Ride and River Tour: The Ride, Day 2

A much longer biking day, we woke up early to a hot meal and the freshness of early morning air.  Then, we hopped back in the jeep to begin the ascent to eventually descend over 150kms (93.2 mi) on a dirt road that is supposed to be wide enough for two vehicles to pass, but looks more like a backwoods, wide path that could be found in the hills of West Virginia.  As I mentioned in the last post, it was a foggy morning, but that didn't make the views any less spectacular--especially when the fog cleared at an overlook that we stopped at to take photos.

At the top of the hill in Sorata, my stomach stayed in the support vehicle as I geared up in the light flurrying that occurred around us.  (I have found that it normally takes me about 20 minutes or so on a bicycle before I begin to feel comfortable on it.)  We took a final group photo before going down (to me) a giant of a hill.  Not gonna lie, I walked the first little bit until I felt comfortable enough to ride the rest of the way.  Also, on that hill I found out that biking goggles do not suit me--I fiddle with them too much!  After having completed the trip, I definitely think I could tackle that hill in full, though!  Now I think I have a better idea of what I'm doing on a two-tired contraption that I'm supposed to break on gently in a panic.  --Hey!  At least I absorbed the tips given in each pre-ride safety brief.  The guides who lead us on these rides really were some of the best.

Throughout the day, Mike had a chance to practice his patience with me, granted, that's not too much of a stretch for this guy-- he's had the privilege of seeing me in all of my mental biking stages and working with me in spite of myself.  It's possible that the only person who has more patience for me on a bike is the person who taught me.  Lucky doesn't even begin to cover it-- I'll begin with thankfulness.

Mike as my shadow on a section of the ride.

During this ride, there were some "pedal sections", loose rocks, dry dust, gold mining towns, stunning landscapes, and fantastic attitudes.  (Though I was certainly the tortoise of the group, no one teased or degraded me and I was certainly inspired by the kindness shown, in spite of the all-too-obvious, varying levels of experience.)

I was determined to make it up as many "uphills" as possible,
so I definitely rocked the zig-zag on some sections.

The lead guide introduced this day as "a slow strip-tease" of the Bolivian mountain ranges and valleys because, bit by bit, the route revealed more of its beauty and lushness, enticing us further and further down until we were surrounded by our thoughts and the unspoken folklore and legends that hung in the air, utterly exposed, around us.

On the left is a dessert (cacti and all) and on the right of the ledge is a tropical valley.

We ate lunch in a square of one of the towns we passed through.  Marcos (the Lead Guide), Mike (the Guide in Training), Mauricio (the most adept driver (of the support vehicle)), and Steven (a new guide) made sandwiches and sides.  We were incredibly well-fed and had a chance to rest and appreciate the large hogs and other farm animals that walked around the plaza before beginning the final descent for the day.

Though our sleeping accommodations that night would not have showers, Marcos had pre-planned a stop for us so we could rinse off and cool down from the long day of riding.  The water was crisp and cool, the option to use soap was available, and there was plenty of water to go around.  Some members of our group did not participate in this section of the tour, but really, how often does a girl (or guy) get a chance to shower in a waterfall?

That evening we arrived in the modest village of Constata to rest.  Marcos slaved in the kitchen to craft a palatable pasta dish with an involved vegetarian sauce.  It was one of the best meals I've had in quite some time.  The meal was followed by a few rounds of cards and then sleep before the final descent (and some impressive ascents) and our finale of the bike-riding half of the tour.