April 2, 2000
Day 163 Road to La Paz: Free Camping
We get on the road at about eight. Leaving town is easy, we are one block from the main road headed west. The first 40 km are the easy ones today. It’s all paved and flat. Just on the outskirts of town we see groups of Sunday morning bike riders as they are gathering for their ride. A large group will pass us later. The ride is easy, all we have to watch out for are the mini busses that constantly swerve over to pick up more passengers.
We get to the foot of the hill at about 10. It’s the mother of all hills, from here about 2400 meters it goes back up to the Altiplano, reaching at almost 4500 meters. It’s a climb we like though, not too steep, about 5%, and curvy, so you always have a point to focus on. Quite often we get good views back into the valley. We take breaks every 100 to 150 meter elevation gained. As we reach the crest of the first ridge the road turns and starts to follow it, making a huge hairpin and then up the next ridge. We can see the road, little toy-trucks inch their way up. There are quite a few busses to La Paz, at least one every twenty minutes. But there is a small shoulder and the drivers are okay.
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At five o’clock we reach the point we’ve been looking at for so long. There is a small town just on the saddle, it seems many busses stop here for there are lots of restaurants and shops. The road descends a bit, but then starts another huge hairpin, making its way to the next, higher ridge. We ride about another hour, then find a flat spot about 100 meters off the road and hidden by the hill and rocks.
Dinner is a treat tonight. We have a large can of Bushes baked beans that Rachel carried up here. The stove works this time, despite the altitude. Tastes great with the dark German bread we bought. While we are eating a man and his flock of sheep come by. He is playing his guitar. Seems okay so we pitch our tent just before dark. We each have a half-pot of warm water for a sponge bath.
Quite the climb today, got to 3800 meters.
Today's ride: 80 km (50 miles)
Total: 5,407 km (3,358 miles)
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