Saturday: negotiating Death Road

We set off from Coroico heading towards La Paz. Today there's a modern road that links the eastern part of Bolivia to the capital, but a few years ago the only route was the Yungas Road, little more than a dirt track scraped into the side of a mountain with a sharp stick; jagged rocks on one side and perilous drops (and more jagged rocks) on the other. Barely room for one car in places, unbelievably this was a main highway traversed by coaches and trucks. Unsurprisingly this gave the road a nickname Avenida del Muerte, or Death Road, because of the many deaths that occurred after vehicles toppled over the edge.

Old and new routes to the Amazon - Left: Death Road; Right: shiny new tarmac.  You choose!

Our group is becoming quite the connoisseur of dangerous roads having experienced Cambodia's Death Highway and India's Sutlej Valley road, so we just had to sample the delights of the Avenida del Muerte. The road starts with a sign telling you to drive on the wrong side of the road. This is very thoughtful of the authorities as it allows the driver of downhill vehicles to see right over the edge at what is about to kill them if they lose concentration. Uphill drivers have it lucky, as they get to the hug the cliff face. There are a few places where the road widens to allow two vehicles to pass safely, but safely is a relative term.  But on two wheels this is a breeze, even with oncoming traffic (except bicycles).

Death Road - doesn't look so scary

Compared to the Sutlej Valley road there was much more foliage, which deceives you as to the dangers ahead, but being a deeply Catholic country we were able to judge the severity each corner by the number of crosses planted there. In a few places the foliage clears and the road's nickname starts to make sense. In one very picturesque and treacherous spot the road clings to the inside of a bend while water streams onto the road from the sheer wall above and then plummets over into the abyss below. You have to ride through the waterfall to get past this point. Further on there's a viewing point and you can really appreciate the dramatic rock face above and below the road.

But, stay away from the edge!

The downhill route is also popular with cyclists ranging from hardened mountain bikers with helmets and knee pads to dainty young ladies clad in little more than t-shirt and shorts. They mostly travel in groups with support vehicle in tow. The inexperienced riders tend to ride close to the wall - on the wrong side of the road - and are a danger to themselves and others. Steve encountered one on a blind corner and both he and the cyclist ended up in a ditch, fortunately away from the edge. Steve almost thumped the cyclist and would probably have been justified doing so. The cyclist was very embarrassed and rode off; Steve hobbled back onto his bike with an injured knee.

Almost at the end of the dangerous section, there's a good vantage point looking over the valley we've just climbed. I pause and build a cairn, which I dedicate to my friend and fellow biker Steve Bond, who died only a few weeks before my trip. RIP Steve.

In memory of Steve Bond, RIP

Yungas road joins the main, modern, replacement road and you switch back to riding on the right side of the road. The tarmac is mostly good quality, with long straights and sweeping bends. We continue climbing on the road and again reach almost 4700m. After sweltering in the 30C heat at lower altitudes the near freezing temperatures (ice at the roadside) are a shock and we all have to don extra layers before we continue towards La Paz.

The view back down the valley we just climbed

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