The bad thing about having a fat bike is that trivializes many of the roads which on a mountain bike or a road bike would feel epic and difficult. Although there is a nice road going south along the central range, it's better to try and leave all those roads and find some trails crossing the Andes.

For the first time I got to lay back and observe the morning ritual at a small village as everybody's eyes were on the cow.

At Gaitan I was greeted by two guys who passed me earlier holding cold drinks. Then the army and the kids showed up, asking all sorts of questions (the kids more than the army). Then it was my turn, no internet at town but I got more info on the trail I want to take. Going to Albania where I wanted was not possible because there is no bridge anymore. A horse can cross the river but only if it is low which now can be rare. Not to mention the logistics of finding a horse. Plan B was on the other side of the valley and possible on foot or horse but not with bike. Meanwhile, the soldiers who have my passport are talking to their boss with radios but for some reason the whole conversation gets broadcasted in the town with loudspeakers. Like really? Finally they give my expired passport back and luckily did not notice the expiration date. I am good to go... well kind of...

At the top of the hill out of town I get stopped again. This is their base, a nice soldier who is trying to teach himself english asks me to read the lyrics of a song: "the wind of change" by the scorpions. Meanwhile another runs back to get the comanding officer. We go through some questions again, me getting the feeling that they may not let me go through. But eventually the boss tells me that it is really dangerous and not just because of the cold and he recommends that I turn back. I nod and smile, adios. Kind of happy of how even the military can believe in me, to be honest if anything were to happen they could get in trouble but they still let me go.

As I crest the hills past I wonder too, but now with the peace with FARC it should be okay although it makes you wonder why such a big base literally in the middle of nowhere.

Caserio Casillo where the road ends I talk to the store owner and her kid walks me down the road to where the bulldozer broke and they stopped building it. Would there have been a road to the other side if it didn't break? Who knows. Darwin asked me before I left
"If its too difficult, will you come back?"
"No." I am way too stubborn to come back.

The little trail turns out to be very busy. I meet a man on a very large horse and Raul on Canelo the mule, carrying two of his combat chickens for the tournament on sunday. Already liking this. Only in colombia you ride a horse for 5 hours just go attend a chicken fight!

Raul and Canelo, the chickens are in cloths one on front and one on the back

I push along coffee and bean plantations which make you wonder if it's even safe to harest them at such steep gradients. There are ups and downs and some sections are just impossible. Struggling for footing in the mud is bad enough but there is no room for person and bike, meaning I have to carry it or try to push it along the higher road bank or over rocks and other nastiness.

At 6 I find Raul's house to stay for the night.

Road is quite good and I meet the family of the man with the very large horse and that I know is because I said: "Good morning, is this the house of the man with the very large horse who left yesterday?"
They invite me to a second breakfast and coffee. Its amazing how different things are here. At the store where the road ended I was fed a second lunch, any house I stopped at to ask direcions I was offered food and water.

Looking across the hill it seemed like a 2-300m dip down and up across the valley. It was all walking downhill and of course up but eventually it was lunch time.

short but blissfull, sometimes I can ride the bike for bits and pieces. Really keeps morale high

A man with a cape riding in the rain like superman stopped to talk.
"No brother, not with a bicycle.." these words I repeat to myself for a bit as I negociate steep and way too narrow road up towards another ridge just to lose the elevation in the next valley.

But also, it was so amazingly beautiful. Seeing all the little houses across the valley, the hot rays of the sun and just being out here. Here where the mules do all the hard work and somehow amidst modernization and technology places like these seem to thrive, people like Raul and his family moved away from Bogota and love it. No electricity, no phone, no pool, no pets. wait definitely lots of pets!

A lady mule behind a fence was happy to see a bike for the first time. She tried biting the tires and the frame bag but realized that it wasn't very nutritional.

An old house at the high point before I drop down into the final valley seemed very inviting. The rooms were dirty but the front was perfect, a table and a chair, who can ask for more.

The view was also amazing and a cow showed up alerting the others of my presence. Soon 4 more came up, seemingly demanding water, mooing and shitting all over the place. We remain mortal enemies.

Some big mountains pop out of the clouds, not bad. Map says it should be about 5000 meters.

It rains at night and well into the morning and I eat a long breakfast while watching the cloud show across the valley.

I gathered rain water for the cows and put it in the bucket outside as an offering of peace, they still seemed grumpy and only drank the water when I wasnt looking.

Off I go up the valley of the clouds.

At a ranch named La Playa I eat a lunch and strap the bike to the backpack, road is supposed to get even worse from here.

Its really a complete disaster, its not the weight but the large awkward bike always making me bend in awkward positions to avoid rocks and the rear tire hitting my legs. Eventually I fall backwards and rip a backpack strap. What a sight that was, me on the back like a turtle trying to find out the most easy way to get back on my feet without damaging the precious cargo even more.

I spot a gate and well worn trail up a pasture and then there is a house. A horse to keep me company and a peak into the rugged peaks of the Paramo!

Knowing the friendly horse is listening I randomly burst into singing wondering what he is thinking.

All weight into the backpack and today I will try pushing going into the mighty jungle where the lion sleeps tonight. It can get really demotivational at times, especially when crossing a creek which involves some rather interesting wet, slanted rocks and steep, narrow switchbacks.
"No brother, not with a bike," hm but the funny thing is that I chose to be here and to be honest I kind of like it.

horse washboard, a little cousin to your standard washboard. This is actually easy and nice piece of trail.

After few hours I reach the La Cabana, all these little houses have names. Its a sunny day, good day to cut the balls from all the cows. They ask me to stay for lunch and I happily accept.

The brown dog when he first saw me tried to attack me, in his excitement slipping right before and hitting his face on my leg then tumbling over. When he got on his feet he completely forgot what he was doing and went to lie in the grass. He is trying hard to look tough but what a goofball!

They put all the cow balls in a bucket.
"Is it for the dogs?" I ask
"No, you eat them fried with some eggs and onion."
"Really?"
"Yeah, it gives you strength."

Maybe that is what I need to make it the rest of the trail the only foreginer who has been here and he has to eat cow balls to gain the strength of a mule, the swiftness of a horse and the stubbornness of a donkey. On a second thought, I will just take the eggs :)

The poor little kid was very excited to talk to me but I could not understand a single word he was saying and just kept nodding, saying "si" and smiling. He watched me push my bike over the hill.

Soon life was back to normal them attending the cows and me attending that rocky trail.

It was actually relatively easy, there seemed to be enough space for me and the bike and the sections where I had to lift it were short.

I reach another house at 5 and figure its best to stop now. The senor asks me if I am from the ministry of environment, apparently they are coming here to look at ranches and buying everything above 3000 meters for preservation.
"Once they buy it I am gone," says the senor, his wife is in Palmira because she always gets sick with the cold and its him, a little hydro powerplant, 2 milk cows, 14 food cows and two dogs here. He goes to town once a month.

Being good at waiting is an important trait of being a dog, we spend the evening listening to the radio, watching the cows and chickens eat and me telling him about how the Caribou run wild in Canada.

It was hard to refuse the offer to stay another day, eat more of that food I have been carrying all along and sleep and it also felt good to talk to him, it doesnt seem like that many people pass by here.

making cheese step one: after a day and a half squeeze the milk out

step 2: squeeze the rest of it out with a bag of rocks

step 4: feed the dogs with the leftover milk

step 5: load up the packmules and go sell it in town

Eventually I reached some paramo. Another man from a ranch few days back (for me) was coming back with Rosalia the horse and a mule named Champion, although Gaitan and Rio Blanco are closer, it is better to sell their cheese at Palmira where here are more bakeries.

All along I had been hoping for better trail at the paramo, maybe even get to ride the bike for a bit but that wasn't the case. The worse was steep switchbacks, dug deep into the trail with no space and slippery rocks wet from the rain.

Things got rockier but easier later and the clouds shifted back and forth revealing the rugged peaks, lakes and more big rocks. Not too hard and not too easy but I chose to be here. Who in their right mind decides to push and carry their bikes with their house for 6-7 days on a mule trail? and yet it seemed like such a logical thing to do. Going back now is definitely harder.

it really depends on your definition of fun!

At the pass I left my helmet, good spot if you ask me. Sadly with the camera mounted it does not stay on too well, going to get a hat instead. Safety first right! dont want to get sunburned!

Further down I found a decent and dry spot with good views and a mostly rain free evening.

It was still all walking but few stretches I could ride, one ending in a mud pit and me almost doing a front flip, would have been funny and muddy.

The way down things turned really bad, steep rocks, narrow trail and to top it off why not run a stream through the trail. The mules ahead of me have struggled for footing on the slippery trail in the process pooping all over and making things even more dangerous.

Eventually there was a pasture and better trail and surprised cows. But not much rideable at all.

Animals that have never seen bicycles in their lives sure looked surprised.

It was a great descend from two thousand something to the blazing heat at one thousand meters and the Valley of the Cauca.

Having spent all my money on a new tire and getting the new passport here to Colombia (who would have thought it costs $100 to send a letter from USA to here) I was left with about $15 worth and that meant no stay in town. I bought 3 days worth of potatoes and headed up to the Paramo.

A man rode alongside me and even helped me push the bike on the steep parts and showed me the perfect spot to camp.

As far as on-road camping, this was it. Good nature sounds all around with the occasional buzz from the city all to the lighted up valley of Cauca and a cool breeze to keep the bugs down. A fire or two blaze in the sugar cane fields and the roads flow like rivers of light. In the distance Cali splurges alongside the valley wall with its own little light halo of cloud/haze/smog.

The way up was good, eventually running into the most modified 4x4 I have ever seen, loaded up with passengers and sacks upon sacks of veggies, cafe and who knows what else.

Moroccho started following me, barking off other dogs and always beside me. Thats the way to deal with bad dogs - have a guardian dog with you!

Then another guy joined us, both protecting me from barking dogs and even chasing cows off the way.

Eventually I reached the barricade. Apparently the natives have blocked the way up but I was hoping they would let me go through seeing its the only way across for 100 km in a straight line (north and south of here). They searched my bags, took photos of my passport and after waiting two hours told me no. Kind of a crappy but oh well, I may do a big loop and come back this way...

While Moroccho was shuttled with a jeep back to his house, the other dog who followed avoided being lifted on the back, I lost him on the descend but he caught up to me at a road stop at the mirador.

Next option was too a little sketchy, OSM showed nothing but google shows a highway running through to the other side but on satellite it appears like nothing more than a horse trail at best. I turned south from Corinto to escape the heat of the lowlands and the pavement.

En route there was a fairly uneven soccer match. Looks like striped team had 3 more players: two chickens and a cow to help the goalie.

As far as food, it was hard to beat this. 9 eggs for $1 and almost any store would boil them for you! The next best thing unless you carry a chicken on your handlebars.

At night I could see the valley blaze up under the bright lights of the marijuana plantations. Maybe perhaps not the best place to go camping.

then it kind of happened. A moto pulled over and a young chap started asking me questions. Not the kind the curious nice colombians ask, there was a certain persistance and expectation.
"we need to search your bags..."
"i dont understand," best reply I could think of as I had just noticed the gun in his front pocket. After some back and forth I handed him my bulgarian passport and I think that alleviated things, luckily he did not flip to the page with the american visa, I think him thinking I am not from USA was a good thing.
Eventually he must have realized how bad I smelled and that I wasnt worth the trouble and drove off. Not sure what I would have done if they tried to rob me.

I took a break at a house down the road, they seemd to have a weed plantation just nearby and apparently the government is trying to crack down but I dont think they would shut them all down. There was a similar but unmanned blockade as the one I encountered yesterday when trying to get to the Paramo. Perhaps the natives havent blocked the road for preservation and protection of the nature but just to keep people out so they can grow drugs, what a bummer! would have been great to cross the range earlier.

Sidewall of the rear tire seems to be breaking, luckily there was a moto repair place with a compressor. I sewed the hole well and then threw patches on either side, hoping it will hold for a while.

Tacueyo was a small but busy town but somehow things were more grim following the events of this morning. I tried to be vague of the direction where I am going when asked and rolled out as fast as I could.

At first it was very hot and humid but climbing to 2500m for the night was amazing. I felt more safe sleeping near somebodys house and asked at one of the final ones to sleep under the roof. There was something magical about the crescent moon rising over the tall palm trees littering the steep hills.

6am alarm a big rooster yapping outside my tent, well there is no snooze here.

then I made friends with the pitbull. Tough on the outside but a poodle at heart.

I negociated road space with horses and cows, a slide meant that anything but stubborn motos would not make it further up.

The climb was amazingly easy and not even in granny gear. While resting at the pass 4 completely wet dog showed up out of nowhere and started sniffing around.

Then they left, but the wettest one of them stayed behind.

my new wet dog companion!

we followed an old spur road climbing somewhere into the distance.

at the top some old shelter

It took some convincing but I had to carry her and wrap her well until she stopped shivering. 4000meters is not a good place to be a wet dog.

Then we watched some John Oliver on american politics and coal.

All fog and mist and really chilly but I am not leaving until I can see where I am.

on the second day my friend left and came back two hours later, completely wet again.

Then a little sun came out and all the bugs and birds came out, it was just like on the discovery channel.

I dont know how matt damon pulled it off on mars but rationing potatoes was not my strongest point. I cooked everything in sight.

Waiting for the sun, we howled and howled, hoping to howl the clouds and fog away and see what lies beyond.

and then it happened, the savage wind blew away the clouds just in time to catch a glimpse of the sunset. A quick peak at the base of Nevado del Huila and an appreciation for being able to be out here, for being out here and calling wherever I am home. I love you Colombia! you never cease to inspire, amaze and surprise.

At night the unnatural bright lights of the marijuana plantations can be seen from the top. To the right the bright blob of Cali and to the east the clouds still hugging the volcano tight.

Since 5 I stood out staring into the clouds and hoping for a peak at the Nevado. I only have food for a dinner now and I need to leave.

it wasnt meant to be but there was a little bit of a sunrise. We bolted down the road to the main and then down the valley below.

It used to be a road here back in 94 but then the volcano erupted and a side of the mountain came down with the river, then no road.

At parts old overgrown roadbed but others were plain worrying. From the start it was clear that this was not a horse trail, only people on foot can make it.

lost in the translation, bridge doesnt mean in spanish what you think it means in english!

Then it was some interesting rock climbing, one wrong move and we are in the river doing rapids. I fell back slipping on the road quite hard but luckily on my bum. If it was further up it could have been bad.

Narrow cliffside trails, sketchy wet log bridge crossings all under the constant pelting of the rain.

Then it got worse. I followed the trail until it was gone and then through some sketchy rocks and rivers. A large creek was judged impassable after a short scouting mission and it seemed that the trail must have made a turn somewhere I missed. Google maps on the other hand, shows a numbered highway here. Thanks google!

If there was a place to lose your shit as they say, this would have been it. But I was somehow calm until I slipped on a rock and the contents of my front left bag fell into a creek. It took quite a bit of searching the muddy bottom to get the gopro camera back, I removed the battery in hopes that it will dry out and live to work another day.

so close, yet so far away. that road up ahead is unreachable from here

Then it was a demotivating 30 minute return some impossible creeks and drops until I found a green shirt hung on a rock up the hill. Thats the trail!

A nice log bridge went over the raging creek, this was the least sketchy of the 3 river crossings I had today.

A short section of road led to a nice hanging bridge. I thought about going back to school. If I do I will finish my degree and specialize in bridge construction and maintenance. It is time to bring bridges to all the people who need them!

and talking about bridges...when one of the wet slippery boards snapped, me on the right side on my bum and the bike hanging by the handlebars....

but eventually all that nastiness was over and just as I was getting hypothermic from all the rain I saw few motos. Its all good from here!

I tried to make it all the way to town with dreams of hamburgers and candy. Few hours in the dark and I settled for some church near the road, I did not have more energy to make the last 10km to Belalcazar

The next morning was better. I reached town just in time for an amazingly delicious breakfast and then I hit the bakery for coffee, cake, cake, coffee, cake, juice, cake. Good cakes.

Somehow to top it off, the carry of the bike to the 4th floor of the hotel was easier than that trail. No dice on hot shower as they had no gas but the view was good and I literally had the entire 4th floor to myself with the best burger in a long time!

I had a dream, i was somewhere in canada. Me and a friend had mules going up a mountain, a little snow on top. However a bear was following us and I used the bear spray to keep him away but he kept coming back. The spray was out and it was clear what needed to be done: I will have to fight the bear. I stood my ground, my friend running away with the mules and braced myself. Then BOOM. I must have kicked in my sleep because I toppled over the bike, the charging tablet fell on the ground and broke the screen.

The best part about the stay in the town was that I did not get sick from overeating and was ready to head over for another crossing of the central range towards Popayan!
until next time!