03/28/24 Huehuetenango - south - CycleBlaze

March 28, 2024

03/28/24 Huehuetenango

All uphill, but still easier than yesterday
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I was not looking forward to today, expecting a ride more difficult than yesterday. My routing app said I would encounter several miles of steep climbing above 10% grade and expected I’d be doing a lot of walking. So I was pleased to discover that RideWithGPS was wrong, and I never had anything over 8% and didn’t have to walk at all! I was better about drinking lots of water as well, so I ended the day physically much better than yesterday. I’m taking a day off tomorrow, to explore the town a bit and to plan the next leg. I was so intimidated by what I assumed today would be like that hadn’t done any thinking beyond Huehuetenango, so I now need to do some thinking.

I left early, no breakfast options yet open at 6:15, so I stopped for breakfast in La Democracia
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An attempt to convey how steep everything is
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I’m noticing more hotels than appear on Google
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Gaudy
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Judy GaukelOld stair railings?
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6 months ago
David ChavezNew. It’s in front of a place that makes them, I presume these are the choices. They are used in many of the newly built houses
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6 months ago
Personal silos for sale
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There’s a village perched on that hill
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I wish it was mist that is causing the low visibility, but it’s all smoke
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A family of chickens
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This poor guy is living a hard life
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The litter problem is astonishing
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Bill ShaneyfeltSad to see this in all undeveloped nations. It was bad in Guate. in 2010 when I was on a high school missions trip to Lago Atitlan area, but this is far worse!
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6 months ago
Karen PoretTo Bill ShaneyfeltWHY??
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6 months ago
Bill ShaneyfeltTo Karen PoretNot sure. I suspect culture... Never learned to dispose. It happens here too. I pick up and bag trash at local parks, and the park system has an organized volunteer system. It is better now than 15 years ago before they started the volunteer trash pick up. I noticed decades ago hiking the Appalachian Trail that there was lots of trash near trailheads and it slowly dissipated farther away for about half a mile. "There, the rule is carry in, carry out." I carry a whisk broom on my bike to sweep glass from the bike paths. Still, I get an occasional flat.

"People are such pigs!" Origin unknown.

Yup, Why? Don't people realize it is like crapping in your own bed?
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6 months ago
Karen PoretTo Bill ShaneyfeltThanks for the thread, Bill!
Fortunately we don’t have it “ this bad” in the 🇺🇸, but with the homeless people we are getting closer :(
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6 months ago
Judy GaukelI remember asking where to dispose trash we were carrying backpacking in Bolivia and people laughed at us and pointed to the ground...
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6 months ago
I swung by to get water and ask about the name
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William built his nest egg supervising undocumented workers for 20 years in Memphis, came back and built his house and store
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His 12 year old daughter listened to our conversation but was too shy to talk
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Another terrorist who refused to bare his teeth for the camera
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Tossing trash off the bridge
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Drying coffee. There are many small farmers growing coffee for sale
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Women weaving was a common sight
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Judy GaukelThat is awesome!
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6 months ago
Robert BryceI was worried that weaving had died out. I love the fabric!
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6 months ago
The mom unrolled her project to show me what she was making
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They have a kitten
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More weavers
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Coffee seedlings (I presume) in the shade
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I got a friendly honk and a wave from In God We Trust guy
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Church on hill
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These kids hid and giggled but wouldn’t talk
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Women carrying firewood on their backs, hanging from their foreheads
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Coffee seedings
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These Blue Bird buses are the main intercity public transportation. They are called chicken buses because they can carry everything, including chickens. Locals call them “camionetas”, i.e. buses. I may ride one at some point
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Judy GaukelWe rode them at some point, and I was surprised that they had little stools too create a middle seat in the aisles..
And indeed, everything goes on top or in those buses!!
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6 months ago
Robert BryceI love that you are in the land of the chicken busses. They are so cool and go everywhere
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6 months ago
Chicken buses began life carrying American schoolchildren
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Karen PoretThis school bus is from Exeter, CA, near Visalia and Tulare ( Fresno County) in the Central Valley.
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6 months ago
Old buses never die
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They go to Guatemala and eventually get new paint. Note the padlock on the gas cap
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Spring owned by the local communities. The sign says take what you need and don’t dump your trash in our water supply
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Tree hugging the rocks
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First Guatemalan flag I’ve seen
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This guy was building a shelf and selling tables, $10 each
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Another flag house, properly oriented this time
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Bill ShaneyfeltStill short on stars and stripes, but better!
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6 months ago
The colors!
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Bill ShaneyfeltWhat's on sale?
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6 months ago
Marco was drying coffee chatted with me about that and other things while his daughters hovered. When I asked for a picture he said yes and they scurried
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Migrant aid office
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Pan American highway needs work
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Judy GaukelCan you imagine Fangio racing on it?!!!
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6 months ago
A major firewood operation. It appears that cooking with wood is the norm
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Today was the first day I’ve passed enough flowing water that the filter I’ve been carrying could be useful. Stores with cold water every few miles means I never considered it
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“The poor are who suffer because of corruption. Don’t sell our dignity!”
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Pickup trucks carry people between the local communities. Minivans also, but on this stretch it was mostly the trucks. William said there would be more chicken buses but this is Easter week and a lot of services have been reduced
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And another one
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Bill ShaneyfeltYay! almost got it right
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6 months ago
Come to Huehuetenango and attend Cambridge
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Karen PoretAnd solve the Rubik’s cube, too ….
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6 months ago
I picked what looked like a nice place on Google
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Where I did this update
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No single rooms available, I got this for $22.
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Judy GaukelPretty swanky!
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6 months ago
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Today's ride: 48 miles (77 km)
Total: 3,059 miles (4,923 km)

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