Got stuck in Tierradentro, in the middle of nowhere!

Day 19 (182 Km) and Day 20 & 21 resting

     Left early for the archaeological park, with already our motorcycles packed. It was only 3 minutes away and I was almost sure, we were the first ones. After paying the $ 10.00 fee, we entered and I was surprised how well kept and organized the park was and saw the first stone statues soon on a well kept manicured piece of grass. There were 3 different areas, where these statues are and also there were some statues carved out, where the flowing river water hit some lava rocks. One area was high up on a hill and it was a tiring walk and after about 3 hours, we left midday towards Tierradentro a different area, where there were more statues, tombs and caves with some special paintings.

The first 80 km were on paved road, winding through the lowlands and soon we had to make a left on a trail, I would not send a horse on.  After 2 hours struggling on this trail and we had to cross some small rivers as well, we reached La Plata and from there another 40 km to Tierradentro, they started to build a new paved road alongside a river, but the last part was still under construction and was all hard packed gravel road and tired I reached the top.

                                            

                                  

       Looking over my shoulder, to see if Scotty made it as well and pulling brakes at the same time to come to a standstill, I lost my balance driving only 1 km p/h and dropped the bike on me, trapping my left leg underneath in an awkward position and that ruined my day and probably a few more, and this happened in sight of the small village near Tierradentro. It felt like my ankle was broke and knee out of place and 5 minutes later could not walk or stand on it anymore and thought this is a pretty place to get this injury. No phones, internet to get a hold to the rest of the world. A small hostel was nearby and the ankle started to get worse and started to swell and the 89 year old owner helped me giving some local medicine to reduce the swelling, it smells like Vicks and then Scotty had still some medicine left from his mishap, 2 weeks earlier. I know tomorrow will be worse and end up probably a few days here and hope I can make it to Bogota early next week! 

       In my lifetime I dropped the bike 3 times and every time my left leg get trapped and every time it happened being in a almost standstill position, I guess that is better as going 120 km and crash, but I believe it hurts more @ slow speed!

       After an uncomfortable night, I got up around 7 am and struggled to get to the common shower, using a stick to get there and the hot shower felt refreshing and after letting cold & hot water running over my leg, it felt a little better and the swelling on my ankle was significant reduced, but now the knee gave me the most pain, rest of the day I stayed in bed, not using my leg at all. It seems like all the locals knew about my case and they send the local Bush doctor to me that night to evaluate the leg and other people went looking for  3 different leaves to boil for her and if I understand them good, one was Mango leaves.

After she applied the hot boiled water with the plant extracts to my ankle and knee using a towel, it seems the cramped feeling left me soon and after she massaged the leg as a professional physiotherapist, but it felt more as a bone crusher to me, the knee came back in the proper position and most important to me, she says nothing was broke and in a few days it should be over and I should try to walk on it! Her fee was $ 5.00 for the hour session and told her I would be back tomorrow!

   Woke up Sunday, the knee felt much better, but the ankle was still stiff and had all the colors of the rainbow and around nine I limped to her house nearby to get the next session physiotherapy. She used today tobacco leaves and plantain leaves for bandage after having them boiled and rubbed with some oil the sore spots and an hour later I limped back again to my room, waiting on next day to come!