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Nightline to cover mountain biking tonight

Del

Monkey
Feb 20, 2004
366
0
Alexandria, VA

ABC Nightline said:
This road in Bolivia's Andes Mountains is known as El Camino de la Muerte, or "Death Road." A company called Gravity-Assisted Mountain Biking, has taken more than 30,000 adventurous bikers down the road. (Courtesy Gravity-Assisted Mountain Biking)
Watch the story tonight on "Nightline" at 11:35 p.m. ET

Three miles above sea level in the Andes Mountains of Bolivia feels like the top of the world. But it's hard to savor the surroundings when your lungs are gasping for air and the morning cold is rattling your bones.

"Some of you may not have seen one of these for a while. This is called a bicycle," says New Zealander Alistair Matthew in his deeply accented, deeply-ironic voice. "We're gonna run through some basic techniques."

Fourteen intrepid adventurers listen intently as Matthew offers safety tips and riding instructions. The group has been up since before sunrise for the bus ride from Bolivia's capital, La Paz, to La Cumbre, a mountain pass almost 16,000 feet above sea level. Most are in their 20s and 30s, and from the United States. Canada, Europe, Australia and are all pumped for what they hope will be the ride of a lifetime down the World's Most Dangerous Road.

Full story and some video at: http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/story?id=4120791&page=1



 

Prettym1k3

Turbo Monkey
Aug 21, 2006
2,864
0
In your pants
I hope so, too. I've gotta' go from Job #1 to Job #2 in about 30 minutes here.

On a side note, I don't think I'd do that. Number 1, is this a fire road all the way? Or is there single track in the mix? And Number 2, give me a frickin' parachute because I'm bad enough I'd ride ride off the edge of that mountain.
 

Spero

ass rainbow
Jul 12, 2005
2,072
0
Tejas
I was very close to working with them about a year and a half ago. It's still gnawing at the back of my mind so I'll have to do it at some point.
 

trailhacker

Turbo Monkey
Jan 6, 2003
1,233
0
In the hills around Seattle
To paraphrase;
..."she had been complaining about her brakes not working right all day... she basicly went straight off the corner and fell 800 feet to her death..."
I'm thinking I wouldn't have ridden the bike one foot farther all things considered?