### The bike mechanics

 The capital of Colombia, Bogota has an extensive network of bicycle routes,
 the so-called *bicirutas* which is different from the *ciclovia* but
 I often get the 2 words confused. The "ciclovia" is basically a 
 network of roads in the city which are closed every sunday to cars and which
 can be used by cyclists and pedestrians. The "bici-rutas" are permanent
 bicycle lanes or routes throughout the city. They are great and extensively
 used for commuting and recreation. At peak hour, some of these 
 *bici-rutas* can get pretty congested but often they flow faster than the 
 car traffic. 

 So what happens if you are riding to the "Parkway" google:"Parkway, Bogota"
 and you get a puncture? Don't worry, help is at hand, because one of the 
 excellent Bogota street bicycle mechanics will not be far away. These 
 mechanics camp at strategic points throughout the city with a small but 
 effective set of tools, and sometimes a little hand-drawn cardboard 
 sign which says something like "Fredi's Bicycle Workshop". And these 
 guys (I haven't seen a female one yet, but they probably exist) can do 
 a lot more than fix your puncture. In fact there is little that they 
 cannot and will not do to get you one your way again, and make it 
 home. They are like the Royal Automobile club for bicycles and they 
 adhere to the great Colombian tradition of "We will fix it, somehow".
 
 I have been rescued by them a number of times and am always impressed 
 by their professionalism. Long live "Fredi's" open-air bicycle workshop!