The North Yungas road is one of the very few routes that connects the Amazon with Bolivias northern region, and its capital La Paz. It was built in the 1930s by Paraguayan prisoners and was in 1995 named " world's most dangerous road" killing an average 2-300 people every year.
Lately the road has been modernized quite heavily with a new route that bypasses the northern most stretch which is considered to be the most dangerous part. This part, however, is still operational and has become a popular attraction for thrill-seeking mountainbikers like us.
Well aware of the fact that this road claims the lives of truck drivers and mountainbikers alike (last one just 3 years ago) we read the following on wikipedia before joining up for the trip: " During the rainy season from November through March, rain and fog can severely hamper visibility, and water runoff can turn the road into a muddy track, affecting traction. In the summer, rockfalls are common and vehicle dust limits visibility as well."
Our driver took us up(!) from La Paz to around 4.700 meters above sea level. This is the point where the extremely long downhill (64 kilometers, with only one short uphill section) starts. Dropping 3.500 meters down to just 1.200moh we were looking at quite a bit of possible speed and thrills along the way. Being given my bike at the top I decided to take it for a spin to get used to it - forgetting I was almost 5000 meters higher up than I use to be. Taking some ten minutes to stop panting like a dog after this tryout I realized it was a good thing gravity would assist my riding for the remainder of the trip..
Coming down a few kilometers we realized the forecast was indeed true. Fog and rain cramped our visibility quite heavily, and the road was a slippery pile of mud, making everything and everyone quite the mess as the bikes we rode had no mudflaps on either wheel. -But no problemo! There were also showers in place along the way to help us clean up a bit! :-D
Coming down a few more hundred meters the fog lifted and we had the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the absolutely magnificent view this road has to offer its travellers. I would never have gone on this trip as a passenger on any vehicle sans parachute, but as the rider of my own bike it was nothing but a pleasure. We stopped after about two thirds of the steepest part was done and had our lunch, soaking up the views of the path ahead and washing it down with the included RedBull energy drink our guides brought us. The commercial for this product claims to give wings to whoever drinks it.. we for sure could use that had any of us taken a left where there should be a right.
No one was harmed in the shooting of this photography. That being said, 20-something cyclists have apparently died on this track since 1998.
The last part of the track was not as steep as the beginning, and made us use the pedals a bit. As a bonus for the adrenaline junkies our main guide, Julio, provided the option of finishing off the very last part with a "single track" section opposed to go down the road. This single track was basically a path zig-zaging down the mountain side and into the forest. 4 of us decided to go for it. 1 fell quite a bit (but was luckily unharmed).
Would I like to go again? For sure! Do I recommend other travelers to La Paz to take this trip? Absolutely! Hopefully you'll have more luck than we did with the weather on the first part, but this also added something extra in its own way so I was absolutely happy with it.
As a farewell gift we were each given the "I survived death road" souvenir t-shirt. I've wanted one of these since I met Mike from Ireland in Ecuador around two years ago, wearing one. :-)
Next stop we will leave the continent and fly out in the middle of the pacific to visit Rapa nui, or "Easter Island" as it's more commonly known in the western world. So far so good - I assume this visit will be just as exciting, though in a different way, than the Yungas road.
Thanks for having us, Bolivia. This was so far the highlight of this trip for me!
Ingen kommentarer:
Legg inn en kommentar