July 3: Medellín to Fredonia

July 3, 2022

Today was, without a doubt, the best day of riding we've had since Cartagena. Miles and miles of beautiful, unpaved mountain road, limited traffic, delicious food, and encounters with extroverted locals made today a deeply rewarding day in the saddle. This was the Colombia we have been so keen on finding (not to discount the wonderful places we've been so far).

We awoke and were pleasantly surprised to learn that many of the main roads in Medellín close down on Sunday for pedestrians to use freely, much like in Mexico City and other Latin American metropolises. We therefore had a much more pleasant experience leaving the city than we did entering it four days prior. Girish joined us as well, rolling like a Rolls-Royce on his 4" fatbike tires.

We navigated through Sabaneta and then up a stupendously steep neighborhood before getting on the Panamerican Highway, which we took for approximately 15 kilometers until the turnoff for La Tolva. It was here that we joined the gravel road ("trocha") that we would take to Fredonia. We were initially trepidacious to take the road, as a man at the base of the road quickly came out of a restaurant to tell us that people are frequently robbed on the road. However, he was also holding a shot glass and had clearly had several drinks this early in the morning, so we asked another local who reported the road was safe and that we would be fine. We decided to defer to the sober man and headed up the trocha. And boy oh boy are we glad we did.

The start of the climb towards Fredonia. The weather was perfect and the road shaded. All of those miles riding my mountain bike on pavement were about to pay off.

The road took us up into verdant mountains lined with palm, avocado, and mandarine trees as well as vibrant flowers and, most excitingly, coffee! So, so much coffee in all stages of ripeness lined the roadside and distant valley hills. The surface of the road was occasionally chunky and frequently muddy, but we were thrilled to be away from the belching smoke found on the main roads. We were also passed by countless mountain bikers also out enjoying the gorgeous afternoon.

We climbed steadily before enjoying a large descent into a neighboring valley. We passed by countless fincas of all shapes and sizes, from those without electricity to those with swimming pools and manicured yards. On the descent we stopped briefly to buy some bananas from a roadside tienda. We also passed a man happily selling melons that had the most spectacular mustache I have ever seen. He looked like a character out of Pirates of the Carribean, and I couldn't get over how cheery he was sitting under the shade of a tree with all of his melons.

We were thoroughly enjoying ourselves, even as the road began to climb again above the valley floor. We enjoyed a large quantity of homemade empanadas at the summit of our last major climb, soaking in the view as the sun began to set behind some of the taller peaks.

I realize Brian and I haven't gotten many pictures together.

Following our empanada indulgence, we descended towards Fredonia intent on finding a place to set up our tents. It was during this time that we had a gem of a cultural experience.

Grandma on an evening stroll with the grandkids.

Brian checked out one property that was listed on Google Maps as having a possible campsite, but it turned out to be private property. The family that lived on the property, though, enthusiastically invited us in for a meal of sancocho antioqueño. Martín, one of the family members who had clearly had one too many shots of aguardiente, was all-too-excited to share his bottle with us, so we each shared a few small shots during dinner. As dinner wound down, the sun was almost set and we still needed to find a place to stay. Martín recommended a hotel in town and called ahead to make sure they had a room for us. Armed with directions, I gave Martín the remainder of my electrolyte tablets which he would likely need in the morning, and we left to climb several hundred more feet into town, putting us at just over 4,700ft for the day. We settled in to our hotel room and had a great discussion with the hostess, a Venezuelan refugee who has been living and working in Colombia for four years. She eagerly shared that she would be returning in January to her home city, where she would try to go back to work as a nurse. Yet another reminder of the privilege we have been born into.

Today was full of moments that make bikepacking such a fun hobby. You can map out a route, envision what it will look like, and plan ahead for any unforseen circumstances, yet the miles you cover will always be filled with the unexpected, be it the kindness of passers-by, expansive vistas, servings of sancocho antioqueño...or even a cheery mustachioed melon salesmen.

Today's ride: 57 km (35 miles)
Total: 894 km (555 miles)

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