Happenings from the final month in Colombia | Tatacoa, Trampolin De La Muerte, gueniea pig
A Colombian cicloviajero/bike traveler with a unique luggage carrying system.
First day of the second year of this trip. A lesiurely morning, then I descended to the much anticipated Tatacoa desert. It is hot. Thankfully less humid than the coast, but not dry enough to dissuade swarms of biting flies. It's quiet and peaceful. It's also an open rangeland, so there is sloppy cow shit everywhere.
I saw these rocks and thought of the Rock Man, from an animated movie I used to watch growing up.
Frankly, one short day was enough for me in the Tatacoa Desert.
I hugged the outskirts of Neiva, and headed back into the mountains.
16 November 2023 Day 370
Most people can't fathom why I would willing take a longer route on my bicycle. As soon as I say I am going towards Ecuador, they tell me that it's foolish to continue along this dirt road, and explain how I can (and should) return to the highway immediately for a shorter, faster route.
17 November 2023 Day 371
It's actually dry enough around here that I can cool off effectively with water. How wonderful. Local people lectured me about how dangerous things are and how I'll get robbed. But they didn't provide advice about specific areas (their town is safe, of course). So their input didn't change my plans. I climbed back up from 900M to 1500M and got permission to pitch my tent at this tourist site with a little fish pond and fish and ATVs and rooms to rent. The owner seemed busy but happily let me pitch my tent and use the bathroom.
We didn't talk about religion, but he had a start-of-David flag on this vehicle.
19 November 2023 Day 373
Today I had at least three different people strongly advised me against the mountainous route and recommend the highway. I'm really glad I didn't listen to them. I found a local soccer game, the riding was scenic, it seemed safe, and it was easy to find a place for my tent in this nice little town, San Antonio de Pescado. They're are a lot of fish ponds here, which I think is an important local industry, and probably the town namesake.
Where I am staying is behind the residence of a middle aged couple. There are several large corrugated metal roof structures made from bamboo. They have two explosive-cornhole-game setups, and tables, chairs, beer, and they sell meat and potatoes and yuka.
The loser of the explosive cornhole game pays for the game, and for the beer.
21 November 2023 Day 375
This morning I tried to go to some touristic natural caves, but I needed to hire a guide and it was going to cost more than 100 USD so I changed my mind. Perhaps it costs less for locals. I hope local people can afford to enter their own natural tourist attractions.
Then I cooked them popcorn, and they invited me for lunch. Delicious. They also gave me a maduro con queso. Which is a fried ripe plantain with cheese, but then deep fried.
In the evening, the first person I asked about camping invited me in, and I cooked rice with vegetables for myself and shared with the daughter. She is 7 years old and her friend's grandpa teaches her guitar on Sundays.
23 November 2023 Day 377
Arrived in Mocoa. A man walking his dogs introduced himself to me and quickly invited me to stay with him. He told me he was gay and asked if that's alright. Yeah it's find with me. I'm not gay, though. He just moved into this place a week ago and didn't have gas yet, so I cooked food on my camp stove for us. He kept asking me questions like "Is your dick big?" "Do you like watching porn?". It wasn't that uncomfortable because he didn't seem very threatening. But did he really think he was going to make me reconsider my sexuality that afternoon?
25 November 2023 Day 379
Climbing from Mocoa to Pasto is not very far, but it will take three days because the road is very winding and rough with lots of elevation gain.
So I chat with some French tourists while their taxi is stopped:
I ordered some cuy/guinea pig and asked for a half, expecting the left or the right. But then she asked if I wanted the front or the back! I ate the back end. It was OK. It had a fishy/gamey flavor (like rabbit?). I prefer the flavor of chicken, and gueniea pig is much more expensive, so I won't order it again.
26 November 2023 Day 380
In Pasto, I meet up with Debs and Tom. They are a UK couple who are extremely active members of a WhatsApp group chat for cycle tourists.
In my hostel I meet a Colombian cycle tourist from Cartagena named Luis. He works remotely doing employee support for Amazon drivers in the US (he speaks English). I hear people talk about how Amazon is bad to their employees. And yes, Amazon hires people like Luis from overseas because they can pay them less than an American. In this case, Luis seems really thankful for it - it pays much more than any job he could get in Colombia.
1 December 2023 Day 385
Went searching for Laguna Verde today. The last 6 km was only partially rideable and it involved a lot of bike pushing. I got to the lake but I could only see like 20 meters in front of me due to the fog. So I left. As I was leaving, the fog cleared and I was so glad I did all that bike pushing. The view was spectacular and the sudden bright sun was stunning. I felt joyful.
Colombia has been a diverse country to cycle through. True wild camping was difficult to find, but the culture of hospitality was phenomenal, so I often found myself sleeping indoors anyways. Low-elevation regions are too hot, although cheap lodging is a consolation. Someday, I'll miss it here.
Tomorrow, to Ecuador.
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