I have been on long distance, fast traveling road trip with a hurry. Goal was to get to Maracaibo, Venezuela from Quito Ecuador. In three days. Instead it took five days
Everything was expected because I have been in this road before. I was moving slow or I set a unrealistic goal. After grueling bumpy ride and fast moving, bike chain got lose and fell off. I quickly put then back on. Bicycle riding days in my youth reminded me how to put the chains on. I hired this kid to tighten it. Paid $1000 pesos. After fifteen min I noticed something is wrong with the bike, as I'd something's dragging the rear tire I thought alignment was not set correct. It's dark so I decided to sleep off on this cheap motel in small town that Name of it doesn't exist on the map. Next day I saw a mechanic, I explained, he had test drive, tightened bolts on the middle of the bike, then problem solved. I asked how much he shyly said tip, I told him to name a price so he said $2000 cop, I gladly paid.
I saw the most incredible view third best next to grand canyon and yellow stone in south of colombia and north of Ecuador. Near pasto.
I arrived in pereira around 730pm. I was behind schedule due to bad traffic in Cali. However I was glad that I arrived in pereira just as sin went down. By now I am accustomed to ride in the dark but don't like. My lights are dim, still don't have protective gear for my eyes for the night. I was annoyed when thd bug hit my left eye.
I think it dries and damages my contacts very fast.
I met with CS member. I unpacked, showered, then we went out to eat, drink and talk then we went home. We might see each other in the future.
I think it's the first time that I had just one night and left in the morning.
Left pereira couple hours later than I wanted. Got lost in manizales. Plus it was Sunday so part of the road was closed for the runners and walkers.
I got to the mountain path, it started raining, as I kept going up, it got colder. Last time I was in this condition of freezing body And wet road I crashed my bike and ripped my leather jacket. It was a typical mountain stretch. I didn't stop to add extra clothes to save time knowing the fact that I will be going through hottest part of Colombia.
When I was at the hot part el dorado, I bought a bag a mango then I realized $50,000 bill COP I thought I had was not there. That changed many of my plan for gas, room and food.
I arrived in bucaramanga around 9pm.
Found Internet. Contacted CS member. Due to my fast pace or lack of planning or keeping up with my Ambitious plAn, I only had two half assed contact and one phone number from CS. He didn't offered to host me when I called so i found a hostel. There I signed this hostel up for wehostels, and met with young German traveller. Who exchanged dollar for me to pay the hostel. At this point I only have $5900 COP, $120 USD. I thought with a half tank of gas I would make it to Venezuela border and exchange my dollars. It was longest stretch of mountain tops, including one hour wait for the road work. I was cold, way behind schedule because this day I am supposed to arrive in Maracaibo. cold mountain required more gas than I anticipated and I was running really low on gas which slowed me down. Survived with one house selling ACPM to make it out of the cold tops. I spent whats left of me pesos for half a gallon of acpm. At the valley I exchanges money at kitchen equipment shop who bought a dollar with 1600 pesos for.So I exchanged just enough to buy food and gas.
Once I arrived at the border, usual lines, money exchange, traffic slowed me down. It was around 3pm by the time I finished exchanging my $5000 pesos. Dollar could not be exchanged. So I had $25 bolivares.
I was getting back on the road then google direction and locals told me to go to a small mountain villages where no cars go by, steep, curvy. I was surprised that google knew this road. It was definitely a hidden shortcut.
My bike started having chain issues again and I was annoyed because I fixed this near el pasto en Colombia.
Which was few days ago. Which slowed me down and at this point I am so certain that I have a long drive to do at night and I only have 25 bolivars in my pocket and $100usd.
Fixed chain issue, nice tire shop
Guy did it for me for free. Then rear dragging problem occurred, stopped at another tire shop around 8 pm, he did it for free as well. Went to gas station, in this town they required chip to pump gas, so nice family guy with husband and kids gave me gas for free. By this time I am once again thankful for kindness in this country. I stopped in La fria to look for hotel to sleep because it's 9pm, barely anyone on the highway, I sense the danger. No hotels would accept dollars or exchange in this small town. Finally met with street food owner after waiting for an hour. She wanted 6 bolivar for dollar. Cheapest hotel is $150b. After doing Math, I said hell no to that and decided that I cannot sleep or rest until I arrive in Maracaibo. I called my contact in Maracaibo and told my ETA. I got address. So here I go on 8 hours road trip at 10pm at night. I expect to arrive at 3 or 4am. It quickly turned out to be ambitious goal. Too dark, I must be careful, I am high alert. 95octane gas sure keeps me wide awake.
Highway was an excellent condition, paved, flat, no holes, bright lines. So I put on my sunglasses to prepare to go fast. Semi truck went by me as I was gearing up. So I followed this super fast moving semi. I saw this truck turning emergency light on super far away. Then I see big mound of dirt on the road, gravel road, and 20 feet deep empty space on the road. I could have run over the mound, fly high and land in this dark hole and died. I turned my blinkers on to thank him for saving my life.
Eventually we said hi face to face at the peaje. He is going to Maracaibo. He is about 55 years old and knows road conditions well. He warns me about the road with holes so I decided to follow him. He would turn blinkers on to tell me which direction I should go to avoid the holes. I was so glad to have met him. I can go faster, safer from both road and thieves. We were together for about two hours I think. We stopped at truck stop together.
Eventually we went separate ways because I got stopped by nacional guard. It's about 2am and these guys were bored and wanted to more than just checking my paperwork. They took me to a office room, took everything out of my bag, looked at all my coins from different country, looked all over my phone including pictures, talk down to me, strip me naked, try to scare me with possession of marijuana, didn't necessarily ask for money or try to charge me money like other cop who tried to withheld my bike from me. I told him my title and license is valid, main guy who was leading this investigation or molest pushed that I do not have valid paperwork. Then his fellow says its international, I was pretending that I speak very tiny Spanish to pick and choose what i wanted to answer or not. Some of them would ask dumb questions sometimes I completely ignored them. I repeated this process with other officers in Venezuela when they wee unprofessional with me. However 90% of them are not bright, questionable high school graduates, immature, not well educated, do not speak clear Spanish like when I have talked to crazy loud people on the city street.
I was annoyed by the fact that they are simply playing, wasting my time, not giving me credit for foreigner, riding motorcycle, pitch black street.
I told them. "tengo que irme, ustedes vieron todo mis cosas y mis papeles están bien. Es muy tarde en la noche, mi amigo en camioneta esperando para mi porque es muy peligroso para manejar la moto en la noche. Tengo que seguir mi amigo. Dejame salir"
That didn't work at least not at that moment. Eventually they got bored, let me go and told me that I can follow the bus that they are investigating.
I kept on riding. Sun is rising, it's getting brighter. I asked the vendor of street food who is preparing how far Maracaibo is. He says one hour. He suggested that I grab a coffee. I must be looking really tired. I don't have any bolivares left to buy anything. $25 bolivares I had, I bought food at the la fria.
I put on my sunglasses to prepare to go fast. Instead I found myself pulling over 5 or 6 times because I kept on falling asleep. Danger was calling. Straight road with holes and bumps, now fast moving vehicles are passing by me, some honks and shine flash high beam at me. Drivers are rough I must be close to Maracaibo.
I got some sleep, stretched, finally I arrived in city level where there is morning traffic and people walking. 7:30am Found Yoli s house, strangely faster than I expected. I was surprised my ability to find places with map and address.
I was filthy, dirty, smelled like street, dirty polluted car, my pants have not been washed for days collecting all kinds of grimes from the road. My face is black except for the part that was covered with cloth and glasses.
I washed my face, took of my lenses, slept till 4pm.
