Casual Bike Ride

If you've ever been outside the United States, you realize just how crazy people drive. My little English Auntie rules the motorways hitting roundabouts while shifting into 5th gear, the buses in Barbados would allow you to get one foot in the door before flooring it, and Buenos Aires is no exception. But, if anyone knows me, it's impossible to keep me off a bicycle, after all, who wants to be stuck walking or taking a taxi everywhere? The freedom of a bike is unparalleled.

With that being said, one of the first things Hanna says to me in the taxi on the way to our Buenos apartment (to further reiterate the fact...) is how she doesn't want me to ride a bike in the city. My mom also told me not to ride my bike off the sweet jump a friend and I made in the basement 12 years ago, but the sweet scar on my elbow has told me otherwise since. It took me less than a week to realize that I absolutely had to venture outside with some sort of two wheeled pedal-powered device. Walking took ages and required brushing up against other sweaty bodies, wading through trash lined sidewalks, and stopping at pedestrian walkways. So, I ventured out down to Calle Florida on a sweat beach cruiser (the kind you have to pedal backwards to stop) that had handlebars like a badass chopper motorcycle. Isn't the suspense killing you to find out if I made it back alive?

Yup, you guessed it. I did. The buses were courteous and gave me a chance to squeeze through between them. The cars barely even noticed me cruising down the side of the street. The taxis purused the streets looking for business, but were always aware of me. I did try to take out a pedestrian but failed. Stinker. All in all a good ride. When I showed back up alive the roommate who loaned me the bike (and advised that I start out riding in the weekend traffic) was actually quite amazed.

Now onward to this gem I came across the other day. Bolivia might be the coolest place ever. The road pictured below is called "Death Road" due to the constant stream of casualties vehicle traffic racked up annually. Now the road is closed to cars and trucks, but open to extreme downhill bikers. I still don't think it's quite as extreme as running with the bulls, but it still should be a sweet 100km of downhill riding. I believe the road descends over 800 meters. HOLLA!