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Había escuchado mucho sobre este recorrido, por eso cuando vi que un grupo excursionista que comencé a seguir por facebook la programó para un sábado, enseguida me anoté con unos amigos para ir.
>I had heard a lot about this route, so when I saw that a hiking group that I started following on Facebook scheduled it for a Saturday, I immediately signed up with some friends to go.
La ruta Pie de Cerro – Colonia Tovar, poblaciones ubicadas en el estado Aragua, Venezuela, es de aproximadamente 22 km, casi todos en ascenso.
>The Pie de Cerro (Foot of Hill) - Colonia Tovar route, towns located in the state of Aragua, Venezuela, is approximately 22 km long, almost all of them uphill.
Según la información que nos dio el organizador, la caminata iba a transcurrir mayormente entre varios pasos de río y cruzando caseríos y siembras por las montañas, pero esto no fue exactamente así…
>According to the information that the organizer gave us, the walk was going to take place mainly between several river crossings and through hamlets and crops between the mountains, but this was not exactly the case ...
<center>![DSC00345.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sofathana/Xn29AAGn-DSC00345.JPG)</center>
El guía organizador de la excursión venía con un grupo de personas en un autobús desde Caracas, capital de Venezuela, que queda como a una hora y media de Pie de Cerro, donde inicia la ruta, como mi grupo y yo vivimos entre Maracay y La Victoria, esta última a sólo unos 15 minutos de Pie de Cerro, les dijimos que nos encontraríamos con ellos allá a las 8:00 de la mañana, hora que habían marcado para comenzar la caminata.
>The tour organizer guide came with a group of people on a bus from Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, which is about an hour and a half from Pie de Cerro, where the route begins, as my group and I live between Maracay and La Victoria, the latter only about 15 minutes from Pie de Cerro, we told them that we would meet them there at 8:00 in the morning, the time they had set to start the walk.
Esa mañana tomamos un taxi en La Victoria y llegamos puntuales a Pie de Cerro, al punto de encuentro que nos habían dicho, que era un parador turístico.
>That morning we took a taxi in La Victoria and arrived on time at Pie de Cerro, at the meeting point that they had told us, which was a tourist stop.
Esta zona es rural y las personas que viven por acá se dedican en su mayoría a la agricultura.
>This area is rural and the people who live here are mostly dedicated to agriculture.
Cuando ya teníamos como media hora esperando que llegara el autobús con el grupo de Caracas, le escribí un mensaje al organizador para ver qué pasaba, y bueno resulta que apenas iban saliendo de allá… yo soy una persona muy puntual y detesto cuando los demás no lo son, pero ya saben, es difícil lograr que un grupo grande de gente llegue a la hora indicada, así que me relajé, nos relajamos, y seguimos esperando. Llegaron finalmente como dos horas después.
>When we already had about half an hour waiting for the bus to arrive with the group from Caracas, I wrote a message to the organizer to see what happened, and well it turns out that they were barely leaving there... I'm a very punctual person and I hate when others are not, but you know, it's hard to get a large group of people to arrive at the appointed time, so I relaxed, we relaxed, and we kept waiting. They finally arrived about two hours later.
Este retraso en la salida nos afectó porque la idea era comenzar temprano para evitar el calor, pero ni modo, comenzamos a las 10:30 de la mañana.
>This delay in departure affected us because the idea was to start early to avoid the heat, but no way, we started at 10:30 in the morning.
<center>![DSC00083.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sofathana/obGcB9Tc-DSC00083.JPG)</center>
Nos metimos por un sendero y al rato el guía dijo: “no, por aquí no es”, a devolverse… luego le preguntó a un señor que nos encontramos ahí y éste le indicó hacia dónde teníamos que ir.
>We went down a path and after a while the guide said: "no, this isn't the path", come back... then he asked a man who was there and he told him where we had to go.
<center>![DSC00086.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sofathana/7ePWkIMV-DSC00086.JPG)</center>
<center>![DSC00165.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sofathana/HVNyiy8L-DSC00165.JPG)</center>
El camino era entre un bosque y tuvimos que cruzar varios pasos de río. Traté de no mojarme las botas porque no eran de secado rápido y no es nada agradable ir con las medias mojadas.
>The path was through a forest and we had to cross several river passes. I tried not to get my boots wet because they weren't quick-drying and wet socks aren't pleasant at all.
<center>![DSC00191.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sofathana/vduguW5R-DSC00191.JPG)</center>
<center>![DSC00207.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sofathana/G1SqU7F6-DSC00207.JPG)</center>
<center>![DSC00225.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sofathana/mfYCXFo6-DSC00225.JPG)</center>
<center>![DSC00328.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sofathana/wHhiwzrU-DSC00328.JPG)</center>
Después llegó un momento en que al parecer no íbamos por la dirección correcta, otra vez jajaja, el guía o el que decía serlo, estaba preocupado. Al salir de la parte boscosa nos encontrarnos con un sembradío y le preguntó a un agricultor que estaba ahí si por esa ruta llegaríamos a la Colonia Tovar. La respuesta fue sí, sin embargo esa vía estaba pavimentada y se supone que nosotros íbamos a subir entre las montañas, por caminos de tierra.
>Then there came a time when apparently we were not going in the right direction, again hahaha, the guide or the one who claimed to be, was worried. When we left the wooded area, we came across a field and asked a farmer who was there if we would reach Colonia Tovar by that route. The answer was yes, however that road was paved and we were supposed to go up between the mountains, on dirt roads.
<center>![DSC00330.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sofathana/x0yAX3sO-DSC00330.JPG)</center>
<center>![DSC00331.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sofathana/H6qVbGqZ-DSC00331.JPG)</center>
<center>![DSC00332.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sofathana/jT0d9RZh-DSC00332.JPG)</center>
<center>![DSC00333.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sofathana/kVAbbyR7-DSC00333.JPG)</center>
<center>*Foto: La mayoría de las montañas en los alrededores de la Colonia Tovar están llenas de sembradíos / Photo: Most of the mountains around Colonia Tovar are full of crops*</center>
Ya ven, este grupo excursionista o su líder no tenía mucha experiencia organizando rutas, no conocían la ruta que prometieron o pensaron que estaba demarcada y sería fácil identificarla.
>You see, this hiking group or its leader didn't have much experience organizing routes, they didn't know the route that they promised or they thought it was demarcated and it would be easy to identify it.
<center>![DSC00335.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sofathana/TRYB9TRg-DSC00335.JPG)</center>
<center>![DSC00336.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sofathana/ppGDphY6-DSC00336.JPG)</center>
<center>*Momento para una foto divertida / Time for a funny photo*</center>
<center>![DSC00337.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sofathana/aMA8VgmS-DSC00337.JPG)</center>
<center>*Foto: Mi hermana y yo / Photo: My sister and I*</center>
Como ya teníamos unas dos horas caminando no nos quedó de otra que seguir ascendiendo por la carretera pavimentada, lo cual fue desgastante por varios motivos: no había casi sombra y el sol estaba en su apogeo, las subidas eran muy fuertes, con mucha inclinación y al ser el piso de cemento es más agotador.
>As we already had about two hours walking, we had no choice but to continue ascending the paved road, which was exhausting for several reasons: there was almost no shade and the sun was at its peak, the climbs were very strong, with a lot of inclination and being the cement floor is more exhausting.
<center>![DSC00339.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sofathana/z26JkvS4-DSC00339.JPG)</center>
<center>![DSC00343.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sofathana/jDmK8T4M-DSC00343.JPG)</center>
<center>*Nuestro amigo Eleazar tratando de no insolarse / Our friend Eleazar trying not to get sunstroke*</center>
<center>![DSC00344.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sofathana/c3Fe6M0S-DSC00344.JPG)</center>
<center>*Foto: El grupo se dispersó, cada quien iba al ritmo que su cuerpo podía / Photo: The group dispersed, each one going at the rate their body could*</center>
Hicimos algunas pausas cortas para hidratarnos y una más larga cuando pasamos por una parte que estaba llena de árboles de duraznos. La Colonia Tovar, fundada por inmigrantes alemanes en 1841, es una gran productora de duraznos, fresas, hortalizas y muchos productos más, además de ser un pueblo que vive del turismo.
>We took a few short breaks to hydrate and a longer one when we passed a part that was full of peach trees. Colonia Tovar, founded by German immigrants in 1841, is a great producer of peaches, strawberries, vegetables and many other products, as well as being a town that lives off tourism.
Bueno, todos nos emocionamos y nos metimos por ahí a agarrar duraznos jajaja, había demasiados, yo me llevé más de un kilo en mi mochila, igual los demás, menos mal que no había nadie allí, ¡estaban súper dulces y jugosos! Perfectos para aliviar la sed y darnos un poco de energía para seguir.
>Well, we all got excited and went out there to grab peaches hahaha, there were too many, I took more than a kilo in my backpack, just like the others, thank goodness there was no one there, they were super sweet and juicy! Perfect for relieving thirst and giving us a little energy to keep going.
<center>![DSC00346.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sofathana/98Q3q3z9-DSC00346.JPG)</center>
<center>![DSC00347.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sofathana/cuW3sYUs-DSC00347.JPG)</center>
Varias personas del grupo, éramos unos 30, no pudieron más y cuando pasaba algún camión pedían la cola para llegar a la Colonia Tovar porque ya no aguantaban seguir caminando. Creo que hasta el guía optó por pedir un aventón porque no lo vimos más jajaja.
>Several people of the group, there were about 30 of us, couldn't take it any longer and when a truck passed they asked for a ride to get to Colonia Tovar because they could no longer bear to keep walking. I think even the guide chose to ask for a ride because we didn't see him anymore hahaha.
<center>![DSC00353.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sofathana/Hey77k8b-DSC00353.JPG)</center>
<center>![DSC00355.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sofathana/R8yhIvkY-DSC00355.JPG)</center>
<center>*Varias personas iban subiendo de espalda para no forzar mucho las rodillas / Several people were climbing backwards so as not to force their knees too much*</center>
<center>![DSC00357a.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sofathana/mdbedJW3-DSC00357a.jpg)</center>
Mi grupo y yo estuvimos entre los que seguimos caminando, a paso lento pero constante hasta llegar a la meta, eso ocurrió casi a las 5:00 de la tarde, es decir duramos unas seis horas en llegar a la entrada de la Colonia Tovar.
>My group and I were among those who continued walking, at a slow but constant pace until we reached the destination, that happened at almost 5:00 in the afternoon, that is, it took us about six hours to reach the entrance of Colonia Tovar.
<center>![DSC00358.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sofathana/t0jLmJQp-DSC00358.JPG)</center>
<center>![DSC00359.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sofathana/soZNy0T4-DSC00359.JPG)</center>
<center>*Una casa con la arquitectura típica de la Colonia Tovar / A house with the typical architecture of Colonia Tovar*</center>
<center>![DSC00361.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sofathana/dYPNMYjT-DSC00361.JPG)</center>
<center>*Foto: Un breve descanso a orillas del camino antes de emprender el tramo final de la ruta / Photo: A short rest on the side of the road before embarking on the final section of the route*</center>
Varios de los que vinieron de Caracas para hacer esta excursión iban a pasar la noche allí y los que no, tenían al autobús esperándolos para regresar así que no estaban apurados, mi grupo y yo sí, cuando llegamos a la Colonia Tovar no pudimos relajarnos mucho, tuvimos que ir de prisa a la parada de autobuses a ver si alcanzábamos montarnos en el último que bajaba a las 5:30 para La Victoria. No lo logramos, ya se había ido por lo que tuvimos que irnos en taxi, afortunadamente conseguimos uno que no nos cobró caro, la conductora era una mujer, muy simpática y conversadora.
>Several of those who came from Caracas to do this excursion were going to spend the night there and those who didn't had the bus waiting for them to return so they weren't in a rush, but me and my group were, when we arrived at Colonia Tovar we couldn't relax much, we had to rush to the bus stop to see if we could get on the last bus that went down at 5:30 to La Victoria. We couldn't, it had already left so we had to go by taxi, fortunately we got one that did not charge us dearly, the driver was a woman, very nice and talkative.
<center>![DSC00369.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sofathana/q7D868cJ-DSC00369.JPG)</center>
<center>![DSC00371.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sofathana/RLzOe9mQ-DSC00371.JPG)</center>
<center>*Este kiosko con empanadas, jugos naturales y otras bebidas apareció casi al final del camino / This kiosk with empanadas, natural juices and other drinks appeared almost at the end of the road*</center>
<center>![DSC00375.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sofathana/aabuoZNp-DSC00375.JPG)</center>
<center>*Foto: Entrada a la Colonia Tovar / Photo: Arriving at Colonia Tovar*</center>
Bueno, aunque la ruta prometida no se cumplió porque el guía se perdió, no nos pasó nada malo e igual pasamos un rato diferente y nos divertimos mucho.
>Well, although the promised route was not fulfilled because the guide got lost, nothing bad happened to us and we still had a different time and a lot of fun.
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<center>**¡GRACIAS POR ACOMPAÑARME EN ESTA RUTA! / THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME ON THIS ROUTE!**</center>
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***Fotos hechas por mí con una cámara digital Sony Cyber Shot 7.2 mp / Photos taken by me with a Sony Cyber Shot 7.2 mp digital camera***