I tried!
That big hill that started my day was not something I could ride on. I pushed, pulled and generally dragged myself and my 2/3s loaded bicycle up the ridiculously steep and rough road for somewhere around 5 kms. It took 4 hours. I don’t think I moved more than 25 meters without taking a break. It may have been the most physically demanding thing I’ve ever done.
Why, you ask? Well, maybe halfway up I realized the road I was on was not actually part of the route I’m following. So I thought the official road might be a little better. Once I got on it, it was for sure less bad, but not much more achievable.
The other thing that kept me going was that I really wanted to do this ride. The landscapes look unbelievable. So I thought maybe when I got up the steepest part it would become more realistic. Pictures on the internet suggest some of the surface conditions are pretty good.
But what I was experiencing was an inability to ride in anything like a straight line (when I could ride at all) on an often narrow path with big drops on either side, and a bike that was slipping all over the place. And I had blown half the day on a handful of kms and had 45 to go to the only known accommodation. All to say, by the time I decided to abort I just turned around and that was that. 30 white knuckle minutes of riding the brakes and I was back at highway level.
So I had lunch and made a new highway based route. The trucks and traffic on curvy mountain highways aren’t great, but they are totally doable. I snuck in 5,200 feet of elevation in under 30 kilometers and also under 3 hours. This, in my books, is sane.
I’m in Cajamarca tonight. A small and bustling highway town. It’s likely I’m the only gringo here. Main Street is a constant stream of big rigs, but 50 meters away on any side street it’s a totally different story. People everywhere just doing whatever.
Tomorrow I will continue to head to Salento, but will do so on more pavement. It’s going to be a lot of climbing but the sort I know I can achieve. Not sure what will happen after that. I will continue to try to follow the route I started with, but clearly some of it is out of my league.
Wow Chaddo. Just reading what you achieved today exhausted me, much less trying to do it. Maybe some day you’ll do it but you made the right decision. You’re going to need a new bike after this trip🤪. Looks like you had some great scenery, especially the parrot. Sleep well.
Happy you did what you did- all of it. Looking forward to tomorrow.
Well I’m so glad to know you tried today and I’d say, you did! Maybe not all you had wanted to – but you did and those photos were quite amazing.
So fun you are meeting such great people and having good food to keep you going. Glad you got some ‘Chad’ clothes too. 🙂
Stay safe, sleep well and wishing you an incredible day tomorrow.
Hey Chad:
Kudos for trying the untameable terrain! Methinks that some routes are not intended for bicycles. Pushing and pulling your ride and luggage at such elevations sounds like one Hurculean feat! I’m glad you got to safer grounds in tact.
Well, that route is a pretty popular mountain bike ride. It seems I am not a mountain biker. And I’m ok with that!
Nice call on the abort (retry? fail?) on that initial route. I think that’s a weakness of mine is a singular mindset if I’ve put in a few hours or miles on something I would probably have kept going despite all indicators saying no bueno. I think that kind of decision making is as important (or an alternative to) massive fitness for these sorts of rides. Not that you don’t have both, in spades, of course.
I’m the same but I am learning all sorts of new tricks down here 😉
Young dog, new tricks!