Happy Friday dear community @exhaust it is a pleasure for me to introduce myself and share with you my experiences in the world of hiking.

My user in #hive is @belkisa758 I've been on the platform for almost five years and for me it's a real pride.

I'm not the most experienced hiker but I've been active for about six years in the activity, although I've always liked these adventures.

I hope that my contributions can nurture this valuable community.

I recently wrote about my experience on the Avila, walking the Estribo de Duarte trail up the Cota Mil, Caracas, Venezuela.

However, in the previous publication I did not give details of everything related to the route.

We started the ascent at approximately 9:00 in the morning. It was the first time I had climbed this route. My companions and I met at a subway station at eight in the morning. We hiked up the road to the Duarte entrance, walked there for an hour, rested, got ready and finally started climbing.

Our goal was to reach the cesspool, a place where you can live a unique and magical experience.

None of my companions on the road knew how long it would take us to get there, but we still decided to get there.

This route through Estribo de Duarte is one of the longest and most demanding. The road is between sandy and cobblestone. There are few breaks, the road is always uphill. Obviously, for those who are not experienced, it is tiring.

From the starting point to the point of the Bolivarian National Guard it is 800mts. Up there we climbed almost an hour. We asked the guides for orientation and with a lot of patience they explained the next route.

According to the information, three mountains had to be crossed to reach the cesspool. The road, according to the information personnel, was signposted. Even so, they recommended taking precautions and being responsible.

They also asked people to conserve the environment, not to leave waste in the area and to pick up any garbage left along the way.

At 10:10 a.m. we resumed the road to reach the reference point called "el tanque" (the tank). Arriving at the tank would tell us that we had already crossed the two mountains.

Getting to the tank was tougher than we expected. One of our friends had cramps in her legs and had to be massaged to continue.

From the tank you can see the city in a spectacular way. The mountains and everything you see in the valley of Caracas is indescribable.

In the tank there is spring water to recharge, refresh and continue on the road. From the Guardia point to that specific point we traveled 800mts more. That is 1.600km we had traveled. At that time it was 12 noon.

Once repowered we continued on the next road. Getting to "the tank" was uphill. Getting to the cesspool would be downhill. We thought it might be lighter but no, nothing was easy to tell the truth.

The undergrowth in the area had grown and consequently did not let us see the narrow trails well. We tried to walk as if on a tightrope, always in a straight line.

Further ahead, we encountered more obstacles, fallen trees, crossed logs, huge rocks, among others.

This kind of adventure has its risks. Still, it is wonderful to be able to reach the goal. Hiking has many health benefits. Finally, it brings us well-being.

We arrived at the cesspool an hour later, at 13:00 we found ourselves enjoying this beautiful natural paradise. The super cold water, almost frozen, refreshed our bodies.

At two o'clock in the afternoon after hydrating ourselves and having something to eat, we climbed back up to return home. In total we spent eight hours on the route. Other people do it in less time but for us it was the first time.

I share with you some photographs and for those who dare to upload, I recommend this space.

The earlier you upload, the better. The weather at midday is strong. From my point of view it is better to arrive early because it consumes less energy.

Thanks to the community for offering this space. Greetings and success to you. From Caracas, Venezuela, @belkisa758