A Walk into the Sleeping Giant

by Sergio Granados (Colombia)

Making a local connection Colombia

Years had passed since my mind was brightened with the idea of visiting the main source of the fertility of the soil where countless crops of coffee and plantains are held and where I live and I could not wait any longer, so I just talked to my friend Juan and we were off without even realizing it. For eons, layers of ashes and lava have fallen into the ground giving shape to the Quindío and Tolima departments thanks to my new destination: The Cerro Machín. Although the peak was more than 60 kilometers away from our outset the path was decided to be walked. The challenge was totally rewarding, however, as putting one foot forward at a time allowed us to witness every detail and enjoy the middle point of the trip as no other method could have. This giant volcanic peak reaches the 2700 meters in elevation and it is listed as one of Colombia’s most dangerous volcanoes, yet its roads remain so tranquil. As we walked the enormous hill, we felt nothing but peace, even though, a peace that was dyed with the perpetual reminder of the immense power that dwells beneath our very step. This volcano is not what is usually envisioned when volcanoes are mentioned. It is a whole mountain whose last explosion was 890 years ago and it is full of life. Its hills feature, as the elevation varies, extensive crops of tubers, soaring and ring-ornamented wax palms and even pine forests. These offerings from mother nature are not alone as fincas (rural homes) adorn subtly every once and then as roads go on. We walked for about ten hours for three days, through the mountain. Walking a mountain has always the special characteristic of teasing you with the road. There you can take a look at the long branches of road that you have just proudly walked or are overwhelmed by them when going the other direction and the muscles in your legs scream. As the second night of the journey got us, we ended up in what was the furthermost site of what we were about to roam, this is, the middle point. The point where you "unwalk". The spot was an unexpected reward of hot springs, carefully enclosed by locals in a 15x15m pool built out of cement about 50 years ago with a hose going up the mountain guiding the boiling water heated by the thermal energy of the giant lava container into the bath and protected from landslides with multi-color tires filled with sand. The most gratifying sensation was handed to us there, as the water embraced every square centimeter of skin, healing the muscles and completing the comforting of the soul. The zone of the crater was just an awe inducer. The path into the crater is pretty well signaled and demarcated, but when the arrival proceeds the questioning for the crater’s location is imminent and the reason for this apparent hiding is that the crater is about 2.4 kilometers wide, making it imperceptible. The experience was yet another sample of the fine-tuned balance that nature conceives, where huge forces forge the delicate systems of life.