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Ruta de el Dorado, Colombia – November 25th & 26th (Day 4 & 5)

I woke up the next day around 7am. I couldn’t contain my happiness upon realizing that I felt better. Not 100%, but better. I didn’t want to bother anyone this early. I waited until 8am before emerging from my room. The owner was busy cleaning the main lobby. Using a key, she unlocked the utility space where my bike was secured. I returned the keys and packed my bags. I was prepared to continue at a slow pace. At that point, I found out that Chris was staying in Guasca – the destination I was heading to. He communicated that the gravel roads leading there were very steep. I chose the easier path, taking the paved road to Guatavita, then finding my way to Guasca and, if time permits, continuing to the Refugee (Bosque de Niebla). I wanted to see if I can get a tour of the National Chingaza Park.

The weather was glorious, and I passed many cyclists on my way to the town. I was moving by a lake called Embalse de Tomine. The views added to the enjoyment of pedaling. I was in great spirits and my congestion was clearing while I was exercising. I still had to blow my nose occasionally and coughed, but my airway didn’t burn like before and the body aches were gone. I arrived in Guatavita soon. It was an elegant town, very similar to American small towns. I stopped at the bakery and admired the food. My mouth was watering. Chose yogurt-like beverage, ordered most appealing pastry. It was superb. I was sitting at the table outside, sharing space with other cyclists. I felt relaxed. No one bothered me and I soaked in the sunrays. I tried to find the most direct route to Guasca. I used the Komoot app. It chose a very steep road, but I wasn’t worried about it anymore. I was still at lower altitude. However, the road led me to someone’s yard instead of where I wanted to go. It was a dead end. I retraced it down and continued on the paved road. I reached Guasca hoping I could stop to eat a meal, but I saw nothing open that caught my attention. I decided to just tag along. I had snacks to last until tomorrow. When I left the town, I started climbing, and continued to climb for the rest of the day until I arrived at Bosque de Niebla. I was taking breaks often on the way up, as it was located past 10,000 feet. I was passing farmlands and cow pastures. People on motorbikes occasionally passed me. Some of them stopped to ask if I was okay when I took a nap on the side of the road.

I arrived at the Refugee a little before 7pm. Three-legged dog greeted me with his barking. The place was mostly stone and smaller than expected. I suspected it can’t accommodate many guests. I rested my bike on a wall of what seemed like a day room. Large windows exposed the tennis table, bookshelves and sofas. I walked to see if anyone was around while the dog followed, sniffing me suspiciously. I reached a door under an overhang and knocked. For a few minutes, nobody was answering. I verified if the door was unlocked. It was. I opened it and called out. An older woman appeared in a straw hat. I tried to use my bad Spanish, and she switched to English. She asked me where I came from and what were my plans. I hoped I could stay. I affirmed her of that. She told me to follow her up the stone stairs in the middle of a jungle like garden. I loved it. She opened a door, revealing a spacious room, and turned a heater on. I assured her I won’t need it, but she said that the nights were quite cold. The room was beautiful. The enormous windows showed the mountains and sunrise was setting over them. I gasped. She stated her price of 260 pesos and asked if I agree with it. I arrived with a determined mind, and the room and view confirmed my choice. Then she asked if I preferred salmon or chicken for dinner. Salmon, it was. Everything was solar powered in there. And the shower was scorching hot and so utterly relaxing. I spent some time under the water. It felt amazing! Dinner took a while to prepare. I settled in, sitting on a wooden chair, gazing out the window.

Eventually, the host came (I forgot to mention that her name was Anna) and I followed her to the private living portion of the house. Adjacent, the kitchen and living room were unlike anything I’ve seen before. The walls were bare stone with wood partitions mixed in. It seemed that each piece of furniture had been individually crafted and was one-of-a-kind. It amazed me. We both shared the dinner and had a pleasant conversation. Of course, I fired away with my questions about the unusual homestead of hers. I also asked about the Chingaza tour. She called someone to ask. Tours were fully booked, but they promised to call in the morning to confirm. I received a fruit cocktail called mara after dinner. All vegetables and fruits were either from Anna’s garden or from local farms, including honey (she had bee hives). She also offered me a cocoa leaves to help me deal with the altitude. The tea helped with my congestion. My heart rate was elevated as I was back over 10,000 feet. During dinner, I absorbed every detail of my surroundings and I don’t think I will ever forget how it felt me feel. My jaw dropped in awe as I contemplated how someone could endure such a lifestyle, and in that moment, my own guilty feelings about indulgent trips seemed utterly trivial. We all can have amazing lives and should always follow our dreams. In our mundane lives at home, we often overlook the wonders the world has to offer. While some places require a flight, others are closer, enabling us to create our coveted life. It’s my reason for not posting my trips right away. When I’m writing and recalling my experiences, it seems like I’m still there, my memory is so vivid. No day in the office will ever be as intense. The days in the office seem like a total waste in comparison.

In the morning my altitude disrupted vitals prompted me to depart. Anna was leaving on a trip herself. She cooked me breakfast, but I packed it to take with me. I couldn’t eat. Fortunately, the majority of the journey to La Calera was downhill, with continuous waves through the stunning countryside. I met with Chris at the place we stopped at the beginning of our journey to eat, and then followed him to the room he rented. The limited space between the beds and bikes was sufficient. We went out to visit the local market where kids performed and I bought some souvenirs to bring home. The next day we settled on heading out to La Cascada de Cholera (Colombian’s tallest waterfall).