Thursday 20th March 2025 Potosi to near Lenas
One the posher digs last night, so made use of the facilities, had breakfast at a reasonable time around 7 then hit the road.

Another massive climbing day, we reckon we will do well to get 50 miles under our belt. First we had to get out of Potosi , not too difficult as we had booked the Swanky hotel on the right side of town, soon on highway 1, with a double day planned 120 miles to the next town Challapata, with very little in between, another night camping right up in the mountains going to a cold dry night hopefully with respect to both the beer intake and the weather.

First few miles just steady climbing nothing serious, but still going up all the time, stopped for fresh water filled the bottles up and strapped another 4 litres to the bikes, we also have water purification kit with us, should we need it.

Both of us looking out for mining activities going on, it’s in the blood, few old settling ponds nothing more, all activity must be on the dark side of the moon, sorry mountains. Really hope we are on the sunny side as we twist an turn upwards.

Not much in the way of food / drinks stops today, just one in a pleasant little village Torata D, sat on bench in a very pretty little square, interacting with the locals, amazed that we had got there, never mind the climb in front of us

Thankfully not much traffic just the odd van and diesel belching trucks, they are vile, black smoke pumping out, it’s hard enough getting enough oxygen in without all that, no idea what they mix with the fuel, it smells disgusting as well.

The amount of plastic rubbish up here is disturbing, seems that there is no infrastructure to dispose of it properly, bit like the rest of the world really. Education should be mandatory for all the big conglomerates Coco Cola etc. Thats me on my soap box (recyclable I might add). Also got me a bit further up the mountain.

Not much on the animal or bird front maybe it is all the pollution, some little marmot things, definitely smaller than their Argentine cousins though [probably Mara or Cavy: Ed].

Just kept getting tougher and the weather closing in the higher we went. You could hear thunder all around us, first a few drops of rain then a full blown hailstorm, mate they hurt as they bounced of your head, we took a bit of refuge (not litter) under a cliff edge put some more cloths on then continued. Luckily the storm soon passed on, made us think we do not want to be putting the tents up in a storm.

Had an apple on the side of the road, while we checked the maps, reckon we have 4 miles to the summit, both agreed we had that in us, so off we went. Then surprisingly both owned up when we reached it and said we was done then, maybe it’s a macho thing!

We found a ring of dry stone walls about 50 yards from the road, ideal hopefully keep the wind off us a little. Was only 4:30 in the afternoon but so tired. Put the tents up and both got sorted, Bingo cooking me preparing the vegetables, and just chucking them in the mix, spoiling Bingo’s gastro delight, but tired and hungry and it looked like it was going to rain again. Had two sittings of lovely food, then to bed just after 6.

Finally done 48 miles and finished on an altitude of 14,000ft (4250m), another really difficult day.