Here's where I rode:
I am not sure if the resolution is good enough to read but I rode from Alto La Paz on the right (mid way up) stright across to the edge of the left hand edge of the lake in the bay near the middle of the pic...looks REAL easy now. Tomorrow I ride on to Cococabana...its not quite as far but I'll have my first real hills to climb (gasp!).
The ride:
I decided to get a Taxi from La Paz to Alto La Paz...using my superior Spanish skills (the late Marcel Marso would have been proud) I found out my drivers name was Guilliome. It saved me 10km of wicked climbing and suicidal riding in carazy markt traffic and cost me $3. The drive wasn't without incident...check out how they cool an overheated engine down in Bolivia (I told you it was a rough climb!)
Once we got to the edge of Alto La Paz it was time to suck it up and ride:
Of course I left late (1:30pm - different country/same Neal) and that put a bit of pressure on me as I really wanted to sleep in a hotel...camping so close to La Paz is not a good idea and I wanted a good dinner & a real bed!
The first 5 km I was still in town and it was hell...the traffic was anywhere from 4 to 1 lane on each side of the road depending on how many people were in the street...taxi and mini buses always cutting me off...I am too scared to ride in Atlanta so I wasn't having a good time. I did get to see my first road carnage when the rear wheels completely snapped of the big dump truck directly ahead of me...at one point the road just disappeared and everybody was off-roading. I should have stopped for a pic but I just wanted out.
After I got out of the city things picked up and I made decent time for a while...I started at 13,200ft and dropped very gradually to about 12,7000ft then would climb back to about 13,000ft all the way to Lake Titicaca. I stopped to take some picks and fix a few minor issues with brakes and panniers. Locals are friendly...passing drivers would beep and wave and folks would smile and say "Ola" when I passed...I am sure they think I am a crazy white guy but I am quite OK with that.
Typical views during the ride with Cordillera Real in the background
About 15 km from from where I was told I'd find a hotel all was going well...averaging about 20km and feeling tired but OK...then the friggin wind started down from the Cordillera Real and I was suddenly struggling to do 8km an hour and getting so knackered I'd have to stop and breathe every 2-3 km. All this on essentially a flat road SUCKED!) About the time I was going to get off and walk a 2% grade (after resting first of course) I saw this magical sign..."my sight grew dim & I had to stop for the night":
It was the first hotel I'd seen since leaving La Paz. I belive I am the only guest...it is VERY strange (alaThe Shining) but they are friendly and the food was good...they had Vanilla Ice Cream too! I had to sneak into the kitchen to find it as I didn't know the Spanish for ice cream - its a tough mime :) I know am blowing my $10 a day budget but I get a primo room with double bed, hot shower, great breakfast and about 10 folks with only me to look after all for $20...its hard to sleep in a tent for the equivelent of 3 Guiness's at McCrays pub!
Here's the view from my room:
There was an awesome sunset over Lake Titicaca I would have had to go outside to photograph but I was way too knackered..I went straight to bed and napped for an hour before hitting up the hotel folks for a meal. Tomorrow I'll have a good breakfast and fill up the water bottles before heading out for a more difficult ride...I do hope it gets easier as I acclimatize...its wierd, I was sitting at dinner and my heart rate is 110...in Atlanta its seldom above 55 sitting around (I'm a geek)...I gotta be burning some calories :)
Anyway, I am off to snag some more ice cream and few more fluids then bed.
I everybody doing great!
Cheers,
Neal
2 comments:
I'm still laughing about the word Titicac...and Hotel Titikaka almost made me wet myself.
Eddie O
Hi,
You are going Great!! Your report and the photos.... It is almost like being there. WELL DONE
I think Cococabana was where I arrived on the hydrofoil/ferry from Puno. The church there is well worth a look - very old statue.
It seems that your plans are sorting themselves out. Good Luck
Take Care. LOVE Mum
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