Riding out of Medellin

Matt and I finally left Medellin after 5 days. I could have stayed another 5 days. However, we only have 30 day visas and the rest of Colombia, 800 - 1000km depending on the route. I am ready to climb and climb. The biggest climb of trip so far was 6000+ feet over the Continental Divide in Panama but now the Andes start. The Andes offer some of the longest continual climbs (and descents) in the world. While the Himalaya is higher overall, the Andes rocket straight from the Pacific Ocean in a continual climb. I am ready for big mountains. But first things first.
We started the climb out of Medellin in the early afternoon for over 1000 meters. The traffic was insanely heavy and slow leaving the city. We shared our climb with a group of punky BMX teens grabbing truck bumpers to the top, commuters, vendors, mountain bikers, and roadies. The clouds built the higher we climbed, cloudy, to drizzle, to pouring. We topped out and headed down with the trucks limiting our speed until we arrived in Versalles. Not a palace but a truck stop town with a hotel and food just over the top of the pass. The trucks and rain were nearly continuous. I asked a motorcyclist earlier if there were always this many trucks?, he said yes, always trucks.
We started our next morning tightening things up for long descent that should last over one hour. I wore a short sleeve wool top under my cycling jersey - nice to be cool for a change.




We dropped all the way back to nearly sea level to cross the Rio Cauca at La Pintada, going from coffee to citrus. Ate lunch and started up the river valley that would take us nearly 2000 meters higher. We camped in an orange grove sandwiched between the road and river. Matt mentioned later that a fellow cyclist camping on private property was held at gunpoint recently, until police arrived . . . but the gate was not locked so it's ok. The only people to discover us are picking oranges the next morning. The oranges were juicy.






The day was beautiful for climbing up and out of the river valley back into coffee country with stops for bandejas, fresh goat's milk yogurt, water, donuts.


Matt and I flatted on tire wires and larger road debris. Otherwise, just mind numbingly beautiful scenery for miles on end, up and up. Large trees beside the roads providing welcome shade. Coffee trees also require shade and are inter-planted with banana trees on open slopes. Coffee tree are planted under existing shade trees, as well. The result is steep green treed foothills and shady valleys.


The road just kept climbing . . . climbing. I approached each false summit with renewed vigor nearing the city of Manizales (pop. 400,000) - I figured the city would be in a high valley meaning we get to coast into town. Nope, climbed to the bitter end. The city is perched on ridges, no valley, and it only got steeper until stopping. We stayed at Mountain House Hostel for a couple days through the run off election and to wait for Matt's new debit card.