The funny thing about today was that, just after I started, in the fog and darkness, I said to myself ¨Wow I feel great! And strong!¨. Sure, the first 10km was easy. But then I came around a corner and saw, emerging from the fog, what looked like a wall in front of me. ¨What the hell is that, blocking the road?¨. After I realized it WAS the road, going what seemed like straight up, I laughed and knew that today was going to be a different kind of day. Approaching the bottom of the hill I knew there was no way I was riding up anything that was a 13% grade or higher, so I slid off the bike, put my sandals on (can´t walk in cleated bike shoes), and started to walk, pushing the bike along. At the top of the hill, it turned abruptly downwards, so I exchanged shoes again and zoomed down. Then another brutal hill. Another 2-brakes-at-the-same-time descent. And again. And again. Eventually I just left the sandals on, since there were few flats, or ridable moderate grades (10% or less).
The difference with the mountains in Guatemala as opposed to others I´ve ridden (Rockies, Himalaya, Ghats) is both a) the grade of the road and b) the road "design" that takes you incessantly up down up down up down. Overall I gained 3000 feet in elevation today, but I climbed (and descended) way, way, way more than that. And it punished me. It took me 7.5 pushing, straining, dripping hours to cover the 73km from Chisec to Coban, and I was a very beaten man when I finally rolled into town. I must´ve walked more than 10 steep kilometres, aside from the other climbing I was able to manage to do on the bike.
The people here in Guatemala are unsurprisingly friendly, curious, and helpful, just like most peoples I´ve met in various parts of the world. I´ve felt completely safe throughout the trip, apart from an odd feeling in gringo-heavy San Ignatio, Belize. In this mountainous section have been the poorest people that I´ve seen all trip... partly evidenced by the absence of refridgeration at the little roadside vendor huts. I almost always overpay for drinks, on purpose, sort of my way of giving that little bit extra to those that are helping me. Besides, they have to put up with a stinky, sweaty gringo for about 5 minutes!
After a meal in Coban and a bit of time to collect myself I figured I could push the extra 15km to Santa Cruz Verapaz. Surprisingly the road South of Coban was better graded (10% or less) and although it was still mountainously hilly I was able to ride it all in the saddle, without breaks. This last bit of tough but managable riding restored some shaken confidence, for sure. I don´t know if I´ll recover fully for tomorrow, but I´ll get myself as least as far as Uspantan... a high mountain ride that includes about 25 unpaved kilometres.
I treated myself to a nicer stay tonight... http://parkhillresort.com ... on the wall at reception it said $45US... but as I was about to leave they offered me a room for $20! Hee hee.
yesterday´s ride
today and tomorrow´s ride
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