Last night, I decided to take a "taxi" for the last 7 km of rough dirt road to the remote resort (remote as in no internet, no cable) I stayed at in Barra de Santiago, just east of the Guatemala border. The 7 km turned out to be about as strenuous as the previous 170 km, but in a very different way - standing on the flatbed of a truck, surrounded by vegetables, chickens, and other passengers.
Then, today, a lap in the pool before taking off,
and getting some oil and air at one of the many bike shops along the road,
and enjoying the natural beauty:
Riding past sugarcane plantations,
while keeping tortoises alive:
Right after I had taken this picture, this one ran to safety on the other side of the highway.
I am truly amazed by the reactions of people along the road. Even more than in the coastal region of Guatemala, there are many homes scattered between villages and towns where the terrain allows - the Costa del Balsamo is an exception since there are many steep cliffs and hills, a bit like a tropical version of Big Sur or parts of the Oregon Coast. I see many people walking, biking (hence the bike shops), or catching rides on trucks. Virtually every one of the many kids along the road waves and says hello or hi or, sometimes, bye bye. I am optimistic and attribute the latter to unintentional wrong use of the English language.
You can enjoy a magnificent view while washing your hands (and also while dining) at the restaurant at km 59 of the Carretera Littoral (and Mauricio, who worked there, was great to talk to):
Just before La Libertad I met Jeff from Canada who was heading north back to Canada after riding all the way to Patagonia. Very impressive! Wish you lots of tailwind, Jeff!
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