Chocolate Girl Valley

Chicamocha National Park.

We've decided to head North for a while.  All the locals we spoke with told us we would be silly if we were here and didn't explore more of Colombia.  So, it will blow our "schedule" out of the water, but hey… we might not be back this way for a while.   :)

So we turned North up the 45a Highway towards the Chicamocha Valley.

It's getting to the point where I am running out of adjectives.

Awesome

incredible

amazing

mind blowing

spectacular

Lets just say that our ride today was in my top 2 or 3 days ever on a bike.

Including Mongolia.  :)

It was awespectactable all rolled into one.  (awesome/spectacular/incredible.  I just made that word up.  I can make up words, it's my blog) 

Dog.

We stopped for gas soon after leaving, and were impressed that our gas station attendants were very, umm, well trained and efficient (!?!??)

Filling my bike with gas.  :)

Dressed for work pumping gas.

After paying and handing out a couple Terranova stickers, we continued to climb the steadily rising roadway, as we entered the Chicamocha Valley.  I had inquired with the locals about the name, which caused a laugh, since it doesn't mean what I thought it did.  Chica="Girl" and Mocha="Chocolate".   So I thought is was Chocolate Girl Valley.  I was informed, humerously, that it did not mean that.  I think it's better my way, so I will continue to think of it as Chocolate Girl Valley from now on.

Waterfall.

The Chicamocha Valley, Northern Colombia.

Chocolate Girl Valley, Colombia.

The roads are twisty, narrow, but new pavement.  The drivers of the other cars are well behaved.  

The bus drivers and big trucks are not.  They are our Nemesis (Nemesi?) 

They come racing around the corners 2/3 in our lane.  Even if we are in the right… we lose.  In a truck on motorcycle collision at 60km per hour, we come out on the bottom every time.  

So we ride hugging the outside of our lane.  

Which is the guardrail side.  

Which is the side that drops over 4000 feet to the valley floor.  

We did this for 6 hours.

It was awesome.  :)

After taking so many switchbacks and curves we were dizzy, it was getting close to time to find a Hotel, so we scanned the road ahead for any signs.  

Our first try was a small hotel attached to an gas station.  Nope.  No security for the bikes.

Our second try was a "motor hotel" with security, but it looked like a prison, and rented by the hour.  Pass.

Our third try was perfect.  A hostel 300 meters off the road, on 25 acres.   Beautiful, secure and interesting.

Our host told us the wonderful history of their farm, which has been in their family for over 30 years, and which he and his son have now turned into a hostel.  

The farm itself is over 300 years old, encompassing at one  time over 100 hectares (about 250 acres) and was used for running slaves.  When that was no longer legal, they began to harvest sugar cane.  25 years ago, there was a large manufacturing building on the property that produced concrete shingles and flooring tiles.  

Now, the farm is 25 acres, and the original 200 year old farmhouse serves as our home for the night.

After getting settled with our gear, we showered and went down to a small, outdoor dining area, under a beautiful grass roofed hut.  Just as we were ordering our supper, the lights went out all over the area. The staff quickly lit candles, and we got out our portable speakers and laptop and put on some wonderful Calypso music as we waited for the lights to come on, and our supper to be ready.  

Troy, throwing down some gang signs.  He's very manly.  :)

I have no idea what I am doing here, but the answer is 5.

Supper arrived, wonderful, hot and tasty, but the lights stayed off throughout, which made the entire experience all the more special.

It was a wonderful meal, in a magical place and we continue to marvel at our good fortune in finding these secret places.

Darren and I at dinner.

Darren just bought a Toyota.

Troy eating his glass for dinner.  Again... very manly.

Our light for dinner.  Very romantic, except for the two dudes across from me.

Troy wearing Beer Goggles trying to make Darren look pretty. :)

Real Sony "Betamax" !

Skype.

Youtube.

Some of the beautiful trees at our camp.

Troy.

Morning swim after Yoga.

I was taking this shot at night, an a 10 second time lapse when Darren accidentally walked into the shot, so I grabbed the camera and started walking to another spot.  This is the result.

Taken about 10:30 pm, outside our room.