(The start)

The stats

Total distance: Roughly 2250km

Total climbing: 30,790m (just over 101,000ft)

Highest point reached cycling: 4663m (15,298ft)

Riding days: 30

Total days owning the bike: 64

Hours ridden: 124.5

Average ride time per day: just over 4 hours

Flat tires: 8, from 13 punctures (that’s pretty bad luck!)

Other mechanicals: bent the derailleur hanger pretty much every bus ride

Crashes: none, and I don’t even have to knock on wood!

Mental breakdowns: 2, one for rain + cold, one for wind. Few other close calls

Days camping: 4, partially because accommodation was cheap and I wanted to support the local economy, partially (okay, mostly) because I’m soft and didn’t want to camp in the rain

Physical injuries: ulnar wrist pain from repeat trauma, but nothing acute

Number of times I thought Vera would enjoy it: none ;)

Would I do it again?

Honestly, a trip like this, only out of a necessity I am unlikely to ever have again. Bikepacking with both time constraints and an ambitious itinerary was unpleasant. The pressure to get to the next destination “on time” meant shitty weather days came with added stress. And the additional logistical complexity of having to bus/fly with a bike to get to those extra destinations was a giant pain in the ass, too.

Also, I wouldn’t do a trip like this alone again. Having exchanged stories with some other solo bikepackers, we all got worn down by the “if I fuck up, I’ve got no one to turn to for help” burden. Turns out, no one wants to die alone in the middle of nowhere on the Bolivian altiplano, and the fact that being solo places that in the realm of the possible is unsurprisingly quite stressful.

So, am I done with bikepacking? Hardly. It’s an incredible way to travel. But I’ll stick more to my comfort zone, knowing I am never too far from towns to sleep in, unless I specifically plan for a more wild adventure, in which case I certainly won’t be alone. I loved it and I hated it, and I love it because I hated it.

(The end)