Los Llanos - a weekend bike ride

I went for a ride around the neigbourhood this weekend....350kms in two days. The 1st day I cranked out 230kms and broke my personal record of 207 kms in one day, which took me 12.5 hours of pedalling! Left Bogota at 3:30 am and made it down to Villanueva in the grassy, tropical plains at 6pm. There I spent the night at the Insuasty's, a cycling friend from Pasto and the next day I continued along the rolling/flat edge of the plains to Villavicencio, another 120kms. From there I took the bus back up to Bogota. Lost 3 kilos in 2 days....most of that would have been water though.

Well it's been a long time since I started off with one of my classic road kill shots :)
Wouldn't want to get in the way of this guy's left hook! I believe this is an anteater...oso hormigero.


Fried lizard anyone?

Fortunately this parrot stayed off the road. Wish the colours would come out better in this foto.

Nothing like fresh, juicy pineapple slices for sale on the side of the hi-way.

This is actually a common seed that we eat in Canada. Cashew...yes a seed not a nut...says wikipedia. It hangs seed down. The false fruit can be eaten....I found it a bit tart. The seed/nut would have to be roasted I think. They grow along the side of the road.

Wilfredo joined me for 30 km before going back to Villanueva for his granddaughter's 4th birthday party. Nice cool morning in the mid-twenties, after a big downpour overnight.

"Everyone has the right (to use) the hi-way" I like this because it includes both runners and cyclists.

Sweet tropical warmth, smooth pavement, light traffic, friendly natives....I'm going to miss this bicycle crazy country!

First poos and first foods

Carla is 6 months old today!

Carla's 1st "solid" food.....mashed banana....sure changes the colour of her poo! But I'll spare you the foto :)


In action....."pushing"


The evidence.....had to show you this one :) He always likes to point out that he's done a REALLY big poo!


Splashing on the balcony

I wonder what he's dreaming about?

With a little help from mom....the fun part is that he get's to push it over. Blocks courtesy of Tia Karen.

The Beast and the Beauty

1st year birthday party for Santi....2nd from left

Pacho

Pacho is a quiet little town, 2 hours NW of Bogota. At 1700m its a warm, but not hot, climate....warm enuf to grow oranges of which are many. Here is where we stayed.
http://www.hotelcaliforniacolombia.com/ 65USD a night....not a bad deal considering it includes 3 meals each! Been doing alot of running on this holiday.....1st thing in the morning as always....taking turns....mom goes first if the kids are still sleeping when we wake up. From Pacho it's great to run downhill for 1.5 hours to about 1000m.


My princess :)

Karen is right.....her eyes are changing to a hazel? colour.

The hotel is an old colonial style building.

The cat went that way.

Pals

This is hotel Diego Pacho, where we stayed the 1st night and on our bike trip a year ago.

The old man can still do a few tricks.....here comes the belly flop!

The Beauty and the Beast.

Nobsa, Paipa and Villa de Leyva

It's holiday time! Maria is not crazy about the hot climates, so we went north of Bogota and stayed on the high sabana to some places she hadn't seen. The 1st week of Easter we took a 4 hour bus ride to visit a friend of Maria's who she hadn't seen for 12 years! Cecilia has been running all her life and has a house full of trophies and medals just like Maria. Now that they are past their prime, they chatted to no end about their old glory days. Then it was off to Paipa for 3 days in the hot springs and the last 2 days in Villa de Leyva, an old colonial town that has been taken over by tourism. Ramon found it quite tricky to negotiate the cobblestone streets and eventually learned that it was better to walk instead of run.....resulting in fewer cuts and bruises.

Hanging with Carla at the hot springs....had the place to ourselves....very peaceful.

Well hello there....and what planet do you come from?

Cecilia the runner's house....we couldn't miss this house!

Yet another girlfriend for Ramon.....Diana

Picture papa!

I think he's got the hang of it!

Our hotel in Villa de Leyva.....non-heated pool....cool but not cold.

Our tour guide pointing out all the fossils.

All zonked out from all that fun.......on the way home.