After sunshine comes rain....well, the road into the mountains of Columbia started to disintegrate - only partially paved we started climbing, crossing big rivers partly on funky bridges, pretty bad roads. The sun behind some dark clouds, the rain getting harder we were seeking shelter on the side of the road at a locked up wooden tienda (shop for fruits or such). The rain just would not stop and the road muddy and dangerous with a "boat load" of trucks I felt like I was better off in that crazy boat on the wild and moody Caribbean. How fast things change. We spent the night before between flowers, the ground warmed up and dry from the sun from the day before, with permission from this super friendly Columbian Ramon giving us the OK to spend the night at his finca and now we are in the mountains the day after, getting cold, already soaking wet on the side of a muddy, rocky, uphill road to nowhere (Medellin still 200km away, somewhere in the deep, deep mountains). It was hard to know if it was getting already dark, or the clouds were so thick, blocking all light. Looking at a clock.....it was getting dark now and I was getting scared! Yep, scared!
Talking things over with James I thought hitchhiking to the next little village of Dabeida (about 15km from where we were- mostly uphill) was the best thing to do. At this point it was still raining, but it got pitch black really fast and nobody stopped.......except one friendly man in a truck full of half empty boxes, but, as much as he was moving things around there was no room to be made for both our bikes - nice try though!. We had to let him go, but I was still confident somebody would stop. Nope, nobody did. Now it was getting pretty late. The idea of sleeping right there by the side of the road scared me more than just getting back on the bike and riding through the dark and that is what we did. Soaked into the rain, into the mud, uphill with increased (what the hell??????) traffic - especially trucks, but also motorcycles....at least we were not alone, but it didn't make me feel any safer......it really didn't!! We had good enough lights and flashers.....but I wished I wasn't there - wished myself away, back between the roses, on the boat with the confident captain....something like that. We had to brave the storm..onward...staying close together, hoping for the best while keeping on the bike pedaling. It seemed as though the canyon got narrower - probably a beautiful sight during the day in better weather. Maybe I wasn't that scared if I could still have a thought like that?
A sign read: Tunnel Restaurant....
WHAT? Now a tunnel? Sure enough! We entered the tunnel (at least it was lit) and I felt my heart in my throat and ears while the trucks thundered past me. I felt like screaming - can't tell if I actually did..get me out of here! The mud was slimy/slippery and the holes full of muddy water, so, I never really knew how deep they were. It was best to try to avoid them which wasn't all together possible. After the tunnel, which was very likely about one km long, but seemed like 10km, the road turned down hill and I could see some light in the sky (let's hope it's not a train....). The rain had stopped, we seemed to be riding out of the canyon. The first stop was a truck stop with a restaurant. Not quite in the town of Dabeida we stopped, called it a day, got dinner from the friendly couple
at 9:30pm and got to set up our tent in the sweetest spot possible in that area (under a palapa, further away from the road, close to the river behind the restaurant.) Most our stuff was pretty damp, but my wool shawl, sleeping bag, tent and pads were dry. Good restful night and a hearty breakfast the next morning by the same generous people. The sun was out again and the road wasn't at all that scary anymore.
