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Posted by: perry on 02/07/2009 03:50 PM
Updated by: perry on 11/26/2009 03:15 AM
Expires: 01/01/2014 12:00 AM
Five Days in Medellin
We went to Medellin looking forward to many things. We'd heard lots of great things about the city including the good chance that we'd be able to go to a punk concert. But what we ended up doing is completely different. Read more...
So we arrived in Medellin after not-so-difficult day or cycling. While going into the city, a cyclist joined up with us and showed us how to get to the city center (there's just no convincing people that we can find our own way to those big buildings over there). Just as we got in the center we came across a couple city blocks of bicycle shops. Great!!! We needed to do some stuff. Austin got himself a new brake rotor (he somehow bent his) and I got a new gasket for my pump (a 30 cent fix for a 10 dollar pump). I also spent some time looking at the available front derailleurs (mine, which I got in Mexico, never was really all that great), but I didn't get one just yet. We decided to come back the next day, without all our bags, and do everything that we wanted.
From there we headed to our first hostel since last September. We decided it was about time that we had a bit of a social life outside of theBomberos. Plus we wanted the chance to party a bit (it's kinda weird coming back to the Bomberos at 3am, drunk). Eventually we found the hostel that a friend of ours suggested and we instantly felt welcome. Hostel Medellin was just the kind of laid-back environment I needed. Claudia, the lady who takes care of the place, was really great. She was really excited to have cyclists staying with her (she gave us a small discount on rent and let me wash my clothes and sleeping bag for free). I think what she really liked was that we weren't the typical tourist to Medellin that she usually gets. The wall at the font of the hostel was plastered with photos of other travels going by motorcycle and one photo of a couple traveling by bike (they were riding a tandem with a trailer, insane I tell ya).
But our first day at the hostel was more or less concerned with relaxing. We didn't go out but just hung around the hostel, watched a bit of TV, checked our emails, cooked, got stoned, drank beer, and talked with the other detainees (I mean guests).
The next day we went into action. Number one on my agenda was to get back to the cycle district to get a new front derailleur and to get my wheels remade. The front derailleur was no problem. I got aShimano Deore , including installation, for $49,000 (or about $20). Then I found a shop that had some nice strong spokes (the spokes I got in Venezuela with the new back rim were CRAP!) and said they could redo both wheels (swapping the front and back rims) for a total of $16,000 (about $3 per wheel) including parts and labour. Great! I really wanted to swap the front and back rims. The new rim I got in the back is a bit narrower than the original. So I thought that if I put the original front rim in the back it would be stronger. Plus it's a real pain in the ass to take the tire off the new rim, and with it in the front, with less weight, I shouldn't have to take the tire off anymore. The front wheel hardly ever pops or gets broken spokes. But they couldn't do the work right away so I left the bike with them for the night. I also picked up new cycling shorts (after nearly 4 years, my first pair of shorts are finally starting to die).
When we got back to the hostel there were a couple of girls, Babi and Fernanda, from Argentina who had just shown up. Austin arrived about half an hour later from his bike-shop adventures and we joined the girls with an American guy, Nick, for a journey through town. First we went to theteleferico (cable car) which is part of the normal metro system here. So for $0.75 each we got a ride up and down and up again into the suburbs of Medellin then took the same route back. We were all having a really great time talking and laughing and seeing the city. We went up just a bit before dark and on the return ride saw the city with all it's lights on. From there we went to the center to have a few beers and to walk around the plazas in the center. Also, I picked up a CD of a musician from the 60's who did Argentinian surf music (Leo Dan). By then we were all hungry so we headed back to the hostel whereBabi and Austin cooked us dinner.
We didn't end up going out again that night. I just kinda hung around, watched a film, smoked, drank beers, listened to the CD I bought, and talked to the other people staying at the hostel. Babi and Fernanda went to sleep early because they had been awake for something like two days already. I ended up giving them my bed (I had a bottom bunk and since the hostel was full they were sharing the only top bunk, squeezed together) and I took theirs.
Now it was Friday. The girls wanted to go see the Botero exhibit at the free museum. Well, the price was right and his paintings and statues are kinda cool, so we went with. At first we strolled around the plaza in front of the museum checking out his sculptures then went inside to check out the paintings. Cool. Then we wandered around the rest of the museum seeing all sorts of art. After that the girls wanted to go do some shopping, so we made plans to meet them later. I went to go get my bike but I wasn't happy with the work they did. The hubs were not even close to being in the center of the ring. So I left my bike with them for another day. After that Austin and I had about an hour before meeting the girls again and slowly made the walk to the University station on the metro. On the way we passed a little market and started talking with some kids, got stoned with them, bought a couple joints from them, then went on our way again. University station is right next to the planetarium, so when the girls finally arrived (about an hour late) we decided to go check out the show. Cool shit, especially since I was still a little stoned. I didn't understand everything that was said during the show, but the pictures of the stars were enough for me.
That evening we didn't go out. We really wanted to go to a punk show, but by the time we cooked dinner, it was already quite late. AndBabi and Fernanda were going to leave on the 5am bus to Tulu . So we spent the evening hanging out with them. I had a really great time with them. They don't speak English, so I had to work on my Spanish a lot, especially since they have the Argentinian accent which I'm far from accustomed to. We'll make sure to visit them inBuenos Aries.
In the morning I noticed that they forgot a pair of nice wool socks. Now I have something to remember them by. Hehehe. They look warm and comfy. Anyhow, I slept well into the afternoon and then went to get my bike again. This time I just took the bike and left. They don't know shit about making wheels, I'm certain. So I figured I would just straighten them on my own. I wish I had paid more attention before I left. My lock was missing (not really a big deal since I rarely use it) and the cap on my valves was missing too (also not a big deal), but FUCKING ANNOYING! So back at the hostel, it was starting to rain, so I decided to work on my bike on Sunday (isn't that the international work on your bike day anyhow?). Austin and I planned again to go search for a concert, but he went to sleep at 8pm. I tried to wake him, but he was out cold. So I just ended up hanging out at the hostel, talking to people, drinking a bit of beer, reading the Carl Sagan book "The Dragons of Eden" which I read back in 2004 and I'm really happy to have again. Later in the night I found out that Claudia and her friend were completely drunk in her room upstairs and went up there to hang out with them. They were sloppy. It was funny. Especially when Claudia's friend, Andrea, smoked my pipe from the wrong end and got hot ash in her mouth. Until then she was hitting on me, but a mouth full of ash has to be one of the world's biggest turn-offs. Seriously! I tried my hardest not to laugh.
So, Sunday had finally came. I got my rims straight and was all ready to go on Monday. I adjusted the brakes and everything. The bike was in great condition (well for a bike with 8000+km's anyhow). The rest of the day I basically spent at or wandering around the hostel. In the evening we watched Flash Gordon (fucking great film) then went to sleep.
By 10am Monday morning we were getting our stuff ready to leave. But leaving always seems to be slow, especially when you have to say goodbye to so many cool people. It's too bad I don't remember all their names. But Jens was fucking hilarious as always (he really made staying at the hostel a tonne of fun), Nick was out of it, the old guy gave me a pack ofcigs he bought but couldn't smoke because he got the ones without the filters, Claudia printed a picture of us from the website for her wall and had us write on it and sign the guest book. There was also the guy from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada who was really great and told us how our cycling trip inspired him to go on one too. We all said goodbye and by then it was already 2pm.
The ride out of the city sucked, just like all cities. It just went on forever, full of traffic and noise. But eventually we started to climb and get into the rural surroundings. We finally made it to a truck stop and picked up a bit of veg for dinner. Then we started to hear thunder. We'd only covered a fewkm's but it was now time to find a place to stay for the night, and soon. We asked around a bit, but didn't find a place. We ended up taking a side road off the highway to where the Medellin river goes off a waterfall and camped a bit upstream from there. Then the rain started. We walked to the nearby village and got some bread and sugar cane in hot water (a typical drink here in Colombia calledagua panela). We skipped cooking and just had some raw tomatoes, bread, and bbq sauce. Austin wasn't feeling all that well so we basically went to sleep about an hour after dark, hiding from the rain, and I sat and read my book with the red taillight from my bike.
The next morning was beautiful. We were up early and packed our wet hammocks and took off. The road back to the highway was steep. Austin didn't make it and had to push. Then we crossed the road and had a huge breakfast to make up for the small dinner. While sitting there eating we saw tonnes of cyclists going by (local traffic or road bikes, not travelers). Then eventually we also left with full stomachs. And up up up we went to a place called Altode Minas. Austin was having a hard time that day, with the hershey squirts and all, so I was always ahead of him and took lots of breaks for him to catch up. Just as he was passing me while I was waiting one time (he decided to keep going), I quickly threw on my helmet to find myself alongside a slow truck. I grabbed it and held on until the top of the hill where I sat and waited for Austin again. All in all it was about a 1 hour break while Austin pushed his trike slowly up the mountain. Then we had what we love. THE DROP. The drop went to a huge valley. We stopped to take a few pics, then kept going, passing trucks, cars, and motorcycles on the inside and outside turns and for a few seconds here and there an eagle or vulture would join me while I rocketed down the ridges and slopes.
At the valley bottom lies the River Cauca. We crossed the bridge, then decided to go back across and to find a place to stay in the village of La Pintada. Well, they recommended that we go past the edge of town to where another river meets the Cauca in San Gorge. So we went to check it out. It was really nice. The river was cold (but not very clean). And there was a disused train bridge that almost made it across the river. We ended up getting stoned with the locals, then we set up our hammocks on the bridge, over the river, with the loose railroad ties below us and mountains all around us. Austin went and picked up a pizza and some beer and the day was quickly over.
In the morning I pooped off the bridge (with the beautiful view) between the loose railroad ties directly into the river below. :) Then we headed out on our way. We were told that it was just plains for the next day or so. WRONG. People don't realize that a flat surface that is constantly going up is NOT a plane, it's a hill. But anyhow, we went. And we went and went. We took a break at one village and they had a small cable car system to cross the violent river below. We were allowed to go on it, twice. The two of us got in the car, then two more locals came in, the two hung onto the outside and zoom, across we went. Then further along the route we came actoss a waterfall from a small stream where we went swimming. We thought about camping at the waterfall, but the guy who had the nearest restaurant said it wasn't safe because the police come by and fuck with people. Fine, it was still early. So we went on until we came to La Felisa where we ended up camping next to a nice small stream, got really annoyed by a group of 20 eight to twelve-year-olds for a couple hours, and cooked ourselves a nice meal (our first campfire since Agua Blanca, Venezuela). The moon was bright, we were far from the highway, and we had a nice cold river to dip in for the morning. It was a good day with a decent climb, crazy rivers, bluffs, valleys, waterfalls, ganja, and really nice Colombians. But Austin was still having it tough and wasn't feeling 100%.
From La Felisa I thought we could make it to Manizales in a day. Well, it was a lot harder than I thought. We were slow getting started (not till 11am after breakfast) and there was a major delay when I realized how shitty my new back wheel was put together. I had a flat the second day out from Medellin but didn't think too much about it. But I got another and took a goot look at the wheel. The assholes/idiots/duschbags at the bike shop didn't put the rim tape on the rim correctly and I ended up with at least seven crescent shaped cuts on the inside of my tube. I got started with the patches all the while cursing them. Those FUCKWADS! But eventually we got started again but getting to Manizales was out of the question. We got to near Chinchinà and started looking for a place to camp. We ended up at a small farm with a really nice family and we realized that we were now, finally, in the Eje Cafetero (the coffee region of Colombia). And the Eje Cafetero is another story so I'll leave it for later.
Our biggest expectation for Colombia, ever since we entered it back in August of last year, was to go to the Eje Cafetero. We've finally made it. And now Austin's got the shits, were both tired, and we don't know a single thing about the area and what it has to offer. There are 3 main cities here, but I think there's got to be a whole lot more in the nature. I guess this would be one time that I really would like to be able to read a Lonely Planet. Oh well. The coffee adventure starts here, right?
Peace,
Perry
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