Hills, True  Love, Dog bites and Fleas

They started the ride last Monday. The route was intense. They climbed and climbed for days. Stayed the nights in Puelblitos along the way. Talked to locals and even played in a river with Pigs and Mexican children. Then on Thursday one of our biggest nightmares became real. Oki was bitten by a rural stray dog. As I understand Oki did nothing to provoke the bite. It came as a complete surprise while they were at a restaurant having lunch at mid day. Worried about contracting rabbies Oki and Laura got as much information about the dog as they could from the lady who owned the restaurant. They got back on the bikes and road down to a place where they would be able to catch a bus into Guadalajara. When they arrived in Guadalajara it was getting late and they were eager to get to a hospital to make sure everything was ok and to learn more about the process of treating rabies with a vaccine just in case. They checked into the closest hotel after dragging the panniers and bikes off the bus and through the streets of Guadalajara. They set out to the hospital where they encountered one of the most frustrating parts of Mexico. What they were looking for, the anti rabies vaccine, was unavailable. Its never that simple though in Mexico. Most of the time it feels as though no one will take responsibility to help you thoroughly. They merely pass the ball from one to another and send you on a goose chase around the city. That was the case at the end of this long day as well. They went to two hospitals which were supposed to have the vaccine and were disappointed time and again. Finally, they went back to the hotel to rest and recover because they knew they would have to do it all again the next day.

Soar from 4 days of riding uphill in the hot sun with chaffed back sides and sun burnt skin all they needed was rest. When they settled in they noticed another problem. The room was infested with fleas and there was no way they would be able to sleep. Wash fleas out of blankets; another chore to be added to the list of things to do the next day. They called Laura’s friend Arqui who was able to organise a ride for them to the house where they would stay with Arqui. It was late and I don’t even know the details of how they made this call since our mobile phone there has never worked (another failed system). They piled the two bikes and 9 panniers in a small car and squeezed in. Finally to rest.
Yesterday they found the vaccine and Oki has started his treatment. They received a lot of help from Barabara and Brad (Laura’s parents) even had Brad riding his bike from his cabin to Talkeetna which is where he was when he heard the news over the weekend to try and find a vaccine. Thank you kindly for your help. What would we do without friends and family like you.

You know there is saying that the sun must set before it can rise. Oki and Laura are now engaged. I will let him tell that story but the two have been through a lot and despite all of the struggles of the year and this tour the last two weeks have been eye opening for them. Congratulations and hooray for two incredible lives and  families coming together.

How Do We Keep Pedaling?

Now, for the tour. Where do we dust ourselves off and pick up our bikes and continue to Colombia? Well, the truth is its going to be tough especially because Oki has to stay in Guadalajara to receive the vaccine treatment for 30 days. This will put us behind schedule. We have talked about ending the tour because of financial challenges that have only been aggravated. I laugh as I write that because in all honesty we shouldn’t have made it this far on our dimes. Our hearts are on the road still though, and we won’t give up so easily. I have canceled my flight back to Mexico and will remain in Anchorage until the end of Oki’s 30 days. I will try and find work doing anything to keep this tour going. We would like to ask you to contribute if you have been inspired by our journey so far and want to see us finish in Bogota by September. No amount is to small given the exchange rate from dollars to pesos. Currently we try and spend no more that 100MX pesos a day the equivalent of $7.76USD.
Right now I am in my bed at my parents house in Anchorage. I am grateful for the comforts I have and the ease of systems that work. My thoughts are with Oki and Laura in Guadalajara. We will keep you up to date.

I’ve learned about my caloric needs from lightheaded hunger rides after too small a breakfast and non productive afternoons after galletas and cerveza. I’ve learned how to hug the road as it curves downhill like a road cyclist does in the races. I’ve increased my Spanish vocabulary through daily practice in Mexico. I’ve learned about behavioural economics through bargaining and people watching in the Mexican streets. I’ve learned to be tough even when I feel small against macho men. I’ve learned to control emotion when I am in need of rest and food through long days in the desert heat. I’ve learned to problem solve with limited resources. I’ve learned how blessed I am to have the opportunity and spirit to have a dream, and set a goal that is achievable such as this. I’ve learned that hard work is the essence of pride.

Puero Vallarta

The last day to Puerto Vallarta was less than enjoyable. I cried, I yelled I hyperventilated at seeing my speed stay the same and my energy decrease with no real idea of how long it would be until I reached the end of the last climb. Drenched in sweat and feeling sick to my stomach I felt defeated. Nonetheless, I had to continue riding. By the time I finished the day and reached Oki who had begun to worry about me I was too drained to even celebrate. I hugged Oki and cried getting it all out that was the only way I could continue. It was terrible but worth it. I would do it again just to be able to feel proud of myself for now completing 3,400km and making it to the 1/3 marker in Puerto Vallarta.

Today I am in Anchorage. I arrived here last week. Its time now for a vacation. Oki is still in Mexico spending time with the lovely Laura. They will be riding from Puerto Vallarta to Guadalajara, MX. I will meet Oki and the bikes again in Morelia on June 6th. Oki and I have talked about skipping Michoacan due to the new travel warnings and insider info about road conditions of the MEX 200.

I have finally uploaded all of our photos so have a look:

Now that we have reached mainland Mexico we find ourselves still tring to find our rythm and pace. We started with an 8am morning, then 7 and finally decided that 6AM is the best time to start riding to avoid the treturous heat and humidity. Mean while our first 5 days here have all been incredible thanks to the great hearts of the locals we have met.

You can read more about what Oki has come to loves and why Erika feels shes been on a  rollercoaster.

An entry from my journal aboard The Blue Dolphin which we have been crewing for the last week. We had a few days of calm wind in which we kayaked to land and explored beautiful coastlines. There was one day of 20knot winds where we got to use all 3 sails. Oscar was the main decky; he restled a boom in rough seas ontop of the pilot house, held down a loose anchor that the jib line had become attached too while harnessed in on the forward deck. He even has official sailing shoes now.  We learned a lot and met several sweet and adventurous cruisers in Puerto Escondido where we ended our sailng adventure to head south once again.

Today we have arrived in Mazatlan, MX by ferry from Baja California. Its humid and hot, but on the other hand there are also a lot of wild palm trees, fresh cocos and a new coastline to explore.

La Paz has treated us so well. These streets are filled with music that we wake to each morning on our rooftop (Robert and Kathy’s rental) . At night the moon tucks us in and the sun sometimes very rudely wakes us up. Oki has become one of the locals, he knows the guys from the boatyard, the kids from the bike shop and has been able to capture beautiful portraits of life. Tonight the Malecon (waterfront) was filled with Mexican music, kids riding bikes and rollerblading. Young people leaning out the widows of cars yelling and waving just to add to the feel of excitment and life of this city on another beautiful Saturday. I am grateful that we stopped here. Its been such a reward to our jourey. From my journal: This ~3400km has changed me. The desert changed me. The open blue sky changed me. The other day I opened my eyes and was very aware of where I was and who I was. I felt strong and accomplished. I am happy.

We pedelled through 3 deserts, we’ve fought the headwinds across flat plains. We’ve climbed up  up and over to the sea of ortez twice. We’ve literally almost been airborn with the help of gusty tailwinds propelling us to 35kmph with no effort. For a lot of the last 500km our team of two has become a team of 5 and travelling with Fausto, Pacall and Anthony as terrific. Now we head our separate ways but will meet up on the mainland. Tonight I am in the haul of our sailboat. Tomorow we set sail. All I can hear are the delicate seas beneath us and through my hatch i can see the stars. Thank you for coming with me. Unti next time.

Thank you for your support! PHOTO: Pasquel

We’ve reached the end of the Baja California portion of our trip. The deserts, mountain ranges and cool breezes coming of the blue Sea of Cortez tested not just our physical endurance, but also our patience and mental strength. Our success in completing this portion of the journey was made possible not just by the hope and strength we exude as two traveling siblings, but also by the financial contributions from you our friends, family, and followers. Thank you for believing in us and helping us to experience and grow in this nomadic journey to our home country.

From here, Erika and I are looking forward to making the most of the work/ stay we have set up in Puerto Vallarta, as we both are in the process of lining up a few gigs to make some extra cash. From there the next major stop will be for the opening FIFA World Cup game between Mexico and South Africa, which is hosting this World Cup. We are anticipating to watch the game in the home town of our cycling friend Fausto who we met while crossing the second desert in Baja.

On another note. The Que Hubo tour is feeling an economic pinch. We are not sure that we will be able to make it all the way to Colombia due to the cost of living. We save as much as possible by buying groceries and camping for free. Our new strategy is to use couch surfing more often and spend less on food although the latter is difficult when we burn so many calories a day. We need your help. There are a few things you can do.

• contribute 10.00USD or more to keep us going by clicking on Contribute on the main site
• email us with ideas about finding work abroad in La Paz, Los Cabos, or Puerto Vallarta MX if you have experience
• let us know if you know of any woofing opportunities in Mexico
• organise a place to stay with any one you know in Mexico or Central America

Thank you to those of you who have already contributed. You are keeping us going. We have invested all we have into this adventure and it is paying off in many ways. Both Oki and I have decided to self publish books. Mine will be The Ladies Guide To Bike Touring, with tricks and hints of exactly how to travel affordably and comfortably. I will let Oscar tell you about his in the future.We are growing in many ways and look forward to telling stories, sharing fotos and ideas with you.

Until next time. Over and Out.

Click here for fotos http://www.flickr.com/photos/37864853@N00/

Until this point I did not understand the meaning of desert or challenge. The last 4 days have been the hardest yet. After Ensenada starts the desert. Currently temperatures are as high as 87F and the humidity is zero. We have travelled across  some vast deserts lined with tall pitch fork-like cactus. Our Alaskan skin has been shocked with the suns rays and is now turning a beautiful brown.

We had a quick stop over in Guerrero Negro after the first desert. We rolled in at about 5pm. After just two days I felt like something more like a week had passed. We checked into the cheapest hotel we could find and the priority was obvious. Shower time. Water has never felt so soothing. I worshiped every minute we were indoors out of the direct sunlight. The next day we slept and gave our bikes much needed maintenance. It was what we needed to get our tank back to full. Somehow though, the desert acted as a time warp because it was Sunday and I was certain it was only Friday.

Yesterday was the toughest though. We left Guerrero Negro, MX at 7am and decided we could make it 150km throught the desert to the Oasis of San Ignacio. Bad idea but rewarding nonetheless. After having lunch at the half way marker the sun was high in the sky. It was hard to get going but we did. Along with another cyclist Fausto who we met that morning we gave it all we had for 20km. We had no shade and the water in our bottles could have easily brewed a cup of tea. I had a head ache probably from dehydration and we still had 60km to go. We pulled off the road and sloppily made our way some some bushes. I found a small bridge underwhich I sought refuge from the firey sun. We slept for almost 1 and  half hours and decided to head on.

As it turns out and this is true most of the time. We still had a long way to go and a few hill climbs to make. By 6pm with desert stil spread out as far as we could see after the hill I thought was the last I was nearly ready to throw up. Oki kicked on with his very clever bandana tucked under his helmet and hipster orange sunnies leading the way. Fausto was out in front since he has about half as much gear as we do. The sun was setting but it was still furiously hot. I know my riding was getting sloppy (this happens when im on my last leg).  After two m ore hills and talking myself out of quitting we FINALLY rolled through the military checkpoint and into San Ignacio. San Ignacio is a natural Oasis fed by springs. Upon arrival at our campsite we dove into the water and met two more cyclists who had done the same route earlier in the day along with two hitch hikers. Here is the view from our campsite .

Victory! Succes!

After a swim the team of now 5 cyclist went out to the shops for food and beer. We returned and spent the night around a fire beneath a clear sky spattered with stars and the full moon. At the end of each day in the desert the Great Dipper serves as a sweet reminder that everything will be ok and someone is watching over us. Thank you for your comments, thoughts and prayers.  Pictures to come soon.

6.00am Rise and shine as the sun comes up.
6.30am Pack up, have a high calorie brekky while discussing interesting dreams over mochas or hotchocolate.
8.00am Start pedaling
10.00am Break. Sometimes for food sometimes for Yoga
10.20am Keep pedaling

12noon or 1pm LUNCH HOUR Usually eat sandwiches, dry out clothes, chat, take photos and admire a time to rest.

2.00pm Continue pedaling
4.00pm Begin looking for a place to camp or stay
5.00pm Finish riding for the day. Take off our smelly shoes and chamois and set up camp
6.45pm Cook by headlamp light. Cous cous and rice have been our favourite. Always with cheese!
7.30 Read, call home if possible, write in our journals, star gaze
8.30pm Bedtime. Goodnight Oki, Goodnight Erika. Then we do it all over again. We have been on the road for 35 days so far.

Looking ahead we will be in Rosarito, MX March 21st, Ensenada on the 22nd and then we will just have to see……

Here is a map of what we have already covered. Please go to Oki’s blog for his latest video blog which includes details in our decision to ride a train from LA to San Ysidro, CA and interesting insight to our gear regime.