14.12.08
El Rosarito Acaponeta
95 km, 5:15 h, Ø 18 km/h, 275 hm, total 6165,9 km
While we spent some time on the internet this morning the owner of the motel just walked through the open door without knocking and made a big deal of on of our bikes leaning on a board (that already had many scratches). Yesterday, when we arrived, he didn‘ t want us to take our bikes in the room but then we wouldn‘ t have stayed. So we were finally allowed to take them but he said that we were responsible for any damage we would make. Since we offered him to take a look at the room after we put everything in it yesterday and he denied we were really annoyed by his reaction.
Around 9:30am we left El Rosarito and stayed at the Libre for the first 22 km to Escuinapa da Hidalgo. There was no shoulder, the traffic was moderat. In Escuinapa da Hidalgo we stopped along the road for a cold soda. For a (long) while we sat there in the shade.
Since we still had more then 60 km to go we got back on our bikes, but not for long. A plastic-bag got stuck on Sebastiens‘ chain and was totally wrapped around it. He peeled it out, we were back on our bikes and saw a big grocery store. It was already noon and we stopped there to buy some food. When I came out of the store I saw Sebastien talking (or trying to talk) to two boys. They were fascinated by our bikes and asked many questions.
After a while we had to hit the road again, though. This time we wanted to take the Cuota, but it was closed. So we stayed on the Libre and there was a lot of traffic. Sometimes the cars in front of us just slowed down and a few hundred meters later we could see that people were selling food on the side of the road, mainly dried shrimps. Ten kilometers later we wanted to stop for a snack, just then Sebastien had a flat tire. He changed his tube while quite a few curious Mexicans watched him. It was very funny. When we wanted to take a picture of them a man turned around but later he wanted us to take another picture with him!!!
Later we could get on the Cuota. There was a lot of traffic, too, and the cars passed us fast but let us a lot of room. At a military pest control check-point we stopped for another snack and I saw that my tire was a bit flat! That‘ s why I had a hard time cycling at the same speed as Sara and Sebastien! We had 30 km to go and I didn‘ t want to change the tube, I decided to pump some air in it and hoped that it would last a while.
We could see many mountains today but we are still at sea-level. Pretty soon we‘ ll have to climb a lot though, probably the day after tomorrow. So I better enjoy the mostly flat road I‘ ll start to complain about the long, hard climbs soon enough! There were many really green trees, green grass and some lagunes on our way.
When we reached Acaponeta it was already getting dark. We checked into the Casablanca Hotel (285 Pesos/3 people) right at the town plaza where a fiesta was going on. The room is so big that I didn‘ t even have to take my trailer off! And I guess that‘ s the reason why it still stand there with very little air. I guess I‘ ll have to fix it tomorrow morning. We had dinner at the restaurant next door. My Hamburger was good, but not really big enough for the stomach of a cyclist! For desert I had a fried banana at the fiesta. It was ok, but I won‘ t eat it again!
Tomorrow will probably be another 90km-day and since we don‘ t have internet access here I might as well go to bed now because I‘ m really tired.