Day 9: Ansermanuevo to Anserma

Whoever christened San Francisco as having the steepest streets had never been to Anserma, Colombia. It literally feels like it’s teetering on the peak it’s perched on. Walking up the main strip northbound, all axis streets drop at improbable angles seemingly to nothingness. I can barely look down them. I had to ride corkscrew around town until I could into find a way in that was possible with only human power.

And that main strip is pandemonium. It’s a 2ish lane one way street. Buses, trucks and motorcycles as you’d imagine. The sidewalks on either side are wide enough for 1.5 humans when there is nothing in the way. But there’s always something in the way: street vendors, power meters, abandoned upgrade projects and garbage. Stepping onto the street to avoid these obstacles is a leap of faith. A major one.

Two breakfasts again this morning. It’s become a thing. Lunch often doesn’t happen unless you count orange juice, coffee or ice cream.

For 75% of the day the ride was through pretty flat farmland. Could have been anywhere, frankly, except that the crops were sugarcane and banana. Because I was at a fairly low altitude and because the heat wave continues, it was again over 30 celsius. At one point late in the day I was so hot I had the chills. (Don’t worry mom, I called it a day as soon as I could after that.)

I tried my experiment to ride some smaller highways then diverge onto some of the dirt side roads to see if they were something I could handle. That lasted about 2 km (you can see it on the map below). After a short paved section, I was looking at a big pile of rocks at the very bottom of a steep 4 km climb and who knows what after that. I took a hard pass!

The alternative was a 20 km, 3500 foot climb. Up to the last 30 minutes it was pretty reasonable. But topography is cruel and saves the real punishment for the end. I stopped a few kms short of my intended destination as a result.

When I called it a day in the town square, a group of three older men started talking to me. Despite me saying no hablo mucho español, folks just talk away at me all the time. Anyway, these guys took turns lifting my bike to see how heavy it was. I think I failed their tests miserably 😅

Have a gigantic hotel room tonight. I asked for a room with a window and the only one available has 3 beds and 3 Juliette balconies. I paid the same as for a small room because I think I am the only person in the hotel, as has been the case several times.

I think the biking part of this trip may be just about over. I want to visit one of two towns that are only accessible via very rough roads or two days away alternates. I’m not even going to try to bike the tough stuff. As for the possibly easier long way, the forecast is calling for several days of rain starting Thursday, which is another thing I just don’t want to get into. So tomorrow I’m going to ride about 40 km to Riosucio, where hopefully a bus (or chiva!) will take me + my bike to Jardín. If not, well I’m not exactly sure.