The Death Road

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Now how could anyone turn down an opportunity to bike on a road named the "Death Road"? I have no idea.

The " Death Road" also very often called the most dangerous road in the world, was, until last year the only way into La Paz from a western approach. The reason it is called this is that in places it is only 5-6 feet in width. And this rout was used extensivly as a commercial rout. Needles to say our guide did point out a couple of trucks at the bottom of cliffs that had never been retrieved.

We began the day a 7:30 am and drove with the rest of our group to the top of the road. The altitude here was either 13.5k feet or 14.4k feet. I can´t remember now, I think the constant conversions are getting to me. Anyways the rainy season is coming soon, and this high up it rains constantly. After all we were among the clouds.

After a great deal of waiting for the guides to unload and check all the gear we began the ride. Of course our drivers forgot the waterproof pants we were supposed to get, so in a matter of minutes, I was soaked. But the rain was on and off, and the ride was still a great deal of fun. I also had 2 rain proof jackets on that helped.

There was one section that was about 20km of brutal uphill climbing. After two weeks at sea level, and me not being a fan of cardio workouts, my lungs quickly caught fire, but after about an hour or more of constant climbing, me and the pink elephants that appeared at some point during the climb, made it to the top. Brutal and in the pouring rain to boot.

Once we reached the top however it was all downhill. The first section was part of the new road, and near the point where we topped out, the old dirt road branched off. I must day the ride down was amazing with some of the most beautiful scenery, and steep cliffs, that I have ever seen. At times the cliffs were 3,000 feet to the bottom, which I must say did give me some pause in my speed management around the bends. I still howver managed to keep pace with our guide nearly the entire time.

What I thought was most ironic was that at regular intervals the guides would stop to tell us the story of this or that biker that took a fatal fall off the edge. Nice! But I guess if your guiding on a road called the death road, you have got to leave your clinets with a little death trivia. And also explain some of the monumets and crosses that spot the shoulders. Of course it has the added benifit for the guide not to have to lecture anyone on "slowing down". Not to much of a problem here.

The fact that was really disturbing was that after all the money the government here put into desiging a new road, tunnels and many many bridges to boot, after less than a year, they are closing it becuase they designed the bridges and retaining walls so poorly. So in a coulple months all the traffic commercial and otherwise will be back on the death road. A shame.

Really though it was not to dangerous and we rode all day, through waterfalls, on the edge of steep cliffs, through rivers, and near the bottom around quite a few chickens.

This experience was a great one and one that shows not every experience in travelling or otherwise needs to be all ´cookies and milk´.
To be honest the rain and physical challenge at the top was quite brutal and miserable, and really I would have liked to have it no other way.

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