Like myself most of the 18 cyclists on this Venezuelan
Andes tour were looking for a challenge as well as leaving the British winter for a
tropical South American adventure.
Did it live up to expectations? Certainly it was tough.
On the biggest
climb of 2000 metres (to a heightof 4007 metres) my average speed was 5.1mph (8.9kph) on
a gradient – I guess – of about 1 in 10 with a gradual thinning of oxygen
supply. (On the other hand there were the
equivalent downhills giving a chance both to relax and to enjoy the vistas, provided you
kept a wary eye on the road surface.)
Blowing
hot and cold
We would have breakfast about 7.30 am and leave the
hotel at 8.30 just as the sun was beginning to warm the air. As we climbed the sun got
hotter but the air became cooler because of the increasing altitude so that it only rarely
became unpleasantly hot or humid. We had regular breaks at roadside cafes or villages
before reaching the pass about lunchtime with a chance to congratulate ourselves, have a
bowl of soup, admire the view, and prepare for a long descent. Thermal winds gave a little
assistance in climbing and equally cooled the descent but as this took place later in the
day when clouds were more common it sometimes meant that extra clothing was essential.
Road surfaces were normally good, much the same standard as country roads in UK, but were
subject to sudden, unexpected rough spots and frequent fallen stones so that constant
vigilance was needed particularly on fast descents.
Passing
the scenery
Venezuela is a vast country so we only saw a minute
rural area. From the high passes there were wide panoramas
over mainly barren hillsides below razor sharp rocky peaks but no snow. But mainly we
cycled through narrow steep-sided valleys and rounded lower hillsides on which grew citrus
fruits, bananas, strawberries, vegetables, coffee, maize and sunflowers. We watched
bullocks driving ploughs and the people actively working the land and living in small
single story cottages made often from mud and timber. There
was the inevitable barking (and occasionally biting) dog, loaded washing lines and blaring
Latino music. Most homes kept a cow or two, some chickens, and a goat all of which were
often encountered strolling across the road. Coffee beans were spread along the road
surface to dry. Fortunately other road users (of which there were never many) were well
aware of these hazards.
 Water
everywhere
There is an abundance of water. There was, unusually,
no rain at all during our three weeks but in the rainy season (July to December) plenty
falls to stock up the irrigation system which is piped across all the valleys and feeds
sprinklers in most fields often providing a pleasant shower to any passing cyclist. The
rivers and streams were plentiful, supporting bamboo and sugarcane on their banks.
Life
in an easy chair
In the towns and bigger villages where we stayed, life
appeared basic and rarely hurried. The most prominent feature of many shops was an easy
chair for the proprietor to await the occasional customer. Only in the confectioners’
and chemists’ did ‘presentation’ seem to be a recognised word. Many
‘passed their sell-by date’ fruit and rotting vegetables languished in the heat.
Traffic in towns was mainly old US ‘gas
guzzlers’ acting as taxis. With petrol at 5p a litre fuel economy is not an issue,
nor apparently are lights or any controls on exhaust emissions. Every village had at least
one formal, shady square with a prominent church along one side. Invariably the square is
named after Simon Bolivar the Liberator – of Venezuela from Spanish rule in 1815. His
statue, and occasionally those of his associates, abounds. The bolivar is the Venezuelan currency. Bolivia is
named after him.
Wherever we went, crowds surrounded our bikes and
studied the maps of our route. There were several 8-10 year olds, shoeshine boys eager to
do business. We saw no signs of theft, or drugs, and few beggars, smokers or heavy
drinkers. Even mobile phones were relatively rare.
An
absence of fresh fruit
We stayed at good hotels built for holidaymakers from
the cities but mainly empty being out of season. The meals lacked variety, mostly
consisting of two savoury dishes- chicken or trout is a favourite –occasionally with
a few vegetables, and a liquidised fruit drink. There was surprisingly no fresh fruit on
offer. Prices were very modest – 25p for bottled drinks, less for coffee. Fruit even
cheaper when we bought it ourselves. The tour leader acted as
interpreter, cashier and headwaiter sorting out the menus for each meal.
The
other cyclists
The group consisted largely of ‘early
retirees’ – mostly in late fifties or sixties. There were two young women who
managed to keep the more rowdy male element in check and one married couple. Two had been
racing cyclists in their earlier days, one was a determined tri-athlete, but most were
occasional individual riders - some of whom had trained before the tour. Others had not and suffered for the first few days.
We had expected to feel the effect of altitude on the
one day that we reached over 4000 metres but, apart from a little giddiness, no-one was
ill. We suffered a few digestion problems and some colds which meant a few people had to
have a day or two off the bike and were given a lift in a ‘sag wagon’ but
everyone managed to complete the tour. At the end all appeared lighter, thinner and
certainly fitter and tanned.
Bring
your own bikes
 There was the usual mixture of bikes, touring
being the most popular with a few hybrids and a couple of mountain bikes. Although we were
warned about limiting the amount of luggage there were some very ample panniers, bar bags
etc., but two of us managed to squeeze all the necessary belongings into one pannier (and
carry it all the way!). We rarely cycled as a group, for extensive hill climbing it seemed
more important to find an appropriate colleague (both temperament and speed) with whom to
share the pain. We did, however, re-group each afternoon before arriving at the overnight
stop.
So, would I
recommend going on next year’s tour? If you fancy a challenge, can get yourself
reasonably fit beforehand and would enjoy a different environment than you are likely to find in Europe, then send
for details. You can certainly rely on the accuracy and the comprehensiveness of the
information from the tour leader to help you make up your mind.
The trip cost
£1750 for 3 weeks all, except lunches, included. Find out more at
www.ctc.org.uk
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