I’ll start with letting everyone know it was “No Crash Day” as well! But another tough day with serious climbs & descents but not quite as technical as yesterday. The destination was Cajon del Azul…a box canyon on the Rio Azul. We hit the trail out of the lodge at 10:45am & crossed the 1st suspension bridge again…you basically sit on the bike & hand-by-hand your way across because its so narrow. Then it was uphill & away from the river…and I mean UP. Some are so steep us non-pros would have to do some bike pushing/walking. I’ve never even hiked trails as hard as some of these. Heath Ledger…I mean Hoolie, he reminds me of him…told us it would be mostly “not too bad undulating terrain with a couple climbs”…his definition of not too bad undulating & mine are different. But we got some great pics on the way as we rose above the river & into its canyon & some new mountains came into view. We worked our way back towards the river & stopped along some great spots, including 1 with a big, deep pool with some trout swimming in it.
Johanna, Robert, Hoolie & Steve
along the Rio Azul
Then we had to hide the bikes in the woods & hike up along the river up to the top of the Cajon del Azul & the little wood bridge that crosses it. Here is where the canyon is only 1 yard across at one spot & Hoolie stood across it to show us…we really wanted to try it but with tired legs, the drop below of over 100 feet & it opening up super-wide right by it, we all passed this time. Then we hiked thru the forest on the other side and came to a high plateau tucked up in the mountain that has a huge farm & Refugio (kinda like a mountain shelter). Here people can stay the night in the little cabin, camp outside or get some food & drinks in the restaurant. We got in and they were making some fresh pizza…so we ordered up a couple & a couple big home-made local beers. Hoolie showed us around the grounds including their power supply, a little creek & we “chillaxed” outside at a picnic table. The pizza was great, especially as we were all famished & the beer was sweet & refreshing. We called it Scorpion Brew as Johanna had a tiny one in hers.
scary but I did it!
ahhh...buena cerveza
Refugio Cajon del Azul
We thanked the owner & headed back…1st stopping to go under the cut in the canyon. We could look up too see the gap & just how far & narrow down it was. Then the hike back to the bikes to begin our peddle home. I’m not gonna lie, my legs were jello & I think we all were struggling a bit but we stopped at the deep hole in the river & decided we all had to jump in. There were some questions of doing it au natural as we didnt want to get our riding shorts soaked & a couple of us were not afraid to pass (Hoolie & I). So Johanna jumped first (I got vid), Esteban jumped a couple times (vid here) and Robert got in. Esteban swam as fast as Michael Phelps as soon as he hit the water to the getout point. And of course we talked Hoolie into jumping & he went from a higher boulder & entered with a front flip. So as I was trying to get us outta there they all said I HAD to do it…so of course I obliged & went for the same spot Hoolie did…no flip though. The water is of course cold but it felt great when you got out. As we were ready to leave we spotted Esteban changing from wet shorts into dry shorts, hence there was a big white moon staring us…and of course I got pics. He made me delete them but he is so naive…like I cant recover them 
I’m selling to the highest bidder
at our swimming hole
The jump in the water revived all of us & freshened our legs some for the ride back. So it was not as bad due to that & given that we had done more climbing on the way. The last leg to the bridge was a long downhill with curves & plenty of sections of rocks…so Hoolie said the last one down loses. But then he went first and I was in the back of the line. But as I neared the end he was trying to fix his tire, which he had poppled…so I said, “you know what this means? last one down is gonna lose & it looks like you”…and took off…sucka!
We got back around 4:45pm so it was about a 5 hour day on the ride. Some much needed relaxation on the couches, then some time in the hot tub & then a 1 hour yoga/stretching session…we continued to impress Johanna so much with our skills, with her proclaiming at the end, “you guys are my best project every”…I think that means we are the best she has ever taught, right?
Dinner of cannelloni & empanadas followed by chocolate, strawberry & lemon ice cream. Tomorrow is the promise of a much needed easier day…somewhat, horses are taking our bikes & us up the mountain & we are riding down…woo hoo!
I’ll get some vids up soon.
