Expedition Recovery

12/12/16 Hopkins, Belize – The Funky Dodo backpackers’ hostel. Zero kilometers ridden. While Aaron and I had both planned to move on today, a rest in this little hippie oasis that was The Funky Dodo seemed to be the answer we both needed.  Ed must have thought so too as he moved from his hostel up the road to join us at the Dodo. It had been nice to sleep in a bit and I was looking forward to a shower. As I joined the land of the living I asked Christine how the showers were.  “Great, nice and warm” was her response. She had apparently gotten the first batch of water from the sun warmed tank.  I got the freezing cold water being dropped from the shower head as it was pumped from the well. It wasn’t my first cold shower of the trip by any means but it left me lots to rib Christine about as we walked up the street to get a breakfast of liquid yogurt from the shop.  Once Ed got all checked in it was time for a walk to the beach at the ce...

12/11/16 Chetumal, Mexico to Hopkins, Belize 274.9 Kilometers ridden. I slept in too late again this morning and then fucked about getting stuff done in the morning.  I managed to take my meds without eating anything and it seemed to turn my stomach now that I have begun taking the mild anti-biotics I was prescribed as anti-malarial tablets.  I didn’t really get checked out of the hotel until about noon and then once I had the bike loaded I only went a few hundred meters up the road to stop at an Oxxo for a yogurt, a zero calorie Mexican energy drink, and a ham and cheese croissant out of the deli case.  Not gourmet but enough to calm my stomach within about 20 minutes of finishing and getting on the road. The ride to the boarder with Belize was simple enough, though I found I hadn’t managed to add the Central American maps to my GPS yet so I was left with my phone as my only navigational aid. Loading the maps makes a GPS more useful.. The b...

A couple days in Cancun...ya I'd sleep too 12/8/16 Cancun, Mex. 10.3 kilometers ridden. There isn't anything quite like five hours of sleep after a night of adrenaline fueled night riding. Not from some fun track but cause someone decided to hit your parked motorcycle... I got woken up because I was a bit late for getting ready to make practice. It was a disorienting wake up where the world seemed to be nothing by streaks of bright light blurring my vision and drunk like stagger to answer the knocks on the door of the room I was staying in. I got gear prepared and packed in just a few moments once I was able to jab contacts into my sleep-crusted eyes and find focus outside the few clear inches in front of my face. While I prepared and got out to the corner with my host to grab a cab, the events of the last 24 hours still felt surreal. The only thing to remind the nightmare was real was the sight of my damaged bike in the middle of the living room as I went by. ...

Well shit... 12/7/16 Ciudad Del Carmen, Mex to Cancun, Mex 701 kilometers ridden. I slept in too late for the hotels breakfast so I showered and chose to eat the other burger for breakfast as I packed. I talked a little with both Cat and Montserrat while I made my final preparations to leave. My usual routine of loading the bike caused me to be pouring sweat despite having just left the hotels AC. The sun was painfully bright as it reflected off of every shiny surface on the bike back at me from the Concrete. In the short few moments it took me to be loaded and ready I was already drenched and nearly blinding myself with sweat pushed from my hair as I donned my helmet. The ride through town was stop and go due to the traffic control layout. In the heat it made me acutely aware of how little water I had been drinking and how poor my diet has been over the last few weeks. Being that it was already passed noon, I wanted to make up time as best I could so I ran...

Ya, kind of a pain to get to... 12/6/16 Veracruz, Mex to Ciudad Del Carmen, Mex 668.6 kilometers ridden. Sleep was good but fitful as one of the women in the sleeping room kept on her phone for most of the night, seeming not to sleep or to care about the rest of us in the room. I should have gotten up and got on the road quickly but instead was slow to get moving. I talked with Montserrat for a little bit and got caught up on my on-line work from my bunk. I dressed slowly and got all of my things packed before walking down for the included breakfast. It was an unglamorous affair of poorly cooked eggs with thin slices of hot dog mixed in, fried beans, and a slice of white toast with butter. I wolfed it down quickly while answering questions about the trip. The loading of the bike went simply enough, except that I forgot to fix the windshield mounting before I had already fully loaded the bike, thus blocking the tools I needed from access as they were below...

12/5/16 Mexico City, Mexico to Veracruz, Mexico 454.9 kilometers I woke up a little after nine in the morning to get ready and packed up. While getting geared up Eleanor brought Keira in to see me and I spent about ten minutes loving on the dog before I could bring myself to finish putting my boots on. I miss Woden so much and Kiera is such a sweet dane. As I finished packing Eleanor told me breakfast was ready, a pleasant surprise as I was expecting to do an Oxxo breakfast. AKA oatmeal or anything worth eating I could find at the convenience store. I carried my bags downstairs and past where the whole family was sitting at the dinner table, including Eleanor's grandmother who had been sick and in bed since I had arrived. I walked past them trailed by Keira to go outside and load the bike so that I would be ready to hit the road and work to make up some time. Breakfast was eggs with ham and some fried beans. The family was making sandwiches of it but I opted to just eat...

12/4/16 Mexico City Zero kilometers ridden. Was awake around 7 am for some unknown reason. Had trouble falling back asleep till almost 8 but then got another full two hours. Once I did get up I showered before Eleanor took my laundry for me and started it in the wash. Once out of the shower, she asked if I wanted to walk with her to get bread for the family breakfast. We walked a few short blocks to a bakery and selected some pastries before walking back. Eleanor's dog, Amy, accompanied us off leash and was wonderfully well behaved. When we arrived back it was time for breakfast and we ate with her family. Breakfast was eggs con chorizo, beans, rice and the pastries we had selected. After breakfast we were going to go to the tallest hill in Mexico City where there is a half completed pyramid at the top. I asked that we wait till the laundry was able to be flipped and so we waited a few extra moments and then hung up my clothes to dry. Kiera, the family'...