Archive for März, 2009

Rolling…

Sonntag, März 22nd, 2009

22.03.09

Palenque – El Aquacatel

117,8 km, 5:31h, Ø 21,3 km/h, 349 hm

 

Not much climbing today, what a nice change! The kilometers just flew by today. For an hour or so we cycled in the pouring rain, every time a bus passed us it was like a shower. We were soaked very quickly, but it was too warm to wear rain-gear. In El Aquatel Wayne asked for a free room. It was pretty funny when the owner of the room was called via loudspeaker, the whole town could hear it.

The three of us shared a tiny room.

It was sunday afternoon and everybody in town seemed to be drunk or on whatever drugs, strange. We walked to the mini-super-market and had an early dinner afterwards.

Waterfalls and ruins.

Samstag, März 21st, 2009

21.03.09

Otulum – Palenque

36,3km, 2:30h, Ø14,4 km/h, 503 hm

 

A short walk to the small waterfall of the owner of the CG we stayed. After a few km on the bike we cycled down to the Misol-Ha Waterfall. There were people blocking the road, but they opened it for us and didn‘ t even charge us. We were the only people down at the waterfall which was pretty nice.

Unfortunately the restaurant was out of service, due to some problems they are having there. On our way back up we saw that a car was stopped and wasn‘ t allowed to go down to the fall, so we werde really lucky.

A few km before Palenque I had another flat tire, great! Max helped me to change the tube and soon we were on our way again. Unfortunately I think I lost my “buff” there, too bad.

Breakfast, internet and grocery-shopping in the town of Palenque, then we cycled the last 7 km to a CG 2 km before the ruins. We pitched our tents there and then cycled – without luggage – to the ruins.

On my way back I met the couple from Belgium again who I met in Oaxaca a few weeks ago. They came to the CG to have dinner, so I joined them for a snack and a cold beer.

Climbing, camping and cold beer.

Freitag, März 20th, 2009

20.03.09

Okosingo – Otulum

116,2km, 7:39h, Ø14,4 km/h, 1598 hm

 

Long and hilly cycling day. We made a side-trip to the Agua-Azul waterfalls which was 4km downhill. After 2 1/2h km I got a flat tire and pushed my bike down there because Max and Wayne were waiting down there. It wasn‘ t such a smart idea because this way tube got a really big hole;-(.

Changed my tube while waiting for lunch at a restaurant. After taking a look at the waterfall we had to cycle up those 4 km again.

The way to our planned stop for the night turned out to be more than 10km longer and a lot more hilly as expected. It was almost dark by the time I saw Max waiting for me at the side of the road. I was pretty happy when he told me that there‘ s a place to camp just of the road.

A couple who already passed us in their car and offered us some empanadas out of the window came over and offered us some cold beer and empanadas! What a treat after a – for me – very hard day.

The owners of the Campground made us scrambled eggs and tortillas for dinner, so we didn‘ t even have to cook. It was the first time that I pitched my tent since mid-december!

 

Back on the bike…

Donnerstag, März 19th, 2009

19.03.09

San Cristobal – Okosingo

99,5km, 6h25min, Ø 15,4km/h, 1240hm

 

I cycled together with Mac an Wayne today. There were some long climbs and I was glad when we finally reached Okosingo. People along the way were friendly, even the woman who are usually more reserved waved a lot and laughed happily by the sight of our bikes.

San Cristobal IV

Mittwoch, März 18th, 2009

18.03.09

I spent a few hours at a café with wi-fi this morning and updated my blog. For lunch Wayne, Max and me went to a Falaffel-Place and decided to leave San Cristobal together tomorrow. Seth might join us as well but he doesn‘ t really know yet.

I didn‘ t expect things to develop so fast, thought I would stay here for a few more days. They are all cycling faster as I am and I hope that I won‘ t slow them down too much.

Guess I better go to bed now because we wanna leave tomorrow at 7:30am. When did I leave that early the last time???

Good night

Anja

San Cristobal III

Dienstag, März 17th, 2009

17.03.09

A lazy day today, sitting at the plaza, reading, watching people.

Max, Wayne, Seth and me (all cyclists) spent the evening together at a café, talking about our trips so far and our further routes.

San Cristobal II

Montag, März 16th, 2009

16.03.09

Laura, Ann and I had breakfast together before they made their way back to Chiapa de Corzo.

I was so surprised when I got an e-mail at night that she‘ s back in San Cristobal! So we went to a tiny movie-theater and watched a movie about Chiapas. After that we went to a Café where I had drank a Bailey‘ s. It tasted so good but I had to be careful not to choke because there was just so little in the glass;-)

San Cristobal I

Sonntag, März 15th, 2009

15.03.09

The plan was to cycle from Tuxtla to Chiapa de Corzo to visit Laura there. Laura is a friend I met in Guadalajara around New Years. She came to Mexico on a sail-boat, taught english for a few months in Chiapa de Corzo and is now waiting for her brothers to pick her up in their car to drive through Central America and finally end up in Columbia! However, she send me an e-mail telling that she d be in San Cristobal for a couple of days with her friend Ann.

So I took a bus to San Cristobal – and missed my probably longest and hardest climb (1800hm in 50km). I enjoyed the view from the bus, felt a bit like a wimp – but … does it really matter?

In San Cristobal a fresh breeze was blowing – and I realized that I wasn‘ t sweating!!! It felt so good to be in a cooler place! I cycled around for a while and then found the hostel where Max, another cyclist, said he was staying. It took a while and some more mails to finally meet Laura and Ann. It was so good to seeing her again! We had a good breakfast (eggs and beans and cheese) and since it was already noon I ordered some Tacos as well ;-).

We had a great time and I‘ m glad that I got a chance to see her again before she left on her road-trip.

bike ’n bus

Samstag, März 14th, 2009

14.03.09

Teuantepec – Juchitan (bike)

Juchitan – Tuxtla (bus)

 

30 km of flat riding! How nice is that!!!

When I reached Juchitan it was only 10 am. My plan was to make it a short day and then rest and relax for the rest of the day. I cycled around town, but didn‘ t really like it. I didn‘ t feel dangerous there or anything, I just didn‘ t like it. Anyway, I asked for a room at a big (and a bit more expensive) hotel. But before I got a chance to ask the people who worked there ignored me for a few minutes. That already mad me want to leave again. I asked anyway, but they had no vacancy. I couldn‘ t really believe it but felt good when I walked out there again. Just around the corner I found a restaurant where I could sit outside and see my bike. When I ate my Tlayuda which did have way too much cheese and hardly any meat in it, I saw the busterminal across the street.

And before I knew it I had already bought a ticket to Tuxtla!!! What did I do? I didn‘ t even think, I just did it. Then I had to kill 5 hours until the bus left.

In the bus I saw that I missed out on some nice scenery – but also some long climbs. Too bad 😉

 

At 8:30pm I arrived in Tuxtla. It was already dark and so I was glad to find a hotel just a few hundred meters down the road. Clean, quiet, water, coffeemaker and TV in the room!

I didn‘ t eat anything since the Tlayuda in the morning but didn‘ t want to ride back up to the busterminal where I saw a BK, because about 5 dogs chased me on my way down to the hotel. It‘ s very likely though that they wouldn‘ t even recognize me without my bike. But some cookies will have to do it for now…

Anja

 

Papayas, flat land and Volleyball…

Freitag, März 13th, 2009

13.03.09

Magdalena Tequisistlan – Teuantepec

When I woke up and looked outside the window there was a market at the road in front of the hotel. It was only 7am and everybody was already very busy. Everything was sold there, clothes, food, CDs…

 

I ate breakfast at the hotel-restaurant, scrambled eggs with bacon, beans, feta and tortillas. Yesterday the owner was very reserved but toaday we talked for quit a while.

When I pushed my bike across the market I had to stop a few times to explain what I was doing. A woman with a fruit-stand said something to me which I didn‘ t understand. I thought she wanted me to buy some fruits and so I just said “no, gracias”. Well, that wasn‘ t what she wanted to hear, so I finally stopped. She was very excited and chose carefully 2 papayas for me. She wanted to give ‚em to me, as a gift! Again, this friendliness!!! I explained her that I already have so much stuff to carry and that 2 are too much for me to eat. Then she gave me one and wished me a good journey. What a great start of the day!!!

 

Honestly, I don‘ t remember too much of the days ride, only that I thought that I couldn‘ t have done that yesterday. A few km before I reached Teuantepec the road was suddenly flat, there were no mountains anymore and some open space. What a change!

 

At a farmacia at the entrance of the city I bought a bottle of gatorade, talked to the guy who worked there for a while and he explained me the way to an hotel “economico”. There I got a room without AC and TV but with a ceiling-fan for 150 Pesos. Getting my bike up the the 3rd floor was an adventure itself. Some guys who worked there pulled it up there with a rope!

 

Later I walked to the internet-café and was surprised to meet the guy there who explained me the way to the hotel. After dinner (hamburguesa con papas) I sat at the plaza for a while and watch some kids at their Volleyball practice. It was interesting to see that they had the same routine as we have in Germany (well, actually it‘ s a bit different at the chaos-team I‘ m playing with, but that‘ s another story;-)). General warm up, playing in pairs, smashing, serving, playing. Wow, Volleyball! I really wanted to play as well!