Intro

Day 202 dawned with a palpable sense of transition. It was the sixth morning of my ten-day jungle adventure, and the time had come to finally leave the deep camp in the Yawa Jee Reserve. My mood was already tested, a blend of weariness from the jungle nights and the quiet anticipation of what lay beyond the dense canopy.

Ride Overview

Today’s movement was minimal, a mere 1.7 kilometers with a paltry 9.8 meters of elevation gain and 6.4 meters of loss. The surface, what little there was, remained a jungle track, still overgrown and slick from the persistent showers that had marked the night. In truth, this wasn’t a ride at all in the traditional sense, but rather the measured steps of packing up and moving our gear out of the immediate camp area. The majority of the day was spent catching up on the digital life the jungle had kept at bay.

Highlights

Wrapping up our camp felt bittersweet. We had spent three nights under the shelter, and while a European like me often found the jungle nights less than comfortable – the symphony of unseen creatures, the constant humidity – the sturdy tarpaulin had been a reliable shield against the elements. It was sad to leave, yet there was a quiet satisfaction in looking back at the memories forged in this wild place.

Despite the discomforts, the shelter had done its job admirably, especially with the ongoing rain last night. It was a testament to David’s knowledge of the land, providing a crucial buffer between us and the relentless jungle. There’s a particular kind of gratitude that settles in when you realize how dependent you are on simple, effective protection in such an environment.

Later, the day shifted gears entirely. With the camp packed and the immediate jungle behind us, I found myself in front of a computer screen. Days of immersion had led to a backlog of notes, photos to sort, and blog posts to draft. It was a stark contrast to the dawn chorus and the damp earth, a different kind of work, but a necessary one to process and share the experiences of these days.

Lowlights

The previous night, the rain had forced us to rearrange our sleeping positions under the shelter. My new spot, unfortunately, settled over a slight dip in the earth, making for a less than ideal rest. Still, after two days without rain in this part of the jungle near Santa Ana, it felt churlish to complain too much about a damp patch.

A more profound lowlight came with the wrapping up of camp. David, my guide, began to burn the plastic rubbish. When I asked why we wouldn’t take it back for proper disposal, his response was stark: there was no garbage collection at his home either, meaning it would eventually be burned there anyway. The acrid smell of burning plastic quickly permeated our shelter, filling the air with the toxic fumes that come with it. It was a harsh, unavoidable truth about the region, a painful reminder of human impact even in such remote beauty.

David himself was suffering. Stomach pains plagued him, compounded by his chronic knee pain, likely a legacy from his younger days jumping from airplanes in the army. That, combined with the incessant rain, made the decision to leave the deep jungle shelter an easy one. He needed proper treatment, and the trusted rooms of his home at the entrance to the Yawa Jee reserve offered the best chance for that.

Overnight

We ended the day at David’s home, a modest but welcoming place right at the entrance to the Yawa Jee reserve. After the dampness and the subtle anxieties of the jungle, the solid walls and dry floor felt like a profound luxury. It was a place of comfort, a haven where David could rest and attend to his health, and where I could finally feel truly sheltered from the elements.

Reflection

This day, though lacking in the usual cycling miles, confirmed something essential about the journey: the rhythm of adventure isn’t always about forward motion. Sometimes it’s about the quiet moments of packing up, the difficult truths encountered, and the necessity of finding shelter. The sight of burning plastic, the discomfort of a guide in pain, these were not just events, but stark reminders of the interconnectedness of our lives with the environment, and the challenges faced by those who call these remote places home. I ended the day drained, not from physical exertion, but from the emotional weight of these realities, and the mental effort of transitioning back to a world of screens and words.

Route summary

• Date: 07.02.2026 09:00
• Distance: 1.7 km
• Elevation gain: 9,806 m
• Elevation loss: 6,416 m
• Duration: 0 min
• Average Speed: 0 km/h