Week 119: to Macuspana: with clouds and a tailwind

July 5, 2017

The time difference has thrown us off a bit, the alarm goes off for an early start, it's just a bit too early. We slowly pack and eat breakfast waiting for the enough morning light to ride. We make our way out of town. There is a bike lane we don't use, it's narrow and also for pedestrian use. We might have considered riding on it if the traffic were heavier. And, like most bike lanes everywhere except maybe in the Netherlands, it ends abruptly at the city edge.

The first part to Catazaja, there is nothing but green hills and cows until the junction. We can hear howler monkeys off in the forest. We were expecting much more at the junction. After turning onto Ruta 186, the road is blocked off and traffic is directed into a huge checkpoint like a border crossing then come out about 100 meters from where the road was blocked off. There is a gas station with an Oxxo shop and we stop for a break.

Now we are on a big roadway, heavy traffic with big rig double trailer trucks. Again there are no shops or restaurants until distance marker 96 and between 85-84. We stop again for an Oxxo break at distance marker 76 where there is a military checkpoint. After crossing the river, and 10km further all the way to the junction to Macuspana there are regular restaurants where truckers stop. We just keep moving along, and coping with the constant traffic.

Macuspana is 4km off the main road. Google shows a shortcut road, but it is dirt and we are unsure there would be a bridge across the river. So we add a couple more kilometers and stay on the main road a bit longer. The center road dividers on the spur into town are painted a bright green and with red ducks, and the big round has a huge statue surrounded by flying ducks. We navigate the wrong way down one way streets to find Hotel Claudia. The room is 400Pesos with a receipt and 350Pesos without a receipt. The bikes are locked in the lobby downstairs as they keep the place pretty well locked up. There is hot water, TV and excellent WiFi. We carry gear to the room then head out for lunch at a Taqueria around the corner, then head back to settle into the room. Patrick goes out to shop for yogurt and fruit for breakfast. In the evening we walk around town some more looking for a Chinese restaurant that is closed now. Not many restaurants in this town. We end up eating dinner at the same corner Taqueria.

Leaving Palenque. If you want to see Mayan architecture this is one of the better sites, not quite the tourist hordes like Chitzen Itza and Uxmal or Tulum, and set in beautiful jungle.

Rachel wants a souvenir...the pig in sheriff's clothes scores high.

Hotel Claudia, don't judge it by the broken sign.

Nice looking breads at a bakery in Macuspana. The Danish we buy though are very dry.

Bicycle taxi at the city square in Macuspana.

Our corner Taqueria. We have lunch and dinner here.

Macuspana is fortified. Many houses have double steel gates in front of the entry doors and some shops are fenced off like this. Is this what is required for the "haves" and "have-nots" to live together?

Today's ride: 104 km (65 miles)
Total: 34,477 km (21,410 miles)

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