Jan 2nd 2010. 53.8 kms, flat. From our hotel on Bvd Jiminez in Bogotà we rode to Carrera 7, turned right (north) and after having passed Torre Colpatria, Bogotà`s highest building from which the New Year’s fireworks were fired 2 nights before, we got on a CycloRuta, a bicycle lane, separated from the other traffic. There are many CycloRutas in Bogotà. Until the north end of the city we could use these CycloRutas, app. 20 kms. Bogotà is a big city, app. 8.5 million inhabitants. Then we had to follow the Autopista Norte, a 2 x 3-lane motorway, but unlike in our parts of the world bicycles allowed. This does not mean that it is fun to ride there, with cars passing your left elbow with just a few inches space. After Cajica we had a quieter road. We stopped for lunch in a kind of road-restaurant and had an arrepa (mais pastry), chorizo (sausage), carne (beef) on a chopstick and a plantain (a large banana that you can only eat cooked), all served in a wicker basket, and some cold drinks.

It was a hot day, 28 ˚C. Stayed in Hotel Virrey, good, clean. Zipaquira is a salt town, with mines, a salt museum and a cathedral in the salt. There’s a nice square in the historic centre and some rather nice places to eat.

Here is the track of our ride. It can be opened in GoogleEarth.

Download 2010-01-02 Bog Zipaquira