After my “brocation” I figured the most appropriate place for me to take Jon next was to bike death road in La Paz, Bolivia. Death Road was, until the early 2000’s, the main route in Bolivia from the amazon basin through the mountains to the ocean. The name was obtained due to the number of fatalities that occurred on this road which is in the range of 200 on an annual basis. It is a wonder there were not more considering on several parts of the road there was barely enough room for one car let alone two passing each other in opposite directions. In the early 2000’s a new road was built leaving Death Road to be primarily used for cyclists, however there are still a few drivers that continue to risk death road.
We were mostly concerned with safety when choosing a tour operator so we decided to go with Vertigo Biking who had a good reputation. The day started at early where we piled in a van and headed 2-hours drive outside the city. We were given bikes and full head to toe gear including knee and elbow pads, a jacket, pants, gloves and a helmet. I felt like some professional BMX racer. After practicing in the parking lot we took off down a paved road for our test run.
Our trial pavement road before we were allowed to tackle the great Death Road.
Once we had proven that we were up to the task we headed to death road. The scenery changed from a dry mountainous landscape to a beautiful lush cloud forest. We started out above the clouds and biked down 3,500 meters to the amazon basin. The road was a dirt road and very rocky adding to the adventure.
The start of Death Road, the hairpin turn you see was the cause of many accidents.
Jon of course was the first person in the pack, speeding his way along. I was meandering down at a slower pace with the only other girl in our group. This was great on the paved road where I was following slightly behind. However, this changed on the dirt road. We were going about the same pace the problem was that while following behind her I had to break each time she braked, which was often as there were rocks and ruts all over the road. This resulted in an uncomfortable ride. I think the other girl felt the same way as each time after a break she rushed to get in front of me. The first quarter of the trip I was trying to come up with a plan on how to pass her without running us both off the road or being rude.
Finally, my problem was solved for me when we both took a corner and almost ran into a truck coming up the road. The girl stopped dead in the middle of the road and I ran right off the road into the ditch. Neither of us were hurt but both of us were given quite a scare. After that the other girl opted to ride the rest of the way down in the van and I had the whole road to myself where I could enjoy the scenery and go at my own pace.
Afterwards we stopped for a fantastic late lunch at a local resort with a pool where Jon and I toasted our success with an ice-cold local beer.
Me in my BMX getup.
Where we stayed, Casa Skyways B&B, a quaint converted house in a residential area of La Paz. We had a private room with a super comfy bed, chandelier and a wall of closets for $25 a night including a yummy breakfast. There was great dining and living area for guests use and the staff were very sweet.
Our cozy bedroom where Jon and I spent a whole afternoon lounging watching movies in English and the dining area.
Journey with Christina 