Ride from Medellin to Cartagena

It took me 6 days to cover more than 700 kms from San Antonio de Prado, Medellin to Getsemani in Cartagena de Indias.

I climbed the respected Matasanos Pass (healthy ones killer) and somedays and hundreds of kms. after left vehind the Andes and started a serious descent from above 2800 masl to around 100 and even 42 masl (Cartagena’s hight), from cozy and fresh nights to steamy, sticky humid nasty hot ones!!! I experienced super heat in the asphalt where my thermometer reached 50 dgrees Celsius, so thankful to the Coconut water, mangos and Mamones who kept my mouth and stomach fresh. I was always wet, never been so wet before except those cycling days when Claudia (the kiwi from the kangas) and I crossed the Tatami desert in the kand of Oz back in 2007!!!

This is what I saw, enjoy!!

Believe it or not these 4 people were riding the mitorbike wirhout helmet for couple kilometers!!!

Tens of Lavaderos de Tractomulas Trucks Carwash along the Panamericana highway. Water comes from the mountaun or is pumped from the mighty chocolate waters downthere.

A motorbiker approached me and gave me 5000 pesos for a drink, then he offered me to stay at a hotel in the next town and he paid my room to show me as he told me, that Colombians are nice and friendly people and not as the distorted bug bs tells through media. So Weimar a gold miner from El Bagre becane once more a wingless angel on my path. Infinita gratitud mi hermano Weimar, bendiciones del Universo en tu camino y el de tu amada compañera.

For a moment I felt at home then surounded by bananas and mango trees I realized I was only dreaming in the steamy heat.

Beautiful super tall trees I never saw before, the locally called Mon tree.

Colombia gave me sweet and sour flavour memories of my childhood (back in the 70’s when I lived in Yukatan) with Mamones a fruit called Wayas by the Mata Itzae peoples.

The detour to the hwy 90 took me to the Afrocolombian domains and I stayed at San Onofre surrounded by costeños and their rythmic Porro Sucreña music.

Ana, Jose and their 11 month son Johan who rode by my side several kms. until we reached their hometown Maria de la Baja. I was closer to Cartagena de Indias, only 60 kms left!

Boteros at home