We load up the van, which unusually fits us and our luggage without difficulty - memories from La Paz of being squashed into a van like sardines and praying the tyres didn't explode on a sharp corner, with a long drop below. It's trying to rain, but only drizzle is squeezed out of the clouds.
We climb, climb, climb, and the precipitation turns from drizzle to torrential rain; rivers of water stream down the side of the road. The bends in the road become sharper and memories of La Paz flood back. Eventually we turn off the winding road and head up a narrow lane, stopping at a gate to the property where the bikes are kept. We're at 2320m!
We unload and then transfer our gear from our trolley bags to dry bags which we strap to the bikes. In the process we also change into our riding gear. The rain has stopped but it continues to look threatening so wet keep our waterproofs close to hand.
Our guide, Jeff, gives us a briefing and introduces us to Edic and Brian our support crew.
Jeff runs through the rules and thankfully we're not expected to run red lights! We should also watch out for speed cameras - in my case it later turns out that my speedo isn't working, so spotting cameras is a mute point. Jeff introduces us to his motto 'Sempre Gumby', meaning: be flexible. (Steve says Morph is the UK equivalent.) We leave in three groups, I'm in the first group led by Jeff.
We head back down the mountain the way we came up and with the wet roads we take extra care to use both brakes plus engine braking, to stay in control. We're back in Medellin but after several last minute changes of direction it seems like Jeff doesn't know the route that well. At one point we seem to creep through a red light too... 🤔
Lunch is about an hour away and although we left first, We've arrived last. 🤷🏽 The lunch portions are huge and most struggle to finish their meals and apparently these were half portions!
At some point really in our journey Jeff has bike problems and we stop for ten minutes while Edic checks his bike. Nothing seems wrong so we continue.
We leave the city and are on the Colombian equivalent to a motorway, as we pass toll booths, but bikes it seems go free. Yay!
We stop suddenly and Edic gestures to put on our waterproofs. Therev are several other locals on bikes doing the same. Once underway the rain starts within what seems like a few hundred metres. Wow, that's a great weather forecast!
The rain is on and off, and where it's off it gets quite hot under our impermeable layers.
We're now riding in one group spread apart at times but always within sight of each other. Climbing again and frequently getting bombed by locals zooming past sometimes two up. While we ride quite regimented, the locals weave in and out like we are mobile obstacles. I'm sure we can go faster but our pace is dictated by Jeff and in any case we're getting used to our machines.
At one point a car overtakes me and slots in between me and Steve. In general cars tailgate you within a few metres and it can be quite disconcertingly. After a while you get used to ignoring it. On some of the hills that car struggled and eventually it's me that overtakes this time. But, while overtaking, the road bears to the left; my bike doesn't react as I expect and runs a little wide. I end up touching the car as I overtake it, the crash bars nudging it slightly. That was a close call and a lesson learned. I wave at the driver to apologise. We stop for petrol but long after this and the car continues along the road while we pull in. No damage done and no hard feelings.
Waterproofs off, phew what a relief to feel the breeze again.
We cross a large bridge and there's a lovely view upstream. It's the Rio Magdelana. We stop for pictures of course.
Now we're off the trunk road in smaller roads but they're still fast. Oncoming bikers wave at us to slow down. We do see so and not long after there's an obvious police speed check point.
We arrive at our destination and park up. It's been 247km today. More than I expected.
Tonight we're in Cimitarra, you can just about make out the name in the picture below, taken during a post dinner walk with Graham. The town is named after someone who left their scimitar behind, so the story goes...
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