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The Journals from the Road
February 25: A night in the village - San Marco
If yesterday's lesson was 'carry an extra' today's is 'where there is a locksmith there is a key. I got off to a later start than usual because Zahira reminded me that I said I was going to fix her bike. We examined both tubes, inflated them, and put some oil on the chain. Fernando had given me directions to a locksmith and an entrance onto the autopista (main highway). With the help of his map, and a few pointers from some guys on a curb I found the locksmith. His name is Roman and he did a great job. He filed down a key he had until it fit into the lock and within ten minutes had made one that matched my other a fit perfectly. I was thrilled! Next, I went to Bodega, which was a lot like a Costco, and bought a bunch of bananas, guavas, apples, and a nectarine. After a snack in the shade and a visit with a dad and son about PeaceBike I headed out to the highway. It took about 45 minutes to get out of town. Once back on the highway the clouds gave me cover from the bright sun. I loved cruising on the wide shoulder and being able to take in the fields, some lined with crops and others with mounds of post-crop left over debris. I started out on the road a bit after two so four came quickly. At about 4:40 I pulled off the main highway onto a dirt path and into a small village of about 2000. I realized there hadn't been many long-distance bikers in the town when everyone, including the adults, would stop what they were doing and stare. I stopped and spoke to a man and a woman about where I might stay. The woman thought I was muy loco and asked why I didn't take a plane or at least a car. The man told her that it was because I wanted to get to know the people and that he had seen a guy on TV from El Salvador who was biking to the US. They recommended that I ride to the next town for a hotel. I thanked them and headed off hoping I could find something more local. I went to the other end of town and asked a lady if I might stay inside her walled compound. She said she would have to wait for her husband to decide together but he got home at eight. I thanked her and went to a nearby house. I asked again and she said that her husband would be home at 6:30 but that it should be fine. I decided to chance it and waited and ate some of my fruit. Soon the husband, Habobo, brought his bike out to show me, which was a good sign. We talked for a while and then he said I could stay the night. I thanked him and wheeled my bike into their fenced porch, chained it to a concrete support post and then sat down. They had five girls: Sandy, Nancy, Carel, Cecilia, and Mariana. For dinner they had tortillas with bowls of broth with a fried fish in each. They shared their tortillas with me and I shared my apples with them. After dinner I got out my sleeping bag and covered up my bike. Habobo offered me a room with a full mattress and a bunch of drying corn in it. That sounded great to me. I slept quite quite comfortably, every once in a while eyeing my bike, until I awoke at 8:15am. It is Saturday and so they said there was no hurry. I will look for a phone so I can send these journals to you. Peace(Bike), TAD |