Six countries, 12,000 kilometres and over 100,000 metres of elevation gain – Chris Murray shares his fifth update from his mission to cycle across the South American continent.
12 May 2024 – 4th and final leg complete
Thinking back, leaving Quito to start the final leg of my trip couldn’t have been more of a contrast compared to how I ended it in the sweltering desert heat of Colombia’s ‘Alta Guajira’ region with nobody in sight.
As I left the Ecuadorian capital, the rain was pouring down, the morning traffic was intense (as were the vehicle fumes) and the poncho was well and truly on for the duration of the first day back on the road. On top of this, a tough mountain day lay ahead.
And there would still be nine days of climbing in the Andes (averaging over 2,000m of elevation gain each day) before the terrain flattened out halfway up Colombia.
Soaked to the skin and very dirty from battling it out with the trucks and their spray all day, the evening cleared up just as I ended my day’s ride. And this final evening in Ecuador, and first back in the Northern hemisphere, proved to be a memorable one.
After a failed attempt at overnighting at the local fire station, I came across the most beautifully-located camping site with views overlooking the Imbabura volcano and the Laguna de Yahuarcocha.
I was the only camper there too, and a happy camper I was. I reflected on the last couple of weeks in the country, which had been super positive since day one.
Then into Colombia it was – my last country, and probably the most cycling-fanatic one. Crossing the border on a Sunday meant the local cyclists were all out, and I had great company on the roads. A group of them also directed me onto some more minor roads at one point, which provided stunning views of the mountains and the valley down below.
It was a great introduction to the country, and I was very much looking forward to the weeks to come.
Although rain showers became a regular occurrence, my spirits were not dampened as I meandered my way up through the country. I was treated to some of the best descents and spectacular views of the trip so far.
And after some rest days in both Cali and then Medellin, it was into the flatlands along the Magdalena river – bringing me into some of the hottest and definitely the most humid conditions I have ever cycled in.
Spending the vast majority of my time in the aero bars, the mountains and rain showers were now a thing of the past. And before too long, into the desert it was. The trees, bushes and landscapes, including the houses of the indigenous Wayuu people, reminded me of places I’ve been to in Africa at similar latitudes.
The animals/roadkill also changed, with stray dogs now being replaced by alligators and snakes. And then a moment I was expecting, but not sure when exactly it would happen – the tarmac ended. And not long after, the road ran out all together…
This, combined with average temperature highs of 39 during the last 10 days of the trip, meant that the last push required a huge effort. And it was not only physically challenging, but it was a part I had to continue to remain vigilant and alert in.
Several times a day, I would be warned about the security risks and dangers by locals. I couldn’t let my guard down.
And although the cycle itself ended in the village of Cabo de la Vela on a somewhat anticlimactic note, the last stretch to Punta Gallinas on the back of a motorbike was by far the most physical day of the whole trip.
Hanging on for dear life as I bounced through the sand dunes and rocks for over 7 hours (there and back) was something I was not prepared for, either physically or mentally.
But I had made it – relieved, exhausted and proud.
…and now all that remained was figuring out a way to get back. Always a challenge when choosing to cycle to the remote end of a continent..!
80 days of cycling. 11,516km of road. And just over 600 hours of effort. Yes, that is the equivalent of a full-time job!
And in other numbers, the trip looked something like this:
- Sick days: 0
- Bike services: 1
- Bike chain replacements: 2
- Punctures: 4 (all in the space of 24 hours)
- Countries crossed: 6
- Tubes of sunscreen used: 7
- Highest number of ice cream scoops eaten in one day: 9
- Days cycled with some form of physical discomfort: 79
- Podcast episodes listened to: 390
- Metres of elevation gained: 106,000
- Approximate number of pedal strokes: 2,600,000
And I guess all that remains now is to thank you for following my journey – I hope you enjoyed it.
Thank you for all the support and words of encouragement along the way too, and I do hope I have motivated some of you to challenge yourselves, seek some discomfort and see what you are capable of achieving – because we can all do so much more than we think we can.
As they say, ‘nos vemos’ and till next time!
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