"On the Trail"

The Journals from the Road

March 8:  Thunder, Lightning, Oatmeal, and Dirt Roads - Hierve el Agua, Oaxaca

Yesterday, John(the traveler from Washington, D.C.) and I started about 1:15. A stop to buy water, bananas, oatmeal, raisens, prunes, and crackers, and then we were on the road. It took us about 45 mins and many inhalations of carbon-u-name-it-oxide to get out of the city. We went out about 10 km and realized that the town we had just passed was the town of Tule, home of the widest tree in the Americas, 58 meters in circumference to be precise. So we had to turn around and check it out. We both loved the Tree of Tule and I took some video footage (coming soon to the PeaceBike Film Room).

After Tule we biked along a nice, flat road. We are no longer on the autopista so there is no shoulder on this road and a lot more potholes. But for now that is not a problem. You just stay alert. We had about an hour of daylight left when we came to the Dainzu ruins. It was though we had discovered them because we were the only ones there. Soon after, however, we discovered a nice man wanting an entrance fee, oh well. We hiked around for a bit, admired the sunrays as they beamed through the clowds, climbed down into a tunnel, and took a few pics.

Off again and this time to find shelter. We found luxurious shelter in the form of a semi-constructed house about 100 meters from the road. We surveyed the area and called it highly convenient, considering the oncoming rain clouds. John scouted out a nearby creek while I set up the tent.

Then started the most beautiful sound and light show I have ever seen. The raindrops seemed to draw out the rich smell of the earth as the bright spears of Zeus dropped from the sky. The thunder cracked and boomed for over an hour. I just sat on top the brick window opening of one of the rooms and took it in with delight. The clouds added a surreal backdrop of swirling purples and greys as the rain pinged the clay shingles on the roof. For all these adjectives it is probably not as good as the real thing but a reminder to watch nature when you get a chance. It's a masterpiece!

John came back and dove in the tent for a siesta and I told him I would wake him up for dinner. Dinner of oatmeal, raisens, and bananas, with a few Ritz-like crackers hit the spot.

We woke up at about 8:30 and were off by 9:30. We stopped at the first town and had Huevos a la Mexicana(scrambled with chilis and onions), fruit, and juice. As we were eating a touring cyclist rode by. I waved him down with the help of some locals. He was a Japanese fellow who is traveling from somewhere very north in Canada to the tip of South America. Chances are against meeting up again as I will take the longer route around the Yucatan before going into Belize and he is going directly into Guatamala. Mr. Hayaku, best wishes and wind to your back!

We stopped at another small ruin and then found the town of Mitla. We rode up into the town and admired the geometric patterns on the pyramids from behind the wall(deciding not to pay the entrance fee this time.)

We headed off of 190 and took 179 to find Hierve el Agua(The Water Boils), a bunch of mineralized pools and rock formations that look like frozen waterfalls. We didn't know that most of the road was uphill and the last half was dirt when we started and got to our detination a bit after five.

A twilight meal, a walk, and a quick, cold dip in a pool and I was ready for bed. I couldn't sleep with the wind blowing the heck out of the nearby palapa (grass hut of sorts) so I decided to write up this journal. The wind has stopped now so...zzzzz.zzz