hellbent hikers homers home

What a sweet day this has been!  An exhilarating,adrenaline pumping downhill mountain bike adventure from 15,350 feet to the jungle at Yolusa,Bolivia. Known as Camino de la Muerte or Death Road, this death defying experience will be burned in our memories forever.  Its not every day that one can descend 15,000 feet on a dirt road not more than a few meters wide that clings to the slope of majestic snow capped mountains meandering a terrifying path to the jungle below.  Any loss of concentration on this heart pumping descent would and has resulted in  certain tragic demise.  The shear drop off any part of this road has to be seen to be believed.  A base jumper would be in heaven.  At almost any part of this road you could freefall for a couple of thousand feet simply by stepping off the edge.  During the war between Bolivia and Paraguay the prisoners held by Bolivia were forced to construct this gravity defying passage through the mountains from Corico to La Paz.  Angie was amazing!!  White knuckling it through the crisp cool air of La Cumbra,through the moisture laden clouds of the Andes and eventually 4 hours later the valley vistas of the jungle.  Our descent on mountain bikes brought us from snow capped mountain peaks at La Cumbra to orange and bannana trees of the jungle around Yolusa.  The 3 experienced guides and 2 support vehicles with food and water were indispensible.  The guides gave precise instructions to our group at the most treacherous parts of the road ensuring that no one would be lost over the edge.