Distance: 73.72 km
Ride time: 4:35:29
Average: 16.22 km/h
Max speed: 46.37 km/h
Total: 32830 km
Riding has been very hard the last days – mostly because the road has been going straight up or straight down ever since I left Guayaquil some 1000 km ago. When I woke up this morning I could hardly walk. Usually everything feels better after the first hour on the bike. That was also what I thought was happening today until I reached the first climb.
The climbing was going fine enough but once I reached the small village at the top of the hill I was almost passing out. I had to sit down for 10 minutes with the head between the legs before I started feeling better. I guess the hard riding is taking it’s toll and I’m starting to reach a limit. That was when I decided that today would have to be a short day.
Since I arrived early I had a chance to walk around and take a few photos of Rosas, my destination for the day. This is what a typical Colombian mountain village look like.
The Colombians are a talkative people. I didn’t manage to walk more than a few meters before someone else would be asking where I was from and why I had ended up in their village – all in a super friendly and welcoming manner. Well, the people of Ecuador were friendly and welcoming as well, but there is just something special about being in Colombia that I can’t really explain yet.
In the late afternoon the thunderclouds were rolling in and we were up for quite a show.
After the thunder and lightning show was over I could return to my room. Before Colombia I was worried that hotels would be expensive here. That is not really the case, at least not out here in the mountains. Less than 10$ for my semi-fancy room with flat screen TV and everything, not bad at all.
With the short 4 hours day in the saddle I hope the legs are fit for fight again tomorrow. I’m sure there will be more climbing on the menu.
