The Grand Adventure

A bike trip with no end Read more

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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
Into the desert
March 29, 2024 in Chile ⋅ 🌙 18 °C
Take a short ride up and into the desert. Check out short path amongst the rock and a pet cemetery. Afternoon spent sitting in the beach!
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
UP and into the desert
March 30, 2024 in Chile ⋅ 🌙 21 °C
Left out nice oceanfront apartment and headed into the dunes. Long up with quite a few trucks racing by. Cruised down to Ruta 5 and ride alongside alot of industrial sites. Wind became favorable as we headed more eastward. Cruise along until Bequedona. Set up by soccer fieldRead more
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
Big sky. Straight road
March 31, 2024 in Chile ⋅ 🌙 20 °C
Hit the road after filling up with water at the rest area. The Columbia’s woman who worked there was quite taken with us. Fairly boring scenery. Eventually distant mountains emerged. Stopped by old town for lunch. With favorable wind, quickly covered last miles to Sierra Gordo. Found our quiet oasis to pitch our tent.Read more
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
Re-emergence of the Andes
April 1, 2024 in Chile ⋅ 🌙 15 °C
Lovely sunrise over the desert. Scenery remains boring until we crest a hill and see snow capped peaks in the distance. Manage to find a tiny spot of shade to rest. A kind truck driver pulled over and gave us 2 big bottles of water. Finished the ride to Calama. Opted to stay the night in town. Nice burger to fuel my iron levels. Currently at 7500 feet.Read more
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
San Pedro de Atacama
April 2, 2024 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
Plans for an early start disolver with a flat tire. With the daunting task of 60 miles, 4400 ft climbing to an elevation of 11,200 - I opted to get started. The gradual climb did keep any impact of altitude to a minimum. The more barren landscape did give way to more close ups of mountains and sandy crevices. Waited at 45km for Doug and lunch and finished the climb. Amazing views as we plummeted back down into the valley. As the sun went down the colors became amazing. Barely managed to get to town before dark - exhausted. Found a hostel, drank a beer, had a shower, ate some food and crashed.Read more
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
Ruins and crevasses
April 3, 2024 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
Spend some time exploring the cute, but touristy, town. Sky is amazingly clear and mountains seem to be in every which way. Walk along tiny Rio Grande to pukara de Quitor. Climb amongst ruins and monuments and crazy views. Bodies seem to be adapting to altitude.Read more
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
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A very salty swim
April 4, 2024 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
Biked across the desert to get to Laguna Cejar. Lucked out and got to lake between tour groups. Quite fun bobbing in the water. So salty. Fortunately could rinse off before riding back. Made dinner and then off tonight a 11:00 pm star tour. Pretty impressive!Read more
Hannah Boe Goodness! So salty!
4/8/24Reply
Hannah Boe YUM
4/8/24Reply
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
Rio SPA canyon
April 5, 2024 in Chile ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
Slept in as hadn’t returned from stargazing until after 2:00. Switched rooms and then ventured out along tiny little river. Stopped and hiked up devil’s throat. Beautiful sandstone canyons. As day progressed, light on the hills became redder.Read more
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More canyons
April 6, 2024 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
Though the day didn’t quite go as planned managed to set ourselves up for our climb and enjoy a walkabout. Doug took a taxi to leave 2 water and food drops for our 7500 ft ascent. We then wandered around narrow canyons and sandstone dunes. Nice dinner outRead more
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The climb begins
April 7, 2024 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
Pack up and leave the lovely town of San Pedro behind as we head into a wall - the Andes. Our route looms ahead as we have an easy flat start. Climb and climb and climb - reaching 12,800 feet. Find our 1st food and water drop. Watch sunset and crawl into tent. Late night fight with a zorro/desert fox.Read more
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
BOLIVIA
April 8, 2024 in Bolivia ⋅ 🌬 10 °C
Beautiful but cold morning. Steep start means we warm up by walking. Altitude is a real thing. Slowly make it to 15.1k, our 2nd drop and the border. Very chilly eventhough very sunny. Breeze through Chilean side and bump down 5 km to Bolivian border. Have to buy our visas which take quite q bit of time. Enter Bolivia and head around lake toward our camping destination. Flat tire slows us down and we finish the ride in the dark. Set up inside an abandoned building. Sleep back down to 14.4k feet.Read more
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
To the thermal springs
April 9, 2024 in Bolivia ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C
Wake to find out water bottles frozen solid. Manage to thaw in the sun. Spy two cyclists- first in quite awhile. Meet Sam and Kate - a Brit couple heading our way. Pack up and find our way back to main “road”. Very dusty but relatively easy dirt road. Her passed by many jeeps porting tourists along the lagunas and volcanos. Reach 15.6k and cruise down again to Laguna Chalviri. Check into hostel and head for thermal bath. Kate and Sam have beaten us there.Read more
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Onto the “geezers”
April 10, 2024 in Bolivia ⋅ 🌬 9 °C
Morning sunrise over the laguna as the tour jeeps pour in. Decide to go the harder route so that we can sleep in the geysers (or geezers as our Brit friends call them). Relatively easy start and then we climb - heading to 16k feet. Winds kick up and it gets chilly. Fun factor drops significantly. Make it, barely, to geysers. Set up and collapse. Warm floor of the tent keeps us inside as the temperature drops. Wind dies down and listen to geysers blowing and mud pots bubbling.Read more
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The roads deteriorates
April 12, 2024 in Bolivia ⋅ ☀️ 4 °C
Wake up nice and cozy but head out to watch sunrise over the geysers. Beautiful sight - even with the early morning tourists. Slowly pack up and head out of the geyser basin. Mechanical issues slow us down and the road turns to washboard and sand. Very difficult riding - and so we push. Slowly cover the 25k back down to 14.5k and a tiny town by Laguna Colorado. Check into the hostel and have a blazing hot shower and nice pasta dinner.Read more
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Rest and flamingos
April 12, 2024 in Bolivia ⋅ ⛅ 1 °C
After the last few brutal days, opt to stay put. Do ride a rough road down to the laguna to see the flamingoes. And of course the herds of alpacas. Beautiful place, damn hard to get to.
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A wild jeep ride
April 13, 2024 in Bolivia ⋅ 🌬 18 °C
Knowing our limits, we opted to catch a ride to jump passed the sandy, rocky ripio. Our gear went inside the jeep and our bikes on top and off we went. And unexpectedly, we went along the lagunas - a route we never would have taken. Beautiful scenery - snow covered volcanoes on both sides, beautiful lakes with flamingos, herds of vicuñas and llamas. And the “road” went straight through the desert. (Sadly no pictures). Quite the ride and we made it safely to Uyani.Read more
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Uyani
April 14, 2024 in Bolivia ⋅ 🌬 10 °C
Wander through marketplace and dusty roads on the way to train cemetery.
Hannah Boe Ah the potato piles!!
4/16/24Reply
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Rest
April 15, 2024 in Bolivia ⋅ 🌬 7 °C
Stomach issues caught up with me after plaguing Doug yesterday. Slept for a good part of the day. Ventured out for a bit in the blustery sunshine. Nice vegetarian dinner at Llama Cafe.
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Salar de Uyuni
April 16, 2024 in Bolivia ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C
Finally take our leave of Uyuni and head north into the wind. Short ride to the entrance of the Salar. Check into our salt hostel and then set out on bikes onto the Salar. Edge is pretty swamped so opt to rent Welly boots. Plod across the water and mush until we hit the drier salt surface. The salt flat is huge! Crunch along amongst the tour jeeps. Stop for a picnic and take the required naked photos with bikes. Ride out to a hotel and then back as the sun sets. The mirror effect on the water is incredible. Great night sleep on our salt bed.Read more
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Quinoa and greenery
April 17, 2024 in Bolivia ⋅ 🌙 8 °C
After a dose of kitten cuddles, set off in search of a car wash to rid our bikes of the salt. Unfortunately there was no one at the only one in town. Head north and truly begin our trek to Peru. Nicely paved road and minimal wind made for some of the easiest riding we have had in awhile. Stark whites and browns give way to red rocks and greenery. Lots of quinoa plants growing and being harvested. Make it to Rio Mulato and check into cheap and somewhat sketchy hotel.Read more
Hannah Boe Cuuuute 😻
4/22/24Reply
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Challapata along Lago Poopó
April 18, 2024 in Bolivia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
Another long day planned but flat terrain suggests a quick ride. Sadly, another flat tire slows us down. Nice jardines de piernas (rock gardens) and lots of llamas make for cool scenery. Make it to Challapata before dark. Another dinner of chicken and lots of starch.Read more
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Poopó
April 19, 2024 in Bolivia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
Though a short day planned, more tire issues cause a very late start. Road becomes busier with less consistent shoulders. Llamas and vicuñas give way to tall cows and sheep. A rather fertile valley. Make it to town of Poopó (still haven’t really seen the lake). No food options besides roasted or fried chicken - so make our own. Not doing so well on the food front in Bolivia.Read more
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Expect the unexpected
April 20, 2024 in Bolivia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
Manage a decent start even with a tire change. Though originally intended to stay on main road, decide to venture on the Antigua Camino Machacamarca. On the map it appears to be a land bridge that parallels the train tracks and crossed Lago Uru Uru. A few fun trestle bridges , but decent gravel road brings us to the lake. Unfortunately, the lake is high and we can see water over the crossing. Turn around and go across the flats trying to move in the right direction storm clouds around us and even a big boom of thunder keeps us moving quickly. Hit the main road and make our way to the big city of Oruro. Check into our tiny apartment on the 6th floor (no lift). Out for a mediocre vegetarian ‘Indian’ dinner. Make our way through madhouse of street market.Read more
Traveler Wow!!
5/11/24Reply
TravelerNo way to compare as all so beautiful, but these may be some of my fave pics yet!
5/11/24Reply
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Oruro
April 21, 2024 in Bolivia ⋅ 🌙 13 °C
Layover day to take care of a few things. Very successful in getting the things we need. Wander the city and see surprised by the greenery and nice parks. Walk by a tribute to Carnaval- a big event around here. Make our own nice chicken and veggie dinner.Read more
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Bus to La Paz
April 22, 2024 in Bolivia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
Navigate the busy streets to get to the bus terminal. Easy roll on of bikes and off we went. Hit the outskirts of La Paz and slow to a crawl. Huge city shaped like a bowl with a 1500 ft difference between top and bottom. Finally arrive and find a hostel 5 minutes away from terminal. Buy our tickets to the Peru border and go explore. Very hilly city. Learn all about Coca in a tiny little museum. Out for very nice dinner - finally!Read more
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