Potosi, Bolivoa

Started the day on Tarija, Bolivia. Hit the road at noon. After picking up a chain breaker tool I left town on Routa 1 (the Pan American highway.) A few miles north a sign appeared directing me to turn left -- onto a dirt road. I left the lovely paved road assuming this is the portion of the route to Potosi that the Tarija tourist office mentioned as the "not paved section." An hour of exciting dirt road, replete with fog ensued. After said hour, I merged with a very paved road. I hadn't encounter much traffic on dirt road, which was very curious. On route I checked my feeble GPS and confirm I was on the PanAm. Had I just taken an adventure detour? The first vehicle was a luxury bus...hmmm. It seemed like a cruel joke. I had detoured the easy road to follow the official Routa 1. The photos below show it was not a waste.

 

 

...in to the mist...

...memorials for those that did not properly negotiate the turn...

After several hours of riding the temperature started to drop, so I put on my liners, heated vest and warm driving gloves. This helped beat back the cold, until the sun set and the temperature dropped further. Still about an hour from reaching Potisi, finding something warm to drink was key to my chilled bones. In a little town I was directed to an adobe building where I found a family serving food. The dining area was separated from the kitchen by several bed sheets. I could hear the family's daughter practicing her school lessons behind the curtain. The roof was some kind of thatch and the floor was dirt. I really didn't care about the ambiance of the restaurant,  I was cold and a touch hunger. The coffee with chocolate, bread and soap was magical.

Back on the bike I arrived in the hills above Potisi and worked my way toward the center that I never truly identified. Potisi is a crazy town, very hard to navigate. The street are very narrow and the drivers wouldn't give you an inch when trying to merge. Car pull out without warning and traffic lights are considered leftovers Christmas decorations. The first hostel had room, but only vague directions to a parking garage. The garage was elusive, so I settled on a high end hotel that had a garage onsite, reportedly a good breakfast, fast Internet service and the deal maker -- 2:00 PM check out. 

Settling in to my room I opened a bottle of red wine and proceeded to drink most of it with half of a dried sausage with bread. All the things you aren't supposed to do at high altitude. The next morning I had a splitting headache and a mild hangover. Would I do it all again? Sure.

Getting out of Potisi was a challenge and included loss of electronics... To be detailed in the next post.

I Laugh in Death’s Face

“Don't you know what you're doin'
You got a death wish”
- Suicide Blonde - INXS

Today Takahiro and I ride the famous Death Road.  At top of the Death Road….

A view of the route taken from the start of the road.

A short clip Taka captured from his GoPro helmet camera.

Celebrating back in La Paz.

The next morning I flew back to New Jersey for three weeks. The night clerk woke me up at 4:10 AM, so would have time to pack and be ready for my taxi to the airport. Taka woke up and hung out with me while I packed, then walked down to the taxi to see me off. What a great guy. I hope to see him again when he finishes his round the world ride. Maybe I’ll see him in Japan. He is always welcome in my home.

Death Road Riders

Today I joined Takahiro Sanui at the Bacoo Hostel, La Paz. We met in October, 2012, on the Stalhratte, while crossing from Panama to Columbia. Taka is from Japan, riding a Suzuki that he bought in California. He had the misfortune of dropping his motorcycle in a swollen stream while returning from Matu Pitu. Some parts could not be sourced locally and a friend sent the needed from Japan. Getting his bike back on the road took a month. While Taka was stuck in Cusco, I traveled through northern South America, down the coast of Brazil, across  northern Argentina and north to La Paz. Taka travels slowly, taking his time in Columbia, Ecuador and Peru, before getting stuck in Bolivia.

The first day we started out for the Death Road, Taka found his bike was not running correcctly. We postponed our ride to the Death Road and Taka went to seek a mechanic and carburetor tuning. No worries, we'll do it tomorrow. On the way back to the hostel I took this photo of La Paz.

 

La Paz grew into a sprawling metropolis, built in a valley. To say it is difficult for the uninitiated to navigate is a gross understatement. 


With a concern that we might run into road block for a transit strike we headed out the next morning. We did not encounter any road blocks what so ever.  As Takahiro Sanui and I rode to the Death Road, a coating of sugar snow made the mountains east of La Paz, amazing.

(continued: I laugh in Death's Face)