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Published: September 11th 2006
High and fast
The top section, from 4700m to 3300m is extremely steep, well paved and very very fast. The scenary is absolutly breath taking. The 20 mins on this section were some of the bestThe day was perfect. Clear blue sky. We met at the tour company in town and alter receiving our gear, full face helmet, surgical dust mask, reflective vest and over trousers we made our way up to La Cumbra. La Cumbra is the starting place of all this craziness. 4,700 meters high, its desolate, extremely cold and packed with scared tourists and adrenaline junkies.
We all can’t wait to get going because it’s pretty damn inhospitable up here. We all hide behind the van to get away from the biting wind and listen to the safety briefing. Something about hand signals and braking is lost to me because James and I are goofing around…. Hey, we are amped.
Our group is pretty multicultural. We have Uncle Olie, a Bolivian as the driver of our support car. Erin, a typical English lout as our guide and comedian, then there is Laura and James from Highlands, Laura is American, but we forgive her, Julie and I, then Dom from Canada and Djermid from Ireland. We almost have the makings of a good joke. An Irishman, an Englishman and an American bumped into a Canadian……
We get going. OH MY GOD…..
The Death Road
Part of the 20 kms that makeup the Death Road. This is actually a relatively mellow section. Its amazing….. In the first 20 minutes you descend about 1,000 meters. It’s nicely paved and super steep. The mountains all around dwarf us as we careen into corners and lean over to take as much speed through the bends. A few of us quickly reach the max speed allowable by the mountain bike tires that will play a huge part later on. I can’t help thinking about how much more speed could be gained by having the right tires for the road, still I’m over taking buses and trucks through the corners and on the straight. I quickly cement my place as the fastest in the group. I have no problem catching our guide, even from the back.
James and I feeling rather confident started riding down with no hands on the bars, on the straights and through the corners. This was one of the best experiences ever. 1,000 meter snow capped peaks, desolate grey valleys, no sound except the wind rushing by at probably close to 70 - 80kms, it was so stark, but so beautiful, so humbling; we just sat on the bikes and took it all in. It was truly something else.
A few
The Corners
Yes, there where lots and lots of corners like this. Some of them are named after the nationality of the tourist who died by missing the bend. stops to take pictures here and there and then we had a small section of 3 kms of undulating hills. What a joke, trying to bike up a hill at 3,700 metres, is almost impossible. You’re quickly breathing hard and fast, but not getting enough oxygen, you’re reduced to walking speed and wonder where uncle Olie is and if he could pick you up. You persevere and finally get to the top and are rewarded with a snack and some water.
Very soon we come to the “Death Road”. It turns of the main road and looks nothing more then a small unkempt driveway from up north during summer. It’s steep and looks pretty crazy. I cant think how trucks would use, but just then, as to prove a point, a big ass truck rumbles off the road and down the track, there’s barely half a foot on each side…. Ok then….
Another safety briefing, this one pretty serious, we give way to all uphill traffic, if you hear a horn but don’t see anything, pull over, watch your speed, ride on the left at all times. The left just happens to be the edge of the cliff.
Some of the obstacles
Down hill traffic gives way to up hill traffic. This is when the accidents occur. Over the last 10 years the death toll has averaged over 20 people per year. Erin checks all our bikes over before we start down the road. This is it, the next 20 kilometers are all “Death Road” kilometers.
Its gravel, dust, bumps, rocks, ditches and 300 meter drop offs on the left. Its fast, twisty and so much fun. We spilt into 2 groups. The Girls and Dom, going down with Uncle Olie as their spotter and James, Djermid and I with Erin. The first couple corners freak me out, as I lose the back tire and it skips around and I drift towards the edge. My heart beats twice as fast and I’m thinking “oh no, 20 more kilometers of this”. I have to get used to the cornering and get the right style for maximum grip and speed. I soon work it out and James and I are forever on Erin’s tale as we fly down the gravel roller coaster.
One turn blurs into the next, you lose count of how many times you were only centimetres from 1000 feet of nothing and you have to remind yourself to look up because your missing some breath taking scenery. The snow capped and cloud crowned mountains give way to steep lush
What you dont want to see
A couple times we would fly around corners and be confronted with this site. James got a bit lose in his braking a couple times. green valleys and the air gets heavy and hot. Humidity, so missed at the higher elevation, is a welcomed friend. Yikes, that was close, got to remember to watch the road too. It’s a fine balance that you have to maintain for the whole “Death Road”. Enjoy the scenery, but don’t ride of an edge because your day dreaming.
We stop occasionally to let the girls catch up, to take a few pictures, to eat, and to look at the twisted remains of vehicles that have fallen off the edge. One wreck is only 4 weeks old and is the site of 49 fatalities. They say the new road to Coroico will be open in 3 months. Its 2 lanes wide and concrete the whole way, but they have been saying it will be open for 10 years. They also say that because its longer most drivers wont use it to save on gas. That makes no sense to me, but here, Where Bolivians drive without headlights, who knows.
James and I are racing each other down the lower portions of the Death Road, when James, following a little to closely, doesn’t see a rock I hop over.
The road claims another
The remains of one of the many trucks or buses which dont make it down each year. He hits it hard and gets a puncture and we all enjoy a 10 minute enforced break. Its getting real hot now and soon we are seeing insects for the first time in ages. Small ones, big ones, purple ones, and the sounds of the valleys is awesome. Hidden birds squeal and squawk and it’s the most shrill sound I have heard from a bird.
We are at the end of the “Death Road”, but we still have 20 kilometres to go. Its time to put the surgical looking dust masks on, which are needed very quickly. Passing trucks and getting passed throws up a choking cloud of brownish grey smog. Its horrible. Near the end we all take turns doing a little jump into a stream. James and I earn claps by doing better jumps then our Guide.
So close, just 15 minuets to the end. Everyone is getting quite exhausted and sore. I’m tired, but not sore, and still have plenty left. I could go up and do it again. This has been amazing. I would love to try it without a guide, so would James. He’s thinking about buying his own bike. Ha ha ha.
Coroico
11,000 feet. Over 64kms. Just over 3 hours. At the end of the line the town of Coroico, perched on a valley shoulder is a welcomed sight. He’s addicted now.
There are lots of piles of dirt on the side of the road now and I’m feeling quite confident on the bike so start jumping them. Then I spot the biggest pile yet and its shaped perfectly for riding up. I go a little too fast and don’t have time to stop when I realise it’s a bigger drop then I thought on the other side. I fly over. Come of the bike and land on one ankle which quickly twist unnaturally underneath me. I narrowly avoid the bike but boy oh boy is my ankle sore. I get up and ride to the finish just 500 metres down the hill.
The ankle is throbbing, but I think its just strained, so I ignore it and join in the celebrations and beer going round. We pile in the van and head up to Coroico, 500 metres above us to a Hotel called Esmeralda for a Shower and lunch and more beer.
Coroico is a cool little town. Its perched on the shoulder of a valley on the verge of the Amazonian basin and its steep streets give awesome views looking back up the valley
Our Price
We had that night and the next day relaxing here, unbelievable
Beautiful Barmy weather, Humidity that we had been missing, bird sounds, nature, the colour green and time to enjoy it. All this for 8 NZD a night. we came down. The snow capped mountains just make an appearance in the extreme background. Its warm, verging on hot, the sun is out and we are surrounded by the start of the jungle.
Esmeralda is a glorious oasis. It sits above Coroico with some of the best views in town. We have a pool to lounge in and nothing to do for a day and a half. Its magic and it’s a good break for the teachers especially. We eat, drink beer, swim and play cards and talk about how scary the ride back up in a bus is going to be. All this is a crazy $5 USD a night. It’s a perfect honey moon spot and it was packed with sun bathers and families on holiday. I got pretty sun burnt which was pretty weird as the sun is more intense in La Paz and I haven’t been burnt there.
The night sucked as my ankle got worst and worst. In the middle of the night I’m starting to think its broken and what the heck am I going to do with a broken ankle here. The next day, It feels slightly better and I’m hoping its going to be all good. In actual fact I’m typing this just 2 nights after the crash and I cant believer how good it feels. I have never had an ankle heal this quick. Never. And it should take longer at this altitude, but hey, I’m not complaining.
So there you go. It was everything I thought it was going to be and more, easily. I would do it again in a heart beat. Yes I hurt myself, but that was my own silly fault and thankfully its healing incredibly fast and not in anyway interfering with my day to day life here. This week is more Spanish lessons, more painting walls and chairs, and more hanging out with the shoe shiners. Although I’m going out to an orphanage as well this week with Julie, so that will be very very different. Next weekend is the big 3 day hike along some Inca trails with the shoe shiners, so I’m looking forward to that.
Peace.
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Anna
non-member comment
Wow
Hi Ryan, (Mum sent me this link to your blog, and I couldn’t resist commenting) What an amazing journey you are on, such a brave thing to be doing!! I will be reading your adventures each morning, a great way to take me away from the daily grind of accounting! Take care of you!