Locombia 2017 Chapter Twenty: The Distance

I think we're starting to get a hang of this.

Manizales - Honda 135 kilometers

We left Manizales - our city of choice on this trip - with nervous stomachs. We both thought the queasy feeling came from the task ahead of us, climbing back over the Andes mountain central range. We feared our return route would be more demanding than when crossing it via The Line.

It turned out Omar's stomach was not nervous for mental reasons, but for bacterial ones. 17 kilometers into a surprisingly inspiring climb, we had to take the first of many breaks.

We spent 11 hours on the road, and it was the best day of the journey so far. We were surrounded by beautiful landscape for 120 kilometers. It was probably nice for the last 15, too, but it was dark and we decided against stopping to feel the scenery. We climbed to 3,700 meters above sea level.

The ride from Manizales to Honda contained everything this trip is supposed to be about, disease apart. Being out in the sun on less traveled roads enjoying the landscape and talking to people while not arrriving completely pale and crawling into bed.

I really do better writing in a state of agony. It's a good thing my shoulder is acting up again.

We had to cross all of these. 

A vulture. A sign of things to come? 

Omar was very bad for a while, but he recuperated enough to make it.  

Great scenery.  

Greater scenery.