The other day I got back from an amazing 3-week stint in Colombia with my good friend Jon Ortiz. After I landed in Medellin and was told we were leaving the next day for a week-long tour to a few different cities, I knew this trip was going to be non-stop. We spent days driving from city to city and I can honestly say that Colombia has one of the most scenic landscapes out of anywhere else I've been in the world.
Day 1 in Medellin before hitting the road. We took a cable car ride to the top of a mountain which overlooks the city.
Sony A7II, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L II @16mm (iso250, f/2.8, 1/320s)
This was the view looking back on our way up. The cable car stopped twice as we dangled above the city below and apparently it was much more windy than usual which turned it into a ride rather than a means of transportation.
Sony A7II, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L II @16mm (iso250, f/2.8, 1/320s)
The following day we left for the capital, Bogota. I was told it was a big, messy, dirty city in the mountains where a lot of bladers were meeting us. Aside from the 14-hour drive, Bogota was one of my most memorable stops on this trip. We were welcomed by Camilo who was the owner of a local shop called RollMachine. Aside from the immense pollution from all the traffic and buses who bribe the government to pass the emissions on their vehicles, Bogota was an amazing city. I can't thank everyone in Bogota enough for all the love and good times between sight seeing, street skating through the city, box sessions and skate shop parties.
Between cities.
Sony A7II, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L II @28mm (iso200, f/5.6, 1/640s)
We took a ride to the top of Mount Monserrate which was over 10,000 ft above sea level and my ears actually popped on the ride up....in a cable car. The mountain offered insane views of the city which we caught just in time for sunset.
Sony A7II, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L II @16mm (iso100, f/4, 5s)
The moon rising over the city of Bogota.
Sony A7II, Canon 50mm f/1.4 (iso50, f/5.6, 10s)
Used the crop mode on my Sony A7II to get this tighter shot of downtown Bogota.
Sony A7II, Canon 50mm f/1.4 (iso400, f/4, 1/6s)
The man himself....Camilo!
Sony A7II, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L II @16mm (iso3200, f/2.8, 1/30s)
Jon atop the city.
Sony A7II, Canon 50mm f/1.4 (iso3200, f/1.4, 1/100s)
Jon snapped this one of me with his Sony A6000
Sony A600, Sony 50mm f/1.8 (iso2000, f/1.8, 1/50s)
A look down the cables before our decent back to the city.
Sony A7II, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L II @16mm (iso4000, f/2.8, 1/20s)
This is Naya. Naya was the "monster" under the bed that kept attacking our feet every time we walked by.
Sony A7II, Canon 50mm f/1.4 (iso1600, f/2.8, 1/50s)
Our next stop was another 16-hour drive to Cali. As far as weather goes, Cali was the complete opposite of Bogota. It was super hot and sunny all day, every day. This is probably the hotest city I've ever been to that didn't have a beach. Nevertheless, Cali had a nice group of OG bladers who loved to chill at one of the best skate parks I've ever been to and BBQ, which was all I needed on vacation. Unfortunately, I hurt my wrist pretty badly which held me back from skating a lot the rest of the trip, but we managed to get a few quick clips on Instagram beforehand.
Stranded roadside in the 90˚ heat waiting for our Cali connect.
Sony A7II, Canon 50mm f/1.4 (iso50, f/1.4, 1/8000s)
A break in the traffic got me this shot of Zepe.
Sony A7II, Canon 50mm f/1.4 (iso50, f/1.4, 1/8000s)
Jon Ortiz mute grab hip transfer
Sony A7II, Canon 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye (iso500, f/7.1, 1/1000s)
Jon Ortiz mistrial
Sony A7II, Canon 50mm f/1.4 (iso125, f/2.8, 1/3200s)
Vuenza, from Medellin, took a bus down to meet us in Cali. Back royale around the whole bowl to True Top Acid so far away you can't even see from this angle.
Sony A7II, Canon 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye (iso640, f/7.1, 1/1000s)
Zepe killed every spot we went to on this tour and had all the local skateboarders in awe no matter what city we were in.
Sony A7II, Canon 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye (iso400, f/7.1, 1/1000s)
I shot this photo in memory of the best lemonade I ever had for only ¢.62.
Sony A7II, Canon 50mm f/1.4 (iso500, f/7.1, 1/800s)
Grill masters
Sony A7II, Canon 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye (iso400, f/5.6, 1/500s)
Huge thanks to this crew for making us feel welcomed and treating us to one of the best BBQ/Skate sessions I've ever been to.
Sony A7II, Canon 50mm f/1.4 (iso500, f/4, 1/1000s)
Chapu can somehow drive 14hrs throughout the night and skate all day living off nothing but milk.
Sony A7II, Canon 50mm f/1.4 (iso400, f/1.4, 1/250s)
Chapu also runs a hostle in Medellin called Culturas Paralelas where people can come hang out and have a place to stay when they visit Medellin. No other tourists allowed, just bladers, skateboarders and bikers.
Sony A7II, Canon 50mm f/1.4 (iso400, f/1.4, 1/200s)
Rural parkour.
Sony A7II, Canon 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye (iso3200, f/2.8, 1/500s)
Jon being one with nature. "be water" - Bruce Lee
Sony A7II, Canon 50mm f/1.4 (iso1600, f/1.4, 1/125s)
Super sketchy handstand in the fast moving water and slippery rocks.
Sony A7II, Canon 50mm f/1.4 (iso1000, f/1.4, 1/200s)
Another photo Jon took of me
Sony A7II, Canon 50mm f/1.4 (iso1600, f/1.4, 1/125s)
After Cali we made a pit stop in Pereira for a new skatepark they built and it was honestly the biggest skatepark I've ever been to, it even had a vert ramp. Unfortunately I was still hurt and didn't get much done there.
We left Zepe and Vuenza at the skatepark and headed back to Medellin as a trio.
GoPro Heor 3+ Black (iso161, f/2.8, 1/60s)
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Sony A7II, Canon 50mm f/1.4 (iso200, f/6.3, 1/500s)
More drive by scenes
Sony A7II, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L II @35mm (iso200, f/5.6, 1/1000s)
We drove by quite a few wild fires and this one we spotted from miles away. This was the best shot I was able to get but it had to have spanned a half mile.
Sony A7II, Canon 50mm f/1.4 (iso3200, f/1.4, 1/20s)