Category: Uncategorized
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Section 7, part 1: Across the Andes
Day 79: Salta to Bush Camp, 127k We were awakened by a thunderstorm and torrential rain around 6am. We could hear the rain pouring into the courtyard just outside our room. We have been very lucky with the weather on this trip, so a soggy morning is a first for us. The rain stopped before…
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Section, Part 2: Cycling the Salt Flats
Day 73: Uyuni to Atocha, 92K I managed to catch a stomach bug that has been going around the group on our rest day, so I rode the bus this day. The ride was down a highway the is being constructed, so detours off the road were inevitable. Once out of Uyuni the road was…
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Section 7, part 1: Cycling the Salt Flats
Day 67: La Paz to Patacamaya, 92k I couldn’t wait to get out of town, I was over the chaotic cars and thousands of people. We left the hotel and rode up a hill to the cable car station. We must be getting better at city riding, because Bruce and I traversed the traffic with…
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Section 5, part 2: Incan Highlands
Day 63: Puno to Juli, 83k Rob and I decided to take it slow today since we are still recovering from the excitement a few days ago. We rode the bus to lunch which was around 53k. Bruce rode from the hotel and we waited for him to arrive at lunch to start our day.…
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Section 5, Part 1: Incan Highlands
Cusco Three whole days in Cusco to rest, but resting is for suckers! My brother, Rob, flew in from Ohio to join us for the next section of cycling. He just started road riding this year and has never been at altitude, YOLO! We spent most of our time in Cusco eating and drinking, like…
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Section 4, Part 1: Gringo Trail
Day 48: Lima to Pucasano, 58k We welcomed 5 new sectional riders to the tour today. TDA welcomed them with a flat beach lined route with a tail wind, and a hotel for camp…Lucky MFers! We convoyed out of the busy streets of Lima, traffic was not horrible but we did have to jump on…
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Section 3, part 1: Volcano Alley
Day 28: Quito to Papallacta, 75k I decided not to ride today to give my saddle sores another day of rest. I rode the bus and talked food with the tour chef. 6:30am on a Saturday of a holiday weekend made for an easy ride out of Quito. The ride was basically a long ascent…
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Section 2, part 3: Coffee and Cocoa
Day 24: Pasto to Ipiales, 40k We rode the bus to lunch so we could ride to a tourist attraction/catholic pilgrimage site, Las Lajas Sanctuary. The planned ride was about 85k and the tour director recommend that we skip to lunch so we could ride the extra 12k round trip to the church. Bruce and…
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San Agustin
Bruce and I were very excited to see the ruins in San Agustin. We first learned of the ruins in a coffee shop if Bogota, Tocoa Cafe. The barista gave us a quick lecture about the coffee beans that come from the region. I did a quick Internet search and learned that San Agustin has…
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Section 2, Part 1: Coffee and Cocoa
Bogota Rest days are usually busy with running errands to replenish toiletries and bike supplies, laundry, and bike maintenance. We don’t really get to be tourists and we might get a nap. We had 2 full days in Bogota and were able to complete our errands and enjoy the city a bit. Right next to…