The road to Durango

Saturday 4th May - Wednesday 8th May

My five day adventure in the mountains started off easily enough, with a pretty flat stretch south out of Mazatlan. Then the road turned East, and the road started to undulate, and then go up in earnest. My legs were actually feeling pretty good, but as the day wore on, and I got past the 60km mark, I really started to tire. I had figured that if I struggled on that first day, I could just stop and stay in a little town along the highway somewhere. However, it was a new section of highway, and there were no towns, not even stores. I wasn't carrying enough water for the whole night and next morning, so I knew I had to get somewhere that night. But that road just kept going up and up.

Seemed harmless enough to begin with...

Around 6pm my energy started to really flag. The steep grade meant I would ride for as little as 500m or a couple of minutes and have to stop for 5 or 6 minutes. It was really slow going. Eventually even this was difficult, and I started walking and pushing my bike in parts, which I hadn't had to do in the preceding 2500km. I put my pride aside because I was really struggling.

At 7pm, as the sun was setting, I found a highway maintenance shed, and the kind Viktor inside gave me some water but warned me I had a long way to go before the next town - 10 or 15km. I determined to keep going as long as I could, but then at about the 80km mark, at 7:30pm it started to get dark, and I thought this is just dumb so I stuck my thumb out. Almost the first guy I saw stopped for me and gave me a lift. Cristian, and his wife, picked me up, and even brought me back to their home and offered me a bed for the night - how amazing! They fed me dinner, asked me what the hell I was doing, and I explained. They even offered to take me to a dance that night - being Saturday night - and for me to accompany his wife's sister there. "Solo amigos" he swore, haha. We didn't end up going, but the offer was kind.

Cristian in the middle, his son on the left, and a gentleman I am not familiar with on the right.

They fed me a great breakfast, and even dropped me a bit further up the mountain, past one of the steeper parts the next morning. How amazing! I enjoyed a beautiful day cycling through the rolling hills, and I took this one much easier, only about 25km that day. I had some great experiences with people, mainly in a little town called El Palmito. I met a cyclist group from Durango, who were interested in what I was doing, and ending up giving me granola bars, and energy drinks for the ride - how kind! Then at a food stand, I met a guy called Paco from Zacatecas. He was interested in what I was doing because he wanted to do the same. Then he paid for my gorditas and invited me to come say hi in Zacatecas where he lived and owned a bar. How amazing! I continued on, and then stopped and camped next to a restaurant at a small town, and ate dinner there. The views were amazing all day:

The next day the pace was also slow because there was a lot of climbing, and I think I did about 45km. I went through a narrow pass known as the Espinazo del Diablo - the devil's spine, where at one point the road drops away sharply on either side, for hundreds of metres below. It was a stunning ride that day, and I enjoyed the scenery, took it easy, and occasionally stopped to read my book. I ended up in a town called La Ciudad that night, where some very friendly firefighters offered me a bed in their station for the night, and then also paid for my dinner (gorditas again)! I was becoming really overwhelmed by people's hospitality at this point.

That hill in the background is where I was going.

The road goes along the bottom of the cliff there

At the Devil's Spine

The Devil's Spine

You can kind of see where the road climbs - all the way along and up

A corn truck had tipped over. People were mainly just picking up corn and putting in their pickups.

A pretty typical view for the day: around and up, maybe a little down

Pretty much the highest point. It was a little cold up there.

Bomberos!

The next and fourth day held only a few climbs, and lots of downhill, which was fun. I ended up in a town called El Salto, and after asking around for where I could stay, I was pointed to the Police Station. The police pointed to the roof, and I lugged my bike and gear up two flights of stairs and ended up camping on the roof! It was a little weird, especially because I could see and hear people in the holding cells below. But it had a good view. Certainly one of my most interesting places that I have stayed in this trip.

Nice spot for a break that day

Check your brakes - that's what I like to see!

On the roof in El Salto

The next and final day was as long as the first in terms of distance, but it was a breeze as it was mainly downhill. I cruised down around and through the foothills of the mountains, then farmland where the plains really opened up, and finally to the outskirts of Durango. I got there a little early, at 5:30pm on the fifth day.

It had been an incredible five days in the mountains. The first day nearly killed me, and I suppose this was unsurprising given how poorly prepared I was. For the rest of the ride, sure there was a lot of climbing, but I took it relatively easy and enjoyed the amazing scenery. I had time to read my book and just chill and enjoy my surroundings, and think. I was also truly humbled by the hospitality, friendliness and kindess of those I had met on the road. Little did I know, the latter was to be surpassed in Durango itself.