WMDR (World's Most Dangerous Road)

So 13 years ago I spent an anxious day with Phil's brother Ed in La Paz after sending Phil off to cycle down the worlds most dangerous road. As you all know he made it back unscathed (just....)

Of course he wanted to do it again this time and in a crazy moment (I don't know what came over me) I decided I should give it a go and signed up as well.

We had to get up and leave our camping place in the longterm parking at the airport at 6:30am to make it into town (keeping Maya in a bag on the buses!). I was very quiet on the drive up to 4700m where we got togged up with full helmet, gloves, elbow and knee pads - I was just hoping I wouldn't need them but also didn't think they would do a lot if I went over the 800m sheer drop...

Off we whizzed the first part of the ride was on asphalt and I don't think I've ever gone so fast on a bike - it was completely exhilarating and, when we got the chance to stop and look at the scenary it was just spectacular. Having gained confidence on the first bit we then got to the dirt road which is officially the WMDR. It was slower going and very very bumpy but great fun splashing through streams and under waterfalls all with a huge sheer drop off to the left.

Phil declared it more fun than last time as in the intervening 13 years they have built another asphalt road which all the traffic uses so there is little danger of coming round a corner to come face to face with a truck or bus anymore. It also meant on the flatter part of road towards the bottom we could let Maya out of the support vehicle so she could run along beside us.

I was pretty pleased with myself for cycling the whole thing (which not all of our group managed) and we rewarded ourselves with a few cold ones and a bit of soaking up some sun by the pool at a very balmy altitude of 1200m.Read more