"On the Trail"

The Journals from the Road

November 25:  Thanksgiving con las Enchiladas - Guerrero Negro,BCS Mex

I woke up this morning feeling a little homesick.  I lay awake thinking about what my family would probably be doing today and I really started to miss them. 

I figured that I had better get busy with my errands for the day so that I wouldn't start feeling too bad.  Today, I needed to find someone who could fix my back flat tire.  I got so frustrated yesterday because I couldn't get my tire off and I tried for about half an hour.  Here I am, having traveled over 2000 miles, fixed many flats, and for some reason I couldn't get the !@#$%^grrr tire off.  I also had a warp in my wheel that was causing my back break to rub.  I had met a little girl whose parents worked at a taco stand and she told me where to find this old man who was very good at fixing bikes. 
I went to his shop and he straightened up the wheel and got the tire off. My hero!  I really enjoyed watching him work because it looked like he knew what he was doing.  But then when I tried out the straightened tire it rubbed even more than before.  Just at the precise moment I realized this I spotted Justin walking down the street.  We had separated yesterday and the hotel we had planned to meet at must have gone out of business because it was nowhere to be found.  I called for him and he came over and figured out how to adjust the brakes from side to side.  We were in business again.

After that I talked to Justin about his plans and he said that he wanted to stay for another day and rest a bit more.  We shopped for some fruit (much is grown in the US, like Washington apples).  I have always hated those little stickers on apples because they were a nuisance but here they are a bright, familiar sign that says, "I am safe to eat".

After the fruit stand I sent and received some email, oiled my chain and cleaned up my bike.  I really didn't feel like hitting the road and another night of camping on Thanksgiving but I couldn't find Justin's hotel either. 

I decided to use my '3 strikes 'til hotel' rule by which I would ask three people for a place to stay.  Having a rule like that makes it a bit easier to get up the guts to ask. I can also tell myself I really tried if I asked three people with no luck and then go find a hotel.

I thought about buying a book for the road and ended up talking to the cashier about where I might be able to spend the night.  She told me she couldn't help me but then right as I was leaving she told me that her younger sister was attending an English class and the English teacher might be able to help me. 

With her drawn map in hand I soon pulled my bike into the schoolyard.  It didn't take but a few seconds and I was surrounded by students. I mentioned the teacher's nickname 'Escopi' and they took me to him.

I explained to him who I was and what I was doing and before I could finish he told me I could stay at his home.

As we spoke his students streamed out of the classroom door and surrounded us.  When he told them that I was going to tell them a story they all cheered and ran back to their seats.

The next hour was a Thanksgiving gift from the children of Amado Nervo School to a slightly lonely PeaceBiker.  My spirits were quickly lifted as these children sat wide eyed and listened to tales of the journey.  They helped me by guessing at the words I didn't know how to say.  At the end they got a chance to check out my gear and I signed a few autographs. 

This classroom is being partnered up with another PeaceBike Classroom in San Luis Obispo. Continued in Part 2...

An 'edu-venture' around the world for peace.

"We seek to connect young people around the world to each other so that their friendships build a peaceful world for us all.

-Tad Beckwith