Chalecos, they're mandatory.

Colombian Highway
Some days it's just too much
Popayan

So wehave been in Colombia nearly a week and the only problems have been with the guerillas of the urban tribe, you know the kind with the suit and tie that think you haven´t done your homework. So we left Bogota in the rain and only two or three hours of daylight to ride and we ended up inFusagasuga, a town well known in these parts for growing the national flower of Colombia, the Orchid. The hillsides were covered with greenhouses full of colorful flowers. The Hotel there was really cheap, but nearly brand new. $US17 a night for 3 people. After we left there we headed down into avalley and then up into the mountains to cross the pass near Armenia at close to 11,000 feet and 55 degrees f. We finished the day about 15 miles east of Cali in the town of Palmira. About 20 miles outside of Palmira we started to see acre upon acre of the plants they make fine white powder for the American consumer from, you know it as sugar, here it's call azucar. Every miles there were warnings about the crossing of the "cane train", opwards of 6 massive, self dumping trailers hooked together and being pulled by large trucks or tractors. After a bug infested night in Hotel El Dorado we moved south to Popayan, a touristy colonial town at about 6,000 ft . If you would have told me the climate would be this pleasant this close to the border I wouldn't have believed you. The roads have had military checkpoints every 20 miles or less, so it seems things are pretty calm at this moment.The roads and sceneryhave been absolutely breathtaking, especially when you comearound a mountain curve looking at a truck in his right lane,a bus in his passing lane, and another car passing them in your lane . Maybe that's why some folks call it Locombia?