Mountain biking down the most dangerous road in the world was some of the most fun I´ve had on this trip so far. This one day descent down what the locals call "Death Road" was intense for certain. The name is not a joke, in 1995 the Inter-American Development Bank determined this road to be the most dangerous in the world due to the number of deaths that occur on it. An average of 26 vehicles per year fall off this 3.5 meter wide dirt road. The road stretches from La Paz, over the Apacheta Chucura pass (at 14,580 ft.) dropping 10,800 ft. in elevation over 64 kilometers to the jungle towns of Yolosa and Coroico in the Yungas at 3,600 ft. Rock overhangs with waterfalls spill onto and errode away the fragile, gravel surface. Larger trucks and busses have difficulty on the narrow switchbacks often times loosing traction and sliding backwards over the 3000 ft. cliffs to the jungle floor. The worst accident to date was in 1983 when a "camion" or large truck used to carry people and animals, slid backwards over the cliff killing the driver and the 100 people crowded into the back of the truck. On rare occasions mountain bikers do die on the road. The ascending vehicles have the right of way and the inside line up the road. So, as I bounced my way down this precarious strip of roadway, sometimes with only inches to oblivion, I couldn´t help but think of the consequences to making a mistake. Talk about focus!! We stopped at many points to let vehicles pass, rest our arms and let the blood back into our knuckles. This provided for some photo opp´s that can be viewed on our flickr link.
Despite the nailbiting turns on cliff walls the ride was awesome! 64 kilometers of nothing but down and the views were second to none as we had a clear, blue sky day for the ride. Once at the bottom the day turned quickly to relaxation as I checked into the Don Quijote Hotel, grabbed a much needed shower and sat down to a big buffet dinner. The town of Coroico is a tranquil jungle town and the Don Quijote fits perfectly into it with its many parrots and toucans singing around the pool. A peaceful place to wait out the chaotic presidential elections which were the following day.

Who won the elections you ask? A very interesting outcome! Evo Morales was the victor. He is the first ever indigenous president and a coca farmer to boot! Bolivia has a crazy political history with over 250 governments since it´s birth as a nation in 1825. Many of its leaders are killed, one was hung from a lampost outside the presidential palace! Most only last 6 months or so. This administration should provide the Bush administration with some frustrating challenges as they have spent hundreds of millions trying to erradicate the coca plant. Good luck.