Thursday, June 27, 2013

Tuesday June 25th, 2013
Made it to Cali, had trouble finding a hotel.  Gave a kid $20.00 at the speed bump that was sailing cornbread pancakes stuffed with cheese.

Used the internet, Ate pizza and drank espresso one block from my hotel.  Walked around town.


Wednesday June 26th, 2013
Rode from Cali to Pasto through some of the most beautiflul mauntains, my first glimpse of the northern most part of the Andes mountains. roads were horrible, and drivers are getting a little more aggressive and scary.  Hotel is very nice for 35,000 pesos.  People not as friendly, though.

Thursday, June 27th, 2013

Hung around one more day, not sure why...tired.  Enjoyed the town.  No power all day on the block so generators were blasting up and down both sides of the street.  Bought insulated riding gloves for tomorrow.  The high in Ipiales tomorrow will be 50 degrees. Hmmm.  Is this really the norm here?  This is supposed to be the equator...oh well maybe I will get to see the Southern Cross constellation as a consolation. 


downtown Cali, Colombia

downtown Cali, Colombia

Downtown, Cali, Colombia

downtown Cali, Colombia

the roads were bad in some areas from Cali to Pasto

The Colombians have to wear their license plate numbers on ther helmets and special made vests and they can't drive after 11pm in certain areas.  this was the result of several vicious motorcycle gangs in Colombia.

when you stop at the construction zones to wait for the traffic these kids try to sell you all kinds of stuff.

the traffic going one way passes while the opposite traffic waits.

another beautiful view of a mountain town outside of Cali.



a typical small town outside on the way

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i have no idea where I was but this nice guy offered to take a photo for me.

I timed this just right.  One of my favorite photos.

These buses fly down the mountains and they are as wide as the lane.




Cow and calf enjoying the view.  there had been rain this morning so it was a little chilly




It was a total of 385km to Cali and Pasto was still another 650km away

This kid was selling pancake cornbread stuffed with homemade cheese, so I bought one for 1000 pesos.  we got to talking and he was infatuated with my story and told me he wantedd a motorcycle someday.  So I gave him a $20 and he had never seen american money and I told him it was 40,000pesos and he was kinda shocked I think and said Gracias  I said put it in your pocket it's for you and your family, and I took off.

These trucks were pulling 5 trailers...sugar cane 

tunnel in Popayan


the ride was beautiful









random photos of roadside houses and shops



these two guys were ahead of me for a while, and I was going around them and they sped up, then they tried to run me into the other lane.  i couldn't tell if they were being aggressive or just kids playing around.








the mountains went from plush and thick to dry and kinda deserty






almost there


all the tunnels had names this one was called "tunnel de penalisa"
 th..



the sign holders were all pretty colombian girls.

finally made it to Pasto.  this photo I stole from the net.

downtown Pasto one block from my hotel.  this guy had no legs so he rolled himself on this cart.

Pasto, colombian dollar store. 







sometimes these guys just laydown and wait for money.



the deserts here are works of art







view from my room