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Reached Bolivia about 6 days ago. First 3 days spent in Le Paz, the 'cultural capital' of Bolivia. The highlight was the bike ride down the Death Road, it's real name is the North Yungas Road. A 61 kilometre stretch leading from La Paz to Coroico. It was built in the 1930s during the Chaco War by Paraguayan prisoners.
Is the Death Road as frightening as it sounds? In short, yes. When you see it with your own eyes you begin to appreciate just why so many people have lost their lives on this road. On 24 July 1983, a bus veered off the Yungas Road and into a canyon, killing more than 100 passengers in what is said to be Bolivia's worst road accident. There are numerous memorials for those who have lost their lives here.
The day before we ride a young woman fell 200 meters and had to be rescued. She's not in good shape. Today we pass a group who has a rider over the edge. It's right at the start so he hasn't fallen far.
When looking at the road from a distance it's as if the God decided to take a sharp knife and scrape it along the side of the mountain. It's narrow, sheer and unsealed.
We are descending the route by mountain bike fully geared up with two experienced and safety conscious guides to lead us through. The speed of the decent is the most alarming thing you must get used to. At first you resist this but something inside you begins to fall in love with the madness of the experience and speed becomes an attraction rather than something to be shunned.
The surrounding beauty of the pass is difficult to describe simply because I'm looking at the road ahead at all times and one mistake could see me fly off the edge into the void of the valley.
During the regular breaks however you appreciate just how magnificent this place really is. We see five waterfalls tumbling down onto the very road we are traversing, mist coming and goi
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James W Sounds like gripping stuff!!!