Day 11: Coba to Valladolid

December 23, 2023

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I woke up last night about midnight, suddenly aware that something was dramatically wrong with me. Basically, I had to throw up - right now! I stuck my head in the toilet and did a lot of that so uncomfortable wretching, eventually coming up with much brown stuff, in several lots, plus a lot of spitting and choking. Following this I really could not breathe, resulting in a lot of panting, with chills and shaking. The panting continued for a couple of hours, following which I threw up again, and later, again.

This illness put us in a difficult situation. We had been poised to jump over to Valladolid, for three days of Christmas fun, at our favourite hotel, the San Clemente. What's more, to get the fun rolling we planned a new to us backroads, longer than normal route to Valladoid, just to celebrate our amazing cycling skills.

We could cancel at the San Clemente for the first day, because we had free cancellation. But the San Clemente was fully booked over the holiday. If we were to cancel our four nights and attempt to come back in for three nights, in the time elapsed playing with the computer, we could lose it all. And we could not phone to arrange it, because San Clemente is Spanish only.

With the third vomiting session, I suddenly could breathe again, and I lay on the bed gaining a little strength. In these cases I always think of Wesley in the Princess Bride, recovering from being "mostly dead", but still unsure if he has the strength as yet to fight Prince Humperdink. Dodie voted for cancelling San Clemente, but I am stubborn and childish about such things. I proposed a test - If I could pick up my handlebar bag and walk down the stairs to my bike, I would say I could maybe make it. Dodie got tired of such games and declared we should :"Just Do It", and we would take the back road.

Our first photo on the route, which passed by the lake and on past the cenote we were at yesterday, was of a Snowy Egret. I took the shot, but quickly realized that I lacked the strength to handle the camera, plus looking up, or to the distance was making me dizzy. So we handed off the photo duties to Dodie. We'll be able to see here if her eye and technique differs from mine.

On Cozumel we also photographed a drawing of a Mayan Bee. Strangely they all have teeth. An Aldea Maya is a Mayan Village. There are a number of these about. We have avoided them because we expect we would be the only ones there, and would feel pressure to buy stuff.

By the time we reached yesterday's cenote (7 km out) I was exhausted, and realized that this was going to be a long slog. But there was no going back now. As we went along, I was kind of burping -about once per five seconds, for about two hours. That's about 1500 total burps - so tiring! Dodie was keeping an eye on me back there, and was adjusting the pace if I lagged. On the rough parts of the road, I just hung my head and followed exactly in her tracks around the potholes. I was too tired to find my own way through.

Our back roads looked like this for most of the day. There was maybe one car every half hour.

Here are a driveway along the way.

The jungle, however, is lower and more scrubby. Cattle country to some extent.

Turkey vultures eating roadkill (not us).

Transport bikes are parked by paths leading into the bush.

We passed through some typical villages.

The roads were normally well paved, but there were several kilometers of potholes and water.

We are entering Yucatan Province. Time to move the clocks back one hour.

Lush gardens with palms, bananas, and oranges.

We stopped at the town park here, where I collapsed on a bench for a few precious moments.

A big and elegant tree by our lunch bench (not that I could eat anything).

All along the road garbage was strewn. This is just a special concentration.

Dodie is sorry she missed getting a shot of a Keel Billed Toucan and a Turquoise Crowned Mott Mott, as well as fast moving parrots. Also two ocelated turkeys walked right by in front of us, but slipped into the brush before the camera could come out.

There was a separate bike path all the way from Chichamila almost to the centre of Valladolid.

Every time Dodie stopped to aim the camera, I slumped over my bike, trying to get some rest. It was not only being sick but also the night without sleep. When we got into Valladolid, we found the town abuzz with pre Christmas activity. But we were now both too tired to record it. Tomorrow will be another day.

When we were very near the hotel, we had to take the sidewalk because of one way streets. Off the bike, I found I almost could not walk - legs were so sore and tired. And the three easy steps at the hotel entrance were too much for me. Someone kindly helped with both bikes. I had been dreaming of my bed at San Clemente for the past many kms, and now I just collapsed on it, leaving poor Dodie to attend to everything. Only now, some hours later, is the blog getting written. We did a COVID test - negative. Our current best theory, since we both ate all the same stuff, is the water of the cenote. Dodie went in in a lady like manner, while I typically jumped in and rampaged around blowing bubbles. Maybe...

Today's ride: 77 km (48 miles)
Total: 427 km (265 miles)

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	9
Comment on this entry	Comment	12

Scott AndersonI’m so sorry, Steve. Glad you made it in safely. Good luck on a fast recovery.
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4 months ago

Kathleen ClassenThis didn’t sound like a fun day. Best wishes for a fast turn around and a warm relaxing Christmas.
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4 months ago

Bill ShaneyfeltGet some rest...
Amazing you completed that trip in such a state!
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4 months ago

Steve Miller/GrampiesTo Scott AndersonAs always, I just gritted my teeth and grimly followed Dodie's wheels. Good thing she had the camera, or there would be no pictures.
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4 months ago

Steve Miller/GrampiesTo Kathleen ClassenType 2 fun for sure. We love Valladolid and this hotel. Christmas in the main square, just around the corner, will be type 1 fun.
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4 months ago

Steve Miller/GrampiesTo Bill ShaneyfeltSeriously not sure how we did the ride. Dodie says she felt like she was pulling me along with mental energy, and I don't really remember much.
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4 months ago

Suzanne GibsonA very rough 77 km, Steve! You are amazing. While reading about it, I thought, well he wrote this so he must have survived.
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4 months ago

Steve Miller/GrampiesType 2 fun, for sure. Yeah, survived is the right word. A good rest tonight and tomorrow is another day.
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4 months ago

Andrea BrownI hope you’re feeling better now, Steve.
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4 months ago

Laurie MarczakI am shaking my head at you quite a bit but not too vigorously because I’m pretty sure I would have pulled the same stunt. Sorry you were so sick dad! Onwards to read the next day’s post which hopefully includes you feeling dramatically better…
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4 months ago

Steve Miller/GrampiesTo Laurie MarczakWe have the benefit here of a good room, where we can make it dark and cool. Putting Northerners in the dark and cool for a few hours is a good remedy. We did get tired in the heat and sun today, but no matter, tomorrow we will spin up to Ek Balam and back, just for the hell of it!
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4 months ago

Sue PriceOh no! Just catching up after a few days - yikes! You are sure a tough nut, Steve! Glad you are there for a few nights to rest up!
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4 months ago