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The Journals from the Road
March 14: Lose a Juan and find a Juan - Juchila, Oaxaca I had promised many of the children that I would try to come speak at their school and some even reminded me to come in the morning. When I got to the school the director had just left but was to return shortly. Jon decided to come along so we took some photos and then waited in the shade. Most of the kids were practicing for an all-district concert. They were singing Mexico´s National Anthem ¨Mexico Lindo y Querido¨. The director came back and I told him about my trip and he got all the kids together and we had quite a party. Fiesta con Elephant Story, Q&As, Photo Ops, and Rolling Tires! It was the best recess I have had in a while and I think it will remain on their top 10 list as well. After our great visit and many good-byes we headed down the hills out of La Reforma. Within about half an hour and cyclist came up alongside of me. We introduced ourselves. His name was Juan Vasquez Valdivieso. My name was Tad Beckwith. It is still is, I suppose. Juan was doing a little vacation work out. He competes in national cycling races and has been Mexico´s National Champion before. He hopes to compete in the Pan-American games and someday in Tour De France. He rode with John and I for a couple of hours until we stopped for lunch. After a mediocre and too spicy fried potato dish, which I specially ordered so I´m to blame, we headed out again. Jon soon passed me up and was was riding out ahead of me a few miles. We went up through a few more kms of mountains and then dropped onto a flat, straight road, the first in many miles. When I finally came into Teohuantepec Jon (Juan) was nowhere in sight. I stopped and asked if he had passed and nobody had seen him. I slowly rode toward town after waiting a bit and he was not to be seen. Just when I was wondering what to do Juan (the other Juan) comes up again and said he had taken an extra road and that I should come with him to the next town and stay at is house. I hoped Jon might still be ahead and so I agreed and staying at a home also sounded nice. Well, after an hour and a half of hard pedaling we got to Juan's home in Juricha but no Jon to be found. He must have ducked for cover in the last town and I missed him. I hope to meet up with him soon as he has been great company. I got to meet Juan's hermanos (siblings) Jimmy, Lupe, and Cristopher. Juan and I went out for Pizza and played some kind of Mexican Bingo game. We didn´t win a free pizza but we ate two tasty ones. TAD |