DAY 20 - BIKING DOWN THE MOST DANGEROUS ROAD IN THE WORLD.....GULP!! The infamous Death Road! Hearing the alarm the next morning I automatically pressed snooze but was woken 2 mins later by Bilynda our tour leader saying where are you? You should have been in reception 5 mins ago. b***** I hadn't put the time forward for Bolivia - to say panic stations was in room 224 at that moment would be an understatement. Packing a rucksack with stuff we thought we needed for the day in about 5 minutes flat. Bilynda rang again and told us to meet us at the bike shop. No shower feeling very bewildered and not really awake we staggered out of the hotel and down the road, is this a state to be undertaking a Death Road in??! At the bike shop it was organised chaos t-shirts being tried on, gallons of coffee and broken Spanish was being shouted. After much shena****ns and negotiating we donned safety gear and boarded our bus. To reach our start point it required a 2 hour journey out of La Paz through the outer slums and into the hills, the old ladies looking so tired and cold wrapped in many blankets on the side of the street hoping for one sale of the food they have carried from afar placed next to them in buckets, such a poverty stricken life and real eye opener to how lucky we are at 7am in the morning. Our starting altitude would be 4800m and via Death Road 67 km later, we would be down at 1700m for a well earned beer. We Hope.... On the bus it got colder and colder and the view got better and better, the scenery is staggering the snow-capped mountains dramatic and the landscape so harsh. People are still eeking out an existence selling bottles of pop and water and bags of chips. Finally we made it to the top and we received our final safety brief surrounded by a freezing cold landscape of glacial mountains and a huge stunning lake, not bad eh, followed by a cold loo stop for Nik et al, freedom style behind a tin shack! Rules, simple don't act like an idiot and obey the guide at all times and oh don't pull your left hand brake as you will simply be catapulted over the top! Oh and beware of the trucks that don't really care much and may knock you off the road if you are not careful, they don't call this Death Road for nothing....... The adrenaline was by now really flowing, the bikes we were on were designed solely for going downhill and were heavy but felt very strong with wicked hydraulics. Leaving in an orderly queue allegedly spaced 15m apart and keeping to the right we started flying downhill. What a sensation and so easy just point the bike the way you want to go so cool. So this was the format for the day, head out and then stop between 10 and 25 minutes later someway down the mountain. It was spectacular such a setting for a full day bike ride and blooming exciting if not a tad cold! The first part was along a paved road and the main hazards were the other road users, i.e. the big trucks and speeding taxis. In addition, getting used to the brakes being round the other way than what we were used to did take some adjustment. The back brake was on the right not the left. Flying down this road was such a feeling and getting as low as possible for more and more speed was just part of the experience. After a couple of stops and the paying of the park entrance we had a choice to make. The next section was 6km long and uphill and at 3700m so we could cycle this or get on the bus. Tough decision but as usual we knew we had to do the whole lot, no bus for Nik and I. We would regret this decision very quickly; the shock of riding uphill after the experience of the downs was such a contrast. It was so difficult, the altitude meant one was breathing like some asthmatic sloth it was such hard work not even the breathtaking scenery could help. It was a case of head down and keep on peddling without falling off but we finally all made it, although Nik said at one point she really couldn't breathe and had a massive panic, maybe next time the bus would be good! At the start of the infamous Death Road section, our guide filled us in on more safety briefings and abit of history about this place. Basically prisoners originally hand made with small instruments the winding valley dirt track and originally it was built wide enough for donkey width, which over the years expanded to cars and trucks going in BOTH directions on the same sort of width, you can imagine why it got its name.......... Unfortunately over 200 people had died a year on this track, with some years the figures being in the hundreds; e.g. from one incident a local bus jam packed full of people tipped over the death defying edge trying to pass other motors or lost control due to too much speed; the number of trucks, cars and crosses on the side of the road was endless in number and here we were cycling down the damn thing for fun??!! Due to its death rating a new road had been built to divert traffic which normally would have meant we wouldn't need to share the road with other traffic but due to the new road not being open for the last few weeks this may not be the case today ........ouch! Unfortunately too, the answer to the question of 'how many westerners had not survived our forthcoming experience' didn't bode well when we heard that already 3 had not made it this year alone, one young British, an American guy and one young French girl, so with the normal statistic of 1 biker every few years, this statistic of 3 and it was only 8 months into this year hit home quite considerably and we knew that perhaps what lay ahead was not to be taken lightly.......sorry mum thought I'd tell you after the ride I had done this trip! After refuelling on trail mix and bananas we were ready for this next stage and in a somewhat orderly queue it was downhill all the way. Gone was the smooth road surface to be replaced unpaved gravel strewn rutted mess of a road. Oh and I forgot to mention the fog that had decided to make an appearance adding to the already full flowing adrenaline coursing through our bodies. Riding down this path you had to keep to the left away from the cliff edge, sensible you may think except that the guide then explained that you keep to the left even if the cliff edge is on your left. All part of the experience that is Death road. By now the format is clearly defined follow the guide down as quickly as you can or are willing to try. Each of us finding a comfortable speed most of the time, ( apart from Nik who decided to join the advanced group with me taking the uncomfortable option of trying to keep up but alive at the same time!) to enable us to negotiate the remaining kilometres. The road just keeps on winding, the drops are huge and the scenery is magnificent another added factor trying to keep ones eyes on the road ahead. The bike wants to go where you are looking so you need to look along the road not over the edge. It gets the heart pumping the adrenaline flowing and its all downhill from here on in. The breaks every 10 to 20 minutes continue and the group bunches up at these times each of us with our own stories and nearly wiping out and did you see that truck at the bottom of the valley. It's a fantastic experience and so worth doing. Stopping for lunch at a curve in the road, you find yourself next to tributes to those that have lost their lives on this journey. Its quite a sobering feeling. Ever onwards and downwards the group continues we will complete over 64 kms this day and a vertical descent of 3345m all in the name of downhill madness. Photos are taken videos shot but none can capture that feeling as you fly down the mountain holding your breath as you go round the corners hoping there is nothing coming the other way. You can see the dust trails in the distance of trucks and cars some of them travelling at unbelievable speeds for these narrow knife edge roads. Bilynda unfortunately hit a gravel spot at one point in front of Nik, who on trying to stop to help her almost wiped out as well! Thankfully Bilynda was ok and fell away from the edge thank god but it wasn't the best feeling being in front of the girls wondering why they weren't with us then hearing on the radio, 'accidente' hitting home that it is all too easy to lose it on this track.... The longer the afternoon goes on the stronger the sun and the thought of that cold beer at the bottom drives you on especially on the flatter sections. Reaching the last section the group joined together as one and en masse travelled down the remaining kilometres it was quite a sight. At the bottom there is a river that Nik nearly ended falling flat n her face, I think I might have had something to do with that sorry you. All accounted for all equipment returned and beers were drunk all accompanied with tails of "I nearly did that" & "did you see that" it was fantastic fun. As part of the package we were then bused back up into the mountains to a hotel where a buffet lunch was waiting as were hot showers, a swimming pool and a fab valley view! Then it was the trip in reverse, this time in the bus, which for most would be on the new road but our guide said Death Road was actually the 'safer option' friggin eck, so all the way back up the infamous death road we went. Nik sitting next to our guide learnt of the many ghost stoires that exist within this place, one particularly of a little girl which raised the hairs on the back of our necks. Another also of a guy, who in towing his own truck back up from the valley found a 4WD with 3 nuns in it and some gold, blimey..... Then with darkness all around us as the sun set behind the mountains and the moon beamed clearly above, we arrived back in La Paz. What a day and yet another incredible experience. Mum you can breathe now! All pretty shattered, a farewell meal it was for the irish crew (Bazza, Tom, Teresa & Cieron), John and Luiza. We were all sad to see them go and it wouldn't be the same without all the wise cracks and madness, safe trip home guys!