Friday May 8, 2009

La Paz to Patamanta: 40 kilometers

Returning from the hot, humid Amazon lowlands up to a cold, dry Altiplano winter. This after 6 weeks of gorging a stretched belly, but excercizing like a sloth. How would my legs hold up? What about my lungs? Certainly I had de-acclimated. It’s like starting over again, but it had to be done! Here’s what happened…

Said another sad goodbye, this time to my friends in the Madidi Travel office in La Paz. Before I left, though, I did manage to get a photo with the ever elusive Rosa Maria Ruíz. Her story soon to come…

BIKE MAINTENANCE: After 6 weeks away from Skinny Horse, she needed a bit of work. Changed the chain before I left because the Salar de Uyuni salt flat destroyed it with rust, in addition to a few tools that must have touched some salt. (Advice to cyclists on the Salar: washing your bike with water and a scrubber isn’t enough. Use soap and water, and wash everything.) I also changed my tires, from the knobby ones that the Bolivian dirt ripio roads destroyed, to a new Specialized Armadillo tire I got from South Mountain Cycles in Phoenix, AZ, and put one of the original Vittoria Triple Shield tires back on because it has been holding stong since day 1.

The climb out of La Paz is steep and long, with views superior to any city I have encountered. The climb switches back and forth along canyon walls, out of the city and back up to the Altiplano. All in all the climb to El Alto must have taken me at least an hour and a half, including a 5 minute tow on the back of an unsuspecting truck. The skies were clear as day! Gave me an opportunity to snap some shots of the mountains I didn’t see that rainy day 6 weeks ago on my way into La Paz.

My legs struggled. Six weeks off was too much. I got a few jogs in and kept a decent push up/pull up routine while working for Madidi over the past few weeks, but it simply does not compare to long bike rides day after day. The plan: begin again, go as far as I can, rest whenever I feel like it. The tour will get me back in shape in a week or two.

I only made it 40 kilometers today, or about 25 miles. I ended up in a small town with no internet and no hostels. People around me spoke Aymara. I practiced, “Kamisaki? Waliki.” And ended up camping in a family’s secure backyard for 5 Pesos, or US70 cents.

The neighborhood kids gathered into the backyard to look at the gringo so I took the opportunity to talk environment. I told them about Paraguay and South America in general, focused on not littering and the importance of plants and animals. Then we played a translated version of Jaha Jaguata, a Guarani animal game I learned in Peace Corps Paraguay.

$ spent today: US$3.30

Road conditions: Good, paved, lots of traffic

Weather: Cold, sunny, slight headwinds

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Saturday May 9, 2009

Patamanta to Copacapana: 80 kilometers

Left early, 7am? from Patamanta. Kids said they wanted to ride with me until the ruta, but they were running late so I left them. I often find myself disappointing people, leaving them behind or turning down breakfast invitations in order to avoid delay.

Got fried trout (trucha) for lunch in some small town that wasn’t on the map. The cook said fish used to come from Lake Titicaca but now there are too few fish to sell commercially. So these fish are bought from fish farms offshore. She says they are some of the biggest trout in the world. She taught me Aymara as I ate. It was delicious, walimoqsa!

After lunch I made it to the ferry crossing.

“How much?”

“100 Pesos.”

“Ha!”

“Okay, 50 Pesos.”

“That’s absolutely ridiculous. I’ll pay 5,” I said.

“10” they replied. “Just get on the ferry.”

I paid 10. Found out later I should have paid 5. Ugh, Bolivia.

On the south side of Lake Titicaca I continued riding, legs were a bit sore but not as bad as I expected. My destination for the day, Copacabana, was over 100 kilometers from my starting point this morning. I was going to try to make it all the way, but if I couldn’t, I debated in my mind, I decided I would hitch a ride for a 20 kilometer boost or so; this would allow me to make the 8:15am boat to Island of the Sun in the morning, a bit of tourism on a well-deserved rest day.

Riding the coast of Lake Titicaca is hilly and long, longer than it looks on the map because of the many curves in the road. Before sunset I decided I needed a boost. There was a station wagon taxi parked at a house, so I clapped my hands outside and when the owner emerged I asked how much to take me 20 kilometers.

“100 pesos.”

“That’s too expensive. I would pay 15.”

We discussed Pesos for a while, then I gave up and continued cycling. A few minutes later a bus passed, picked me up and took me to the top of a hill for 15 pesos, or so he said. At the top of the hill I unloaded my bike from the bus and handed him a 20 Peso bill. I asked if he had change. He said yes, got on the bus, and they drove away with my change. BOLIVIA!

I made it to Copacabana just before sunset, got some cheap food, and hit the hay early… excited for a day off and a tour to Isla del Sol (Sun Island) tomorrow!

$ spent today: US$7.50

Road conditions: Quality paved, hilly and curvacious

Weather: Cold, sunny, dry, no wind

BOLIVIA: Tomorrow I leave Bolivia and enter Peru. After more than 2 months in Bolivia, these are my impressions of it: It is extremely geographically diverse. Huge mountains and low Amazon jungle. Canyons and lakes and rivers. Caves and mines. Very rich in minerals and natural resources but a very poor country. It is obvious to me big businesses are trying to rape the land and make money by exploiting local people and land. Cargill is an example: transgenic agriculture in the Amazon, I have heard. Bolivian people are very shy and quick to say no if you ask a question, but mostly kind and respectful people. The traditional dress is noticeable in every city and small town. The accents are distinct, apparently influenced by Quechua and Aymara. “Pues” for example, becomes “p’s” and “tantas cositas” may be pronounced “tant’s cosit’s.” There is a huge indigenous pride in the country. Evo Morales, the president, is indigenous and emphasizes indigenous awareness. In respect, I now fly the colored checkerboard Wipala (“flag” in Aymara) above my bike trailer, which represents indigenous rights and awareness.

Sunday May 10, 2009

Boat to Isla del Sol: 0 kilometers

Isla del Sol is a gorgeous island at the edge of the stunning blue waters of Lake Titicaca on the Bolivian side. On the island are Tiwanaku ruins. The Tiwanaku people were a pre-Incan race, living in the area 3500 years ago! Their stone homes, paths, staircases, monuments, and sacrificial altars remain on the island.

Lake Titicaca is named so because of a puma head-shaped rock on Isla del Sol. Titicaca means puma stone.

Pros: I was impressed to see local people doing organic farming, companion planting corn, wheat, quinoa, and other crops to eat themselves, not to sell back to a big company like Monsanto. The ruins and the landscapes were beautiful. One of my favourite sites of my bike tour so far! This pros list should definitely be longer than the cons. This was a highlight!

Cons: The floating islands we visited on the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca were clearly fake. Nobody lived on them, the designs were cartoonish, and a local told me they are actually floating on Styrofoam. There are also pay traps set up on the Isla del Sol. First, you are told you only have to buy one ticket for 10 Pesos. As you walk farther, you are charged again, but you are too far to turn around. Quite frustrating. This happened 3 extra times. If you hike Isla del Sol, know that the price is around 40, not 10 pesos.

$ spent: US$11.00

Roads: N/A

Weather: Cold, sunny, no wind.

Monday May 11, 2009

Copacabana to Juli: 80 kilometers

$ spent today: US$8.00

Road conditions: Paved but rougher on the Peruvian side

Weather: some headwinds in the afternoon

Tuesday May 12, 2009

Juli to Chucuito: 60 kilometers

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Wednesday May 13, 2009

Chuchito to Puno: 20 kilometers