The day began well with a moon shot.We have completed 6 weeks at this point and we are still surprised with the level of security that people have here. Maybe they have reasons which are not immediately apparent to us. We spend our days totally in the open and exposed although at night we are too exhausted to be outside our accommodation.
Leaving Sanchez Magellanes was a delight which began with a few minutes watching the locals try and catch fish from a road bridge. You can just see where the inland lagoon meets the Gulf of Mexico – not unlike river estuaries flowing out to sea.
We didn’t like to ask how many people this chap had to feed and hoped he had better luck after we left him.
The pelicans are much better fishermen than humans and only expend energy when their victim is targeted.
There is natural beauty in abundance and Olivia’s pictures will never do justice to the stunning scenes we enjoyed at every turn. There are palm trees by the thousand and the locals harvest the coconuts for themselves and to sell in distant towns and villages. We saw and heard many liberating coconuts with their machetes during the next 60 km (40 miles) although no one sold them at the roadside because hardly anyone was using this road. We were about to discover why very shortly.Another expert fisherman who we see by the hundred every day in these mangrove and wetland areas.David hesitated earlier to describe this stretch as like being in paradise because we have had to acquire means of self protection. The road is poorly maintained and not the ‘yellow’ road Sally told us it was. The houses, hamlets are very few and far between and almost all properties have dogs which are not use to ‘weirdos on wheels’. We are seen as fair game to be chased aggressively and their owners think it hugely hilarious weekend entertainment to see us fighting off their dogs. We encountered 12 such dogs today and when David managed to deter one from connecting with his ankle it chose to go for the nearside rear pannier. When we discovered 3 sizeable teeth marks we decided we had to do more than cycle faster whilst shouting at them. Olivia chose the stick hence the addition to the handlebar. David rode with his pepper spray in his hand. He takes no pleasure in confessing that it had to be used once later because there were 3 dogs either side of him.Its challenging to demonstrate how uneven this surface is……………..and this was an easier stretch – at least we could ride on this surface. Apart from the road it is a wonderfully natural and authentic landscape.
Whilst there are not any villages large enough for a central square and/or church there is one cemetery which appears to be better maintained than almost all their properties.
Now the fun and games begin. For those who are unaware touring road bicycles do not have wide enough tyres or deep enough tread to handle lose sand. There is no alternative than to dismount and walk. Bearing in mind David’s bike is carrying 30kg and Olivia’s bike is carrying 20kg this is easier said than done. The few locals we saw all rode motorcycles and it is their tyre tracks with occasional foot marks where they needed to balance – cyclists to not have the convenience of an engine to propel them forward whilst using legs and feet for balance.We probably walked as much as we rode on this day. In itself not a problem, however, we had not planned to be out overnight an water was running low. Sally had a lot to answer for with this recommendation.Whilst David is turning the air blue with a few well chosen expletives, Olivia decides to take her pictures from a more distant location.
The road/track is not improving and we’re too far along to turn back.Whilst we are in a paradise location which could have easily been used for those Bounty adverts in the 1970’s and 80’s we begin to see offshore oil rigs in a line along the coast. The proximity of modern technology to this haven of pristine beaches and palm trees took some getting used to although the majority of our time by this point was used to closely scrutinise the next 5 metres in front of us to ensure we remained upright, whether we were walking or riding. The irony was not lost on us in that the town we were aiming for is called Paraiso (Paradise). We saw 3 vehicles in 5 hours, one of which was stuck in the sand. We offered to help dig him out if he gave us a lift; he said no to us so we kept walking and riding – we were using daylight and could not be stuck out here without water.
Having realised the day was not going quite according to plan we discover the little bit of tarmac road there was now disappeared completely. A local told us that the storm we experienced over Christmas had wiped out the road here and it was sand all the way. We had to press on because we were too far along to turn back and, of course, there were those dogs to run the gauntlet with again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Palm fronds and coconut shells do not go to waste here; they are used to fill in holes and tracks to aid with traction – a little help to cyclists, however, more benefit to motorcyclists. The first of ten such characters who hoped to relieve passers by of 10 pesos for the ‘privilege’ of travelling through their patch. The first nine did not try it on with us; the tenth was ignored by us – it was not a good day to get in our way.
The longest day continues – Sally will never be forgiven.After 7,5 hours of riding and pushing we’re running out of daylight and we still have nowhere to stay (yes, we would have enjoyed sleeping on the beach) and, by now, no water.
Mexico and Belize 