From La Paz to Ushuaia. From the capital of Bolivia to the depths of Argentina, a journey of 6,700 kilometers by bike. This is the wonderful adventure carried out by Agathe and Philippine! Today we are taking their wheels to relive this timeless experience, between study of local agroecology, surpassing oneself, human encounter and breathtaking landscape. We had the chance to accompany this duo from La Bici de Pachamama on these 6 months of crossing.
A somewhat special end-of-study internship! For 6 months, Agathe and Philippine, students (now graduates) in Master of Technology and Innovation Management, traveled the roads of Latin America with the aim of meeting and discovering local players in agroecology. The perfect opportunity to combine surpassing oneself with a subject of study, creating a cocktail of emotions beyond their expectations: “We had difficulty planning the trip for what could await us. And ultimately we were amazed on every point... We also consider ourselves very lucky, we had very few mechanical or physical problems. On the whole trip there are very few negative points to remember.”
But actually, what is agroecology? Agroecology promotes a new development model which is based on agricultural practices from an ecological and common good perspective. It is centered on traditional and popular knowledge and cultures. - It promotes a virtuous ecosystem by maximizing nature as a factor of production and its capacity for renewal. It also allows for an agricultural and food transition by notably reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector... A theme that has marked and facilitated their daily lives:
“Our subject of study allowed us to meet many people and local actors. People are delighted to take time to show their farm, their fields, and their activities... This created many moments of conviviality and it was a real link in our discussions. This common subject was a gateway to discussing with people and thus discovering the local culture. But also their vision because it differed a lot depending on the regions where we were! We learned a lot, particularly through the macroeconomic (rather than technical) prism, which was our objective. Which is optimal for the construction of our fresco! »
The scientific outline of the trip defined, all that remained was to have a nice custom kit to face the long straight roads of South America. Sunglasses on her nose and hair in the wind, because yes, there was some wind and not just a little, Philippine tells us what their daily life was like:
“Our cycling and physical routine was put in place after a month. We always told ourselves that the key was to listen to each other. To listen to our body and our sensations. There were more complicated times, but that's part of the adventure. And there is real satisfaction in having overcome them. On average, we did 70 kilometers per day, mostly in the morning. It helped us to say that we had fewer kilometers to cover after having lunch! We realized that what really motivated us was food, between snacks, lunch, snacks... It was our fuel! Generally, the evening before, we validated each time the place where we wanted to sleep the next day. It often depended on the route and the weather that awaited us. On the good side, the community of bike travelers was very helpful and very active throughout our journey! »
This epic journey, which was their first cycling trip, also allowed them to learn more about themselves. Push their mental and physical limits. Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, each country and each region had its share of magical settings, but also offered different sporting difficulties ! As Agathe rightly mentions:
“Depending on the region, we had different enemies. Our first enemy was the altitude in Bolivia where we were on plateaus at 3,000 meters above sea level. There was then a lot of headwind up to the Andes, just like in Patagonia. We talk a lot about the wind, but the boredom was also heavy at times, especially in the long plains. You endure the hazards of cycling, but that didn't put us off this sport at all. On the contrary. It's an extraordinary way to travel. You take the time to enjoy things, you have a different approach. I discovered facets of my personality that I didn't know, where emotions can let go too. You draw on your resources to achieve a goal and that's great. »
Obviously, over 6 months, there are not only moments of joy on the bike! Their leitmotif was to tell themselves that the mind mattered just as much as the physical, and rightly so. Like the hardest moment of the adventure for Philippine, the road to Valparaiso and “an idealization of Chile” which was stopped by the Cordillera of the “sea” and very rough roads! As for Agathe, the most complicated episode of her adventure was along Lake Buenos Aires, which she walked alone for two days in difficult weather conditions. To the point of saying to herself that she had just returned from two days of “survival” for this little personal bivouac challenge.
And a stay in the Salar de Uyuni, the famous salt desert in Bolivia, which will remain as the most significant event of their trip: “We were in total autonomy for 3 days, it was a magical moment. Without a phone, because there was no network, we followed the car tire tracks in the desert. It was a really great, timeless experience. The sunrises and sunsets were magical as were the resplendent stars. Our emotions were also heightened because we were in the euphoria of the first weeks of the adventure . In the end, when weighing up the good and the less good moments, there is no photo, the adventure and the project is a real success for the duo. Marked by the kindness and curiosity of the locals: “With our similar equipment, people took us for twins, it was quite funny, we were attractions but with a lot of kindness” .
For statistics lovers, the trip of the girls of La Bici de Pachamama is: 6,700 km, 50,000 meters of positive altitude difference, 103 stages for a total of 900 hours in the saddle, and an average of 2 nights per week in a tent. And above all, the number of the adventure: only 2 punctures, and they are the first to be surprised: “The only mechanical problem we had was linked to our front luggage rack! On arrival, in Ushuaïa, it was a real relief and a weight lifted not to have experienced any problems either mechanically or physically.”
While the nostalgia of returning is already felt, it is the desire to return this time to France and Europe which is rearing its ugly head! And to move from a travel bike to a gravel bike to gain speed obviously. But also the desire to perpetuate the association “La Bici de Pachamama” in the long term by directing duos across the globe.
Thanks to Philippine and Agathe for the magnificent postcards throughout their trip. Our partners are talented and they deserve to be highlighted!
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