Panamericana

12.03.09

El Camaron – Magdalena Tequisistlan

74,9 km, 5:54h, Ø 12,6 km/h, 1125hm

When I left El Camaron at 8 am the temperature was already 28 degrees C. It seemded as if the climbing never ended. In the first 2 1/2h I only cycled 15km and climbed 400 hm. And it was getting hotter. A 10km long downhill ride brought me into a small town where I grabbed a cold coke . A few minutes later I was on my way again. The next 25 km were pretty much all uphill – at least that‘ s how I remember it. I didn‘ t expect that – and I‘ n not used to the het yet – and don‘ t know if I ever will! The last 10 km of that climb were a mix of pushing my bike uphill and cycling at about 4 km/h. It wasn‘ t that steep, the grade was ok, but I just couldn‘ t do it … Then the wind started to increase.

At times I only wanted to kick my bike, sit down at the side of the road and cry. But then there was suddenly another town, after 50km and 1000hm. Another coke and sitting in the shade for a while. I wasn‘ t hungry at all, it was too and couldn‘ t eat anything. Even thinking about food made me feel like I had to throw up.

A nice downhill ride and a sprite (yes, I am drinking water as well!!!) in another town. It was 3 pm and I made 70 km so far. Should I try to make it to Teuantepec? In the condition (physically and mentally)I was in it was even stupid to only think about it! The guy who lay in the hammock in front of the store told me that there ws a hotel just down the road. I‘ m glad the heat didn‘ t totally burn my mind and I found myself a few minutes later cycling down the road into a town called Magdalena Tequisistlan which is 2km off the main road. Taxi-drivers waved and honked at me, people on the side of the road stopped and starred at me. I was probably the only gringo in town. As usual a smile from me made a big difference – and many people smiled back at me.

I checked into a pretty nice and clean hotel and took a shower to cool off. The fan in the room didn‘ t help too much and soon I was sweating again. A while later I ate at the hotel-restaurant. It was the best meal I had for a while – and it was a big portion. I had Milanesa de res (Schnitzel!!!) with rice, beans, salad and about 8 hot and tasty tortillas. It was so good!!!

I bought some bananas, water and gatorade and spent some time at the internet-café. When I walked in there I tried to figure out who worked there – but I couldn‘ t. Then a maybe only 10-year-old girl walked over to me and showed me the computer I could use.

Back at the hotel I took another shower and watched some TV.

11.03.09

Mitla – El Camaron

97,7 km, 6h25min, Ø 15,2 km/h, 1126hm

I got up at 7:45am, had a tuna-avocado-sandwich for breakfast and bought some water. At 9 am Wayne and me were on our way. To El Camaron, our destination for the day I expected a lot of climbing. This being only the 2^nd cycling day after more than 3 weeks of being lazy, I wasn‘ t sure if I could make it, but I knew that there would be a hotel after 60 km – another option.

Just outside Mitla we met Lars and Jonathan, two cyclists who started in Virginia and are going to Paraguay. They had a lot less gear on their bikes and after a short chat I saw them disappear in the distance.

Already at the first climb it was obvious that Wayne was going uphill a lot faster as I could. And since there were a lot more climbs to come we both went on at our own speed. It was very hot, around 40 degrees, and there was hardly any shade. The first climb was followed by a great downhill ride. We cycled from 1900m down to about 900 meters above sea-level.

Up and down, up and down, it just went on like that. Some time a guy stopped his car, talked to me and gave me a bottle of water. Though I didn‘ t need it by then I took it because he insisted on it. Well, 1 kg more doesn‘ t “make the cabbage fat” I thought. Around 2pm, after 75km, I stopped in San Juan in the shade in front of a small store and enjoyed a cold coke. I was already getting tired, pretty close to getting cramps in my legs and considered stopping at the Hotel there. But since it was still early I ignored the signals my body sent me and kept going after I chatted with 3 girls (about 12 years old) for a while.

Leaving town I could already see another climb that waited for me…

Since complaining doesn‘ t help I just kept pedaling, but my breaks, though just for a minute or so, kept becoming more frequently.

Amazingly it happened so many times on this trip that something happens to motivate me when I‘ m about to throw the towel. And today was not any different… After 90 km a pick-up loaded with melons past me. I just thought how nice it would be to have one of those when the driver pulled over. He got out, grabbed 2 melons and asked me in english, “Do you want more weight?”. And I actually did. We talked for a while, he wished me good luck on my trip and left. Oaxaca State is a very poor region of Mexico. And it‘ s just so amazing how generous and friendly the people here are. We all can learn a lot from them!!!

Around 4:30pm I reached El Camaron (which is named after the river in which there are – or were? – plenty of shrimps) and got a hotel-room for 100 Pesos. Wayne is staying at the room next to me. Later that evening Lars and Jonathan looked us up and we had dinner at a close by restaurant.

I enjoyed meeting and talking to some other cyclists, but didn‘ t have too much to say because I was too tired!

The destination for tomorrow is Teuantepec, it‘ s 118 km away though – and seems out of reach for me.

Good night

Anja

My bike is loaded, water bottles are filled and sunscreen is applied. After another long break I‘ m ready to hit the road again. It‘ s already almost 11am. I should have left a lot earlier because of the heat, but I guess I can‘ t wait for the day when I wake up at 6 and leave at 7! It‘ s a 50 km ride, should be enough for a start. Ok, let‘ s get out and fight the heat, the climbs and the wind!!!

CU Anja

10.03-09

Oaxaca – Mitla

At 11 am I left the hostel in Oaxaca. It was easy to find my way out of the city. The road to Mitla was very suitable to find my way back into the world of cycle-touring. It was mostly flat and there was a good shoulder.

In Mitla I found a hotel-room for 150 Pesos. While taking a shower the water stopped when I was almost done. Oh well… I was hungry and ordered the comida corrida (that‘ s a meal usually consisting of a soup, a main dish and a small dessert) for a late lunch at the hotel-restaurant. I couldn‘ t figure out what the ingredients of the soup were, but it wasn‘ t bad. When my Chillis Rellenos (Chillies stuffed with some undefinable kind of meat and cheese) came I was very disappointed. It was only one small Chillie and the tepid rice looked like a picture of misery. The tortiallas didn‘ t make up for that, either. Not everything can be sunshine…

Mitla (1480 m el.) is known for it‘ s ruins. So I walked around town and looked up the ruins, but they couldn‘ t really entice me. Just more old stones – yes, I know, I m a philistine 😉

On my way back to the hotel I heard a familiar sound on the cobble-stones. Klack, klack, klack… Is that the sound of cycling-shoes?!? I wasn‘ t sure, so I didn t say anything. But since Mitla isn‘ t very big I saw the guy again a few minutes later and this time I asked him if he was cyclist. And yes, he was! Wayne, from Australia, who started his tour in San Francisco about a year ago. He made his way north to Alaska and is now on his way to Argentina.

We tried to find a place where we could have a cold beer and some snacks, but it took us a while to find one. There we sat for a few hours, talked about our trips so far and our further plans. It turned out that we stayed at the same hotel.

We decided to mett the next morning at 9am and start the day together.

Back at the hotel the water was turned off – but there was wi-fi. Interesting how the prioities are…

Though it was an easy day I was pretty tired – that‘ s what I get for 3 weeks off the bike!

Good night

Anja

08.03.09

Wanted to  leave, but didn‘ t really get up early enough. Had breakfast – hotcakes – and decided to stay another day though I didn‘ t really want to. Oh well…

I checked in the luggage-room if my bike was still there where I put it a week ago – and, surprise, it was there. When I looked at it I felt bad that I didn‘ t start again today, I really wanted to be out there, but it was too late.

In the afternoon I wanted to go to a chilli-tasting-contest and walked to the park where it was supposed to be, with Robert, a dutch guy. There was nothing going on and instead we ate a not very good tasting Tlayuda. Those I had at the market last week were way better.

Since I didn‘ t care much about playing tourist I just went back to the hostel, read a little and talked for a while with Anita from Switzerland. She has traveled for about 6 month now and had some interesting stories to tell, especially about South America.

At the grocery-store I bought some food and had scrambled eggs with onions, tomato and garlic for dinner which I ate on a bun with avocado. I‘ m eating many avocados here, they are pretty cheap, taste good and are available almost everywhere.

Later I went to a small café/bar with two Belgiens who just started their trip across Middle and South America a few days ago . In one room there was a probably american guy playing some music. It was ok, kind of melancholic though. We sat outside and could hear the music via loudspeaker. On the table next to us were some older folks (between 60 and 80) having fun. It was quit amusing to watch them. Two of them told us that they just finished a bottle of Mezcal together – that explains some things ;-).

When we asked for the check we were surprised – they charged us for the music, 20 Pesos a piece. Not a big deal, but we didn‘ t know about it before. When we left we looked at the poster outside the café on which it was actually written. In very small and pale letters.

We wanted to stop at another place for another beer, but couldn‘ t find anything that looked inviting. So we just went back to the hostel. Now it‘ s almost midnight and I really hope that I can move my butt tomorrow and get out of here!!!

Good night

Anja