Bacalar

We switched our headlamps on and asked which way was south as we carried our bikes down the stairs back out to the street. Take the first right and just keep going. We had just ate our coffee and taken care of the morning duties, packing, peeing, preparing food. Our wheels hit the road and we both checked in to start our stop watches and hit the dark highway for our longest ride to do date. As the cars passed and we rode one behind the other I couldn’t help but drift into thoughts of the beautiful lagoon a bold man on the flight from Indianapolis to Cancun showed me on his phone. He said if we if want less touristy and have time then go to Bacalar and forget the rest of Quinta Roo.

The dark turned to light and I slowly started taking off my headlamp as we rode. Next I managed to get my safety vest into front basket and settle into the ride. We had planned to try and make the 120km ride and had planned to couchsurf that evening across from the lagoon. The started off cool and the vegetation started to change. The dense jungle have glimpse of trees and what once was a thick wall of green became a scenic drive with openings allowing you to see into the future. For some reason I couldn’t settle into my saddle and kept doing the up down to try and get comfortable as the heat started to sink in around 9:00.

What was intended to be a quick break turned into a joyous Saturday playdate with Matteo and Regina at their home. I am not sure their father was pleased but he played along. Matteo showed us and named every tree they had in their village/backyard, banana, avocado, coconut, bamboo, fruits I didn’t know and even plants which we should stay away from. Regina and I played catch with some plant and after nearly an hour and trying out our bikes and gear we received drawings from Matteo and we’ll wishes from the family as they saw us off on our journey. Into the heat we biked as the sun started to burn my tanned skin, I saw the red shinning through my sunblock.

Many hours later down the same road heading south we stopped for lunch in what I would call pineapple land. They were selling pineapples on all sides of the street. We stopped at a small bakery and ordered lunch, used the bathroom and bough fresh squeezed no sugar lemonade. We ended the meal by buying a baked good (cherry and walnut bread) we eagerly took one piece each only to cringe in disappointment. Kevin went on to talk about our pore decision making because we didn’t process slowly that cherries don’t grow here thus they were “fake” and we hadn’t had sweets in a week….I felt ill and the tension mounted as I was even more uncomfortable riding yet powered on. We rode on talking about how we shouldn’t buy sweets anymore and we thought we would just pass the rest on as a gift to our CS host that evening or have it with coffee after another hour or two of riding.

Another hour passed, and yet another. I still could not get into a flow my mind raced, I was hot and I wanted to be there. I thought about and told Kevin how much I disliked riding between 11:00am and 13:00. He was having a good day besides his butt hurting. We stopped to make coffee in some shade and immediately regretted our decision because the mosquitos were eating us, it was sign so we hoped back on the main rode and finally we saw it. Signs for Bacalar and a blue colored water you dream of on a hot day or a cold dark winter night.

We had arrived and the life came back into me. We made our way to our Couchsurfing host who lived across the street from the lagoon and is creating an ecoliving space. He was rad and told us all about his projects and visions and the days he travelled and worked in Canada and how soon he will do it again. We carried our bikes up the stairs and dropped it all to go swimming and enjoy the lagoon and dock. It was spectacular and much needed after the long ride. We decided 120km was a bit much for this early in the trip and I still think with the views and fun we had with our host we would do it all again tomorrow. We woke to rain in the night and the cutest pup sleeping by our tent. It was early, we wanted to catch the sunrise and eat then hit the rode for our first frontier crossing if we played our cards right.

The touch of coffee on my lips in the morning didn’t spark the light it usualy did, after all I didn’t need it because I awoke to a view after a restful night after the longest ride I’ve ever rode in my life. The morning was a workout morning so it was early.

The rings have played a vital roll in our life on the rode. We have transitioned to 3x per week bodyweight training/gymnastic workouts with the rings and the straps double as the genius mechanism which holds our bags to our crap bikes. Minimal living at it’s finest on the rode. Hard not to be thankful with the morning views. We had a tasty breakfast then I bitched at Kevin because I told him yesterday and at breakfast how I hate riding at mid day….what time did we start on the bike, 11:00 fail! Life goes on so we rode with the mindset that soon we would leave Mexico but what a way to end if you ask me and below I leave you with photos to help build your wanderlust and remind me of the good times because it’s not all good, trust me. Also keep an eye out for some wild tan lines.