Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB - Colombia: ID vest and helmet needed?

I will fling my 2 pesos worth into the mix. We are in Colombia at the moment, just east of Medellin. Been here for 2 weeks. It seems the further from Bogotà the fewer people bother with vests. Most have helmets, though. On the Caribe Coast, vest wearing was even less. We see motos passing police checks all the time w/o vests and no one seems to care.

We have been stopped 3 times. The first time as soon as the officer saw our plates he grinned, strode over and shook my hand and sent us on our way. The second time was at an army checkpoint on our way to a small pueblo near the Venezuela border. No one yet has asked us for documentation. They are bored standing along the road and just want to talk and look at the bikes.

The third time a couple of days ago was a hoot. We reached a small pueblo at the end of the paved road, planning to continue on an unpaved road onward to another small place. These 5 police officers (see picture) were bored and jumped at the chance to talk to us. After the usual where are you from, etc.... and the inevitable disbelief that we have ridden all the way from Canada, the talk turned to the road ahead. A long, animated discussion ensued among the 5 of them, complete with a great deal of arm waving and pointing. It became impossible to follow the discussion. Finally a non-consensus was reached. The road ahead was:

1. Unpaved, in good condition, in bad condition, almost impassable.
2. It would take us 1 1/2 to 4 hours.
3. The road did/did not go to the next town.
4. The road went north/south of the next town.
5. We really ought to have lunch before setting off because there was/was not/might not be anything along the road.
6. We were told we really ought to be travelling with GPS.
7. Ask in town about the road.

Into town we went for food. Over lunch we had quite a discussion with the owner of the restaurant. He explained in great detail, as he closely examined our map, about all the roads in the area (not that any of this made any sense to us). A local truck driver and some other men hanging about offered all their sage advice as well, including one unsavory looking character who repeatedly offered his services as a "guide", even though he had no visible means of transport. Another non-consensus was reached.

1. The road was unpaved, in good condition, in bad condition, nearly impassable.
2. It would take us 2 to 4 hours or more.
3. The road did/did not go directly to the next town.

So much for local knowledge. We were exhausted from trying to interpret all this kind advice in rapid fire Spanish. It was too late to attempt the road by then anyway, so we raised the white flag and retreated about an hour back up the paved road to find a room. In the end we proceeded by another route, so we still do not know if the alleged road exists or where it goes. Perhaps it is best we did not find out.....it may have led us into the Twilight Zone.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2697/...fc1f9d1143.jpg

Joel and Taz