chasingsummerp.016
Chasing Summer p.016
Report initially published in the Adventure Rider web site. For more interaction and comments check it out here
Nov 13th - Uspantan to Coban
Interactive maps: http://www.gpsxchange.com/phpBB2/download2.php?id=1458
It’s still gray this morning but at least it doesn’t rain like it did in the middle of the night.
I had planned to go 'directly' to Honduras today, but reading the Lonely Planet last night I decided instead to first visit Semuc Champey. It's not even on my poor map (AAA) but the LP shows it SE of Lanquin and describes it at possibly the "most beautiful spot of Guatemala"!
On my way to Coban, I realize that I had missed the clouds and their ever changing shapes.
The first 20 miles are paved and fun too ride with this typical Guatemalan scenery.
I notice more banana trees here than in the North and, if possible, it seems even greener.
Then the road turns to dirt and soon after I arrive at this road block.
I find my way to the front but this time the guy doesn't want even motorcycles to pass. Some people have been waiting for half an hour and apparently we have to wait for 30 more minutes. Travel time is always hard to predict here
.
I take the opportunity to discuss with the guys around and they have plenty of questions for me. The one that came back often in this trip is "How much the bike cost?". Even by telling them only half price it still seems very expensive to them...
OK, back on my way... The LP indicated that at any season one should expect rain around Coban and they're right about that! It's only a light rain right now (the first since I left SFO) but it must have rained hard not long ago since the road becomes very muddy.
The mud is luckily not as sticky as in Oregon but it's very slippery. Here I am, once again in the mud with my 'knobbies' strapped on the back of my bike
. I focus on not crashing but every truck passing is guaranteeing a good shot of adrenaline. It takes me almost an hour to do the remaining 20 miles of dirt until I finally reach the pavement in Santa Cruz
.
North to Coban, then NE to Larquin. Here is a 'finca' or coffee plantation.
It's still raining but I enjoy the scenery anyway. There are small villages (or at least a few houses) almost everywhere.
And also crops of corn and a few others...
50 km after Coban is the bifurcation to Lanquin. And it's dirt again! At least it seems rocky enough to offer some traction.
The scenery is still beautiful on the downhill to Lanquin
At Lanquin I see a sign for Semuc Champey at 11 km, we're getting close! What the sign didn't say though is that the road became much worse and this time going mostly uphill. At one point I had to stop in the middle of a climb because this truck was stuck there
As usual the pic doesn't show the slope but it was very steep. This was the first of the toughest sections where they built those 2 concrete ramps to help traction (
) or at least to limit erosion. I had kept a safe distance but despite the stones and all that the helpers put behind the wheels, the truck started to dangerously slide towards me in its desperate attempts to start the climb again
.
The guys were using signs to ask me to back-up but that was not an easy task! I'm only 5'10 and the concrete ramp was higher than the rest of the road making any loss of balance a certain fall. Worst, I don't know if a truck had spilled a bag of flour or if it was just the mud but the concrete was slippery as hell. My front wheel couldn't hold the bike, my boots were totally useless too.
I finally manage to 'park' on the ditch to let the truck go down pass me. One guy helps me to push the bike out of the ditch and now the road is mine. Hee, not really. That section of concrete was like snow: no traction at all! I barely manage not to crash but I don't make much progress uphill. And the concrete being even higher, I can't even go down from my bike to push
.
Now I can hear the truck coming back full speed to get momentum on the hill. I yell for them to stop since I can't move. Several guys come finally to my rescue - I guess they had no choice since I was blocking the way. Even with their help it took a lot of effort and wheel spinning and clutch slipping to finally get the bike up the hill.
OK, what's next? There were maybe 2 or 3 similar ramps further but for what ever reason they were not as slippery so everything went fine. What worried me though is that the 2nd half of the trail was going downhill, meaning that to get out of here I will need to climb again in the mud. Memories of me getting stuck in Batopilas came to my mind...
We're getting close... Just need to cross this slippery wet and slightly muddy pile of planks
Finally I arrive to the (empty) parking lot. Jeez, this site is better be worth it! With this cable I can keep the bike unattended relatively safely.
I opt for the trail going along the river...
And finally arrive to this. Don't get me wrong, I thought it was beautiful but... not that special
At least the walk on the jungle-like forest is nice
But thankfully there is more to it! Above the cascades there are a serie of beautiful pools.
And it was like that at each of the many 'levels'. It seems that the more I was walking upstream, the more beautiful it became.
Now, be warned: there are many more pics of this site but these pics cost me a lot of sweat so you better enjoy them
.
At the top of the site you could walk on this to cross to the other side...
From there you could see the wild river above...
... suddenly disappearing into this...
The river goes underground here and reappears about 300 m lower. I don't know what's the most extraordinary about this site but the combination of a river flowing underneath beautiful concretions and pools in a such serene location is absolutely fantastic. Of course, the fact that it's so remote helps keeping it 'magic'.
Absolutely no doubt in my mind now that it was worth coming here but I admit that I'm worried about the climb back. What if it's too slippery? What if, in the middle of a climb, there is a truck coming down? Could I leave my luggages to one of the few 'picops' bringing tourists here? They all seem pretty full though...
Well, it's time to give a try. I lower the pressure on my rear tire at 20 PSI and do my best to manage the first climb. Yeah! One down. Mid-way it starts to pour pretty hard. Anticipating the sweat I had not put my gore-tex liners and I'm rapidly wet. Of course that makes the road even more slippery
.
But I finally reach Lanquin and the easier dirt road from there.
I don't know how long is that dirt road but it seems like a lot at the time...
The remaining 50 km of paved road to Coban were just as miserable: wet and quite dark.
I stop there at the first decent looking hotel I see, dreaming about a hot shower. Cool, it has plenty and even an internet connection (even though I had to find the WEP key for them
).
It was certainly a very special day...
Nov 14th - Coban to Copan
Interactive maps: http://www.gpsxchange.com/phpBB2/download2.php?id=1459
My clothes are still wet this morning (no heater in the room) but at least the rain has stopped. I better make time today and at least cross the border to Honduras...
So it's all about riding today and I must say I'm amazed once again by how smooth and beautiful most paved roads are in Guatemala. It's really fun, especially since no one really cares about the passing interdictions.
I first go South towards Salama and then at Morazan I take a small parallel to the main road that goes NE to Puerto Barrios. It goes slower but the villages you encounter are quieter and more curious about you.
In the place I stayed for lunch for example, the guy was absolutely making sure that every detail in the food was all right for me. And of course he also had plenty of questions about the trip and the bike that, as you can see, was not parked very far.
At the end of the lunch he insisted in drawing me a map, first in a paper napkin, then finished it on a second one. Finally he started all over again on a big piece of paper, including dirt shortcuts and all...
From there I went to Chiquimula and then the border crossing at El Florido. So it seems that most borders work that way:
- first go to immigration of the country you're leaving (a couple of minutes)
- then go to the customs of the country you're leaving for the vehicle (maybe 5 minutes)
- Then do the same for the country you're going to...
At this border all the buildings were walking distance so it was easier.
The longest (15 mn) and the most expensive seems to be the customs for the country you're entering to. Here they asked for 2 copies of the title and 2 copies of the passport as well as $29! That's a lot of money for around here!
Copan ruinas is only 13 km from the border so I was there relatively early. The town called 'Copan ruinas' is 1.5 km of the real ruins. It's a great little town, with a nice atmosphere, and of course plenty of tourists!
As soon as I arrived in my hotel a nice Californian guy invited me for a beer in the bar that his son bought a year ago. They're both into motorcycles and I had a great time, exchanging tips and experience about the surroundings and leaving there.
The only issue is that when I went out of the bar it was already too dark for pictures...
Nov 15th - Copan to Marcala
Interactive maps: http://www.gpsxchange.com/phpBB2/download2.php?id=1460
I wake early and walk to the ruins (15 mn from town). It’s raining, but not too hard, and the sky is grey. What a contrast with yesterday which was sunny and hot!
So sure, the pictures are not going to be good with this weather but it may have helped to make my visit very enjoyable. I arrive there at 7:45 AM and to my surprise they let me in even if it opens only at 8 AM.
Parrots welcoming you at the entrance.
It was awesome to have the whole place for myself and I didn’t see one other visitor for a good hour!
In this gran plaza there are several beautiful carved Stelae
All seem to have originally been painted and a few traces of red paint survive on some
This ball court is the 2nd largest in Central America.
I realize that I took pictures of several ‘ball courts’ without ever explaining what they were. Quite different from your average Giants games it seems!
They were played since the 2nd millennium B.C. but each site seems to have a slightly different form and probably rules. The ball was made from solid rubber weighing about 8 pounds. The contest was a gladiatorial nature with the captain of the losing team being sacrificed in particularly important games.
The symbolism underlying the game tied it to the “death and rebirth” of the sun, moon, heavenly bodies, and the agricultural cycles. The purpose of the ballgame contest was to perpetuate these natural phenomena by symbolically defeating the forces of evil.
This is the top of the ball court
And this is just for fun...
The ‘Hieroglyphic Stairway’ is the most famous monument in Copan and I understand that they need to protect it from the elements but I think that they did a very poor job by covering it with a dark cover, too close from the stairs to let the light get in.
The 63 steps are covered in several thousands glyphs that tell the history of the royal house of Copan.
This huge stairway leads to the Temple of the Inscriptions.
Even if it’s destructive, I love the way nature intricate swith the ruins.
View on the Gran Plaza from the Temple of the Inscriptions
… and on the Ball Court
Some of the inscriptions in the temple
Relief carving on the Temple of Meditation
View on the Jaguars’ patio
What I like in Copan is that you have the perspective offered by huge buildings but there are also many details to look out everywhere. Here is one of the things that seem 'abandoned' on the ground.
This famous Altar represents the 16 kings of Copan…
...4 on each side
The Acropolis
I can't rember what those are...
A few other 'details'...
I then visit the museum, made with things discovered on the site that needed to be protected from the elements. Except for the highlight of the museum: a true-scale replica in full color of the Rosalila Temple. This temple was discovered intact, buried under a more recent structure but the small tunnels leading to it can’t be opened to the public.
A selection of my favorite pieces, including those faces that show how diverse the expressions were depicted...
Aquatic bird with 'flows of water' on the side
Parrots were often sculpted...
But the symbol for Copan was a bat
It’s raining harder now so I decide to give a try to one of these 3-wheels taxi. It’s fun, although quite uncomfortable on the cobblestones streets.
I take a breakfast in town and check the kitchen: I’ve never seen this way of cooking on 'concrete', with the fire just underneath. BTW, those are not tortillas, they are ‘mixtas’ much thicker and filled/mixed with cheese or other things.
Reading the guides it seems that besides the Copan Ruins, there is nothing that really special in Honduras
. They have many national parks, but I will have plenty of time to visit similar ones in Costa Rica so I plan to cross this country rather directly.
Looking at the map, from Copan to Nicaragua they are only 2 roads: the North one goes almost to San Pedro Sula (2nd town of the country) while the South one only cross smaller towns. The guy from the ‘Red Frog’ told me that the North one was way faster (although with similar mileage) but that the South one was more scenic. I’m not too sure how much I will see with this rain/fog but I choose the South road anyway.
Leaving Copan, the road is tricky! What I mean by that is it’s in pretty good shape, enough for you to release your attention but that’s when you’ll encounter a big pothole or a brief dirt rutted section on the road.
The worst I see on this road is a washout of at least half my lane on a several meters deep cliff! Of course, no signal or even stones on the road. It was hard to see with the rain and fog on my visor and so I don’t want to think of riding there at night
I stop at Gracias that the LP describes at ‘charming colonial town’. It’s OK, but maybe because of the weather not that beautiful to my eyes.
Even in Mexico I had noticed those huge lines in front of some banks and I wonder why that is
Soon after Gracias the road abruptly turns to rutted dirt.
By now I’m used to these sudden changes but this time it for about 20 kms of sliding the front, the rear and sometimes both tires! After San Juan there are a few kilometers of pavement and then it’s back to dirt again. Is this really one of the 2 roads to reach the capital???
Soon after, on a very small village, I arrive at an intersection. The main road is clearly on the right but a sign indicates ‘La Esperanza’ (where I want to go) on the left. On the map and GPS there is only one existing road there, not 2
.
I follow my personal rule which is to always ask to 3 different persons. They all say that there are in fact 2 roads that go to La Esperanza but they disagree on which one is the best… Well, I’ll take the ‘main’ one then since it goes there anyway.
It’s still muddy and slippery especially in the places where road work is being done - although I see no one working and little equipment). Actually I barely see any car either… On the GPS I’m 2 third of the way when… no road anymore
They’re building another bridge but it’s not close to be ready.
OK, what to do now? Of course I’ve been in reserve for a while
and if I can reach La Esperanza, I’m not sure if I could go back to San Juan. And the last small village didn’t have a gas station.
No, my best chance is to find a way to the appropriately named La Esperanza (Hope). I’m about to start my bike again when I hear noises close by. I walk there and see a group of workers who indicate that there is indeed a road that goes to La Esperanza. I need to backtrack a bit and then I’ll see it. Cool! I don’t remember seeing any road but with the big construction mess in this section I might have missed it.
Soon after, I see indeed a small bifurcation for a narrow road climbing on the side. Of course there is no indication but I give it a try. A minute later, seeing this climb I hesitate: with this clayish color there is no doubt that it will be very slippery.
The most worrying is that I don’t see many tracks (much less than the ones going to the broken bridge) so I wonder if this is the right road
. It’s getting late and I ponder if it’s a good idea to go on a forest road where I could get stuck with barely any traffic to help. Well, at least my camping gear would finally be put to use
.
I get stuck at one point but manage to get through. And finally I do see a ‘bridge’!
Yeah, I finally make it to La Esperanza where I get gas. I continue my way and cool, it’s pavement. Yep, but the GPS shows that it’s the wrong road
.
I go back to the village, ask a couple of times and end up in one of the many muddy streets. That one leads indeed to the dirt road for Marcala. That road is almost on the crest and I’m sure would offer a beautiful scenery. Unfortunately this is high elevation and I’m riding pretty much in the clouds now which limit the visibility
.
It’s almost dark when I finally reach Marcala, a town that the ‘Red Frog’ guy suggested for the night, although he was sure that it would not be doable for the first night
.
At this point I’m not sure what he found special about this town, but it certainly a welcome change from the touristy side of Copan. I choose a fancy restaurant
They cook my carne asada directly on the sidewalk to avoid the smoke inside…
