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It’s been three years since I did a bike blog. So I will try on this trip biking in Colombia .

It’s quite hard to get to do was 36 hours , and three flights via Houston and Bogotá to Medellin – and arrived as usual stuffed and with the bloody flu !

I knew Colombia was going to be good as soon as I had a latte at the airport on arrival Bogotá – outstanding !!! Better than the nz baristas . Then when I saw a photo in the metro station- a face old and full of the “ joive de lieve “ of life – a poet called Leon de greiff – a country that can celebrate a poet 1895-1976 after all the terrible times they have been through are ok 😊.

The text says “ Because of my beard and hair and tall pipe they say I am a poet “

Below is the Colombian version of windscreen washers st the traffic lights – they have a minute to do their act and get out of the way – look out – lights changing 😎

Day one – a medillin city bike tour . Talk about chaos – sometimes bike track , footpath , or terror on the road with 1000’s motor bikes and scooters – only downside is seeing beautiful young people riding , but do many without helmets . It’s a young country with huge numbers of young people – they all happy and laughing and the girls dress to kill . Must be big university’s here and the only bikes are guys out training ! Was glad to get back in one piece !

That’s the tour group above outside our hotel in Medellin famous as the 1980 – 90 ‘ s world centre of the cocaine trade – and overseen by warlords of organised crime on a massive scale – if you want more just watch NARCOS series on Netflix!

Day 2 – got flu big time but can ride ebike so should be ok . So it’s a long hard ride 82 kms and climb 2000 meters ,which I haven’t climbed for years . Out of Medellin in super heavy traffic on a steep climb for 1000 meters double carriage way and lots of monster trucks – this the only place we have seen any bikes – and – they are crazy roadie training in the hills – apparently the Tour de France Colombian riders use it for training . Once over the top it was up and down between 2000 and 2500 meters altitude all the way to lake Gautape high in the mountains east of medillin . Now into the rural and poorer area but – guess what – everyone is still smiling and laughing with each other . Lovey people and respectful to each other .

At top of the mountain between medillin and gautape . With Ray and I and a small happy guy.

day 3 – 45 kms and 1200 meters climbing . Lake guatape to corvorna reserve . What looked like a pretty ordinary day turned out to be great. Bike fast down hill from lake Gautape to a bush jungle walk to a wild river and canyon for a swim in fresh deep pool- soooo – good as it was 30 degrees . Some pictures follow – the local town is lively as its a nations holiday – the houses and taxis / tuk tuk s are bling bling – maree would love it . We got lost on the trail a couple times . There was a guide but she didn’t know to leave someone when the trail forked – pretty basic but a bit frustrating – highlight – the swim and the jungle lunch – a parcel wrapped in palm leaves tied with a flax – inside and still warm on a bed of rice an egg, sausage, and pork strip with a potato cake and for drink what the guided called “ farmers coke” – water, suger, lime juice . The area we were in was until recently prohibited for anyone to go in – due to the terrorist groupFARC which operated for 40 years . A communist group backed by Russia and Cuba . We passed the Colombian equivalent of a nz “ breath trap “ – difference was there were troops with rapid fire rifles all around and they were searching the car for drugs – it’s still here !!! Great day out !

In the evening we went to the old town of Gautape for a walking tour . It’s now a tourist town mainly for Colombian families so on their national holiday weekend it was buzzing with people . The old town has very narrow streets and a crowded central square overlooked by the cathedral . Our guide was a young vibrant girl with a big big smile – and she talked like a machine gun – rapid fire which I had trouble picking up .

So the town has a pop of 10,000 which swells to 40,000 on weekends and public holidays . It has reinvented itself – had to as it almost died . The area 50 years ago became a hydro dam an the artificial lake created flooded huge areas of the small farms – sounds like the town was affected as the farmers left for the cities to become urban poor . Then in the 80’s and 90’s it was hit again by being at the centre of the LEN and FARC terrorist war with the central government. These two organisations ran a 40 year civil war – seriously vicious with a lot of civilian murders and financed by kidnapping for ransom . Thousands died or disappeared so many left the town for safety to the big cities . FARC had up to 40,000 fighters- it was a communist far left organisation originally arising as a peasant revolution backed by the catholic clergy ,when large land owners backed government began exiting the small peasant subsistence farmers . It was financed by Cuba, with links to the IRA and taliban so seriously nice people !

Anyway the town was faced with disaster and chose tourism based on family lake holidays plus the idea of making the old town unique – with painting the outside of the houses with vibrant colours – and it worked !!!!

Bloody Nelson counsellors should come and have a look at how to reinvent the town and pull it up by its bootstraps from nothing ! Pretty amazing what paint and design can do . Plus focus on one area and get it right rather than spread the money all around on useless projects and consultation .

Pic follow !

We went to a Cuban restaurant- great and very funny night – I had bought a couple of cookies at a shop on the tour – and as we had to wait a couple of hours for the food we had a snack – Rob , Ralph and I chewed – man instant happiness ! Everything was funny and the jokes were flying – Rob in particular was high as cos he had a whole cookie – joke of the night as we were leaving and Julie was playing with the restaurant cat he said to me “ how do I tell her she shouldn’t ….SPIP……” far out what a funny night !

Day 4 Gautape to Rio Claro going east .

A long day in hot sunny conditions – 85 kms and 1500 meters climbing but some awesome downhill runs as we left 200 meters altitude to end at 500 meters – riding in 35 degreees means serious dehydration so we all needed beer on arrival . Staying at lovely thatched buros and beautiful huge pool – ahhhh just what needed . Quiet night and up early to watch day 3 live our time at breakfast of the Tour de France as it leaves the basque region for France . We are in jungle area – steep hills and mountains covered with bush – reminded me of riding the West Coast from zHaast through to Charleston . Rural poor area now with shacks and lots of road side very basic cafe/ bars playing loud music – Colombians love their music – louder the better – even when we are by the pool the staff bring out the speakers big time – love to bottle some of their love of life and bring it home !

Day 6 rest day – well turned out not to be 😎 when to raft down the Rio Claro – was supposed to be grade 2 white water but at the pull out point Ralph negotiated to go the next section of river – I wondered why we were the only ones and we had to wait for a more experienced guide – we got 2 both aged about 17 ! Anyway I am convinced these rafting companies should be required to get ID before pushing off – to exclude pensioners . The next section was hard out – I knew that when we had to climb down a super rapid and waterfall and when the guided ( we had two rafts ) did high 5 s when we got through the rapids – it seriously tested a few of the guys who were not just uncomfortable – I could say scared shitless ! Poor Ray and todd was all over the place with Marion giving orders to him about needing to paddle harder – he was actually a bit slow like the number 8 getting to the scrum when the ball was already in ! Anyway we had a few swims in the beautiful clear Rio Claro in Amazon like jungle for a few hours .

Day 7 Rio Claro to maniples

Now for something weird – we went last night before dinner to Santorini – well a replica of the gorgeous Greek island right in the middle of Colombia – it was built by Pablo Escobar the 80’s- 90’s drug king of the medillin cartel that ruled the coccsine trade and became the richest person in the world . There is a couple of amazing series on Netflix about the time . Anyway he was so taken with Santorini he decided to recreate it – along with a zoo at his residence which at his death in a gun fight with police in 1994 the zoo had 4 hippos . Everything turned to shit after his death and the hippos escaped and loves the rivers and jungle – at last count their were 250 terrorising the farms and people – so the govt has decided to sterilise them !!!! anyway the wander through Santorini Colombia style was different and way less crowed that the original – but no – I prefer that . Pictures follow !

day 7 . Easy day only 50 kms and pretty flat – but – it’s the lowest part of Colombia at only 100-150 meters so hot as hell – started out at 33 overcast and very humid but by midday my Garmin said was 37 . So was so good to get earlier to the hotel and into the pool and a beer . the countryside has changed totally from the jungle of the last couple days to open cattle ranches with nanes including heicenda and ponderosa rancha ! Plus weird rocky outcrop mountains in the distance .

Tomorriw is set to be a big test – 90 kms but climb to 3700 on the longest bike climb in the world .

Day 8 . Mariquita to Manizales -via the famous Alto de Letras climb known by all serious road bikers as the longest climb in the world – 85 kms and 4000m climb ending at the 3700 m col ( same height as Mt Cook ) so a big day riding . We were up at 4.30 and started riding in the dark at 5.30 with lights in our bikes .

Up to a lunch stop at 11 am for very traditional coffee and a plate of rice and beans with some chips – at about 2500 meters height. There was a swap out of batteries also here . The mountains changed from banana palms , and some avocado plantations to peasant farms with a few cattle and pigs but as it got higher no farming was possible . The housing is very third world now – just dark shacks at the roadside and occasional makeshift food stall selling basic fruit and bananas and traditional beans tortilla and rice – plus coffee.

At about 10 kms before the peak my battery ran out – the e-bikes are impossible to ride without power – you just seem to fight the motor as well as the hill and I fell off trying cos I couldn’t get out of the cleats ! Ahhhhhh bugger – so it was down to pushing the heavy bike uphill – and as the air got thin that was tough going . Thankfully after a couple kms the van showed up and I managed to swap out to get me to the top – so relieved!

I think the last time I road over 3500 was in 2015 on the tour de france epic day we did 167 kms and road the Pyrenees mountains between Spain and France and climbed up the Hautecom on that day – and – I rode it with the same guys today Ralph, Ray, Rob ( and Rob did the ultimate as he did back in 2015 ) , in 8 hours road time and finished 4000 meters climbing on a road bike . Have to say even with the ebike , and coughing my way up with flu , it still a tough 6 and a half hours especially the last 1000 meters in thin air – everyone was stoked to finish and have a coffee ( for some reason they brew it sweet here ) at the top . Pictures follow of the day . We were so lucky with the weather – fine a cool last 10 kms , then 15 mins after finishing a huge storm – rain and rapid temperature drop – I was quickly frozen I guess which is expected being the same height as Mt Cook – so layers on and load up – out if there .

We staying after that at a thermal resort – hit pools, and rest day with fab Colombian food and coffee to revive – yummmy

Day 9 From the 3700 m mark we transferred down a couple hundred meters to a Thermal spa lodge at 3500 meters . It’s was a test day in a little bit of luxury and we needed it . We still at super high altitude and even climbing stairs brings in heavy breathing – has a strange effect on the body that’s for sure – like a small nose bleed and headache . The flu is back so most of Thursday just taking it easy and sleeping – plus a beautiful spa in the hot hot pools late in the day . Extraordinary little humming birds here are very tame. Good to rest up .

Day 10 Downhill run from a transfer to 4000m from the spa. Cold up there so everything ( 5 layers of clothing ) on – it’s amazing the temperature drop at 4000m .

Down down into the main town of Manzales which has about 1 m people and universities- but we hit serious roadworks and heavy traffic congestion so decided to can further biking for the day – just as well as a storm cane in and heavy as hell rain . We transferred to a Coffee plantation tour near Pereira the centre of the coffee growing area of the Andres mountains – coffee needs 16-25 degrees climate and this area is ideal . We went to Don Juan coffee plantation for a visit and hugely enthusiastic download on the family and coffee germination and growing from a woman who had passion ! Was really interesting and she said there were about 450,000 small coffee growers in Colombia producing a big share of the worlds premium coffee beans most being hand selected and picked . Brazil no1 , Colombia no2 in the world for coffee production .

Day11 . After the coffee tour we bought beans to take home – I chose the natural dark brew beans – they like the more expensive sweeter beans which have a longer process as the beans are soaked in water with honey – everyone to their own . Thinking maybe I could try to grow coffee at kaiteriteri- probably would get two cups a year from the one tree and below 16 degrees would kill it – mmmmm – let’s see 🇨🇴

We transferred to a lovely lively town which was buzzing with local tourists – Salento with bars and brightly painted doors and facades – we hit the square at 7 pm and some of the guys hit the tequila big time – next morning were wrecked !!! No sympathy from the rest as we loaded to head up the Cocorná valley to the los nevados national park – it’s high again over 2500 m but lush green with steep jungle rain forest mountains around – talking about rain forest 55% of Colombia is covered by forest – nz has 38% in forest and native bush- there’s marees word again – so there is a massive amount of carbon absorption going on around here – of course the silly secret is that the greenies in Wellington when they measure the green house gas emmisions for NZ chose to ignore the native bush – they say because it’s mature it is not absorbing much carbon – it’s absolute crap and their ugly little secret that helps their argument to bash everyone including farmers ! Oh and one other thing – Colombia like NZ generates most of its electricity from hydro dams so is not only green everywhere you look but also green to the greenies – haha .

Pics follow of Salento and the big downhill bike through the gorgeous Cocora Vally and mountains

Day 12 . A long and bouncy transfer on the bus 350 kms from Salento to the Capital Bogotá – the roads were steep in the Andes Mountains and often poorly maintained so the drive was slow – 9 hours – but the scenery was gorgeous – plantations of coffee and Banana s, avocados and as we got closer to Bogotá and lower down on the sunny facing slopes potato’s , fruits like strawberries, mango, plantain ( which is a banana like fruit that they slice and fry – tasty as ) and flowers . Colombia is the second largest flower exporter in the world I guess mostly to USA .🌷🌸🌼🌻🌞

Bogotá is a big big city 8m people and we drove in through crappy dusty suburbs for at least an hour in slow jammed up traffic on a Sunday afternoon – hate to drive in on a weekday – Colombians are good drivers – they have to be cos it’s like dogems with cars motorbikes huge trucks all wieving the lanes – no horns like Europe blasting out just inches between cars – they are courteous but aggressive- don’t think I could drive in this !

We staying right in the centre of the old city in a beautiful old building opposite historic places and walking ( we did a short guided walking tour ) distance to the main square, cathedral, justice palace and Supreme Court . I recalled the Netflix episode when paulo Escobar the drug king and once wealthiest and most ruthless person on the planet formed an alliance with the communist terrorist group called M19 and in 1985 attacked the parliament and blew up the Supreme Court – why – cos the drug enforcement police had stored a huge haul of evidence against him in the most secure place in Colombia – the vaults of the Supreme Court – so M19 stormed it with tanks and burnt it down destroying all the evidence ! In repayment Escobar had the leadership of M19 killed along with police, judges and politicians including the elected president – it was mayhem in the 80’s and 90’s until the police shot him in 1994 .

Anyway it was busy in the main square but we didn’t feel as safe as in the rural areas somehow – just shady buggers and people with thehand out . A couple of gems though – a beautiful singer and a juggler – street performers in the capital !

Pics follow of the last day including

the two gems-

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So – it’s adios Colombia . A surprising country and one that lived up to the speech made by the new president immeadiately after the drug cartel’s assassinated the previous one in 1985 – “ God made our land so beautiful that it was unfair to the rest of the world “ !

It’s boarded in the north by Panama and the Caribbean Sea, east by Brazil and that despote nation Venezuela, south by Equator and Peru and west by the Pacific Ocean . It’s 50+ million people on half the average income of New Zealanders but from what I saw twice the happiness , plus everyone knowing there is no free handouts and hard work is the way forward . Surprisingly 40 % of their exports are coal and oil and there is no sign they want to stop farming and producing food . And for Terry – Jorge Pombo an electrical engineer invented the pace maker into production in 2005.

As I sat in my airplane seat taking off from Bogotá airport I was startled to look around me as we lifted off – everyone was crossing their temple and chest from side to side and muttering a prayer – bit scary if that’s how much confidence you have in the pilot and plane but then 90 % are Catholics about double the believers in NZ .

It’s been a great trip – loved it and loved Colombia 🇨🇴