The Death Road La Paz

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Been debating over the last few weeks weather to mountain biking down the "Worlds most dangerous road". It didnt help when i heard an Israeli guy fell off the edge last week 100 mtrs to his death. Decided i would just do it and began to look forward to it. Then i got food posioning and thought i was off the hook. However when i seen the lads getting ready at 6 am i said feck it and went. Gald i did.

We had a little breakfast at 4700 mtrs and jumped on our bikes. It was funny hearing Fergus giving all the instructors shit about the poor state of the bikes while i was chuffed with the futuristic machines i thought we all had. The first section was down a tarmac track and we picked up some serious speed while passing trucks and buses along the way. The next section was pretty tough uphill for 7kms with the altitude but i made it. Graham got some help by getting a scut off one of the vans along the way.

We got to the death road and told this is the point we slow down or die(jokingly of course!!). We set off and soon stop at a point and looking down into the valley a 100 metres or so there are piles of steel and rubber from were cars went over the side. The Death Road was the only route from a certain direction to La Paz since 1934 and the new safe road only opened 6 mths ago. So we would have been trying to cycle through traffic if we had off done ita year or so ago(dont know how). In the end we only had 1 truck and 1 bus come towards us which we widely avoided.

Although i swore to my self i would go really slow and not fall off the edge the andreline soon kicked in and i was flying along only a few feet from the edge. We didnt think it was that dangerous unless your an idiot and going faster actually made it easier on the ass with the gravel track underneath.

We stopped for lunch beside the San Juan waterfall which falls onto the road. This was the point were the Isreali died(we thought it was a bit morbid having lunch here aswell!!). Beside the Isreali flag was a big cross were 42 Bolivian soldiers plunged over the edge 3 yrs ago in a military truck. I dont know how they even considered bringing a truck through a 15 foot wide section under a waterfall.

At the next stop the instructor told us we can push a little faster so we obligied and me, gar and 2 oz guys were flying along behind our instructor. Then my saddle broke off(to much beer!!) and i got a metal bar in the arse for the last section. This was the best part as it was one track, really steep and full of rocks. So we were finished and the only mishaps was gar hitting a wall, Al kind of not really falling off and fergus doing an eddy but staying on. So we were all happy in the end.

After that the company brought us to a hotel for a swim and a game of water polo which was great craic. The food was minging though. And then that was that, I survived(somehow). Absolutely amazing day and glad i didnt stay in bed feeling sorry for myself......

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Comments

[daffney]

heads melted
N.J. me heads wrecked,those snaps look great.think I missed out man,havin doubts about doin it just me and Kate.grrrr. smell ye soon scutsy.

[stevo]

saddle sniffing
Looks treacherous alright. I'd say there was loadsa skidmarks lads!