Day 11 – Friday, February 6, 2026

Another day full of adventurous discoveries. I spent half the day discovering La Serena ' and felt (yet again) that I am somewhere in Italy. Supposedly there are quite a few Sicilians living in the town.

When I arrived the previous day, and seeing all those high-rise buildings, II could not have imagined that there would be such a vibrant historic center. Actually, my hostel, in front of which I was chased by the stray dogs, was right in the center and during the day there was a lively vibe there - a fish market, speed. Thr mixed with rock, churches, lots of food stands.

With my laundry all washed, money exchanged and having done sight-seeing and visiting a few bike shops, I set off really lare, around 2 pm, having ridden over 15 kilometers just i the town.

The usual drill started - strong inclines close to the sea, but me cruising at an acceptable pace. At one point, the road dropped to sea level - then came a 10 km-long climb, that never seemedto end (well, not until the 10km was over...).. You would have to zoom in to see the outline of the road.

After the climb, I arrived to the moon. Barren, otherworldly hills followed - and it was mostly downhill. I reached the small town of Trapiche after sunset. Here Johnny greeted me - he runs a food kiosk and confirms no hotels are in town. That is why I am carrying a tent. Johnny directed me to the playground in the middle of town and here I pitched my tent. Meanwhile, he prepared dinner for me, two yummy hot dogs and a tea.

Maybe it is a false sense of security, but I feel completely safe. Everyone has been friendly and accommodating. Anyhow, I will put down my pencil - am falling asleep.