More of a plod really with the dodgy hip, but at least I'm out. 2.4 slow km. Nice views though.
Across to breakfast while I cool down, but it takes so long to reach the table that I shower while waiting.
Down to the bike, secured my dry bag to it, and I'm ready to go, today I'm swapping with Graham to see how the Honda 300cc behaves. While waiting for the off, I do a Duolingo lesson: 100%. Tres bien!
Just out of town, we stop at a viewpoint with a sharp drop below and wonderful view across the valley. Pictures, poses and a thump on the head for Hugo.
We refuel just before we leave town. Then it's asphalt/tarmac to start, we ride about 40km on winding roads, Jeff seems more comfortable now. Later I ask him if he's feeling better, but he says no, he's just riding faster as that's what we want.
We fill up, yet again and stop for some refreshments and also buy some snacks for our next stop as Jeff says we're riding into a remote area with no shops. He also says we need to ride carefully as any we'll be a long way from rescue.
The aspalt turns into a gravel track - we now have to get used to the loose surface. I'm following Jeff, but he's not taking good lines through the terrain. He tends to get too close to the inside of a corner on the entry, which makes him tend to run wide on the exit. His leg extends out at times, motocross style. At least he seems comfortable doing that, and we're moving at a reasonable pace. This is what we came for.
The track is now more hard rock than gravel, and you have to be a bit more careful with the placement of the front wheel to avoid the protruding rock in places. This is not a straightforward gravel track, it's semi technical requiring some degree of skill to navigate safely without crawling along. We've done this all over the world, so riding like this is nothing new to us. Because we've ridden together in and off over 16 years we know and trust each other's abilities, which makes riding in a group easier and less stressful.
We're riding through the valleys with rivers at the bottom and that means we often have to cross streams flowing into that water. Water crossings are always fun and always risk either getting wet or falling off, or both! Inevitably there's a lot of splashing so your boots get soaked, but that's part of the game.
On the approach to one crossing there's a patch of soft gravel that catches Alan out. Over he goes, and it takes several bikers to lift the bike - and these are supposed to be small light bikes. No damage done and I think Alan is going for some kind of record - this is his third fall - the first two were when he was stationary, one this morning.
We reach a wider dried up river bed full of stones and gravel. In the rainy season this would be a raging torrent, but today it's a manageable flow. A good picture opportunity, so I stop mid stream and manage to catch Steve in action.
We continue on the track and reach 2500m at one point. Because it's very bumpy the bikes are bounced all over the place. There's so much bumping in fact that my topbox flies open. I don't realise until Gerard gives me a toot twice, then I realise something is wrong. Disaster! My two packets of crisps have been lost. Graham's bag is still there fortunately. Must do the straps up tighter.
We arrive in Onzaga and park up outside a restaurant. It's a pleasant town with a lively square focussed on the main church. There's Colombian music playing and people sitting in the square chatting.
While the others eat, Steve and I wander around taking pictures. A large lorry heads towards the narrow side road where our bikes are parked, surely it can't fit there? But it's coming. And our bikes are in the way. The driver toots and we start manoeuvring them to safer locations. But there's a car too, and that's not moving. The lorry driver doesn't give up. He squeezes by with just mm to spare on each side, ably assisted by Edy giving directions.
After lunch more off-road. More of the same but with more mud. It gets slippy in places and I feel my front wheel sliding a little; for the back that's normal, and in fact I often provoke it to break traction, just for kicks.
I'm dicing with Ray and over take him, but soon after I lose it on the mud and get thrown off course. He overtakes me this time - touché! It's all good fun.
At some point I notice rain drops on my visor. Just a few, but soon it becomes heavier. Ahead of me the riders start jumping off their bikes to don rain gear. Steve's behind me and we don't bother because ahead there are clearer skies, and in my experience I'll dry off pretty quickly once the rain stops. But on reflection I could not have put my rain gear on anyway because I didn't have it, Graham did! - apparently Graham waved for me to stop, but I didn't see him. In any case, I did him a favour not stopping, because soon after it does indeed stop raining.
It's getting noticeable cooler and we're now at altitude. We touch 3000m briefly.
We climbed up and now we're descending into our destination. We see it from the hill overlooking the town, Soata.
Entering the town the roads are steep. The road leading to the square is about as steep as it gets.
In the square there's a church - obviously - and our hotel, plus a few shops and restaurants. We park. This time we're told to engage the steering lock. 140km today.
The square is a hive of activity. There's a group of young girls in team outfits on inline skates racing around the central area, while their coach encourages them.
Dinner, but no dessert, followed by a walk back to the hotel, via a stop for ice cream.
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