There are few issues I’ve performed in my travels which have actually shaken me up… Loss of life Highway was one among them.
Now that I consider it, it could be the one factor I’ve performed in my travels that has virtually introduced me to tears. Give me bungy leaping off the best bungy on this planet or skydiving out of planes any outdated day. However bike using down a highway the place lots of of individuals die per yr on a mountain bike at a excessive pace with no cliff railings? No thanks. This was actually a as soon as in a lifetime sort of deal.
Bike Driving Loss of life Highway in Bolivia
So it began at 7:30am in an English pub the place I met my information Dustin from Gravity Assisted Mountan Biking – famend for being the most secure firm doing the trip each day. They’re been doing it the longest and have principally English guides, so I figured I couldn’t go improper, proper!? Certain you’ll pay just a little extra… however can you actually put a value in your life? I swiftly determined no, no you’ll be able to’t… and coughed up the $120 for a day in contrast to another.
From the pub, we drove for an hour within the bus – myself, a Scottish woman, a Canadian, quite a few {couples} from Australia, England, and Italy. Now outdoors of La Paz, we had been handed our gear for the day – our bikes (match to measurement and brakes on the facet of our house nation), pants, jacket, gloves, helmet, scarf and powerade. To be fairly sincere I hate powerade – however given we had been in for a 4-5 hour journey on a motorcycle, I figured I may do with the additional hit of vitality.
After a not-so-brief security rundown (which is an efficient factor, may I add!!!), we set off on the primary leg of the journey.
First we rode down a highway purposefully constructed for site visitors, rushing down the hill as quick because the slope and wind would take us. We had been instructed to depart a bus-length between ourselves and the rider in entrance of us, given that is how so many accidents happen. Right here’s a have a look at our view on the way in which down…
After warming up on this highway, it was time to take to the gravel highway that’s identified to most as The World’s Deadliest Highway. Stupidly sufficient, I hadn’t taken a second to contemplate the identify – considering it was kind of a nickname the highway had acquired for being so unsafe. As it might end up, 300 folks die a yr on the highway – therefore the identify. The worst half was that one among my fellow riders knowledgeable me of the statistics JUST BEFORE I hopped on my bike. Speak about timing…
After convincing myself to go for it (I used to be significantly contemplating bailing), I launched into the 4-5 hour trip down hill with my fellow riders. It was fairly a rush of feelings – notably concern, given riders should trip on the CLIFF SIDE of the highway… how that’s thought-about okay I actually do not know.
However the trip is okay when you can a) trip a motorcycle and b) give attention to the duty at hand. One of many riders in entrance of me had fairly a tumble off her bike after hitting a rock within the gravel and shedding her steadiness (which happens continuously on the trip), however fortunately for her she was nowhere close to the cliffside when this occurred.
To be fairly truthful, the one tales you hear of individuals tragically falling off the cliff are those that are both not assured on a motorcycle, making an attempt to take a photograph, or racing down hill. None of which I’d advocate for apparent causes!
When you dare, that is undeniably essentially the most memorable bike trip you should have in your life… and a should for any thrill seeker visiting La Paz, Bolivia.
What are your ideas? Would you, wouldn’t you!? Let me know within the feedback under what YOU consider my choice to bike trip loss of life highway.