Land Wars

Marzo 21 / 2019 / Dia 6

 Rio Neiva – San Agustín / Colombia

Hoy ha sido la jornada mas larga de los pocos días desde que salimos de Medellín.

Nos levantamos a las 4 am no podíamos dormir, salimos y a las 5 am ya estábamos en la fila, que ya era muy larga, llena de buses, tractomulas, camiones, nosotros parecíamos un juguete en la mitad de todos.

Para las personas ver a twiggy es super novedoso, algunas preguntan, otras toman fotos y otros hacen videos para recordar el momento.

A las 7 am en punto abrieron paso, que momento tan estresante todos quieren ser los primeros, pero la vía solo tiene habilitada un solo sentido, el otro lado esta lleno de rocas, palos e indígenas protegiendo su espacio. Fueron momentos complicados, la velocidad no es nuestro fuerte y las personas se desesperan un poco cuando van detrás de nosotros.

Después de pasar por Obo, paramos y esperamos algunas horas que todo este caos pasara para poder continuar rumbo a San Agustín.

Antes de Pitalito tuvimos nuestro primer problema mecánico, algo con los cambios que pudimos solucionar gracias a Carlos un mecánico recomendado en la página de Piaggio Colombia, nuestro mejor descubrimiento.

Después de revisar todo, continuamos hacia San Agustín por una vía en mal estado para la importancia de este sitio turístico de Colombia.

Cruzamos el pueblo y nos encontramos unas cabañas “Gamcelat” super lindas, económicas y construidas dentro de la montaña, esta será una parada para recargarnos de energía.

Had to upload video of roadblock to YouTube since it was too big for blogger.

https://youtu.be/D6uJlVQMDaY

Tipo de tráfico detrás de nosotros después de la barricada

Type of traffic behind us after the roadblock

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Today was to be the longest day of since leaving Medellín.

We got up at 0400 since we could not sleep thinking up the roadblock, we left and at 0500 and were in the queue by 0600.  It was already very long, full of buses, tractors, cars, artics and trucks.  We looked like a toy in between them.

For some people to see Twiggy was quite novel, some ask about us, others take pictures or videos to remember seeing this strange contraption at an ungodly hour and others appear too shy to ask.

At 0700 sharp they opened the barrier, and everyone raced to overtake the vehicle in front.  Why????  A tad stressful when you are the smallest boxer in the fight.  Fortunately for us boulders, whole trees, sticks, people and anything else that could be found had been placed on the road so that there was only one lane.  They were some complicated moments, speed is not our strength and people get a little desperate when they are behind us.  Unfortunately, what was a demonstration by indigenous about their land rights had been hijacked by anyone and everyone that had an argument with the government.

After passing through Obo, we stopped and waited a few hours in a café for the hundreds of vehicles behind us to pass.  Once safe we continued towards San Agustín.

Before Pitalito we had our first mechanical problem  A clutch that over the space of a gear change went completely out of adjustment.  No problem thanks to Carlos, a mechanic recommended on the page of Piaggio Colombia, our best discovery.

After reviewing everything, we continued to San Agustín via a road in poor condition bearing in mind this was an important tourist site in Colombia.

We crossed the town and found some "Gamcelat" cabins, beautiful, economical and built inside the mountain.  This will be a stop to recharge our batteries.