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Ruta de El Dorado, Colombia – November 22nd, 23rd & 24th (Day 1,2&3)

I was excited and very nervous about Colombia. I also felt tired from the cycling season and kind of dragged my feet for this trip, and was packing late. Just before the flight, I was incredibly excited. Although the flight was scheduled for the evening, we drove to Newark, NJ, early in the morning. The feeling of being early and relaxed was enjoyable. We grabbed sandwiches from a supermarket and found the parking lot. The airport shuttle was already waiting for us. We dropped off our bags and waited for our plane. We didn’t know what to expect.

The flight was uneventful, and we arrived at around 11pm in Bogota. Gloria (the shuttle operator) was waiting for us with her daughter at the airport and our names written on the cardboard box. They only spoke Spanish, and it hindered the communication between us. Her husband was driving. We were showing each other biking pictures on our phones. They dropped us off at the building for our Airbnb and communicated with the security guy to let us in. Check-in in the lobby and filling out paperwork was required. We were staying on the 11th floor and after arriving assembled the bikes. We were done a little after 2am.

I couldn’t fall asleep, and I had this quiet wish to sleep in and maybe stay an extra day in Bogota to acclimate to the altitude. We had two nights booked. We got up after seven and I almost passed out in the attempt to go to the bathroom. At night my heart was racing, and I had this weird pressure in my lower stomach. I ate a Snickers bar and felt slightly better as I laid down on the living room couch. Julio came to our apartment and brought Colombian coffee, which I didn’t try as I didn’t drink coffee.

I had doubts starting the ride, but I got a little distracted by his visit and started feeling better, although every bigger effort made me feel lightheaded. Chris was excited to start, and stated that he was feeling great, but I was hesitant. We started moving slowly and my elevated heart rate felt quite uncomfortable and breathing felt more labored. A big five-mile climb was at the beginning of the route, and I paced myself. Chris laughed and said I should stop looking at my watch showing my heart rate. I followed his advice and opted to go with the flow. The climb led to an elevation of over 10,000 feet and headache joined my other symptoms. We stopped on top of the climb at a little café. Chris got busy conversing with some cyclist, and I ordered a ham and cheese sandwich. I did start feeling better a little later as if my body accepted that I didn’t give it a chance to protest anymore. The route was very nice, and it surprised me how different Colombia was. It was a cultural shock on top of everything that we saw. Some roads were super steep and hard to climb. The route provided us with an enjoyable and unforgettable experience.

We made another pit stop at La Calera to enjoy a baked chicken meal.

We had a slow start on the first day and had to look for lodging in Aposentos. We found a cheaper place by a truck garage. The door had no lock, so we barricaded it with the bed. The shower water was scorching, the only positive aspect of this place. The trucks were beeping all night long. Not sure why I was surprised. Should I have been? We didn’t make the best decision about choosing this place. We grabbed some food from a little grocery store and ate in the room. My throat felt sore, and I slept little that night. In the morning, we returned the keys without a comment. It was clear that the hotel operator knew about the room’s circumstances.

When we were leaving, a street dog grabbed my foot with his teeth growling. I pushed him off. With a laugh, I accepted and ignored the encounter, considering it a great start to the day, as he didn’t touch my skin. We continued in high traffic on what seemed like ‘main’ dirt road. It was uneven and had potholes, but many trucks and motor bikes meandered around them. A parked truck on the side of the road caused all a traffic jam. The air was saturated with suffocating exhaust fumes and noise. We covered half of our faces. This didn’t agree with my sore throat and lungs at all. Soon we rode into Zipaquira city. Cows were grazing the grass there, creating contrasting sight. Chris decided to look for a bike store and change his brake routers to bigger and maybe upgrade his shifting. The bike he brought wasn’t meant for the Colombian climbing and steep descents. Getting to the bike shop before it opened, we waited a little longer after the opening time since nobody had shown up yet. A teenage age kid worked there, but soon we discovered how good he was at what he was doing. The store was nice, and I purchased glasses and short-fingered gloves.

After we left the city, I proposed to Chris that we should split. I felt extremely tired, and my body ached from top to bottom. I didn’t enjoy the ride at all. He agreed and went ahead. Relieved, I continued slowly to Sesquile. During a quick break, I evaluated the available accommodations and eagerly anticipated checking in and getting into bed.

I rang a bell by a massive metal door resembling a fortress entrance. An older, short lady came out. 

“Una persona por una noche?’ I asked. Her words were too fast to comprehend. My tired brain wasn’t processing. 

She pointed to my bike: “Bicicleta”.

“Si. Bicicleta.” I confirmed. 

“No Bicicleta.” She responded, and my heart sank. 

“Altitude no bueno. Yo soy cansada. Por favor seniora. Una noche.” I clang to the hope with desperation. 

She raised her index finger. And dialed her cell phone. After brief conversation she nodded, but didn’t let me in just yet. 

“Sola?’ She asked.

“Sola.” I nodded, and she shook her head in disbelief. 

A young woman and man appeared after a few minutes and questioned me in English. They said I can stay for 50 pesos and asked when I’ll be leaving. My plan was to leave before 9am. Upon entry, they informed me that my bike was not allowed in the room. I grabbed all the bags from my bike, and they locked it in what looked like a utility room. And I didn’t really care at this point. They instructed me to ring the bell outside my room if I needed anything and I received three keys: one for my room, a second to a gate, and third to the big front door. I was very relieved. I had chills and body aches, so I took Ibuprofen to alleviate them.

I was tempted to just jump into the bed, but decided against it. I needed food to heal, so I went to a local restaurant and had a meal. It tasted good in spite of no appetite.

When I got back to the room, I was disappointed to find that the shower wasn’t warm. Usually, it wouldn’t bother me, but then I just couldn’t stand the thought of it. I skipped the shower and only brushed my teeth, and was in bed before 6pm feeling very grateful for the opportunity to rest.