Look Out Below!

"Si," he said. "Muchos muertos."

A few minutes later, I almost joined their ranks.

I had just spotted Efrain waving me to the shoulder again when a black Nissan rounded a corner. Afraid of coming too near the cliff, I had been riding on the wrong side of the road, directly in the pickup's path.

For a moment, I froze. Then I frantically squeezed my back brake, dragged my foot across the ground and skidded madly toward the cliff. I passed within about three feet of the truck's bumper, careened toward the cliff and then stopped, about five feet from the edge.

The truck's driver and his friend were laughing. I was not.

"Stay on the left side of the road," Efrain warily reminded me.

Farther down the "highway" to Coroico, the road changed from mud to dust, and grime coated my face. My hands ached from squeezing the brakes, my forearms hurt from absorbing shock and my backside felt as if I'd been strapped atop a jackhammer.

At about 3 p.m., we came to Yolosa, a tropical pit stop a few miles before Coroico. We veered off the road and onto a short stretch of single-track that led to La Senda Verde, an ecologically friendly campground and restaurant. And there, beneath a mango tree, the trip ended. At least for me.

But somewhere along the road above, a black Nissan truck was winding toward the frigid height of La Cumbre, where it would pass the huge statue of Jesus, his arms stetched back toward the Road of Death.

Ben Brazil last wrote for Travel on Colorado's Wolf Creek Ski Area.

Details: Bolivia's Road of Death

According to the U.S. State Department, the political and social situation in Bolivia remains uncertain since the resignation of President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada and the violence that accompanied it. It advises travelers to exercise caution, avoiding protests and respecting roadblocks. For the latest travel warnings, check travel.state.gov/travel_warnings.html.

GETTING THERE: American Airlines offers service from Washington to La Paz, Bolivia, via Miami/Santa Cruz, Bolivia, as do a combination of carriers such as Lloyd Aero Boliviano, United and US Airways. Round-trip air from D.C. begins at around $800. La Paz's altitude of about 12,000 feet may also cause mild to severe altitude sickness, so take it easy a few days after arriving.