Day 789, Wednesday, November 10, 2021, Alcalá to Filandia, 25 km Total KM 13774
Min meters 1236, Max Meters 1940
Total Climb 881 Total Descent 210
Min Temp 15 Max Temp 46 Ave Temp 25
Café y Leche
I was in no rush getting up and as soon as I did I was back in the constant questioning zone. It became annoying when my answers were ignored and I'd have to repeat myself later for a different question. There was no malice but it was exhausting. My breakfast was ruined, only eating a small amount of granola and not even bothering to cook the eggs I had bought. No peace! No appetite!
Once on the road for some reason I forgot all the petty annoyances of the morning. I can't for the life of me figure out why
He was very surprised that I didn't have a wife nor children. Did he really think I'd be able to travel for two years if I did??
It's a common question though. Some people, mainly younger men, see it as almost the perfect condition - free and on the road.
The fact is people seem to settle down young here. Young women, not much older than girls often have babies in tow. I guess the fact of a guy getting close to 50 without those ties is unusual, never mind the fact that he's on an old bike!
He even brought out his own carbon MTB wanting me to weigh it. Yes, I know it's lighter than mine. I was horrified at the thought that he might want to join me!
I packed up and got away free and clear!
The approach to Quimbaya
For a town that has a special coffee status there was precious little coffee on the road as I left. It was cattle country, dairy by the looks of things. Coffee and milk - a pretty good combination. There were, however, lots of trees and I like those too!
I was heading towards Quimbaya only a few kms down the road. What seemed relatively flat on Gizmo was actually a lot of up and down. A decent road, reasonable traffic and pleasant scenery all added up to an enjoyable ride. At Quimbaya I'd make a decision on where to go. The outside option was to continue in the road to a coffee themed amusement park. I do like my amusement parks but on my own? I'm not so sure. And there'd be issues parking Roccado.
My apprehension of motorbikes has abated but never died so when a motorbike slowed down coming up behind me I moved into alert mode. It was a girl and between the noise of her bike and her helmet I couldn't understand what she was saying. Having conversations between moving traffic is, apparently, common in Colombia!
With no hesitation she pulled in to talk properly, her smile beaming through her helmet. She'd seen me in Chinchina on Monday and was impressed with my progress. She recognised the bike immediately - surprisingly describing it as the blue and yellow bike, not the bike with all the baggage! She just wanted to congratulate me and wish me a good journey!
Later, on the outskirts of Quimbaya another chica* on a motorbike pulled me over. Perhaps I'm becoming irresistible to the local señoritas!
![Grin ^_^ ^_^](/styles/default/xenforo/smls/grin.gif)
Alas, no. She just wanted to know if I'd passed any Police on my way! It's the second time this has happened. I think there's a new compulsory insurance required and that the motorbikes are slow to acquire it.
*Chica (or the masculine chico is not (as far as I'm aware) anything on a par with "chick". Climb off the high horses I'm not a sexist pig (at least based on that sentence
![Grin ^_^ ^_^](/styles/default/xenforo/smls/grin.gif)
)
Quimbaya started off a bit rough but by the time I got to the Plaza I looked down to check that I still had my shorts on - the place could have charmed the pants off me!
A delightful Plaza with lots of tall trees, lots of colour, lots of people was one aspect. A modern church that actually looked good was another. The friendly, relaxed atmosphere was the final component. I could have stayed but it was only 11 am. I did a couple of laps of the Plaza and discovered a series of "local hero" displays. A photo with a description of a local character, their history and their contribution to the town. I was enthralled. From the shoe shine guy to an Athletics coach, a blow-in photographer to a lady making and selling artesenal crafts.
Local heroes! What a simple, good and cynicism free exercise!
Quimbaya; The church, a pedestrian street and a local hero. A delightful, charming town it would have been so, so easy to stay.
I got a bite to eat and headed on. A Theme park wasn't on the menu after that. I wanted more small town experiences.
Next up, via a smaller road was Filandia (no, I'm not missing an "n").
The road wasted no time in challenging me with a hefty double figure gradient. I'd about 700 meters to climb but these numbers aren't fazing me at the moment.
Wandering through such pleasant countryside I was really enjoying myself despite all the climbing
For a small road it put a big smile on my face. At times it was brutally tough but never unpleasant. It simultaneously kicked my ass and with vegetation trying to take over the narrow road it gave me the closest thing to a hug that a road can give. Bright, cheerful buildings along the road dropped random explosions of colour into the mix and often vivid plants burst out of all the green. I was thoroughly enjoying myself, humming away as I laboured up, singing when it levelled off, so much so that I forgot the reason I was here.
Then the road reminded me in spectacular style. Out of nowhere, it seemed, the road started running high up along a river valley, sheer, clay cliffs covered in vegetation to my right, a steep drop filled with all kinds of trees and plants, including coffee, lots and lots of coffee, to my left.
The road even laid on a crash barrier for me to stop and rest.
Looking now the pictures can only give a glimpse of what I saw.
The road is running along the right, twisting and turning to follow the valley. The valley itself is just full of colour, life and coffee. As pictures go this is pretty crap but as feelings go this was a fantastic feeling. Traffic was scarce so I could easily believe I was alone, in a rural valley far, far away from the big, bad world. And coffee! Lots and lots of coffee!
There was a total lack of order to this valley which I found incredibly interesting because it was full of coffee plants - that didn't happen by accident.
The variety of plants, of greens, of life was verging on overpowering. Every scene was full of life - all different kinds of life.
Then there was the road itself, following the twists of the valley that just struck me as so ..... romantic. A little, twisty road through the coffee!
Best of all, the coffee was right there - I could put my hand out and touch it.
I've no idea why this area is hitting all the spots but it really, really is!
Just picking any area at random and paying a bit of attention I was blown away by the depth and variety of plant life.
I was in no rush here. I walked up and down the road soaking it all up. Traffic, the little there was, was very respectful, generally friendly and often enthusiastically so. I'm convinced that people respond enthusiastically to an obvious outsider enjoying their "place".
Heading off again I left my magical coffee valley (yes, it's mine!) and returned to more conventional countryside. In these parts "conventional countryside" means banana trees (and some Palm ones too!).
I am spoilt!
Conventional countryside!
The Touring Gods have ways of keeping my self obsession in check. Lots of ways. Today they chose a simple one - rain, and lots of it!
At first I tried to power through but that wasn't working well. A wind had come from nowhere too and wasn't helping much. Yesterday in the dry I had little rivers on the road so today I had rivers in full flood! The ones running across the road are fine, the ones running down the road not so much. They actually have little waves and as I slowly laboured uphill the wave motion could become very disorienting if I looked at it too long.
Then there's passing traffic and the spray they generate through these little rivers! There's just no staying dry!
Twice my hopes were raised of some shelter when I saw a tall gate with a roof but each time the space was occupied with motorcyclists!
I eventually found an unoccupied one and passed a very dull 40 minutes or so until the sky brightened.
Setting off again, still raining, but lightly, I could be forgiven for thinking that the worst was over. The worst was over but the entertainment wasn't!
Directly in front of me there was a blinding flash of lightning and while I was still reeling there was an almighty crash of thunder.
Thunder rolls is the normal phraseology but not in these parts. Yes, it can roll, the sound imitating rocks rolling down a hill and slowly fading away, but not today!
"Crash" doesn't do justice to the scale, volume and suggestion of destruction that this thunder demands. It's quite thrilling, actually!
But it does raise the question - just what the hell is a bike tourist supposed to do in a thunderstorm? Damned if I know!
On one hairpin bend the entire cliff had been decorated. I'm clearly in Tourist Country but in a car there is no place to stop. Me? I stop where I want
The climbing to Filandia had been very tough. It wasn't a constant climb, there were times when it levelled off giving me a break and even a few short descents. The problem was that the meters were regained very steeply. 1900 meters was my target and the descents (and loss of meters) didn't bother me at all. Thank you Alto de Letras!
The approach to Filandia had me starting to think that I should have stayed in Quimbaya but that went away when I pulled into a very pleasant, very bright Plaza. I was busy congratulating myself when the Touring Gods tut tutted, asked themselves if I'll ever learn and turned on the taps again!
I found shelter under a tree, bought a coffee and tried to look on the bright side.
Up high and with lighter rain I could see again!
My introduction to Maria was a bit confusing because she took me for a German! Her logic, for which I mocked her mercilessly, was that only Germans do things like ride bikes in far away places! She won't make that mistake in a hurry again!
She's a student from Berlin studying here having had to return to Germany during the Pandemic. A German student studying in Colombia through English! Interesting!
She gave me a tip on a hostel on the edge of town so when we parted ways I headed out there. Basic enough but with great views over the valley.
Dark now, I had a shower, threw on some warm clothes and set off to explore the town. My down jacket is suddenly getting a lot of use.
The town didn't do a lot for me but that's probably down to me, not the town. A bright, colourful town should be seen in daylight and preferably without rain.
It also helps to be able to walk around comfortably and my ankle wasn't cooperating with that.
I got a bite to eat and wandered back to the hostal. I was home about five minutes when the heavens opened. I think I had enough rain for the day. It was surprisingly cold so I snuggled up in bed.
Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098