I am in Cancun now, and have been checking out the ruins, the beaches and the climate conference. I have been enjoying discussing the ideas of the Breakthrough Institute with folks who are part of the climate conference and staying my hostel, Hostel Quetzal.
Planning to head South in a few days to Playa del Carmen and stay there with a friend perhaps until Christmas. This will be the first leg I do by bicycle since I rode to Brownsville from Harlingen. Looking forward to Playa, and a Christmas in Mexico. The Posadas start on the 16th of December, and there is one every night until Christmas--includes call and response songs, pinyatas for the kids, processing through the streets to various houses and churches looking for a place for Mary to have the baby...should be fun! Then tamales and toritos for Christmas!
Monday, December 06, 2010
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Update
I am in Veracruz Mexico now. Some of this trip is by bike, some by bus, some by train, some by boat. I could just fly, but this way I get to see the friends I met last trip, see places along the way, feel the accomplishment and physical gain from biking, etc. Next stop is Cancun and Playa del Carmen. The climate conference starts tomorrow. While I am not officially apart of it, I want to witness the alternative conference organized by the Mexican farmers and network with those officially apart of it. And go to the beach! I haven't been to a world-class beach in years. So I am excited about that. I have a friend in Playa del Carmen who works at a hotel, so I will be posting up there for a few days, too. Then my rough plan is to bike Southward to Panama, boat to Colombia, bike to Venezuela, and then Manaus, Brazil in the Amazon. Boat to Belem, Brazil, and bike to Natal, Brazil. Big trip with lots of possibilities. I am taking it step by step. So far so good, very smooth sailing. I am currently staying at a hotel in Veracruz now, owned by some friends I met last trip.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Brownsville Bike Mechanic Helps Out!
Noe Valles of Brownsville is the city's best bicycle mechanic. Though it is no longer his full time job, he has a bicycle workshop at his house and he donates his time to work on bikes of the local River Rockets cycling club, and he put in time and materials to help out my project. I came to him to tweak the handlebar set-up to address the pain I experienced between my shoulderblades after my 100 mile ride. He changed out my stem to arrive at a lower, closer-in position. We also cleaned the right Ultegra brifter and installed new shifter cables. Thank you, Noe, for your time, energy and materials! If you are cycling tourist passing through Brownsville, be sure to look up Noe and say hi! Reach him via River Rockets.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Kingsville, TX to Harlingen, TX
Hey All,
Yesterday I biked 101 miles from Kingsville, TX to Harlingen, TX over a large stretch of land with not much development since it is part of the "King Ranch", a privately owned wildlife preserve. The great thing was that the wind was at my back yesterday. The three riding days prior to that, I was riding against a steady wind, but yesterday, the wind was finally back in my favor.
Highlights of the day included meeting a themed blanket vendor, and by that I mean that each of his blankets was like a large poster--with a theme like Marilyn Monroe or Batman, etc. He was a great guy, from Guanajuato, and the first thing he said to me was, "Who sent you?" I said, "What do you mean?" He said, "Someone sent you here. You wouldn't be traveling like this if no one sent you." I said, "I sent myself." He said, "It costs lots of money to do what you do." And he made the Mexican gesture for money which is made by making your thumb and index finger wrap around an imaginary credit card. I said, "No, it does not cost lots of money." Partly because I know from experience that it is not smart to reveal one has money, and partly because of the truth of knowing how to travel frugally. I got some good photos of myself, the vendor (Enrique, "El Cochero"/"Blanket Man") and the state trooper who stopped to let me know that the next service station was 60 miles ahead to I should make sure I had enough water.
The next highlight was 60 miles later, which went by quickly due to the wind, in Raymondville!, TX. I ran into the three blokes, one of whom is a creative painter and sign maker. They were inside a cluttered warehouse structure, smoking dope, I could smell it. But they came out and talked when they saw me looking at their artwork--bikes and home-made trailers, signs, paintings, etc. The guy had made a trailer-wagon that looks like a old-fashioned car made out of plastic and a trashcan, a radio, speakers, bike wheels, a tool box, complete with an ad for his business, all trailing behind a regular bicycle.
He ended painting my website on my utility deck and a Brazilian flag on my handlebar bag for free. Muy buena onda/very good vibe. Oh, and their puppy was supercute.
Later, I met up with my CouchSurfing host, Wesley of Harlingen. He is a marathon
runner and a cyclist, and he rode out to meet me a few miles outside of town.
I took a rest day and read a book, and felt out Harlingen, walking around, stretching out my legs. Tomorrow, I will bike the 30 miles to the border town, Brownsville, and stay there a few days taking care of some business before entering Mexico, most likely by bus to Veracruz. Business to include installing a front rack on the bike, perhaps exchanging my camera for a waterproof/shockproof one, etc., visiting the zoo, and South Padre Island, etc., feeling out Brownsville, listening to folks about Mexico, Matamoros, etc. Looking forward.
Yesterday I biked 101 miles from Kingsville, TX to Harlingen, TX over a large stretch of land with not much development since it is part of the "King Ranch", a privately owned wildlife preserve. The great thing was that the wind was at my back yesterday. The three riding days prior to that, I was riding against a steady wind, but yesterday, the wind was finally back in my favor.
Highlights of the day included meeting a themed blanket vendor, and by that I mean that each of his blankets was like a large poster--with a theme like Marilyn Monroe or Batman, etc. He was a great guy, from Guanajuato, and the first thing he said to me was, "Who sent you?" I said, "What do you mean?" He said, "Someone sent you here. You wouldn't be traveling like this if no one sent you." I said, "I sent myself." He said, "It costs lots of money to do what you do." And he made the Mexican gesture for money which is made by making your thumb and index finger wrap around an imaginary credit card. I said, "No, it does not cost lots of money." Partly because I know from experience that it is not smart to reveal one has money, and partly because of the truth of knowing how to travel frugally. I got some good photos of myself, the vendor (Enrique, "El Cochero"/"Blanket Man") and the state trooper who stopped to let me know that the next service station was 60 miles ahead to I should make sure I had enough water.
The next highlight was 60 miles later, which went by quickly due to the wind, in Raymondville!, TX. I ran into the three blokes, one of whom is a creative painter and sign maker. They were inside a cluttered warehouse structure, smoking dope, I could smell it. But they came out and talked when they saw me looking at their artwork--bikes and home-made trailers, signs, paintings, etc. The guy had made a trailer-wagon that looks like a old-fashioned car made out of plastic and a trashcan, a radio, speakers, bike wheels, a tool box, complete with an ad for his business, all trailing behind a regular bicycle.
He ended painting my website on my utility deck and a Brazilian flag on my handlebar bag for free. Muy buena onda/very good vibe. Oh, and their puppy was supercute.
Later, I met up with my CouchSurfing host, Wesley of Harlingen. He is a marathon
runner and a cyclist, and he rode out to meet me a few miles outside of town.
I took a rest day and read a book, and felt out Harlingen, walking around, stretching out my legs. Tomorrow, I will bike the 30 miles to the border town, Brownsville, and stay there a few days taking care of some business before entering Mexico, most likely by bus to Veracruz. Business to include installing a front rack on the bike, perhaps exchanging my camera for a waterproof/shockproof one, etc., visiting the zoo, and South Padre Island, etc., feeling out Brownsville, listening to folks about Mexico, Matamoros, etc. Looking forward.
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