Trans Americas 2009 - The Blog

With a short riding day today, just 160 miles, we had a bit of a lie-in, and woke just before 7am to the sound of rain. Only this is the tropics, so rain means RAIN. Outside our room in the courtyard of the hotel it was like someone had installed a huge shower, the rain forming big puddles on the red tiled floor, which was already slippery from the humidity. Once showered and dressed we headed to the restaurant next door to the hotel for breakfast, the pizza from last night having left me still feeling fairly full. The route out went up the road opposite the restaurant, so after breakfast we stood and watched the rain pouring down, creating big waterfalls from the roofs of the buildings, and forming a small brown river at the crossroads...





With no argument that this was officially a “wet day” (one of the maximum of 10 Kevin has promised us), we donned our bike gear and our waterproofs and then sat on our bikes waiting for the guy to come and open the gates. My bike was again reluctant to start, but did, and finally we were off on our way, with me tagging on to the back of a group led by Nigel with Andy, Gerald, Richard & Karen and Aaron. Threading our way out of the ice-rink like car park and turning right across the river where the crossroads used to be, then dodging the waterfalls from buildings on both sides of the river, sorry, road, I couldn't help but howl with laughter... looking at Aaron's shoulders, I think he was doing the same...

Once out of town we missed the right turn, which added 30 miles to the day, but with the weather gradually improving (the rain easing to a more normal downpour, and then to drizzle), I wasn't complaining. When the group stopped after 60 miles, I took the opportunity to escape, riding at the back of the group had been a frustrating experience as the group's speed was inconsistent for some reason. Once free I was able to make my own pace, speeding up a little and enjoying the open road once more. After a couple of hours I came round a bend and encountered a long traffic queue – with no oncoming traffic I rode down the outside right to the front, where the main group led by Kevin & Julia were waiting. The cause of the queue was a bad accident, a truck carrying metal poles having gone off the road, the cab completely crushed in the vegetation, and a number of recovery vehicles trying to get the wreckage out. We didn't have to wait long to be free of the queue, and I tucked in behind Kevin and Julia as we got going again, only to spot some roadside stalls selling bunches of bananas and other fruits, just begging to be photographed...





Once again I found myself riding alone, which didn't bother me at all, although I did wonder how far ahead the group was, and whether I could tag on the back again to make the navigation easier... Approaching Poza Rica I caught a glimpse of them up ahead, separated from me by a stream of traffic. When I got on the ring road round town, I managed to get past a lot of the traffic, but saw no further sight of the group (Kevin later admitted to missing the junction...). The scenery had been changing constantly all day, from tropical rainforest outside Huejutla to lowland fields of green, and then finally to coastal sands of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean sea... Here were picture-postcard beaches with palm trees and the smell of the sea again, for the first time since we were up in the Arctic. I found the hotel and couldn't see sign of the others, so turned back to go and fill up with fuel ready for tomorrow. When I returned to the hotel, there was still no sign of the others, so I practised my now perfect Spanish and asked for a room, under the reservation made by Kevin Sanders and Globebusters. Ok, so my Spanish is rubbish, which is why the receptionist looked at me blankly before telling me about their rooms and how much they cost, and then showing me round 2 of them (one twin, one double) so I could choose. Back in reception I tried again, describing the reservation that had been made for a group of 17 motorcycles. More blank stares. So I said “El Jefe, un momento” and pointed at my watch. More blank stares... then I saw Kevin and the group arriving, and excitedly pointed out the window shouting El Jefe, El Jefe...

The hotel is beautiful though, and soon I had a room, right by the pool, with a view out to the Caribbean from the lounge.








After I'd had a much-needed shower, a waiter appeared with some fresh coconuts for us, so we happily stabbed the straws through the top and drank the sweet milk, before asking him to use his machete to open a couple of them, so we could eat the flesh... delicious!





When we'd consumed enough coconut, I went in search of the Internet to write up yesterday's blog, and then went for a swim in the sea (no photos, at the request of my daughter...), before sitting with the group and chatting and enjoying the cold beers Richard and Jeff had bought. Kevin had arranged for the restaurant next door to open and prepare a meal for us, so at 7pm we wandered over and were greeted by several English speaking waiters keen to know more about our trip. I sat with Edwin, Lorraine and Andrew, and we ordered a nice bottle of Chilean wine to go with our food. Then the food came. For appetizer we had Queso tortillas with home-made salsa and hot sauce (queso is cheese...), which were lovely, then we had a bowl of spaghetti with spices and herbs, which was fantastic, and then the main course, fish is spicy sauce, which was outstanding...





When we'd finished the meal, and a second bottle of excellent Chilean wine, we called for the chef and shower our appreciation, telling him how excellent the meal had been. Then we had a tequila shot (or two) before Kevin, Andrew and I took the bottle down to the beach and sat and watched the stars, and the moon rise from the horizon up into the sky whilst sipping tequila and enjoying time to just sit and think...