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

[HobbesOnTour]

Day 822 Tuesday, December 14 Pedregal to Sandoná 65 km Total KM 15014
Min meters 1628, Max Meters 2774
Total Climb 1693 Total Descent 1670
Min Temp 12 Max Temp 35 Ave Temp 19

And off the PanAmerican we go! Part Four

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It was truly wonderful riding! The countryside was so rich, varied and lush and it shone under the water coating it. There was nothing that I hadn't seen before but yet it seemed different - closer, denser, I don't know. Then to top it all off I was back in coffee country. Pouring rain, the ticking of a clock starting to be a concern and I was so happy and in my element. I couldn't take photos for long stretches because of the rain but I still stopped regularly just to absorb it all.

There's a density of plants here that is unbelievable to me.

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I had a feeling this morning that today was going to be good day. I was terribly wrong yet completely right!

Approaching the small village of Bombona I pulled off and steeply down to investigate. I was enjoying the road so much I thought I'd stay if I could find a place and really take my time tomorrow. Unfortunately there was nothing, nor anywhere to eat so I rolled out. Getting back up to the main road was Devil's work requiring pushing after the grade went beyond 15%.

Parked up beside the coffee!

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I was a little concerned now about daylight but Mother Nature sorted that out quickly by introducing a heavy, dense fog into the mix! Visibility down to twenty meters and less.

The rain lightened but the fog came and went. I arrived into the town of Consaca and spotted a hotel. I don't know why but something didn't sit right with me. I didn't feel comfortable. I can't explain it. It was after 5pm (my latest time for being off the road) and the last 20km was nearly all climbing. I set off again.

Consaca. A nice Plaza but something drove me on. That's not like me to head off on another 20kms

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Between the mist and the failing light the conditions weren't the best and then my left foot and right hand started to cramp up a little bit. I'd get off and push for a little while until they sorted themselves out then hop on and up I went. Wet, a tad cold and having climbed 1600 meters I thought I could forgive them their rebellion. Cruelty was added to injury when passing a house my nose detected the delicious aroma of grilling meat and my belly joined the protests.

I just ❤ these landscapes

What a road!

Life may not be easy in these parts but it's a pretty darn impressive place to live!

I cycled past this guy and had to double back for a photo

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The arrival into Sandoná was horribly long and the town was shrouded in fog. Heading for the Plaza I passed a brighly lit hotel that had a reception desk on the ground floor - a rare sight. At the Plaza I could see diddly squat with the fog and with cold and shrivelled fingers my phone was useless to remind me of my options. Also, the propensity to use lots of bright Christmas lights made determining the purpose of buildings to be a fool's errand. I returned to the bright hotel and was happy with the rate offered and the promise of hot water. The bike was the problem. Parked in front the receptionist could see it and had agreed that I could store it under the stairs at reception (lots of space) but then she changed her mind, instead telling me I'd have to take it to the 4th floor and store it there. I didn't think she meant it and called her bluff. Only she wasn't bluffing!

I set off again.

6:30 pm - the latest I've cycled in a long, long time and I come across this well outside of Sandoná. (It's actually dark - taken with nightmode on the phone)

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I found a hotel with hot water, a place for Roccado and checked in with relief. A hot shower and I realised just how hungry I was. The Touring Gods made me reject the closest places and as I bumbled around in the fog I found a busy grill restaurant. When I saw my plate arrive I knew just how right I was this morning - a great day!

Chat? Yes Please!
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[HobbesOnTour]

Day 822 Tuesday, December 14 Pedregal to Sandoná 65 km Total KM 15014
Min meters 1628, Max Meters 2774
Total Climb 1693 Total Descent 1670
Min Temp 12 Max Temp 35 Ave Temp 19

And off the PanAmerican we go! The Towns along the way

Yacuanquer. The characters in the Plaza brought a big smile to my wet face

Yacuanquer church

Snowmen!

Mother's milk is an act of love more than feeding

A Travelogue friendly picture of cuy on a spit.
This guy was part of the Crib display in Yacuanquer. Local scenes and characters are included which I find totally charming

The actual crib. Pedantic in these things I'm irritated to see the Baby Jesus is making an early apoearance!

A couple of photos to try to relay the scale of the Crib scene. This is on a different Plaza to the church and snowmen above, seems to be the area of civic offices and borders the road passing through. In all directions there are "characters" heading towards the crib - some recognisable and others, very, very local. And lots of animals! A wonderful, child friendly display.

Street art Yacuanquer

Different street art Yacuanquer

Celebratory street art Yacuanquer

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In reality I should have stayed!


Chat? Yes Please!
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[HobbesOnTour]

Day 823 Wednesday, December 15 Sandoná

So I took a day off in Sandoná. It's a nice little town and I saw nothing, and I mean nothing when I arrived in the foggy darkness. The church was a huge surprise to me the next day - I couldn't see it from across the Plaza!

This is the church I couldn't see!

The interior with what I believe is the largest wooden crucifix in South America

These mountain towns can be steep!

There's a beautiful waterfall looking down on the town. To the side is a shrine, currently closed off. Out of picture is a row of communal laundry sinks fed by mountain water

Looking down on the town

Perhaps I'm just too critical but I find some of the lighting effects, especially on churches and other "elegant" buildings to be tacky. Here's a comparative picture

Looking down on the town

Street art

"Hello"
A lovely painting on a school wall

The weather can change quickly here! A wet morning gave way to a beautiful midday and mist and rain returned in the afternoon. It rained all night

​

Chat? Yes Please!
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[HobbesOnTour]

Day 824 Thursday, December 16 El Ingenio 7 km Total KM 15021
Min meters 1638, Max Meters 1769
Total Climb 148 Total Descent 165
Min Temp 17 Max Temp 24 Ave Temp 19


Sometimes it's not about the travelling, it's about the stopping.

I had a disturbed night's sleep and woke up a little groggy. It had rained during the night - I had heard it all but when I went out to get my morning coffee it had stopped.

I toddled back to the hotel, reclaimed my dry clothes that had been kindly hung up to dry and packed up. The hotel folk were very friendly and the chambermaid was surprised when I gave her a small tip for looking after my clothes. "You don't have to pay", she said. "You didn't have to help me", I replied.

Leaving town I stopped off for one more look inside the church but there was a mass on so I declined.

This is truly beautiful country to be in. "In" is the operative word. I'm not looking at the scenery - I'm slap bang in the middle of it.
Yes, it's wet, that view will appear and disappear on a misty whim and I have to work damn hard to make progress. But it's glorious!

​

Like the run into town two nights ago tge run out was long and straggly too. On one corner at the bottom of a hill a pack of maybe six dogs were terrorising all moving traffic - me included. It's unusual to see dogs chase cars here, even more unusual to see them chasing motorbikes. Once I hopped off and started to push they left me alone.

Am I taking a break and resting up or stopping to savour some of Nature's music? Who cares!

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The sky was looking ominous and it didn't take long for fog and mist to start rolling in. It looked like I was in for another wet one, or at the very least few views.

Banana trees so close I can touch them - but only if I want to get wetter.

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I'd no real destination just knowing that there'd be some villages along the way. I'd see what turned up. A bit of a push and I'd make Pasto...... Again. A bit more of a push and I'd leave Pasto behind and head north. (I had considered doing the Trampoline in reverse!)

Mist rolling in. It's both interesting and intimidating how a mountain as significant as this can just disappear before my eyes.
I can't help but think what it must be like to work the land in these parts

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There were only a couple of kms on the clock when the rainjacket went on. Visibility was minimal. It just made everything mysterious. The road was a bit more challenging too since sugar cane was being harvested. This meant that a gap was cut in a hedge above the road and the chopped sugar cane was dropped down to a mule, cart or truck below. The residue littered the edge of the road.

This is farming country.

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I hadn't had any breakfast thinking I'd grab something in the first village about 6km along. It was close enough to kick my hunger and urge for coffee into gear but still far enough away by a curvy, switchback road to make me question my decision. A steep climb up to it didn't help a lot either.

Something like this can keep me amused for ages. I wonder how Ingrid and David are getting on almost exactly ten years later?

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In rain, I turned off to visit the church and the little, bare Plaza.
Into the church with me to find two guys putting the finishing touches to the church's Christmas crib. I think a little bit of my heart got stolen!
It's on both sides of the aisle for a start so it's a dominant feature. It also has the usual crib characters. What it also has, which makes it spectacular in my opinion, are local characters - especially the guy making sugar cane juice. It just makes it so accessible to kids.

The figures move!
Mary & Joseph waiting for the birth and beside them not myrrh or frankincense but sugar cane!

The church. I was bemused by the detail of the altar under the entirely functional roof

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With no sign of anywhere serving food or even a coffee I laboured uphill in the rain through the little, elongated village. Several decent sized restaurants, all closed now, pointed to a decent weekend business. Spying a gaily decorated hostel beside the road but down below it I paused and parked the bike against the low wall of a building. Time for a think. In the rain I couldn't smoke so ducked around the building I was at to stand under some cover. An older woman came out to me. Caught!
Dumbass!
I was told to bring the bike under cover too! Then offered coffee! Served with some bread.
I'm a long, long way from home when that is someone's reaction to a stranger lurking under their roof.
It sold me on my provisional plan. Stop here. iOverlander has lots of good things to say about the hostel, I am in absolutely no rush, I'm in beautiful country but can't see diddly squat.

This one is outside someone's house. It takes up half the front and has a water feature. I would never normally do it but I approached the lady of the house to ask permission to take a photo. Not only was I made most welcome her mother (or mother in law) came out to explain it all to me, being especially proud of the water feature. A lovely experience.

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I toddled down to the hostel and was made most welcome and given a cup of coffee from beans grown out the back. A relaxing day was in store.

Coffee at the back of the hostel.

When I rabbit on about Cribs and the appeal for kids I'm not advocating the brainwashing or influencing of kids.
Whatever your impression of Christmas I think it's fair to say that it has become very far removed from what it was.
I well remember priests preaching from the altar and not being able to communicate with their flock, especially the younger ones. I love to see the effort to connect an incredible story from the other side of the world to local, familiar and accessible imagery.
I may not agree with the motivation but I can show respect for the effort.


Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098/page-60#post-6614499

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Day 825 Friday, December 17 El Ingenio to Pasto 45 km Total KM 15066
Min meters 1849, Max Meters 2636
Total Climb 1359 Total Descent 624
Min Temp 13 Max Temp 25 Ave Temp 17

There's always a ******* jackass

My impromptu stop yesterday delivered up one of my best night's sleep in a long time. Cool temperatures, an open window (my choice) no traffic and heavy blankets that pin me down work really well together

I was in no rush to get up and out this morning. My plan was relatively simple. Explore the few villages along this road, enjoy the views and get a place to stay. I don't have anywhere I need to be by any time and I feel a bit cheated on this road with the feeling that I've only seen a fraction of what's on offer.
The only problem with that plan? Rain and fog!
A long, lingering breakfast was in order, boiled eggs, oatmeal and a big pot of coffee. First up was a hefty climb - I'd need my energy.

Views came and went, normally went.

I set off in the dry but it took all of five minutes for the rain to start. It would be an on and off companion most of the day. Setting off was fun. The steep drive up to the road proved too steep and slippery for a loaded Roccado so I had to unload then reload at the top. This brought two men over to investigate and heft the bike. Instant kudos for me! I made sure to set off uphill at a blistering pace to impress them

Road music!

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I don't know what happens to me in these mountains but I suppose it comes about as close to the idea of being "one" with the world.
I love the idea of being in the clouds (even if that often means discomfort from being wet).

Looking down on the clouds!

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Throw in coffee plants and the almost ever present banana trees to remind me I'm a long, long way from "home" and the experience intensifies.

The road through the clouds

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The ever changing views (while standing in the same spot) are trying to communicate something to me - the message is getting closer and closer.

One spot over a few minutes....

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And the few humans who pass are friendly and welcoming.
It's tough, often uncomfortable work, uphill and down but I love it. I am totally self reliant. In the long gaps between traffic it's not hard to imagine that it's just me and the environment. Well, me, the bike and the environment!

A natural high

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When the rain stops and I can feel the ocasional warm air that signifies the views will be opening up there's not a lot better than stopping and just ....... being.

I don't normally do this but I wanted to record this experience and just how content and relaxed I was. Yep! I need a barber

​

At one stage, sitting on a low wall a Discovery Channel SUV went past and I had visions of them returning and my fame spreading far and wide...... But it wasn't to be

When I actually got off my ass and moved there were lots and lots of little ríos, all surprisingly clean and fresh looking

Sometimes I actually cycled!

​

To be continued......

Chat? Yes Please!

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098/

​

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Day 825 Friday, December 17 El Ingenio to Pasto 45 km Total KM 15066
Min meters 1849, Max Meters 2636
Total Climb 1359 Total Descent 624
Min Temp 13 Max Temp 25 Ave Temp 17

There's always a ******* jackass Part Two

I arrived into the bigger than expected La Florida after a tough, but enjoyable 15km or so and over 500 meters of climbing. I needed food! I located a place, put on my best puppy-dog look and asked about a breakfast. No problem. A black coffee and a big plate with scrambled eggs, rice, beans, tomato and the always good fried banana. Delicious.

Arty Farty shot in La Florida

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Having only set off about 11am it was late enough to look for a place to stay and the little town had a pleasant vibe. Unfortunately, my obliging cook informed me that there was no place to stay. Nariño, the next town along had a hotel she assured me. I set off again.

The overriding impression today was of the sound of water. There were lots of little ríos all bustling along whether through the rich, green, sparkling countryside or along the side of the constantly curving road. I've become used to the roar of water of late but today it was calming, quiet and musical. With mist and cloud almost everpresent and rain randomingly appearing and disappearing around every other bend there was enough water to make this a perpetual motion music machine.

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I arrived into Nariño, another busy little town, located the hotel and stopped at the church. The crib display was huge and intricate with lots of detail and figures. A school graduation ceremony was taking place - for primary students - and it was fun to watch. The students, all girls, were in their uniforms but the style was provided by the mothers. The Colombian mothers can really scrub up well!

Even here there's a gentle tinking of water

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I crossed to a bakery, grabbed a coffee and pastry and had a chat with the counter ladies. I'm thinking not many cyclists go this way.

Coffeed up I set off for the hotel and met a man at the door. Unsure if he worked there I asked him - the question was ignored - but he talked like he was. I asked about a room and he went from "I'm not sure" to "Let me think" to "No, no rooms available" over about 5 minutes.

It had been so long, so rambling that I asked again, requiring a yes/no answer. Agian no yes/no answer was provided but a long story about women. I asked about another place to stay - no problem there was another hotel in the "centre". I was in the centre - I could see the Plaza from where I stood.

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Reluctantly, I headed off to ask people - no other hotel. I got credit for my phone and tried to call - the only numbers I could find didn't work (it's not on any apps). I gave it a few minutes and returned but he was still at the door. My thinking was that he may be a local "character" and nothing to do with the hotel at all (reception was upstairs).

He was still there so I asked him for directions to the other hotel. He wouldn't give them. I said I'd like to go upstairs and talk to someone up there because I didn't know if he worked there. This angered him and he declared he was no liar. I pointed out that he told me of another hotel and no-one else knew of one.

I left again.

It was now 5:30, darkness would be here in 30 minutes, the next town didn't have anything (as far as I knew) after that Pasto more than 20km up and down away.

​

I looped around looking and when I returned he was gone! I parked up, bounded up the stairs but in the lobby caught a glimpse of him on the next level. So he did work there! Feck!

I set off again, slightly distracted by what looked like a small motel beside a petrol station (it wasn't).

I came across a restaurant and asked about the possibility of camping but I was regretfully declined - they were setting up for a big party that would go on all night. No problem.

The crib in Nariño

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I arrived into Genoy in the darkness and spotted a Policeman. I waited while he conducted his business with another and he confirmed my fears - no place to stay. "Pasto", he said had lots of hotels. I knew that but it was dark, on unknown roads on a Friday evening.

It's big!!

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In true Murphy's Law fashion my ultra reliable front light wouldn't stay on. I pulled up, adjusted the wiring until it worked and set off again. Again it cut out. This worked perfectly on the way into Sandoná the other night. I strapped my head torch onto my handlebar bag and set off.

The rather dull church that was hiding a fabulously detailed crib and some very well turned out Colombian mothers!

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It wasn't as bad as I thought it might be. The rain had stopped although mist came and went. Traffic, as always, was very good and as long as I stayed out of the slippy edge of the road it was all good. Thinking of the obnoxious character in the hotel powered me up the hills and the approach to Pasto was on a better road than last week. I saw no hotels until I was into the suburbs so pulled up. My hotel from last week was full but Booking had another that wouldn't cost an arm and a leg. I pulled the trigger rather than spend an hour or more wandering around and set off through the city. Not in the greatest of areas I pulled up outside and had a celebratory smoke. I'd cheated the grim reaper - better leave something on the table for him.

Not the greatest picture but trying to convey that the crib scene is huge, that is located in the centre of the church and that it dominates so much the altar is invisible

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A ground floor reception meant I could push the bike in and I encountered another guest, an older man. On answering the question where I had cycled from there was a pause and then a hand shot out in admiration. It would be churlish to deny such a gesture, Covid or not and it really lifted my spirits.

Unusually for a last minute Booking reservation I was expected and my name known. The young man was welcoming, efficient and friendly and when he told me I could either take my bike to my room or park it in the garage where it would be perfectly safe he said it with such authority that the garage it was.

Still a great day though!

​

I bought my first beer in weeks from him, got to my room, stripped and stepped under a piping hot shower.
An old girlfriend once put me in the shower with a cold beer after a crap day and it is one of the simplest yet most decadent, pleasures in life.

Home, safe and relaxed.

Chat? Yes Please!

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098/

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Day 826 Saturday, December 18 Pasto to Pueblito El Tablon Gomez*, 65 km Total KM 15132
Min meters 874 , Max Meters 2769
Total Climb 964 Total Descent 2239
Min Temp 15 Max Temp 39 Ave Temp 23

*For Netman
Google 1.5662549, -77.3520635
Osmand: 1.56616° N, 77.35220° W

This is what happens when I try to plan.....

I was very tired last night and after food I jotted down some notes, threw together a quick route for today and fell asleep.
I slept well but was still tired.

The route out of town was either unphotographable or just plain dull. Instead here's some more street art from Pasto

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It turned out the hotel offered a simple breakfast so I availed of it and retired back to my room. A quick once over of the route revealed a tunnel! Uh oh! I plotted an alternative, trickier because accommodation options were fewer and then started to get packed.

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Taking advantage of the big parking garage I set about investigating why my lamp wasn't working last night. I quickly found the problem - the other day at the hostel I had taken advantage of the short day to replace the rubber on my front brake pads the and I had inadvertently pulled out the wire to my Cycle2Charge unit. With that connected properly the lamp worked.
I also chatted to motorcyclist who was cleaning his chain. He's one of many touring motorbikers to be seen on the roads here, especially on the weekends.
Finally, I was ready to set off - a bit late but I was in no real rush - my target being about 35km down the road.

There was an open area that seemed to be used as an open air museum.

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Pasto threw some more art at me then I was soon climbing out of town. Traffic was fine and I had no problems. Flagged down by a couple in an SUV the driver told me my gps was wrong. How he knew that without knowing where I was going was confusing. We had a chat, I showed him my route on Osmand and he pointed out a couple of roads that I shouldn't take because they were so rough and steep - neither of them were on my route. I did have a laugh though and tell him that the bike and I had recently done the Trampoline and that I doubted my way could be worse. He offered to "lead" me but I thought that was overkill and besides, it was steep and I'm not the fastest climber.

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A little later, the same thing. A couple in a car pulled up and flagged me down. A Robert De Niro lookalike was more explicit. This was a very dangerous area! I wasn't to stop for anyone, especially motorbikes! (Ironic, given that I'd stopped for him).

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I was concerned now. I wasn't seeing anything I haven't seen lots of times before but the traffic had lightened off significantly. I wasn't going to be moving fast going uphill and the first guy had warned me of no road surface.
The alternative was to go through the town, out the other side and access a type of ringroad and loop around this area. I didn't know I'd be going through that way either. There were no closer alternatives.
Again, the good Samaritans offered to "lead" me but honestly I thought that might draw more attention and I had the idea that the bad guys wouldn't be put off by a middle aged couple in an old car, Robert de Niro lookalike or not.
Then he announced that he'd drive on to the Police, tell them where I was and they'd look after me. That was a good solution. I thanked them profusely and set off again.

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Nervous now, I turned around at one stage then took some deep breaths and continued on bouncing slowly uphill on an undusurfaced road.
I couldn't believe that no-one had marked out this road as dangerous for cyclists anywhere.
I quickly came to the summit and felt a bit more comfortable as I could pick up a bit of speed and see that I was close to where I'd get on the highway.
Except there was no road onto the highway! It passed below me with no road down. Feck!
A quick look on the phone was no help but I did see a path worn into the embankment. Slippy as hell I got down in one piece, the bike too, hopped on the road and sped off.

​

Now I could relax!
A bit more climbing, join the "old" PanAmerican and I'd be in for a long descent. Oh! And I could do with a coffee.

An aerial view of Pasto taken before my nerves got shot!

​

To be continued.......

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

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Day 826 Saturday, December 18 Pasto to Pueblito El Tablon Gomez*, 65 km Total KM 15132
Min meters 874 , Max Meters 2769
Total Climb 964 Total Descent 2239
Min Temp 15 Max Temp 39 Ave Temp 23

*For Netman
Google 1.5662549, -77.3520635
Osmand: 1.56616° N, 77.35220° W

This is what happens when I try to plan..... Part Two

Given that I was going this way to avoid a tunnel it came as a shock to see a tunnel loom up ahead!
Two workmen greeted me, wished me a safe journey so I assumed there was some walkway for pedestrians and cyclists. 50 meters after passing them I could make out the digital board - No pedestrians, No bikes!
Feck!
A bit bemused I went back to the workman and he confirmed I couldn't go any further. Not a bit of an explanation as to why he so cheerfully greeted me! Then he took out his phone and called "Señor Engineer", explained my predicament and I could tell by his side of the conversation that I was going to be picked up!
I cycled on towards the tunnel entrance and another man c5me out of an office to flag me down. He told me to wait, that he'd call for a lift but I explained that one was already organised.
Sure enough, a few minutes later a pick up came through the tunnel and pulled up. A young fella who had been trying unsuccessfully to hitch a lift through the tunnel was called over and we both got in the bed of the truck with Roccado and all my gear.
With the rear of the truck open to accommodate Roccado I spent the journey hanging on to the bike and the side of the truck for dear life!
Dropped off on the other side the driver was at pains to tell me not to take the first exit at the next roundabout but the second. This was a problem for me because my route was the first exit. The second had the tunnel I was trying to avoid. I tried asking him about the tunnel but he just said it was a better way for a bike.

The Tunnel! A total surprise! Several kms long I would have been in a jam if I couldn't get a lift

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I packed up again and rode down to the roundabout and stopped. Given that my "planning" had totally messed up so far I was reluctant to stick with it. But I didn't fancy hitting a tunnel 40km down the road and having to turn back. On my phone I could see a toll both 2km down the road. They'd tell me if I could pass. I took the second exit and started descending.

The toll booth was deserted! I continued on.

Before the tunnel (and probably why I was more amused by it than anything) is the view back towards Pasto and the dodgy area. An unexpected tunnel is amusing after Robert De Niro tells me I'm in a bad part of town.

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I'd left Pasto in rain. It had stopped as I climbed out of town and now it started again as I'd begun to descend. On with my rain pants and I continued on. The road was OK, only two lanes, no shoulder, a bit bumpy but traffic was fine. I sailed on happy to be making progress if a bit chilly. A couple of short climbs eased the chills.

Chachagüí was the first town I came across and I desperately wanted a coffee. I ordered a coffee from one of the most unfriendly food ladies I've encountered so far. I also ordered some food but coffee was what I needed. While sitting the heavens opened so at least I had good timing.

I left again in the dry and continued my descent. There were quite a few places to sleep along the way (as opposed to the other road) so I felt no pressure. Views, unfortunately, were either hidden behind mist or non existent so not much was slowing me down. Out of the rain I'd plugged in my Cycle2Charge and saw that it was working normally. A simple bit of kit but rugged. I like it. Also, without the rain the temperature was going up as fast as I was going down.

Hmmmm. The views are starting to improve

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Not too far down the road were two or three villages in a row beside the airport. This was decision time. The descent continued for a while but then the climbing started and I'd have to climb 700 meters before there was another place to stay. I'd also have to deal with that tunnel. I decided to continue on. It was about 2pm and I reckoned I could reach my destination by 5. I also reckoned that if I needed a lift through the tunnel Saturday was a better option than Sunday.

This meant that my descent continued for a while. As descents go it had not been particularly interesting up to now. The road was variable, lots of small rockfalls and roadside debris made for careful riding, mist obscured the few views available and dense vegetation was pretty much all I saw.
That all changed though! And spectacularly!

This is more like it......

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Here I go again prattling on about the sheer variety of landscapes in Colombia! These were mountains but so, so different to the ones on the other side. Nearly naked they were bathed in different shades of green. Gone were lush, rich greens and in their place dry, pale greens. These lighter colours seemed to change the perspective slightly and made distances seem different. Whether rightly or wrongly, I had the sense of a great scale all around me.

I've done it again!! Pure dumb luck has given me this view!

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The road improved significantly, even giving me a reliable shoulder - this didn't mean I went any faster, it just meant I could stop at will. And I did.

I couldn't put my finger on it, possibly the light, but there seemed to be a bigger scale to these views, like I could see further

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The rain all but stopped and the mist disappeared.
Awesome, epic and the like can be overused but they are justifiably applied to Colombia.

When I had no view there were ...... Compensations!

​

Things were going so well that something had to balance things out and an unexpected tunnel did just that!
No "no bike" sign but narrow, a bit rough but thankfully not long and importantly, downhill.
I parked up, scoped it out, put on all lights and waited for a bunch of traffic to pass. I hurtled through with no traffic on my side but the noise of an approaching car was deafening and disorienting.

Remember! This is the road I had planned to avoid!😊

Way,way, way back in the cobwebby recesses of my brain a clock was trying to tell me to hurry up. I heard nada.

​

My spirits soared which was just as well as the road turned to crap - rough, cracks and no shoulder - I crossed a bridge and began the climb.

Coming to the end of the descent

​

To be continued.......

Chat? Yes Please!
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[HobbesOnTour]

Day 826 Saturday, December 18 Pasto to Pueblito El Tablon Gomez*, 65 km Total KM 15132
Min meters 874 , Max Meters 2769
Total Climb 964 Total Descent 2239
Min Temp 15 Max Temp 39 Ave Temp 23

*For Netman
Google 1.5662549, -77.3520635
Osmand: 1.56616° N, 77.35220° W

This is what happens when I try to plan..... Part Three

The road stayed poor and steep. Slower now the temperature became more noticable hitting above 30C. Spotting some shade I pulled in and munched on some bread and peanut butter.

Crossing the river

​

Unusually for me, but understandable after the last few days, there was a definite knot of anxiety in my belly about making my target before dark. The sheer beauty of the descent had overpowered it on the way down, but now, going slowly it had all the opportunity it needed to set up home.

Looking back on the tunnel. The road is still quite rough

​

The next obstacle was the tunnel I knew of! Thankfully short like the previous one but uphill. I was more cautious in waiting out the traffic and when a good long line followed a truck through I took my chance. Again, only one vehicle on the opposite side but loud! Very loud!

I'm climbing on the right but descended on the left. There was a magic in the air with the lights and the clouds

​

I stopped off at a little store a little later for more liquids and a rest. While sitting down I could hear the "Google" voice faintly asking "Where are you from" in English so I turned around and answered the young chap in Spanish. That started an interesting conversation which centred on religion.

Mist was swirling, clouds were weaving, light was playing......

​

Setting off up again I still had a long way to go. Having never cared about climbing information before this trip I now use it all the time. At times it's a blessing, at others a curse. I can see my position on the ascent and sometimes it's scary and demoralising while other times it's "Oh! Look how far I've come!". Today was both.

I took loads of these shots today using Roccado to try to give an indication of the scale of what I was seeing. ​

As I gained height the views started to open up again. Sometimes mist and the on again off again rain had an influence but barriers started appearing giving me decent spaces to stop. At one stage a glance at Gizmo showed me that the worst was over and that gradients were easier. That put me in the frame of mind to really enjoy myself and the confidence to pass a couple of "only in emergency" places to stay.

The greenery struck me

By now I was over the worst of the climbing and any anxiety was now lying in the bottom of the canyon. I was free to enjoy and savour

Mist came and went with every bend but even in the gloom there was always a bit of colour

The bravest tree in the world?

​

I reached the top just as darkness was falling and sailed down the last 5kms enjoying the reflected light bouncing off the clouds. I passed through a little village as the rain started again and followed the road another km to a small roadside hotel with a restaurant.

Home! Feck planning!

The mighty Roccado. Far from home and loving every minute!

​

Chat? Yes Please!
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[HobbesOnTour]

Some more orphan photos......

These signs appear regularly during roadworks. The message is simply equality through better roads for all.

Where the road meets a bridge. I particularly liked the way the paint guys painted it anyway!

I have no idea!

I've become used to seeing warning signs and evacuation routes in buildings for earthquakes as well as fires. In Costa Rica and Panamá they were also for tsunamis. This is in Mocoa - an evacuation route for the whole town after Mocoa was devastated by a mudslide and floods. It's quite chilling.

Evidence of an unsettled past. I actually passed one that was manned yesterday.

Public transport! Driver on top loading the roof, the woman has just passed a baby inside after depositing a toddler.

Religious shrines can be found in all kinds of places......

And in all kinds of styles

The Renault 4! Not quite as ubiquitous as the VW Beetle is in México but not far off. There are old, battered ones, souped up ones and everything in between to be seen on the roads

​

Chat? Yes Please!
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[HobbesOnTour]

Day 827 Sunday, December 19 Pueblito El Tablon Gomez to Pueblito Estrecho, 70 km Total KM 15202
Min meters 535 , Max Meters 1259
Total Climb 863 Total Descent 1499
Min Temp 19 Max Temp 40 Ave Temp 30

Back into the heat

Last night I investigated my front brakes that felt a little soft - too soft for so soon after being adjusted. As it turned out the "pin" that regulates the tension in the spring is bent. I tried straightening it with little success. I did manage to get it back on and functional though. It seems the Trampoline was tougher than I thought!

A dull, damp morning. But exotic!

​

I slept well last night and dawdled a little when I woke up about 5am. Coffee would be available from 6:30 I was told last night.
Oh no it wasn't! Coffeeless I set off but stopped at a little shop for one. I'd a descent ahead of me and a small town about 15km down the road for breakfast. Or at least that was the plan.

I wasn't on the road proper five minutes when the rain started. Light but not exactly good for views. It came and went for much of the morning. I pulled into El Recordo as planned for a much needed coffee and a couple of maiz arepas hot off the grill smothered in butter. Rain encouraged me to linger.

Dull, grey, light rain starting to fall but still pretty impressive

​

I set off again knowing that my descent was over and that I'd 40km to go to the next piece of civilisation, and probably longer than that for a hotel. I was also heading into a lot of heat. For the last few weeks I've sometimes been warm but never too hot. I was down to 500/600 meters above sea level and the temperature was rising. Unfortunately, so was the humidity. I find it energy sapping and feel it in my legs.

What looked flat on Osmand (I *really* have to start using landscape mode) was, in reality, a series of ups and downs. It was like I was being toyed with. A climb to really make me warm and just as I was about to melt a descent to cool me down again. It was surprisingly tough. In rain there was no point in wearing my rainjacket - I was cooking in it. I may never eat "sweaty chicken" again now that I know how the poor bird feels!

The road required a lot of my attention but down the road always looked interesting

​

Speaking of birds I saw one hunting a lizard by the roadside and losing. A sudden swoop caught my eye and I couldn't figure out all the activity at the kerb along the road until I saw a lizard make a burst for freedom. A couple of changes of direction flummoxed the bird who gave up then. A little bit of excitement as I laboured up a hill.

The road was a hodgepodge of surfaces, some excellent others verging on suicidal for loaded bikes at speed. Bridges were the worst with some terrible gaps between bridge and road. Subsidence came back too with a vengence, one sudden patch of unevenness sending me airborne.

I arrived into the village of Mojarras and spied a couple of trucks outside a roadside restaurant. I pulled up and ate a soup and plate of meat and rice. It won't win awards but it hit the spot. I stopped a little further for an ice cream and to top up my water. All of a sudden a cold drink is something that grannies could be sold for!

There was a hotel here (I hadn't been sure) but there was no reason to stay. There was nothing here. I rested up and rolled on.

Today's rîo is brown and in a hurry​

The last 15km were a bit tough. Hot and humid the traffic seemed to pick up and my legs were losing power. The up and down nature continued, the climbs taking longer the descents way too short.

I crossed a mighty bridge then started the last climb. About 3km from Estrecho the rain started again. I rolled past the one hotel I knew of into the centre and found a place for a coffee.

Sometimes I think I should carry a canoe

​

These roadside towns can be hectic places but the hecticness has really been turned up a notch! At the risk of being politically incorrect there are more black people in these parts, like along the northern coast. There's a different vibe here too. The music is different for a start. Food is different. Looking on the map there's a big patch of blue to my left - that'd be the Pacific. It is one of the great things about travelling by bike - we have the slow pace (especially me!) to notice these things.

Getting hot!

​

I checked in, had a glorious cold shower (last night I was shivering and whinging ) and set out to explore.

Everything looks better in the sun!

​

Two bars, side by side, were pumping out loud music as people sat on terraces. Of course they weren't playing the same music! Then, across the road, another bar was blasting its own music. Audio chaos! I wouldn't like to try to sleep in the vicinity (there was a cheaper option there) but for wandering around in search of the soul of a place it was exciting and fun. I should also note very well behaved. Sticking out as I tend to do in these parts I felt completely comfortable, not always the feeling with large groups of people drinking.

I may not mention them often anymore but landslides and rockfalls are common. It's the small ones that are lethal for a bike

​

There didn't seem to be a Plaza but there was a pretty uneven and partially waterlogged full size soccer pitch where I'd have expected a Plaza to be. A game was ongoing with lots of spectators and stalls selling food. It may have been a local derby because while some of the skills on display were pretty high the ball didn't remain in play long before a nasty tackle called a halt. This was a tough game played by tough men!

A straight road was a bit of a rarity today

​

I got something simple to eat then the rain started so had a coffee but eventually headed back to the room in the rain.

A big río!

​

Updating this ended up taking a couple of hours with very slow internet.

Chat? Yes Please!
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[HobbesOnTour]

Day 828 Monday, December 20 Estrecho to El Bordo, 27 km Total KM 15229
Min meters 597 , Max Meters 1004
Total Climb 467 Total Descent 72
Min Temp 22 Max Temp 35 Ave Temp 27

Breaking the bike!

Any "what bike?" thread on touring fora usually has a debate about material. Steel or aluminium? Or even Titanium or Carbon? Weight is a big deal (clearly not something I subscribe to).
A diversionary debate normally focuses on "repair in the field" and the advantage of steel for being repairable and weldable.
Unfortunately, that diversion can often meander down an unpleasant, bumpy road of technical jargon that leaves the person who knows feck all about metals, welding and all the rest of it but just wants to have adventures on a bike a bit ...... confused.

Roccado was specifically chosen for two reasons - the type of bike he is means that there are clones (and thus spare parts) just about anywhere and the fact that he's steel means that in worst case scenarios he can be welded.

Today he got welded!

Not a bad morning but views were limited

​

The hotel last night was modern but had iffy WiFi. An airco unit in the room made a lot of noise but chilled very little. A bit of a draft was all. I slept well.

Awake at 5am I took advantage of a stronger WiFi signal to post on here (took much longer than planned) then packed up and rolled out of the room.
For such a busy place last night there were surprisingly few brekkie options so I opted for coffee and pastries. Then off I went into the relatively cool and pleasant morning.

Lots of roadside trees today. In bright sunshine they offer the relief of cooling shade, on dull damp mornings they can mean the side of the road is slippy

​

I was looking at options last night for the Christmas period. All things being equal I'd like to be off the road. At one stage I was thinking Calí or even Medellín (by bus) but Popoyan is up the road and big enough to be interesting but small enough not to be lost.
Then I had a choice. An AirBnB or a hostel? I want to be able to cook so a hotel is out. A hostel will probably mean other people but an AirBnB could be a bit lonely. That's what I'd figure out today.

An unusually large herd of cattle

​

I set off into a flat (ie rolling) 20km and was shielded from any views by some very pleasant trees. Traffic was very light, just as well because the road was a bit bumpy and rough.
Ignoring the engine sounds of trucks, cars and motorbikes of all ages and in all conditions my morning sounds commenced with the sound of barking dogs off yonder in the distance. Later in the day most of the dogs will be having siestas but early in the morning they're at their most lively.
The dogs faded away and birds took over. Happy birds. Some sang, others chattered. None seemed to be mocking me which is always good. The birds, though, disappeared for a while when I passed a small homestead with a pigsty. Those pigs can really make noise! And it's not a pleasant noise - there's a screeching intensity that suggests animals fighting for their life. In reality, it's probably just feeding time. Pigs can be quite expressive!

A coffeeless break which was quickly aborted with the appearance and killing of a giant rat!

​

I stopped off in the very little village of Patia for a coffee but none could be found. Instead, I sat in the park for a few minutes but rolled out when a local killed a huge rat, the size of a small dog, with a stick.

I continued on and just before the climbing started a strategically placed roadside restaurant offered up some scrambled eggs, fried banana and coffee. As is the way a guy came over to talk about my trip and was very complimentary about my Spanish.
Over my coffee I decided to plump for the hostel with a private room. It's a hell of a lot cheaper. With a phone signal I booked it adding my usual message that I'm travelling by bike. I hadn't left five minutes when I got a message back saying that they were super excited to have a bike tourist staying with them!

I also decided to have a short day. The next town up has lots of hotels and instead of killing myself I'll take it easy to Popoyán over a couple of days.

The sun is coming out now and things are getting hot and interesting

​

The climb could have been tough but I was in no hurry. Traffic was picking up on the bendy road so I pulled in regularly to let the bigger traffic by. Views became interesting but usually were through foliage.

I arrived into the busy town of El Bordo and learned pretty rapidly that it wasn't a town for exploring on a bike! Turning off to investigate the Plaza I found myself with a lethal short descent then a bouncing ascent on a broken surface swimming with the motorbikes. I scrapped my coffee plan until after I had a room.

A busy, chaotic, agricultural town

​

I was heading for a recomendation from iOverlander but stuck in traffic I caught a view through to the back of a swanky looking hotel. The view was glorious! The hotel, though, looked well out of my budget.
Nothing ventured nothing gained I pulled up and asked the pleasant lady on reception about the cost of their simplest room to discover that it was well in my budget! And it had a pool! A day relaxing? Sold!

A "live shot" of a chicken bus. These are much more common than earlier in Colombia

​

I got checked in, up to my room then back down to unload Roccado. That's when I saw it! The right, rear braze on supporting my rear rack had snapped off. Uh oh!

The view that lured me in

​

Back in the room I had a cold shower and a think. Got my tork(x?) key out, my multitool and set off to find a welder. The receptionist again was helpful and sent me to the right where, on the edge of town I found a welder. A quick look and he said of course he could fix it!

Street art in the busy little town of El Bordo

​

It took maybe 30 minutes, the first ten minutes of which were just general chat and then he put his own work aside and gave Roccado the full experience.
He spent quite an amount of time on it getting it correctly aligned and in such a way that the bolt is still removable. When he was finished and presented it to me for testing I told him he was an artist with his welding tools. It's a strange thing to see such a man, physically strong, dressed in dirty overalls, coated in sweat and grime from his work blush like a schoolgirl.
I have no idea how strong it is - he says as good as new - but I can now say that I've had my bike welded in a small town in South America.
And I still had time to enjoy the pool!

El Bordo - not a bad place to break a bike!

​

Chat? Yes Please!
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[HobbesOnTour]

Day 829 Tuesday, December 21 El Bordo to Rosas, 42 km Total KM 15271
Min meters 975 , Max Meters 1780
Total Climb 1241 Total Descent 495
Min Temp 19 Max Temp 41 Ave Temp 27

On the road to nowhere

I was awake about 4 am but the sound of a downpour sent me back to sleep for an hour. I got up and brewed some coffee and enjoyed my view. Then it was packing everything up on my newly welded bike and setting off. There weren't many places open in town for breakfast as I rolled out.
On the edge of town I pulled up at a busy roadside place for a coffee, arepa and a fried ball of dough with cheese inside. They do like their fried stuff and cheese!
They had eggs but due to the primitive nature of the kitchen of the hard boiled variety. The result was pieces of eggshells on tables and in the ground similar to peanut shells in some Dutch and German bars.

I suppose I can't be having epic scenery every day

​

I set off again with more traffic than yesterday. I had a relatively gentle slope upwards for close to 20km, then a drop and then a steep climb of 1000 meters. If I felt like it I could do more climbing and make it a longer day.

Passing through a little settlement that won't show up on any maps I was charmed by the simple but bright space along the side of the road

​

It was a cloudy, dull morning with a poor road, reasonable traffic and very few views. I encountered two men on horses driving three cows along the road either coming from or going to milking. For all the cheese consumed here I see very few cattle. There's always a few but herds seem to be quite small. Two men, two horses and three cows doesn't exactly scream big business.

Early mornings tend to be very, very wet, progressing to gloomy with showers and then the sun starts to burn off the cloud. To cap it all off Mother Nature supplies some wonderful waterfalls

​

These types of days are tricky for me in that I have no destination other than a roadside hotel or perhaps a small town. I'm only going there to get to where I do want to go to. Oh! Woe is me!

I pulled in to a little shop and had a cold drink before setting off again and into a steep drop. The problem with these descents is that I have to regain all the lost height again - and then some! I had climbed 400 meters would drop lower than I started and then climb 1000!

The sun makes everything prettier

​

Just prior to the climb and in no rush I pulled in for some eggs for fuel. The road was pretty poor most of the time. Subsidence was back in a big way and I often found myself cycling up (or sometimes down) a series of smooth "steps" in the road. The edge was often rough and full of debris with a nasty drop into a water gully. Traffic tended to be in packs so I'd often pull in to let it past.

Today's río, brown and bubbly

​

The sun came out to play later and it really started to get hot. A headwind, a feature of most days since I started heading north, did bring some relief. But the most calming influence today was definitely the water. There were lots of waterfalls, most quite wide and therefore less violent. Lots of small ríos gurgled and hummed around me. I'd pull in when a line of traffic came along and as it faded away in the distance, the fumes dissipating and the noise shrinking to nothing the water took over again. It was really very pleasant to go from chaotic, smelly noise to ....... water tinkling. What added to my pleasure was that I had overestimated the climbing needed. Instead of a simple 1km up it turned out to be only about 800.

This one had a lovely, calming sound

​

It was with relief that I arrived into the little roadside town of Rosas and a huge roadworks operation. Google had a hotel on the far side of town so I laboured through the roadworks and up a steep hill, not turning down into the steep village.

Up higher the views improved

​

I found the hotel and checked in to probably the smallest room ever - just big enough for a bed. No towel, no soap, no toilet paper and no toilet seat. Luxury!

Not the greatest of surfaces for a lot of the day

​

I washed up, changed clothes and braved the steep hill back down to the little town for a little exploration. Walking in the dark and the rain and through big roadworks was still more pleasant than my room!

Rosas

The Plaza came to life with the flick of a switch

​

Chat? Yes Please!
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[HobbesOnTour]

Day 830 Wednesday, December 22 Rosas to Popoyán, 43 km Total KM 15314
Min meters 1374 , Max Meters 1935
Total Climb 970 Total Descent 1004
Min Temp 18 Max Temp 44 Ave Temp 27

Every Rosas has a thorn

There was a time on a continent far, far away that I did ponder if this Travelogue would evolve into a type of boring account of kms accumulated, meters ascended, towns passed and meals eaten. Boring in other words.
Now, I'm not the best judge of my own efforts but I don't think most of this counts as boring and uneventful. Something strange, unusual, slightly wonderful or slighty calamitous seems to happen on a regular basis. Let's be honest, mainly calamitous This week, as an example, I got my frame welded. That should be enough excitement for a while, right?

Ha! Dumbass!

I got bitten by a dog last night.

It rained heavily most of the morning but due to my good fortune in getting bitten by a dog I managed to miss most of it

​

I'd taken a walk down to the town (on a steep hill, unlit, amongst roadworks with motorbikes not using lights) which was an adventure in itself. I'd seen the Plaza in the gloom, the old church looming over it, then saw it brightly and vividly dressed for Christmas when someone hit a switch. I'd had a bite to eat bought some chocolate and survived climbing back up to the hotel too. A successful expedition until two dogs went for me.
My first reaction was surprise but they swiftly got close and weren't backing away. One rounded behind me and got me in the back of my right leg behind the knee.

A quick look and I thought that my trousers had protected me but back in the "luxury" of my room I saw that he'd broken the skin and drawn blood. Uh oh.

With no soap in the room I broke into my emergency bar (for a feckless sort I am quite well prepared) and spent the evening washing the wound, spraying alcohol and using an antiseptic cream. Literally rinse and repeat.

I contacted the hostel in Popoyán to explain that I might be needing an early check in and emailed the emergency room in the main hospital in Popoyán to enquire where I needed to go. The danger is rabies, something I have been vaccinated for but the treatment requires several shots spaced out over time. Rabies is not a nice way to die so I'd like to prevent it, if possible.
My plan was to get to Popoyán as quickky as possible the next day.

And then I slept.

Today's río

​

The next morning I felt different. Google had shown no medical facilities in the little town of Rosas but asking my uncommunicative host he confirmed my suspicion that there was a small hospital here. Off I went.

Twice now in the past few days I've found myself depending on the services and skills in small towns to keep me on the road.
Far away, at home, such things seem scary, stressful and not something to enjoy. The reality, though, is different. The welding process was enjoyable (once the welder had confidently announced it repairable) and while I wouldn't say my hospital trip was enjoyable it certainly wasn't the scary, stressful experience that could be imagined.

I was greeted warmly by a man who saw the bike and was more interested in asking questions about my trip.
Then I was plonked in front of a pleasnt lady who did her best to input my details and basic info. I now know that I'm 1.80 meters tall and currently weigh a smidgen under 70kg!
Of course my data doesn't match their system and my insurance details caused many problems - until it was discarded as unimportant!
Slightly worrying was a discussion about the Rabies vaccine, the life of the original vaccine (three shots from December and January five years ago) but someone clearly went off to check it all out.

When the time came I got a tetanus shot in one arm and two rabies shots (in one shot) in the other. Another lady waiting for relief from sudden and debilitating back pain was horrified at all the needles but laughed until she winced when I commented that I like dogs - or at least used to like them!

Then there was the serious business of printing out my details and most importantly the schedule for my next shots. There are times when communication is vital, especially in medical matters and the nurse very carefully explained to me in three different ways that I needed two more shots on two specific dates that could be received in any hospital. Of course I'd had a few problems understanding everything up to this but the various staff I dealt with were incredibly patient.

Then it was through the bowels of the dilpaidated building to the admin section to finally thrash out the insurance details. My insurance won't cover something like this directly (and probably not at all due to the small cost) but my attempt to explain this to the overworked, stressed out man on the computer was ignored.
His computer was incredibly slow and it took ages to extract my insurance documents from a usb stick and in the end he gave up and charged me the princely sum of 40k - less than €10.
In all fairness to the man once the "business" side (and stress) was out of the way he reverted back to pleasant and I even got a smile out of him.

I navigated back through the busy building to give my thanks and was warmly sent on my way.
Up close and personal things that can be so scary aren't really all that bad!

That's my road down there (looking back after climbing)

​

I now had a 45km ride to Popoyán on an up and down road, mainly up for the early stages then a gradual descent but with lots of jags. The morning had passed with lots of rain and it was on and off for the first while and the countryside was hardly inspiring. But that was a minor complaint in the big scheme of things.

Not quite sure what this was - a bit of a band, several women with baby dolls and other folk in fancy dress flagging down traffic for money. Insistent but friendly

​

It was surprisingly tough going and as the day went on I was feeling more and more tired. Traffic was heavy which didn't help so I took lots of breaks.

Some nice views though. Truth be told I wasn't feeling very energetic

​

At one such break a character showed up armed with a shovel. Deep potholes on both sides of the road had been filled in with gravel and he set about shovelling gravel from one hole to another - once. The rest of the time he spent taking the coins out of his pocket and counting them over and over then thrusting his cap out to passing traffic. Because of the tendency for traffic to arrive in packs he was doing no business whatsoever and I took a certain pleasure in that. It wasn't that he was doing practically nothing it was the fact that he was making the situation even more dangerous by standing in the middle of the road waving his shovel about.

Road subsidence. Very hard to photograph and even harder to negotiate safely

​

Another encounter was with another touring cyclist! Venezuelan, he was heading for the border with Ecuador. Such things as papers, visas or closed borders didn't bother him and he found it hard to understand my attitude of not wanting to enter illegally.
Of most interest though, was his bike - a cheap front suspension MTB with 4 homemade panniers buckled and strapped on. The panniers were actually containers for liquid that had been cut to give access from the top.

Baby Bananas!

​

However, the best part of the day were the dog encounters of which there are many these days. I had no extreme reactions and there was no anxiety when I saw a mutt eyeing me up. I was more likely to stop than before but there was no anxiety anything close to what I was feeling in the US as an example. I had been worried about my reaction but as tends to happen the worry was for nothing.
Colombia is still comfortable.

The shoulder, if available, was variable all day. Usually full of gravel, water or potholes it was also well below the road. Unfortunately, traffic was heavy and the lanes narrow. About 6km from Popoyán the surface improved.

​

With about 3km to go I stopped on the side of the road, exhausted. I had very little left to give. Hardly surprising, really given the excitement of the last 18 hours. I rolled into town, passsed the hostel and continued to the Plaza.
There I met my second touring cyclist of the day! An Ecuadorian heading north. In truth I was far from in form to chat - just holding the bike up was hard work - but again this was someone with a basic bike and homemade panniers. It took ages to track down a coffee (no sugar!) and then I pushed through the packed streets to the hostel.

The main church. Popoyán is known as the "White City" because most of its major buildings are white. It could justifiably be called the ruined city after an earthquake.

​

A shower, a trip to a supermarket for supplies and I made a tasty pasta dinner. Then the exhaustion took over and I fell asleep. Both my arms are sore from the jabs which made side sleeping impossible.
A few days off are literally what the Doctor ordered.

Merry Christmas!

(L-R: Costa Rica, México, The Carribbean, Colombia, Panamá, Nicaragua, México, Honduras)
​

Chat? Yes Please!
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[HobbesOnTour]

Day 831-834 Thursday, December 23 - Sunday December 26, Popoyán.

An arty farty shot. There was no shortage of ruins.

​

I didn't like the town.
Now don't go striking it off any "places to visit" list because I think it was just a case of the wrong town at the wrong time.

That there on the left is an entire block left to go to ruin. It is one block away from the main Plaza, so pretty close to the centre of things. It's striking to me that this could be left in such a condition for so long.

​

By the time I arrived I was exhausted, suffering the effects of a double rabies shot in one arm and a tetanus in the other and struggling through the throngs of people to get to the Plaza, a long search for coffee followed by another struggle back to the hostel was not conducive to creating a good impression.

A shot of the Church/Cathedral with the Plaza. I found it quite a severe building, the white making it seem cold. Unfortunately, I never got to look inside.

​

A shower and a quick quest for groceries just emphasised that it was busy and tricky to get around. Then I felt crap for a few days - the after effects of my shots.

A different church taken as I was leaving town. The bright sunshine, the blue sky and the white clouds really set it off.

​

It's a tricky town to walk around. An earthquake in the 80's has left its mark all over and while I'm used to broken streets and broken, uneven footpaths the combination with feeling crap and groggy was too much for me to be able to enjoy.

The church from the Plaza. I'm not sure why the Plaza left me so cold. There was no shortage of places to sit and there were more trees than I've seen in a while. I put it down to the time of year, people distracted by the upcoming festivities and all the shopping to be done. A lack of coffee vendors did not help!

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It's known as "The White City" because of the preponderance of white civic buildings. Unfortunately, graffiti of the angry, scrawled kind rather than the artistic kind defaced many of the buildings. It set a tone that was hard to shift.

A ruin between two otherwise sound buildings. There's a veritable forest growing in there.

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The Plaza, while undoubtedly attractive with lovely, old trees, lots of greenery and places to sit lacked atmosphere and a bit of soul. I've no doubt that it was a confluence of the time of year and my condition. Unusually, coffee was hard to find, street vendors concentrating on flavoured crushed ice.
Unusually, too, the church (or maybe Cathedral) was closed anytime I went past. I had planned to visit on Christmas Day but didn't feel up to leaving the hostel.

A street view with an interesting and rare piece of street art. There was no shortage of "angry" graffiti but little of any artistic merit. It appears I've become an art critic somewhere along the way 😊

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The hostel itself was quiet. Very quiet. A young, French couple spent most of their time away and departed on Christmas Day. An odd old chap was staying too. Very difficult to understand. One or two young Colombians appeared and disappeared over the few days and another French couple arrived the night before I was due to leave.

An elegant building defaced (in my opinion) by the graffiti. "Hogar" refers to a home, digno obviously has something to do with dignity. There was no shortage of homeless folk around and I barely wandered away from the main areas.

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One thing of note did happen after I arrived. I had a message from the Ecuadorian consulate in Ipiales. I had messaged them via Facebook when I was in Ipiales and before I had found their new location. If I'm reading the message correctly the border is now open to the likes of me.

A bit of beauty in a sterile, busy and slightly angry place

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P.S.
In the previous post I omitted to tag Guatemala. The picture at 11 o'clock is from Guatemala 😊

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