to Palmira: flat roads and sugarcane fields

April 18, 2017

"I like this pedal, pedal, glide" Rachel says as we leave on a downhill, then essentially flat touring on a four-lane road until VillaRica. It's been awhile that we've had a day where our elevation gain and loss is about 50 meters.

The theme for today is "sugarcane fields forever". The fields are in various stages of planting, growing and harvesting. There are many sugarcane factories along the way, only a few close to the road where we can smell the processing. "Road train" trucks pulling 5 big wagons either empty or loaded with sugarcane, pass us. Where there is an entrance to the factories signs warn for "Cruce de Tren de Canero" and men stand with signs waiting to stop traffic for the trucks to enter the highway. Then we also see the low tech transport of sugarcane still being done by horse drawn wagons.

"No stopping, it's not safe" says the policeman. Four police on two motorbikes stop where we have stopped to put on our sunglasses. The area did have a strange feeling to it. Later, we did stop once at a roadside stall for a cold drink and to eat the chocolate brownies from Popayan. The sky is overcast, and the temperature not too hot, the wind swirls around us. The road goes from a four lane to two lane, back to four lanes yet the shoulder stays basically good to ride. We continue to see the "eyeball" signs and thanks to Andrea Brown, from "This Time Tomorrow" sending a message through our guestbook, we now know this means, low beams. http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/tomorrow1616

We make good time to Palmira. We leave the main road that goes around Palmira onto a very broken up asphalt road for 3km. In retrospect, this only saved a few kilometers and it might have been better to stay on the main road. We navigate the one way streets to the H & M Hotel. There are young cyclists outside and more arrive in a van, Patrick checks for availability and they are fully booked. Next door is the Emperador Hotel, and a room is available for 74,000 COL including breakfast. Checked-in and a hot shower, we make sandwiches in the sitting area outside the room. The WiFi is good and the Champions League return game between Bayern Munchen and Real Madrid is on this afternoon. Later we walk to the city plaza to visit two nice churches and we walk out to the "Fusion Thai Wok" restaurant. As we expected despite the name, the food is not really Thai but Chinese. Beats another fried chicken meal though. We take a taxi back after dark as recommended by our English speaking hotel manager.

We get an early start and see the sun rising over flooded cane fields.

Flat riding. We have not seen this since leaving the Peruvian coast.

These motorcycle cops tell us not to stop in this area. They then follow us closely for about five kilometers. The road today goes through some poor areas where you probably wouldn't want to find yourself after dark.

We take a short break at a little tienda.

In stark contrast with the huge road trains are the horse carts also transporting loads of sugarcane to the factories.

We were aiming for the H&M hotel but they are full. Next door is the Hotel Emperador where we find a room with hot water!

Today's ride: 65 km (40 miles)
Total: 30,606 km (19,006 miles)

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	0
Comment on this entry	Comment	0