July 12, 2022
July 12: Ibagué to El Trebol
Our plans from Ibagué were a little different than previous days. Brian decided to split from the group and head north to ride Alto de Letras, one of the longest sustained climbs in the world and a mecca in the world of road cycling. He would reconvene with us in approximately one week, taking a bus to meet us wherever we happen to be. Girish and I would continue south, passing through the Tatacoa Desert on our way to the infamous Trampolín de la Muerte ("Trampoline of Death") road in southern Colombia. More on that road in a different entry.
Our route out of the city was nothing too spectacular, consisting mostly of riding along a two lane highway for about an hour. The road trended downhill and we found ourselves rarely having to pedal. The total elevation loss between yesterday and today was remarkable, but in the back of my mind I knew we'd have to make it all back up when we cross the Cordillera one last time to Pasto. A challenge for a different day, I suppose.
After a pit stop for some helado de coco, we continued on towards the Magdalena River Valley. As we descended further the temperature began to climb and, more curiously, the terrain began to dry out. We soon found ourselves riding amongst a road that you could easily mistake as something in west Texas. Vegetation on the mountainsides became sparse, but along the roadside remained dense and green.
After several more miles of riding on the carretera, we arrived to Chicoral where we decided to get off the main highway and ride along a dirt backroad. This road ended up being the highlight of the day, as it meandered amongst beautiful farmlands and orchards. It seemed that everything was growing here. Over the course of about 8 miles we saw cashews, cacao, rice, mangoes, guava, tamarind, moringa, bananas, passion fruit, and avocado growing in the fields or in front yards. We also saw a number of large iguanas scurry into the roadside brush when we passed. The Magdalena River was obviously the lifeblood of this area, providing water in an otherwise dry region. The mosquitoes seemed to know this too, as any time I stopped to take a picture I was immediately inundated with them and had to snap and swat at the same time. No bueno. Luckily I managed to only get two bites, but down here you must be extra vigilant as dengue fever, chikungunya, zika, and malaria are all transmitted.
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The dirt road soon turned back to pavement and we cruised our way through Saldaña and 7km past to a roadside hotel. The mural outside suggested that this roadside stop would be similar to our previous night's lodging, but we were pleasantly surprised that this was not the case. No hidden entrances, jacuzzi tubs, or suggestive paintings graced the premises, and we had strong A/C and wifi. What more could a smelly cyclist ask for at the end of a long day?
Today's ride: 96 km (60 miles)
Total: 1,387 km (861 miles)
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