April 12 (morning) - San Antonio de Lipez, Bolivia

Arrived last night after an easy day of cycling. Forty kilometres. Nice views, good day, great weather. Two 4x4s passed us at the last seven kms. Arrive in town to a throng of kids. I let one ride my bike and he cycles down the street and won't stop. He runs right over a toddler, probably intentionally. Laughed at him. The kid was waiting. Bad omen. Turns out the tour operators have the town stitched up. They've arranged the kitchens and the cooks, and they won't let the cooks cook for us.

The store owner offers us food. We say yes but once inside his house we decide against. Way too dicey. Eat spam and crackers. Gringos are sympathetic but what can they do? Shitty stop. Need to move on. We are told there are two big passes en route to Quetana Chico, one at 4800 metres, and steeper than Santa Isabel, the highest we'd climbed en route to San Pablo. Great. We are both weary and cynical. Can't even think about more passes, let alone the unspeakable "U."