a self-supported bicycle tour through South America

29^th September to 2^nd October: Salinas – Incahuasi (74km) – Uyuni (96km)

With 16 kilos of water loaded onto the bikes, we started out early the following day. Neither of us had slept well - we are not sure if it was because of the too soft beds at the hostel or the excitement of finally getting on the Salar de Uyuni. Nevertheless, we made great ground back on the salt with the wind behind us before we hit the mountain pass which required mostly pushing over boulders and uphill. Yay!

But at the top was our reward; our first view of the fabled Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt lake in the world. We couldn’t wait to get onto it, so with GPS to hand we started our crossing to our first port of call, Isla de Incahuasi, a mere 42km away.

We were really excited about being on the salt lake as it was a part of the trip that we had very much been looking forward to and had heard so much about. It was everything and more than we had expected, but was nevertheless a completely surreal experience. After days of washboard and sandy roads, it was so lovely to be able to pick up speed. The salt was hard and crunchy and even with the wind in front of us and extra weight we were having fun.

The contrast of the white salt and blue, blue sky made for a spectacular scene. We had never experienced anything like it in our lives and have both commented that it was probably the best thing we have ever done…ever! We had read that the Salar was busy with Toyota Land cruiser traffic, but guessing it was because of the remote direction we had come from we seemed to have the Lake to ourselves; an absolute pleasure. Read the rest of this entry »

24th - 27th September

Potosi - Challapata 178km (bus) - Quillacas (54km) -Castilluma 57km - Salinas de Garcia Mendoza 15km

Quick Note: Due to Bolivian internet speeds being so slow we haven´t been able to get all the photos uploaded which is a real shame! We will get them posted as soon as we get into Argentina…

Update: New photos added now we´re in Argentina

After 4 days of taking it easy and loaded up with anti-inflamatories for the “one dodgy knee”, we bussed out of Potosi back en-route to Challapata. It was rather demoralizing being back on a Bolivian bus with the baby chickens, BO, and badly dubbed Clint Eastwood Westerns, but at least we were back on the road.

With a storm brewing, we hightailed it out of Challapata after having “discussions” with the bus driver over our ticket as he seemed to want us to pay again. Although frustrating most of the time, the language barrier can often carry the tag “ignorance is bliss”!

On the way out of town, I ran into a low lying wall (trying to avoid sandy patches in the road) and as a result scraped a hole into my back pannier. Terse words were muttered over the now lack of water resistance my pannier would have (especially as we were about to experience our first downpour of the trip) as the Mountain Goat made a quick gaffa tape repair - McGyver eat your heart out! Read the rest of this entry »

So morning came and we awoke somewhat later than expected but that was due to the fact it was only about 4°C inside the tent. Outside, the pot of water we left from the previous night was frozen, and the tent and bikes all had frost on them. 

So like lizards we slowly moved and got our arses into gear as the sun rose over the mountain to the east. It took much longer than usual partly due to the cold and also due to the fact that my knee was really hurting even with a full nights rest behind it. I was extremely concerned about the knee given that the previous day it had come from nowhere, and now it was hurting just to walk around on it; this could spell disaster but we’d have to see how it held up.

Sure enough the moment I got back on the bike the pain started, barely able to pedal I decided to unclip my right leg and pedal with the left, which worked for a while, but only as the wind was behind us (for a change) and that it was flat.

Read the rest of this entry »

14^th – 18^thSeptember > Copacabana – La Paz – Oruro – Challapata (104km)

Copacabana was a pleasant surprise I guess not what I had expected. We had been recommended La Cupula, a hostel type place which was perched on the side of one of the hills that surrounded the bay of Copacabana. We arrived to discover there was room spare and so we were shown to our large room complete with our own kitchen; this turned out to be great storage space for the bikes.

We had a day off to simply enjoy the scenery and do some planning for the activities like visiting the Isla Del Sol (Island of the Sun) where the Inca’s believed the sun was created. This consisted quite simply of going down the main drag of Copacabana and walking into on e of the many shops selling tourist tours of various descriptions and buying a ticket. At the end of the day, it didn’t really matter as the whole format is the same with whoever you bought a ticket from. The usual scene; milk some minor tourist setting, get the punters on the boat, drop them off on the island, let them walk to the other end of the island, pick them up and drop them back home. Oh, I forgot, try and get them to spend as much money as you can by fleecing them for walking along a coastal path with some “Inca ruins”.

So yes, I’m starting to sound cynical. But what really pisses me off, is seeing some blue eyed western European dude who believes he’s gone native trying to sell the usual necklace and bangle tat on the side of the path; it just makes a complete mockery of the whole tourism thing.

So that was really the Isle Del Sol in a nutshell. The scenery was however stunning, and it amazes me that no one has tapped into yacht charter business on Lake Titicaca. It is simply a beautiful place and I’d imagine if Bolivia was somehow a little more stable then more sails would be seen across the horizon.

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12^th - 13^thSeptember Puno - Juli (81km) - Copacabana (64km)

After nearly 3 weeks of being regular tourists, we had mixed feelings about getting back on the bikes to cycle through to Bolivia. We had enjoyed being regular tourists for a while (and feeling we could get the camera out without fear of it being nicked!), but after clocking the same people in the same restaurants every night all talking about the same thing we were starting to get a little bored with the whole tourist thing and were very much looking forward to getting back to the freedom of the bike.

The freedom of the bike however does bring with it added pressures; exercising at 4,000 metres with a head cold and chest cough (and yes Mum, I am looking after myself) and the vulnerability of it just being you and your bike.

We headed off out of Puno just after sun rise under a bitterly cold blue sky. The night before the rain had bucketed down so heavily that it had left a fine dusting of snow on the mountains that surrounded the town. We were covered from head to toe in our warmest gear, but were still very cold and the only thing to warm us up was…to cycle.

When you first start out again after a few days rest, it takes a while for your body to get back into the swing of things and when you are out of breath after the first 10 minutes, you begin to question AGAIN where the crazy gene came from that made you decide to cycle through South America.

Alas, there was nowhere to turn but onwards and upwards. We only had a short day planned to make it to Juli, a little town half way between Puno and the Bolivian border town of Kasani, and as we started out so early we were finished with our cycling by midday. Not much to do with our afternoon but sit in the square and watch the locals; mainly drunk men trying to kiss Simon’s hand. Because the town was so small, we were the ones being stared at as we were certain they didn’t see many gringos on bright silver bikes cycle into town in the middle of a street parade. Needless to say it was hard for us to lay low and inconspicuous.

We did come across a smartly dressed young American Mormon Missionary attempting to convert the masses! It is interesting to note here that Mormons dress the same the world over - black trousers, white shirts and a tie, and as a result I picked him a mile off. He was an interesting character and had been posted to Peru for 2 years. He was helpful for one thing - telling us that there were no places to eat in Juli as he had been sick every time he had eaten in a restaurant. So, we settled for Doritos and chocolate bars and an early night.

Who can say that they have woken up in Peru and gone to bed in Bolivia, after cycling 64 km on their 30^th birthday? Not many, except me! I couldn’t really believe that the alarm woke us up at 0430 - it was my birthday! But I knew the earlier we started the earlier we would finish. We were also aiming to reach the border before lunch time so as to avoid a good fleecing by the border control. As it turned out, we didn’t have anything to worry about. It was a synch.

As we cycled over the border (with stamps in our passports this time) the sun started to shine and the clouds cleared to reveal a beautiful blue sky, and a Mediterraneanesque looking Copacabana nestled in a gorgeous cove and our home for the following 3 nights.

Lately, this blog writing has become a little bit of a chore. So, apologies all round for the yawn factor of this one, but the Mountain Goat’s photos make up for it I think. Also, wanted to send a huge congratulations to Jono and Frisky for the birth of my second niece, Madeline Grace, and to say thanks to my brothers and sister for remembering my birthday (this is said with great sarcasm!)..