I’m going to tell today’s story based around 3 small acts of kindness.
Part 1
About 40% of the way into my ride up a mountain this morning, I hear quick footsteps and a voice calling out something. I had just passed some road workers so assumed something had fallen off my bike. I turned around and one of the guys was chasing me (not hard to do at that moment, trust me!) with 2 bags of water. He just smiled and handed them to me, then went back about his work. Such a small thing, yet so kind.
So yeah, today was maybe (hopefully!) the biggest single climb. 23 kilometers relentlessly uphill, average grade probably 7 or 8%, on a separated and paved (!) highway. For reference for Toronto folks, the Davenport to St Clair hill on Bathurst is about 6% according to gps software.
The top was 10,800 feet, probably the highest I’ve been on a bike. It took 4.5 hours to get there, and 20 minutes to get halfway back down. I got lots of honks, thumbs up and general kudos from passerby’s. The ride up was hot and sunny, immediately over the pass extremely foggy. The clouds were fenced in.



Part 2
After the driver and I hoisted my bike off the top of his jeep, I ask how much the ride will be. He tells me nothing! WTF? He just saved my ass in a very significant way, and makes a living driving tourists around, yet wants nothing? I paid anyway. And thanked him as much as I could.


You may have been thinking, like me, that the mountain would be the headline story today. You’d be wrong. The trocha (dirt road) between the highway and Salento was next level terrible. As I was sitting by the side of the road, trying to figure out how I could possibly get the last 4 km to town, this guy just rolls up in a tourist shuttle jeep and asks if I want a ride. You better freaking believe I did.

Part 3
Having arrived in town, I was DEAD. Like, totally spent. Walked down a huge hill to a recommended hotel only to be told it’s at the top of the hill. Once I get there, the only room left is a tiny windowless space that I’m not interested in. I just need a bed, and now.
Everywhere except the resorty place has had no issue whatsoever with me bringing my bike in my room. At the next hotel I try in Salento they show me the stairs up to a decent room. Not going to get a bike up there, they communicate, and they are likely right. Their solution, store it in their living space, which is the first floor of the building. The matron of the house guides me through 10 people and a few small rooms to where she’d like me to put it. Done deal. And nothing but smiles from her and her family about it.
Sometimes it’s hard to reconcile the little things individuals will go out of their way to do for total strangers, compared with the savage cruelty groups of people will do to other groups of people. Know what I mean?
Next steps
For the first time ever on one of these trips, I am taking a rest day tomorrow. I have ridden 370 km in 6 days which is barely more than a typical week of me riding at home. But this riding is so totally and utterly different than what I am used to that’s it’s almost not comparable.
Salento is very pretty (and more than a little touristy) so I will be able to find some home type comforts and perhaps share some nice pictures tomorrow, should I be able to get out of bed 😴


What wonderful, helpful people you’ve meet. I can’t imagine the riding up those mountains. Had to be extremely difficult. Give yourself 2 days of rest! The dog reminds me of Chuck. The scenery is breathtaking. I’m sure the photos don’t do it justice. Delicious looking pizza. Sleep well.
Kudos from me too. Enjoy your day off the bike.
It’s fascinating to read these. What an incredibly difficult ride thus far, and it’s so much different from your last one. The stories of the kindnesses of the people you’ve encountered are uplifting. Hope the day off recharges you!
I am also surprised at how much different it is. I wanted more of a challenge and clearly I got it!
4.5 hours up hill. 20 minutes down. Crazy.
Love to hear these stories of kind strangers.
Crazy is one way to put it 😉
Hospitality and kindness in the Americas is next level. Hopefully it takes the edge off the harshness of the roads. Very happy that you are stopping to smell the flowers, or in this case the wax palms of the Valle de Cocora. It’s a beautiful area that you are in, the pride of Colombia. Enjoy!
BBC Article on the palms: https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20130219-colombias-valley-of-the-palms
One of the only places on Earth to see them in their natural habitat, the wax palms in Cocora Valley can grow to 60m tall, and hundreds of them randomly dot the cleared grassland like floral pinwheels, towering above fields of grazing livestock.
Humans are largely wonderful, especially when encountered of the internet! That pizza looks so good by the way, and I haven’t even been on a bike today.
Nice to read about niceness. And that pizza does look good – hope you’re getting enough calories. I can’t imagine how many a 10 thousand foot elevation would take out of you!
Enjoy your rest day.
I started well above sea level! The climb was about 6,500 ft, reaching the max altitude 10,000+. I don’t want to get credit that I didn’t earn. 3,700 calories according to Garmin. I hadn’t had lunch and had a tough time eating after it.
I love that you had this day. I love the kindness, the humanity, the scenery the challenge of the ride and am really glad you found a place to rest. Really incredible Chad.