29th Oct - Most Dangerous Road in the World

We were picked up at 7:30 to be driven out of La Paz to 4700m up the Andies to our starting point. Our starting point for mountain biking down the 'Most Dangerous Road in the World' .
It's called the 'Most Dangerous Road in the World' because statistically it has more accidents and deaths on it than any other road in the world.

Question - Why are we mountain biking down the 'Most Dangerous Road in the World'.
Answer - I have no idea!

We are first introduced to our bike which in my case is really necessary as I've not cycled a push bike for 15 years, I've never been on a bike with gears and the last but one time I was on a bike I fell off and landed in hospital.

Question - Why am I mountain biking down the 'Most Dangerous Road in the World'.
Answer - I have absolutely no idea!

The first section of the ride was fairly easy, even if totally freezing. At 4700m it's snowing in places and only 5 degrees at best. Luckily the road is quite good, mostly downhill and not too busy. There is a small uphill section which I admit to pushing the bike up.

The second section is the part called the 'Most Dangerous Road in the World' - it's a single track road, unpaved and the main route for trucks from the jungle at the bottom of the mountain to reach La Paz with fruit and veg from the amazon. Did I also mention that there are up to 500m drops at one side of the road. Did I also mention that's the side of the road we have to cycle on, cos even though that's the left side and they drive on the right over here, they change that for this road so that the guys going down have a better view of the edge - sick eh!

Question - Why am I mountain biking down the 'Most Dangerous Road in the World'.
Answer - I have absolutely completely no idea - must have gone mad somewhere along the way!

Your concentrating so hard on staying on the bike cos the road is so rough and your arms are rigid holding on, you really don't notice the 500m drops to your left much, or the massive trucks careering towards you much - honest. Our first and thankfully only casulty was near the top where a guy got a puncture on a bend, going too fast and came off and broke his collar bone. The guides managed the situation really well and got him off to hospital ASAP. Gravity Assisted (the tour company) are very quick to tell us they've had no deaths on the road in the seven years they've been in operation - reassuring!

In a couple of places we have to cycle through water falls which is quite cool - especially as the water is freezing but since we're decending into the jungle right down to 1100m it's getting really hot and humid.

At one of the many stopping points the guide pointed out a memorial at the cliff edge. This is a memorial to half a dozen politicians who the military thought would win an election against them so threw them over the edge. We wanted to hurry past that particular spot just in case there were any re-enactments.

Question - Why am I mountain biking down the 'Most Dangerous Road in the World'.
Answer - Get the men with white coats ready if I survie this!

The last section takes us through two rivers, one which I nearly come off in, but manage to stop in time and spare my dignity - one of the 5 guides was taking photos and was willing me to fall in.

At the end of the 64km road (yes that's right sixty four kilometers) a frozen cold beer awaited. We were then taken to a beautiful place for hot showers a swim and dinner sitting in the jungle.

We were all totally buzzing having made it to the bottom with no misshaps.

Thankfully us tourists were driven back to La Paz by bus, however two of the local guides cycled back up the mountain as we dined and we only met them over half way up. Like cycling 64 km down the side of a really really really steep mountain wasn't tiring enough they cycled back up. It would have taken me days to walk up it never mind cycle.

The journey back up was actually scarier than the cycle down. On a bike you don't realise just how narrow the road is in places, and as you're concentrating on cycling you really don't notice the massive drops, the over turned lorries (the ones that went off road today) or the hundreds of crosses and shrines to all the people who have died along the way.

Feeling good we watched the sun setting over the Andies and made our way back to La Paz feeling good but totally knackered and my bottom starting to hurt somewhat cronic.

Question - Why am I mountain biking down the 'Most Dangerous Road in the World'.
Answer - It was a totally scary, totally mad, totally envigorating a total blast!

Question - would I do it again?
Answer - No - my bottom hurts too much!