December 5, 2024

Given the afternoon rain forecast, we aim to reach the next stage earlier, once again entirely on ripio. The landscape changes once more. The rolling hills and rivers running through the valleys are reminiscent of Arizona. The scenery is never monotonous. What always stands out, though, are the colors—vivid, true colors that captivate with their clarity.

The first technical problems begin to emerge: a flat tire is on the horizon, and a malfunctioning gear system, just when we’re entering a stretch with no “taller de bicicleta” available for several days.

As predicted, heavy rain and cold weather began just as we arrived. Cochrane is very similar to other small towns we’ve come across, with clusters of colorful houses built within grids of perfectly straight streets.