Caucasia to Tarazá
21/5/2012
D62, T3, Av20, Total10,044
Fine 27℃ and pleasant.
Having a lazy sleep in till 0830, knowing the road was again flat and that only 60k had to be covered.
No more than 1k from town an orange juice stall was spotted, the perfect start to the day.
The road has now got a good wide shoulder between towns, infact much of it was like riding through a park with shady roadside trees, Teak and Mangoes represented well.
The many small towns passed were all spaced perfectly for water replacement or other refreshments. So many small towns are not on my map and definitely not on the google maps.
At Gaurumo, the road started following the Rio Cauco, a huge silt laden vehicle with a flood plain on the opposite bank to the road.
The river is laden with alluvial gold. The sound of poorly muffled diesel engines on the river was heard for much of the trip.
These engines were providing power to small floating gold dredges, two man operations.
Big groups would be working in areas of the river where this heavy metal would accumulate.
Erosion and these machines tearing up the gravel and mud ensured the river was a light brown colour.
The hills in the distance, those between me and Medellin are home to farmers growing coca plants, they thrive in elevated areas.
Having read a couple of other blogs about the up coming passage to Medellin it is very steep. So tomorrow heading to Valdavia is my last day of relatively hill free terrain, from there to Medellin, some 166k is either uphill or down hill, not much in between.
Arriving in Tarazá about 1300, the hotel la Cascada Ice was chosen, though an upstairs affair, there was not much else on offer. It is very comfortable and I would recommend it. The have hosted cyclist many times in the past. ($12/night)
Having not seen other cyclists to date, it is known there is a couple on a tandem ahead of me somewhere and a solo American guy. Meet, we may well never.
The afternoon was enjoyed with a sleep, a wander round town, and a great meal of cerdo, arroz, frijoles y ensalada con sopa de carne.
In the early evening sitting on the kerb with an ice cream. Outside the motel there are about 4 bars all within 100m of each other.Well they all had the loudest music going.
An Ibiza DJ couldnt have dreamt up such mix, it was classic, in between this there were elderly couples in chairs on the street relaxing in the cool evening air. On top of all this the church bells were ringing.
Its amazing what one can get used to. A beef kebab was enjoyed in the park.
Riding along today with plenty of time on my side. It was decided to photograph these millipede like insects that have been running the guantlet by the thousands ever since starting to ride here in Colombia.
They all seem hell bent on crossing the road and do so at a risk beyond comprehension. Stopping to photograph some, those that were not immediately levelled by a trye were blown along the road. Soon as they lost momentun they would rolover, get up and restart their perilous crossing.
Their sheer numbers, not so much enmass but spread all along the road, surely ensure their survival in this environment.
The landscape here is so rich in all shades of the colour green it is almost unreal, cattle graze in pastures with scattered remnant palm trees, surface water shines in the sun, all this under a tropical blue sky suspending lazy white clouds.
It is truly like riding through Jurassic park minus the unexpected.
Motor vehicles here all have their city or town of origin on the plates. Many modern cars are now being encountered, many of these call Medellin home. Many motorcycle tourers are passing me, also on their way south.
They blow their horns and wave, as do many vehicles, probably occupied by fellow cyclists. It all adds to the atmosphere that is further elevated by greetings given and recieved by people, roadside.
The added bonus once altitude is gained further south is the air will cool down, can’t wait.
21/5/2012
D62, T3, Av20, Total10,044
Fine 27℃ and pleasant.
Having a lazy sleep in till 0830, knowing the road was again flat and that only 60k had to be covered.
No more than 1k from town an orange juice stall was spotted, the perfect start to the day.
The road has now got a good wide shoulder between towns, infact much of it was like riding through a park with shady roadside trees, Teak and Mangoes represented well.
The many small towns passed were all spaced perfectly for water replacement or other refreshments. So many small towns are not on my map and definitely not on the google maps.
At Gaurumo, the road started following the Rio Cauco, a huge silt laden vehicle with a flood plain on the opposite bank to the road.
The river is laden with alluvial gold. The sound of poorly muffled diesel engines on the river was heard for much of the trip.
These engines were providing power to small floating gold dredges, two man operations.
Big groups would be working in areas of the river where this heavy metal would accumulate.
Erosion and these machines tearing up the gravel and mud ensured the river was a light brown colour.
The hills in the distance, those between me and Medellin are home to farmers growing coca plants, they thrive in elevated areas.
Having read a couple of other blogs about the up coming passage to Medellin it is very steep. So tomorrow heading to Valdavia is my last day of relatively hill free terrain, from there to Medellin, some 166k is either uphill or down hill, not much in between.
Arriving in Tarazá about 1300, the hotel la Cascada Ice was chosen, though an upstairs affair, there was not much else on offer. It is very comfortable and I would recommend it. The have hosted cyclist many times in the past. ($12/night)
Having not seen other cyclists to date, it is known there is a couple on a tandem ahead of me somewhere and a solo American guy. Meet, we may well never.
The afternoon was enjoyed with a sleep, a wander round town, and a great meal of cerdo, arroz, frijoles y ensalada con sopa de carne.
In the early evening sitting on the kerb with an ice cream. Outside the motel there are about 4 bars all within 100m of each other.Well they all had the loudest music going.
An Ibiza DJ couldnt have dreamt up such mix, it was classic, in between this there were elderly couples in chairs on the street relaxing in the cool evening air. On top of all this the church bells were ringing.
Its amazing what one can get used to. A beef kebab was enjoyed in the park.
Riding along today with plenty of time on my side. It was decided to photograph these millipede like insects that have been running the guantlet by the thousands ever since starting to ride here in Colombia.
They all seem hell bent on crossing the road and do so at a risk beyond comprehension. Stopping to photograph some, those that were not immediately levelled by a trye were blown along the road. Soon as they lost momentun they would rolover, get up and restart their perilous crossing.
Their sheer numbers, not so much enmass but spread all along the road, surely ensure their survival in this environment.
The landscape here is so rich in all shades of the colour green it is almost unreal, cattle graze in pastures with scattered remnant palm trees, surface water shines in the sun, all this under a tropical blue sky suspending lazy white clouds.
It is truly like riding through Jurassic park minus the unexpected.
Motor vehicles here all have their city or town of origin on the plates. Many modern cars are now being encountered, many of these call Medellin home. Many motorcycle tourers are passing me, also on their way south.
They blow their horns and wave, as do many vehicles, probably occupied by fellow cyclists. It all adds to the atmosphere that is further elevated by greetings given and recieved by people, roadside.
The added bonus once altitude is gained further south is the air will cool down, can’t wait.
The road ahead was up in those hills somewhere
True vandals whens it comes to wetland areas.
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Local wildlife, Iguana
Rinerside homes and businesses on the Rio Tarazá, a tributary of the Cauca
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