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Colombia has it all, the beach, the forest, the desert and the mountains. I share the mountain views and desert landscape in southern Colombia with a French guy on a bike. We climb in cold rain at altitude and cruise down in the dry heat to the desert. Everything is beautiful. We enjoy the trails that leads us through the changing shapes and shades of the sandy landscape. It is however sad to know that this area actually is a dried up forest, which used to be full with trees and flowers.

The road conversations between me and my French companion concerns the possibilities of living sustainable lives. During the ride I also meet some of those who have all ready started. The entrepreneur who volunteers in a project for bio diversity. The architect who builds bamboo houses that are environmentally friendly. The couple who travels to gather inspiration and information for a local nature centre. Or the cyclists who stopped their journey and started an organic farm in the archaeological town of San Augustin.

Their farm is also an open house for touring cyclists and there are six of us that has found our way here. The gate is held together by old bicycle tubes and on the inside we are exchanging road maps, route advice and bike stories like proper nerds. We make a biker sized pizza on a baking plate made out of a bicycle rim and put it in an oven that has a bicycle pedal as a handle. On the walls above the dinner table hangs bamboo pieces with the names of cyclists that has stayed here. I am number 92.

It is grand to see that there are so many cyclists in movement and it is also grand to see a green movement here in Colombia. Before we leave the farm we plant a tree each on a slope where other cyclist-trees are growing. If we are many we might make it into a forest eventually, and prevent other forests from disappearing. Our last cycling leg in the country ventures up on a rough dirt road through untouched cloud forest and I think that Colombia will continue to be a country which has it all.

Peace

/Hanna

Comments

  1. Alastair Humphreys Thursday, November 18, 2010, at 6:59 PM

    Buen viaje!
    Cycling through Colombia was the highlight of all the Americas for me. I really hope it is for you too…
    Alastair Humphreys

  2. hanna Saturday, November 20, 2010, at 9:36 PM

    Gracias Alastair,

    Colombia was surely wonderful. I had a look at your blog with all the beautiful photos and appealing stories from your world wide trip. I will order a book whenever I go home and get myself a mailbox. Until then I will continue to enjoy the ride as a first hand experience.

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