13/2/2013 Yacuanquer to Ipiales
T65, T4.49 (9.5), Av13.37, Max57, tot11273, 1073
Great weather, though rain began on arrival into Ipiales
Up early knowing the trip to Ipiales was going to be hard work, low and behold the back tyre was flat as boards.
This thwarted any plans of getting away early. Getting it changed, it was found the trye had 3 pieces of steel belted radial wire in it, really small. A new tube was fitted.
The bike was loaded and off to the local Ferretéria for a couple of spare tubes.
A few coffees and a couple of Arepas were enjoyed before the slog down and up back to the Pan Am,3km.
It was very fresh, I had my beany on, from here it was a cruise down hill for 19k to the river Guatira and the new bridge spanning it. This river is hundreds of feet below the bridge, especially down stream, in a serious ravine. The cliffs were home to orchids, agaves, bromeliads and other exotic fringe dwellers, not to mention the ubiquitous pigeons.
Time was spent marveling at this rapidly flowing body of ochre coloured water, still in the process of carving its way into the earth.
The army posted at this strategic point on the road filled me in with other details. The guys lived in a hut by the bridge, it was under guard 24/7. On mentioning the FARC, they said that was one reason they were here.
Climbing out of here, I knew the free loading was over. Basically, it was a 30 odd km climb to Ipiales.
Breakfast come lunch was enjoyed at Pedregal, just up a km from the bridge. Company was kept with a Mack truck agent and his wife who were on a sales trip.
Incidentally Mack has a very small presence here in Colombia, Kenworth dominate, believe me these trucks have to be new and have bloody well maintained brakes.
After yesterdays effort, weariness set in about 1300.
This is when shit started happening. Getting another flat tyre. It was repaired at a roadside truck wash in the company of the driver who was having his truck washed.
Anyway, stuff had to be pulled from the front pannier. My beany and an old shirt were hung in a tree.
Then in San Juan, a bloody dog at a tienda bit me on the leg and drew blood, bastard!!!. Just then the truck driver from the truck wash came past, yelled and gave me a huge blast on the horn.
Then the tienda owner bought some antiseptic out for me. My wallet had been placed on the back of the bike.
So there were lots of distractions, including my exhaustion. Sure enough you guessed it, I headed off forgetting where my wallet was.
Always checking my bar bag as I ride away from buying a drink or whatever, about 500m up the road, it was found not to be in my bag. Shite!! On return to the tienda, the guy and his wife had already checked it out. They gave it straight back, boy was I thankful.
This mistake was a direct result of the effort required to move up these hills for hours on end. It really pushes me to my limits both physically and mentally.
At the top of the climb, some 4 hours later and approaching Ipiales on gentle inclines and declines. It started to rain. I opened up my Port front pannier to get this dry long sleeve shirt as I do. The penny dropped immediately. I had left my beany and shirt in that tree. The guy there will surely put it to good use, their lose will see them with a new owner , that is ok.
On one account I was lucky, the other not so. Maybe the parting with some weight helped get me here to Ipiales.
Looking at the date on my computer, it’s the 13th, bloody irony, not being superstitious, this was a humorous side to the events of today.
Very importantly, the combination of exhaustion, weariness and the loss of alertness due to putting everything into this grueling but beautiful terrain needs to be focused upon when doing anything other than riding.
Pulling in at some tiendas, all I can do is ask for a drink, at times that is even an effort. It’s a spacey kind of feeling, one where on the bike, it becomes mechanical.
At times like these music is a savior.
This state, I am only to aware of, will be experienced on many more occasions in the next 11 months. The feeling of elation in the aftermath, makes them bearable and truly rewarding.
When in this state, the yellow culverts are a saviour, riding from one to another, they offer an easy rest for my right foot.
Always observing things, all the road cuttings are covered in Tillandsias, a species of bromeliads, often called air plants. It is so fascinating that these little epiphytic maestros can colonise what is almost just rock.
Big piles of them are in the gutter, where their ability to multiply vegetatively has spelt their demise due to weight. However they just keep growing where they land.
I used to collect these wondrous plants in Coffs Harbour, they needed just the perfect conditions to thrive, air movement right was up there.
Most trees passed are covered in a mass of shephards beard, another bromeliad, even moreso than in Louisiana.
The steep, but not ridiculously so countryside, was now a checker board of crops and small homes. All so lush and green.
Arriving in Ipiales, stopping at a flash clothes shop, and asking for a wool shirt and beany, they only had cotton. Riding on and into town a great bit of luxury was booked in the form of the Gran Hotel, hot water and all the trimmings in a big room, even a mini bar. $15/night.
A reward for one hell of a day in more ways than one. Tomorrow will see me stop here. There are a few famous landmarks here. Las Lajas is one.
The woman at the motel told me woolen gear is available in Tulcan and is cheaper than Colombia. Getting cold only promotes further body stress late in the afternoon for me.
My next stop will be in Ecuador at Tulcan.
Alli and Glenn have been emailing, we keep missing each other, on asking everywhere today it appears I am ahead of them. It would be nice to see them again.
enjoying a down hill run near Popayán a few days back.
14/15/2/2013 Ipiales
Yesterday was spent enjoying the town, a visit was made out to Las lajas. A famous catholic church here constructed in the early 1900's by the Colombians.
A new beany was purchased. The luxury of my accommodation was also enjoyed. It is very cold here at night, maybe down to single figures. A meal of charcoal cooked chicken was enjoyed across the road, as was reading the news on the net and watching a bit of TV.
Waking up this and planning on heading to Tulcan, the bath room was used.
This acute stomach pain set in . Trying to make myself sick it wouldn't happen. I knew something was up. The pain just keep getting worst. It was on the left side of my lower stomach.
By now I was doing my best to walk.
Making it to reception at about 0730, an hour into the ordeal, the receptionist was asked to get a doctor, quick.
Five minutes later 4 paramedics arrived with an ambulance, they helped me into the back.
The pain was now becoming reminiscent of kidney stones.
On arrival at the Municipal de Ipiales Hospital, Nurses took me to a ward. Bye now I was writhing with this pain. A doctor got some details off me, ID, what I had eaten etc.
They put me on a drip and administered pain killers through this. In about 20 minutes, it was so good to have some relief.
An induced sleep was had for a couple of hours.
On waking another guy was writhing in the nest next to me. His daughter was with him. He had had a big night on the aguadiente with good friends. His daughter and I had a laugh. Soon he was out of the pain also.
Most of the day was spent here. The doctors and nurses to say the least were fantastic. On leaving the facility at 1530, I felt fine but just a bit weak, though otherwise fine.
Very kindly the hospital staff did not charge me for their services or the ambulance. Though cost was never an issue. Getting rid of the pain was.
It is so fortunate that this happened in a town with facilities, also it was great to be in comfortable lodgings.
Of all the food eaten lately most of it has been from very small street dealers and local eateries in small towns .
Ironically in a big city one takes a hit. The restaurant was across the road. They cook the the chicken on huge rotisseries over charcoal, really nice and more healthier than alot of the fried chicken which is also very popular.
Anyway they store the cooked chooks in drawers below the fire. Possibly it had been there sometime.
Hopefully this experience has given me some defense to this in the future.
My diet as prescribed will be for awhile, no chicken or dairy products, but lots of fruit.
The afternno was spent eating fruit and relaxing, in anticipation of tomorrows ride to Tulcan in Ecuador.
T65, T4.49 (9.5), Av13.37, Max57, tot11273, 1073
Great weather, though rain began on arrival into Ipiales
Up early knowing the trip to Ipiales was going to be hard work, low and behold the back tyre was flat as boards.
This thwarted any plans of getting away early. Getting it changed, it was found the trye had 3 pieces of steel belted radial wire in it, really small. A new tube was fitted.
The bike was loaded and off to the local Ferretéria for a couple of spare tubes.
A few coffees and a couple of Arepas were enjoyed before the slog down and up back to the Pan Am,3km.
It was very fresh, I had my beany on, from here it was a cruise down hill for 19k to the river Guatira and the new bridge spanning it. This river is hundreds of feet below the bridge, especially down stream, in a serious ravine. The cliffs were home to orchids, agaves, bromeliads and other exotic fringe dwellers, not to mention the ubiquitous pigeons.
Time was spent marveling at this rapidly flowing body of ochre coloured water, still in the process of carving its way into the earth.
The army posted at this strategic point on the road filled me in with other details. The guys lived in a hut by the bridge, it was under guard 24/7. On mentioning the FARC, they said that was one reason they were here.
Climbing out of here, I knew the free loading was over. Basically, it was a 30 odd km climb to Ipiales.
Breakfast come lunch was enjoyed at Pedregal, just up a km from the bridge. Company was kept with a Mack truck agent and his wife who were on a sales trip.
Incidentally Mack has a very small presence here in Colombia, Kenworth dominate, believe me these trucks have to be new and have bloody well maintained brakes.
After yesterdays effort, weariness set in about 1300.
This is when shit started happening. Getting another flat tyre. It was repaired at a roadside truck wash in the company of the driver who was having his truck washed.
Anyway, stuff had to be pulled from the front pannier. My beany and an old shirt were hung in a tree.
Then in San Juan, a bloody dog at a tienda bit me on the leg and drew blood, bastard!!!. Just then the truck driver from the truck wash came past, yelled and gave me a huge blast on the horn.
Then the tienda owner bought some antiseptic out for me. My wallet had been placed on the back of the bike.
So there were lots of distractions, including my exhaustion. Sure enough you guessed it, I headed off forgetting where my wallet was.
Always checking my bar bag as I ride away from buying a drink or whatever, about 500m up the road, it was found not to be in my bag. Shite!! On return to the tienda, the guy and his wife had already checked it out. They gave it straight back, boy was I thankful.
This mistake was a direct result of the effort required to move up these hills for hours on end. It really pushes me to my limits both physically and mentally.
At the top of the climb, some 4 hours later and approaching Ipiales on gentle inclines and declines. It started to rain. I opened up my Port front pannier to get this dry long sleeve shirt as I do. The penny dropped immediately. I had left my beany and shirt in that tree. The guy there will surely put it to good use, their lose will see them with a new owner , that is ok.
On one account I was lucky, the other not so. Maybe the parting with some weight helped get me here to Ipiales.
Looking at the date on my computer, it’s the 13th, bloody irony, not being superstitious, this was a humorous side to the events of today.
Very importantly, the combination of exhaustion, weariness and the loss of alertness due to putting everything into this grueling but beautiful terrain needs to be focused upon when doing anything other than riding.
Pulling in at some tiendas, all I can do is ask for a drink, at times that is even an effort. It’s a spacey kind of feeling, one where on the bike, it becomes mechanical.
At times like these music is a savior.
This state, I am only to aware of, will be experienced on many more occasions in the next 11 months. The feeling of elation in the aftermath, makes them bearable and truly rewarding.
When in this state, the yellow culverts are a saviour, riding from one to another, they offer an easy rest for my right foot.
Always observing things, all the road cuttings are covered in Tillandsias, a species of bromeliads, often called air plants. It is so fascinating that these little epiphytic maestros can colonise what is almost just rock.
Big piles of them are in the gutter, where their ability to multiply vegetatively has spelt their demise due to weight. However they just keep growing where they land.
I used to collect these wondrous plants in Coffs Harbour, they needed just the perfect conditions to thrive, air movement right was up there.
Most trees passed are covered in a mass of shephards beard, another bromeliad, even moreso than in Louisiana.
The steep, but not ridiculously so countryside, was now a checker board of crops and small homes. All so lush and green.
Arriving in Ipiales, stopping at a flash clothes shop, and asking for a wool shirt and beany, they only had cotton. Riding on and into town a great bit of luxury was booked in the form of the Gran Hotel, hot water and all the trimmings in a big room, even a mini bar. $15/night.
A reward for one hell of a day in more ways than one. Tomorrow will see me stop here. There are a few famous landmarks here. Las Lajas is one.
The woman at the motel told me woolen gear is available in Tulcan and is cheaper than Colombia. Getting cold only promotes further body stress late in the afternoon for me.
My next stop will be in Ecuador at Tulcan.
Alli and Glenn have been emailing, we keep missing each other, on asking everywhere today it appears I am ahead of them. It would be nice to see them again.
enjoying a down hill run near Popayán a few days back.
14/15/2/2013 Ipiales
Yesterday was spent enjoying the town, a visit was made out to Las lajas. A famous catholic church here constructed in the early 1900's by the Colombians.
A new beany was purchased. The luxury of my accommodation was also enjoyed. It is very cold here at night, maybe down to single figures. A meal of charcoal cooked chicken was enjoyed across the road, as was reading the news on the net and watching a bit of TV.
Waking up this and planning on heading to Tulcan, the bath room was used.
This acute stomach pain set in . Trying to make myself sick it wouldn't happen. I knew something was up. The pain just keep getting worst. It was on the left side of my lower stomach.
By now I was doing my best to walk.
Making it to reception at about 0730, an hour into the ordeal, the receptionist was asked to get a doctor, quick.
Five minutes later 4 paramedics arrived with an ambulance, they helped me into the back.
The pain was now becoming reminiscent of kidney stones.
On arrival at the Municipal de Ipiales Hospital, Nurses took me to a ward. Bye now I was writhing with this pain. A doctor got some details off me, ID, what I had eaten etc.
They put me on a drip and administered pain killers through this. In about 20 minutes, it was so good to have some relief.
An induced sleep was had for a couple of hours.
On waking another guy was writhing in the nest next to me. His daughter was with him. He had had a big night on the aguadiente with good friends. His daughter and I had a laugh. Soon he was out of the pain also.
Most of the day was spent here. The doctors and nurses to say the least were fantastic. On leaving the facility at 1530, I felt fine but just a bit weak, though otherwise fine.
Very kindly the hospital staff did not charge me for their services or the ambulance. Though cost was never an issue. Getting rid of the pain was.
It is so fortunate that this happened in a town with facilities, also it was great to be in comfortable lodgings.
Of all the food eaten lately most of it has been from very small street dealers and local eateries in small towns .
Ironically in a big city one takes a hit. The restaurant was across the road. They cook the the chicken on huge rotisseries over charcoal, really nice and more healthier than alot of the fried chicken which is also very popular.
Anyway they store the cooked chooks in drawers below the fire. Possibly it had been there sometime.
Hopefully this experience has given me some defense to this in the future.
My diet as prescribed will be for awhile, no chicken or dairy products, but lots of fruit.
The afternno was spent eating fruit and relaxing, in anticipation of tomorrows ride to Tulcan in Ecuador.
Looking downstream from the bridge, the river Guatira is way down in the slot between the ravine walls.
Typical burden for most trees. Looking east.
Fascinating, to say the least.
Typical scenery.
El centro surrounded by government buildings
and the large hypermarket in the background.
The church Las Lajas in the distance. A huge tourist attraction.
las Lajas Cathedral. impessively constructed over and alongside a deep river gorge.
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A meal was enjoyed here in Pedregal, the start of the big climb.
Road safety awareness sign
Hangin' in there.
Riding from one of these to the next sometimes necessitates. They are further apart than they look :)
Downtown Ipiales, fashion clothing shops rule.
Most fields were sown in potatoes.
The locals!!
These plaques were everywhere on the lower part of the long walk to the church.
Those thanking the virgin of Las Lajas for favors received.
These avocados were huge.
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