Volcano Boarding in Leon, Nicaragua!

January 5, 2023

Today was Volcano Boarding day! I had been looking forward to this ever since stumbling on this while researching the area online when planning this trip. A little on volcano boarding: There are only two places in the world you can do this - here in Leon, and one place in Chile. Well, right there you know that I'm going to do this because of that alone. Volcano boarding ranks #2 on CNN's list of 50 crazy things you must do before you die. A little about this volcano - Cerro Negro. It is the youngest volcano in Central America, and 2nd youngest in the world, at only 200 years old. It is very active, erupting with regular frequency about every 20 years. The last time was 1999. Cerro Negro was popularized by Eric Barone by riding a bike down its slope at 172 kph. He suffered many broken bones as a result, but it encouraged others to find ways to enjoy this new volcano.

We left from a hostel - another event from a hostel (I sure did miss the boat there when I was younger). We loaded up in the back of two trucks. Most everyone was in their 20's, a few in their 30's, and most all Europeans. It took about an hour to get there and then another hour to walk up. At the top, while were were waiting for another group, we walked over to the crater and one of the guides, dug away some dirt - about 6" deep, and asked us to touch that ground. Compared to the top of the ground, you could barely touch it as it was so hot! He said that about an 18" depth, you could boil water. That was crazy. That, in conjunction with being 3-4 years overdue for an eruption, was making me pretty anxious to get this over with and get out of there!

The guides asked our group of about 18 who wanted to be first and no one answered, so I did. What a thrill! I didn't go as fast as some of the others, and especially as fast these guys (not my YouTube video): volcano boarders in Leon. I just was not as adventurous as all these young people, but I still got my box checked!

After we got back, we all shared a hostel-style lunch of tortillas, pre-made bagged refried beans, veggies, hot sauce, and crushed Doritos. Yum! I even had a Tona beer - the national beer of Nicaragua. I haven't had a beer in years, but it went so well with the group and meal. I fit right in with group then (yeah right)!

A bird taking a bath outside my door as I was headed to the hotel restaurant for breakfast

This small hole in the dirt was crazy hot! You could barely pick up any dirt in your hand - that's how close the lava was beneath the surface!

You can see the "chutes" a bit here, as we were headed out.

Ah, lunchtime back at that tour agency (inside the hostel). Squeeze refried beans and all the fixings, and a Nicaraguan beer!

There was an event in the cathedral tonight

I had the same as yesterday's lunch - those fish tacos were so good!

Then, back at my hotel briefly, in a common area.

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