Colombia - part 2

After 2 weeks at Casa Blanca hostel in Cali it was time to make some ground and head north. I had replaced all my spares and picked up a second hand rear tyre cheap so I had the bike sorted for a while.

I was aiming for the tourist town of Salento in the heart of the coffee growing area of Colombia. Colombia is the worlds 3rd largest country for coffee production. Here I got to tour a small organic farm and see the process of beans harvested through to sampling a freshly ground brew.  The area is also famous for is beautiful scenery and it's tall wax palm trees towering up out of the forests and paddocks.

 Wax Palm trees near Salento

Don't think this is up to DOC standards!

In Salento I met up with Guy from the UK on a BMW 650 Twin. We did a day ride up through a bunch of muddy farm tracks in the hills surrounding Salento.

Day ride with Guy

Out in the middle of nowhere you find churches like this

The next few days I rode with Guy to the city of Medellin via a series of back roads and small towns perched up high on ridges and surrounded by coffee farms and lush green hill sides. This was some pretty cool riding, the scenery was fantastic, the roads narrow and winding and the towns busy with interesting people. We attempted to get up close to an active volcano but got washed out not by ash but by a thunderstorm that had the track transformed into a river and created an impassable mudslide.

Coffee seedlings

Coffee bushes growing amongst Plantans ( Banana's)

View from our hotel in the mountain town of Salamina

Guy talking with friendly farmer about to take his sack of coffee beans to town market

Lunch stop in Aguadas

Only 20 years ago Medellin was the worlds most murderous city and the centre of Colombia's drug trade. Car bombs and Gun welding motorbike riding hit men working for drug lord Pablo Escobar causing many deaths. Escobar was gunned down and killed in 1993. Now days the city is famous for it's beautiful women, and yes the women are gorgeous, helped by the fact that plastic surgery is cheap and common here.

My first day in the city and I'm off on a ride with Guy and a few other riders organised by Mike from Motolombia bike tours and also the owner of Casa Blanca hostel down in Cali. Mike and Thomas the owner of the local Kawasaki shop took us on a great loop around the hills surrounding the city.

Day ride lead by Mike from Motolombia bike tours

After the ride we went and checked out a large motorbike expo which was conveniently on the week end that we arrived. Colombians like there bikes and there is a lot of money here, at the expo we got to see the latest in bikes and  performance accessories. I'm sure there must have been some plastic surgery representatives somewhere too judging by the amount of breast enhancing accessories on display as well!!

Before leaving the city I caught up with Alen whom I met way back down in Lima a couple of months earlier. Alen gave me a tour around town, it was interesting to here about the changes that have happened in the city over the recent years.

The Ducati Display

Big crowds at the Medellin motorbike expo

Brightly coloured Streets in the town of Guatape

Every town in South America has a central plaza and church

My route from Medellin east to Villa de Leya took in a bunch of small towns and rough roads, I averaged less than 100 km a day for 4 days due to damaged roads, nice towns and people that were just too nice to ride on through in a hurry.

Elizabeth and David took me down to the local swimming hole

Drug lord Pablo Escobar's first smuggling plane at his old property

Flood Damage just before the town of Otanche

Otanche

 I arrived at the town of Otanche for lunch and was soon told that the main road out of town was cut off by a large slip, could be a few days before it would be cleared.  Ok, this place is interesting and I don't mind spending the afternoon wondering around. I bump into some very friendly locals at the coffee shop that speak some English and I end up spending the rest of the evening having a few beers with them. Really nice people and I wish I had more time to hang out in places like this. Turns out that there is a "ultra carratera" another road that could be possible.

Next morning armed with a hand drawn map from the hotel staff I head off in search of the alternative road. I'm at the right town were the road turns off but can't find it, I ask at a cafe for directions, turns out one of the guys is heading my way, I wait a while and then get guided by Andreas and his mate on a little Suzuki 200. He takes me so far to the town of Muzo and then suggests I follow the bus out. I 'm a bit reluctant to follow the bus but am soon clad I did as there are many junctions with no signs and the Toyota landcruiser "bus" is getting along fairly smartly down the rough road.

Towards the end of the day I'm following along behind the landcruiser surrounded in beautiful countryside and reflect on what has been an awesome day. Due to the damaged main road  I have been guided along this fantastic network of roads perfect for motorcycling deep in heartland Colombia passing by small towns that I would have otherwise missed.

another town, another impressive church

This is near the start of the alternative road, looks like it´s going to be an interesting ride!

My Guide Andreas ( left)  and his mate

My Landcruiser guide vehicle

After 4 days I finally make Villa de Leya 

Colombia

While hanging out at Casa Blanca hostel I met up with fellow bike tourer John from Oklahoma. John is riding the American Continent's on his BMW 650, he rides for 6 months and then returns home to work for 6. Together we did a day ride in the hills surrounding Cali, attended a BMW open day where we got to test ride the latest bikes and then did a 3 day trip out to the Pacific cost at Buenaventura. Was a fun week all up. After  a month or so on my own it was nice to have some company again.

Day out with "Oklahoma John"

The 650's in a tea plantation near Cali

Test riding the new BMW 800 GS

On our way out to Buenaventura we stopped off for the night at San Cipriano. There is no road and a rail trolley driven by a motorbike was an interesting trip down the line and into town. The climate here in Colombia at sea level is obviously a tad warm so swimming in the nearby river and some cold beers went down a treat.

Motorbike powered transportation down the railway line

On the line to San Cipriano

On the return to Cali we took the "old road" which has been made redundant due to the construction of a new highway. It's only used by a few locals, and at one point was drug running route. The military know have control over this area and it's one of the best rides I've done to date.

On the Old Road

Thanks to these guys we had a great ride

A necessary cool off

Another section on the old road from Buenaventura to Cali

It doesn't get much better than this!

And a overgrown concrete section in the middle of the jungle, nice.



John getting a shower

Afternoon thunderstorm back at the Hostel in Cali. Have I mentioned it's rained pretty much everyday in Ecudaor & Colombia!

Border Blues

Quito turned out to be quite expensive for me. The Dr was in need of chain and sprockets and after 5 months I was in need of diabetic supplies. For the bike I had a choice of cheap Chinese or over priced genuine Suzuki, nothing in between. The Suzuki parts really are expensive here but I think I would regret a Chinese chain when it starts to disintegrate somewhere out in the middle of no where, I know the Suzuki is a good chain.

Without the government subsidy I get back in NZ keeping myself up and running well is not too cheap either. Insulin is not bad but the test strips that I use for monitoring my sugar levels cost over a dollar a shot and with around 1200 finger pricking tests a year, well it soon adds up! Could be worse I guess, at least there is availability of what I need, wouldn't be possible to make this trip if there wasn't.

Court and Sylviar fromwww.freedombikerental.com in Quito where unbelievably helpful, guiding me through the city to the Suzuki shop and then helping out with the fitting of the new parts. They also gave me a few ideas on a good route to try out up the road towards Colombia, top blokes, thanks again for all your help.

Court from freedom Bike Rental in Qutio

First stop up the road was the equator where I parked up the bike and didn't need the side stand- it just stood up on it's own, no just joking! But I did watch some water spin down a sink hole clockwise and then anti clockwise directions only meters either side of the gps'ed equator line.

Up near the Colombian Border I took the loop recommended by Court at Freedom Bikes which had me traversing some really interesting country and had more than the usual rubber necking from the locals, every single person in every small village having a real good look at me as I rode through, very few gringos through here I concluded. It was an enjoyable ride which sadly due to some issues at the border later that day was not to be the most memorable part of the day.

"panela" production on the roadside, made from sugar cane, I think it's like caramel

Interesting flax like trees called Frailejon up at 4000m

After lunch at Tulcan I headed just up the road for the border at 1.30, thought that should be plenty of time to get processed and probably just stay at the border town of Ipiales in Colombia. Wrong, didn't even get past the first stage! Not much of a queue but problem getting stamped out. I had to wait in a room, the guy said no problem, well why am I sitting here for over an hour then? Eventually a guy helped translate, apparently I was not processed in right, that f...... useless immigration officer back at Zumba! I guess that is a risk of using very small border crossings. Anyway he said a officer would be bringing a different stamp that I needed, would be here in an hour, yeah right I thought but waited it out and got very pissed off. In the meantime got the bike signed out to save time later and sure enough it's now about 5pm and don't wont to be riding around or looking for hostel in the dark, bugger this I head back to Tulcan which is just 4 km back up the road. Fortunately found an ok hostel with private room for 8 us, bit of a walk for parking though but just clad to have a place sorted. back to the border tomorrow, hopefully better luck.

Frustrating times at the border

Back in customs around 8am, same shit, just wait a while they said. Couple of hours later and I'm getting really pissed off. A guy just hanging around speaks a little English said he is friends with one of the immigration officers, next thing an officer comes out to the bike and we go around the back of the building to a empty room, officer looks at passport and goes back into the main building with it, shit this is dodgy I think, am I going to get my passport back?

Mean while the helper dude tells me to wait outside and then said he wants 100 us dollars. I tell him no f...ing way, go and get my passport back I said. I go into the immigration room against the helper dudes whishes, the officer is on the computer. He comes out, and luckily he hands my passport back to me, he shows me the stamp and said it's all good. I hope so and leave. Looking back on the whole ordeal I'm sure the custom officers where just trying to delay me and get me annoyed so that eventually I would offer them a bribe.

In contrast Colombian customs very fast and helpful, no queue and I'm on my way. Meanwhile the helper dude came over the bridge and wanted to know if all ok and then showed me the customs place to get the bike sorted. He still wants some money of course, he now wants 5 bucks, he was helpful so I give him about 2.50, it's all I have in small change. I thank him and leave. What a drama!

Yeah, no more corruption would be good!

The first few days in Colombia and I just ride up the Pan American highway, firstly to Pasto and Popayan and then on to Cali. The scenery is nice with the road winding it's way through the hilly country side, lots of traffic though so it's slow going, bit of a change from the back roads of Peru where I generally had the them to myself. And theres lots of heavily armed military around, they seem very friendly lots of thumbs up and big smiles as I ride past.

Pan American Highway, Popayan to Cali

I'm heading North and David is heading South, he is 10 months into his 3 year RTW trip.
We exchange maps and route information over a drink and then hit the road. 

Cali is one of the larger cities in Colombia, I head straight for Casa Blanca Hostel which is run by Mike and Diana who also have a motorbike rental Business. The Hostel is the place to stay if you are travelling by bike. I order more bike parts here (prices are better than in Quito), get my bike trousers patched up, make a replacement number plate ( I lost a number of the end of the original) got everything sorted and didn't have to travel further than a couple of blocks from the hostel, great.