, November 02, 2021, Fresno to Padua, 17km Total KM 13564
Min meters 1479, Max Meters 2085
Total Climb 730 Total Descent 126
Min Temp 19 Max Temp 39 Ave Temp 25

Spoilt brat of a bike tourist!

Despite the coolness I didn't have a great night's sleep. I popped awake sometime after 2am and couldn't get back to sleep for a while. It was hardly a surprise then that when my "emergency" alarm went off at 6am I hit snooze repeatedly.

The truth is I had my doubts about knocking out the final section of this leg to Manizales in one go. If I had to climb 3600 meters and had clocked 1500 yesterday (and about 300 of those don't count) that still left a whole lot of meters to climb. Bazillions of the feckers!
It wasn't just the climbing, though. I'd feel rushed, especially on the descent, arrive exhausted and probably later than I'd like.
I decided to split it. Padua today, then Manizales tomorrow.

Fresno looked better from a distance!

I got up slowly, packed and rolled up to the Plaza. I needed cash and was reluctant to take it out last night. Sure, I may as well have some breakfast as well! A couple of disappointing croissants and a coffee later I was on my way.

The road wasted no time in punishing me for splitting the ride and hit me with a brutally steep climb from the get go. It took an awful long time to get out of town - not because it's so big but because I was so slow!

Getting a bit more height (although I was already high). The land was more open, rolling and mountains seemed far away (if I ignored the one I was on!)

It's funny how the road can change character after a town. Yesterday, I lost my shoulder after Mariquita and was enclosed in greenery, today the road surface deteriorated, the bends were less severe and the countryside became far more open. Because of the more gentle bends I also lost a lot of the low walls and high kerbs that had been so nice to stop and rest on or even just to lean Roccado on to take a photo. (The ants agreed with me - they avoided the little kerbs today too!) Instead, I had barbed wire fences. My 100 meter break system from yesterday was breaking down with fewer places to stop comfortably.
There seemed to be a bit more traffic, certainly more trucks, and some seemed a lot faster than yesterday.
Add in a pretty gloomy sky and uninspiring landscapes I just wasn't feeling it like I was yesterday. A lack of sleep certainly didn't help.

Uninspiring. Time to have a chat with myself!

Now, when I say "uninspiring landscapes" it should be understood that I'm speaking relatively.

Another way of thinking about that paragraph listing my complaints is that I'm speaking out of my ass!
I'm on my bike in Colombia, in the coffee triangle and I'm whinging that the scenery isn't up to snuff!
Spoilt or what? ^_^

I ground my way up and up not really feeling it like I did yesterday. Osmand again had overestimated the climbing and my own calculations reckoned I'd need to climb about 650 meters, complicated by a few short descents.

The land was a mix of wild, uncontrollable areas with others cultivated. There are no tractors in these parts and all work is done by hand. I'd often pass a motorbike parked on the side of the road - a sign of someone working nearby

2100 meters was the holy grail to reach.
The road was quite open and the land around me was filled with rolling hills that filled the view and hid whatever was behind them.

Gentler bends, no barriers, walls or kerbs. This was seriously messing with my regular stopping method of bike touring

I stopped early for a cold drink at a place that was getting painted. One of the painters, an older man, came over to ask the usual questions. When I told him I was hoping to get to Argentina he got one of those far away looks in his eyes. I caught him several times looking at the bike in what I took to be a kind of wonderment.

Much more open landscape than yesterday. Gizmo gave a maximum temperature of 39C but I never felt that warm

It was slow going, an almost neverending up and up and up. At about 1900 meters I could see a descent ahead and spotting a small bakery pulled in. No empanadas, nothing really except bread and cookies none of which tickled my fancy. The lady kindly explained that there was a restaurant further on rather than try to sell me something. I bought a cold drink and sat down. Four dogs of various degrees of timidity came over to play one at a time. What could be better? ^_^

The lady's husband enquired about the bike and that started another interesting chat.

Now that's looking better! Yes! The sky really was that threatening! There were regular times when a few raindrops fell but the sky was happy just to threaten

Feeling much better I set off again for the short descent and debated whether or not to pull in for food. I did and I wasn't disappointed, even if it turned out to be expensive by Colombian standards.
Despite a sign advertising breakfast they did nothing with eggs (no menu, all verbal) so I settled on chicken and while waiting admired the view!

No matter where I looked there were houses dotted around. A beautiful location but isolated

From now on the experience changed. The rest of the journey to follow.....

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

HobbesOnTour · 5 Nov 2021

Day 781, Tuesdayay, November 02, 2021, Fresno to Padua, 17km Total KM 13564
Min meters 1479, Max Meters 2085
Total Climb 730 Total Descent 126
Min Temp 19 Max Temp 39 Ave Temp 25

Part 2

See the difference? Not only did I see it I felt it! It was exhilarating! I was getting to soak up all the efforts of my labour and that feels good.

I only had about 8kms to go but those last kms rescued the day!

My mood soared with the views, varying at each bend and with the clouds passing overhead.

The colours seemed so deep, so intense. Homesteads scattered around. How tough must life be here. No wonder there are so many motorbikes!

Dark clouds were rolling in too creating atmosphere to go with the vistas.

There is so much detail in just one photo.

Mist was descending everywhere and a few times I was riding along a ridge, pine forests to my left slowly slipping beneath a dull, white mist while to my right the sun was favouring certain sections of multi-sided mountains.

It was nearly too much, my poor head swiveling from side to side.

Vistas changed as the clouds moved, the sun highlighting some parts, condemning others to shade

I stopped frequently and at times could look right down into a valley far, far below.

Magic! Pure magic! I was so happy with myself for making this a "short" day. I could bask and revel in what I was seeing. I had the time to wait and see how it looked five minutes later - always different.

Zoom in and the mountains seem to be neverending

Now, this was cycling!

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

HobbesOnTour · 5 Nov 2021

Day 781, Tuesdayay, November 02, 2021, Fresno to Padua, 17km Total KM 13564
Min meters 1479, Max Meters 2085
Total Climb 730 Total Descent 126
Min Temp 19 Max Temp 39 Ave Temp 25

Part 3

Rounding a bend I caught my first sight of Padua above me and was surprised to see a much bigger place than expected.

Padua looming out of the mist. The blue church is visible

This was a good thing as I only had Osmand to tell me there was a hotel and that can be unreliable. I also saw the road heading out of town - another tough climb to start the day!

I could still look down and behind.

I passed the one hotel on the edge of town and laboured up a big, big hill.

Stopped within spitting distance of the town I was cooling down rapidly. Mist was around me, the sky was becoming darker by the minute but the sun? The sun was beaming its magic on the Promised Land.

According to the map there was no Plaza but I have a system now and wanted to follow it. If there were more options up the hill all the better.

I found it really hard to leave the last bend before the little town. Up ahead looked gloomy and dull. The gift of time.

I rolled up to the blue, concrete church, a disappointment, with the sports court in front. I got a coffee from a small store and asked about accommodation. A man came up and said there was one on the corner.

I'm becoming something of a church snob. This one left me cold

I sipped my coffee, smoked a ciggie and watched the rain clouds coming in. I hopped on the bike and this time saw a hotel on the corner that I'd missed previously. That's a few meters saved tomorrow!

A desire (or a wish) changes nothing. A decision changes everything.
A surprisingly profound mural in an otherwise uninspiring place

I had to drag everything up a steepish, dogleg stairs (that'll be fun tomorrow!) and as I was checking in the rain started. I had a warmish shower as the heavens poured!

One of the jeeps used for public transport around here

A lot of signage is sponsored by Gatorade on this road.

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

HobbesOnTour · 6 Nov 2021

Day 782, Wednesday, November 04, 2021, Padua to Manizales (outskirts), 65km Total KM 13629
Min meters 2080, Max Meters 3692
Total Climb Two thousand asnd forty eight feckin' meters (2048) Total Descent 1914
Min Temp 5 Max Temp 23 Ave Temp 14

I shoulda done some research!

Padua is a bit of a depressing spot. Mind you, rain rarely improves the look of a place on a dark evening.
After my shower I had an hour's siesta and then went out to look for food. Options were disappointing or non existent. I did stop to watch a bit of a girl's football match but then wandered on feeling like a bit of a perv.
I found a supermarket, bought some tuna (for dinner) and yoghurt and granola for breakfast. Back to the room to make some noodles.
The only life at 7pm were a couple of bars, sad looking places.
One place in particular, small, open to the street had a counter, two tables, some chairs and three couples slow dancing to some breathtakingly sad ballad. I say dancing but there was no room to move; they just held each other and swayed. The guys wore clothes with all the signs of a hard day's work and the señoritas weren't far behind. There had been no excitement of preparing for a date, no agonising over what to wear.
Over the sounds of the ballad something was screaming about the isolation and the lack of choice and opportunity in small town mountainy Colombia. In small towns everywhere, really.
I found it totally depressing.
(Of course, I could be very, very wrong in my impression).

Twenty two minutes after hopping on the bike this was my view! Looking down on the clouds and I'd barely started the climbing! The road I rode in on yesterday is visible

I was awake at 4 and got organised making coffee, eating a big breakfast and packing up. There's always a bit of organisation required to get everything downstairs. I really don't want to be leaving my gear and bike unattended on the street for any longer than necessary.
There was more activity at that hour of the morning than I'm used to but at 6:00 exactly I was ready to roll out and up. Today was going to be a big day!

I suppose I could have been annoyed at what I couldn't see but it's better to appreciate what I could see!

The morning was cool and showed all the signs of a wet night. Mist was swirling around and clouds were above and below me. I knew from yesterday that the road out of town was steep and took little satisfaction from being proved right.

Slow progress but spectacular views!

If yesterday took a long time to charm me, then today pulled out all the stops from the get go. Within 20 minutes I was looking down on a glorious, green valley with white clouds floating along. I could look back on Padua and believe it pretty.
I was in for a monster of a day but it was glorious!

I loved the little splash of colour on such a gloomy morning

The next couple of hours were simply breathtaking in every sense of the word. I was climbing steadily but weaving over, back and around gaining new perspectives on every turn. Mist appeared, disappeared and returned on whims I couldn't understand sometimes hiding me, other times hiding the views. Water fell out of cliffs in tiny waterfalls adding music to the birds chirping me along. Around me were open fields of land at strange angles or pine forests, below me steep declines to valleys with houses dotted hither and tither. Cattle at my level were replaced by coffee plants lower down. And always clouds or mist rolling in or out. Nature's wonder in perpetual motion.

An original roadside memorial

The hours of 6 to 12 were very pleasant. I was feeling good and making steady if not spectacular progress. I'd given myself the same break system as before - for every 100m gain in altitude I had a break starting after 300m. My rough calculations expected about 1600 meters climbing.

Looking back....

About 8am I came across another Colombian cycling sign telling me I had 30km to go. Since other cyclists (mainly clubs) had stickered their presence I did too - with a marker! I left my mark in Colombia!

There is something so mysterious, so magical about a misty landscape. It was constantly changing, swirling around.

Trying to think afterwards that may well be my first ever act of wanton vandalism and I have to say it felt bloody great!😀

Sometimes the mist swept in and I was lost

With my arty farty head on I call this "Ghost Trees"

My first graffiti!

To be continued......

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