On Thursday I drank coffee and hit
the road at 9:30. I was a bit groggy from a night with a large group of kite
surfers who offered me tequila and Pacificos. Los Barriles is a kite surfing
town and the kite surfers are friendly. Walking through the streets, a truck
full of police stopped me to solicit a 'safety' donation and I declined.
4 kilometers into the 110km ride to
reach Gustavo and Carmen, the mountains began, and they did not end for 70km
until El Triunfo. There were several almacens along way and I stopped once for
a yogurt drink, cookies, and water. A man stood alone in his almacen, blasting
rigaton. I drank alarge orange drink in the almacen and he asked me if the
orange drink was rico and I assented, indeed, the orange drink was rico.
The mountains were green and covered
in desert scrub and cactus. There was light rain and strong wind. It was
beautiful and isolated in the mountains but hard, undulating climbing, where I
averaged about 10km per hour. When I hit the valley to La Paz, I rode in my
hardest gear, 30km per hour to the city, the last 10km in heavy traffic.
Gustavo and Carmen had secured a
large room in the center and I was given a key by the receptionist. I entered
the room and saw battle worn bicycles and clothes hanging from the bikes to
dry. Surely I had encountered a family of narcociclistas. It had been five
years since I had seen Gustavo. He had become brother in the time we had ridden
with Urs in the desert of Northern Argentina. I had made it, but I still had to
find him on the streets.. I set down my bike, showered, and found them at a
small eatery.
We drank beer in a modern place and
then found a cantina where the locals danced. We were popular and locals bought
us large bottles of beer. and joined our trio. An old man joined us, only to
fall asleep next to me after joining us at our table.
It was a very good time and it
reminded me of small places in Colombia, Argentina, and Chile: wooden tables
and chairs, instant friendship with strangers, and large, cold bottles of beer.
We retired fairly early and slept soundly at 9:30, all of us having completed a
long day of riding. We were to ride to Cabo San Lucas for la navidad,
completing a loop I had contemplated and which had now materialized.
In the morning, we took a taxi to a
beach 30km outside the city, Balanta. It was very windy and slightly chilly but
all 3 of swam in very shallow waters. We caught a ride to the other side of the
beach and ate conch meat ceviche style with tostadas and drank beers.
Afterwards I wandered the streets and ate some concoction of corn, mayonnaise,
cheese, and picante. We would have two days of riding until Cabo San Lucas, the
end of the,which Gustavo and Carmen had been riding towards for nearly three
weeks.
Departing Los Barriles, soon before the climbing began in earnest.
Surely the road will not pass through these mountains.
The mountains now behind me, a very flat and fast road to La Paz. At the rate I hadbeengoingin the mountains, I did not see how it was to be possible to arrive in La Paz until very late in the day. The gods were forgiving and provided a swift course to the city, although 15 of the final kilometers were in heavy, and admittedly dangerous, traffic.
The following photos were from our day trip via taxi to two beaches outside La Paz. Neither the water nor outside temperature were very warm, but the remote beaches were pleasant.
