The Road to Potosi

http://picasaweb.google.com/everiman/RoadToPotosi#

Before I left Uyuni for Potosi, (these names just don't roll off the tongue, like say, Saskatoon or Tuktoyatuk), I was trying to find a railroad locomotive graveyard that was supposed to be somewhere in Uyuni.  What I did find was the 'works', and they looked enough like the CPR Ogden Shops in Calgary, where I started my sheet metal apprenticeship.  Right across the street was this building (above) no points for translation, it even resembled the old apprentice classroom at Ogden.  I never did find the dead locos, but I found the road to Potosi, always a challenge in Bolivia.  They should start a road sign technician apprenticeship.

The road to Potosi was unpaved except for the last 40 kilometers, but that was being changed as I was riding.  More road construction, but this time not so bad, as the route is a major bus route, so the desvios were not impassable.  I did have to ford some shallow creeks, fun, but my feet got soaked and it was cold.

An unpaved road in Bolivia is  like riding between the rails on railroad tracks.  My speedometer rarely saw 50 kmh, mostly around 30.  But this time it was OK, because I would not have wanted to go any faster, the views were simply fantastic.  Bolivia has badlands too, just like Drumheller, only not like Drumheller, Bolivia's are simply incredible.  I have posted pictures on Picasa,  click here

Here is a taste.

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