Same as it ever was…heading to Latin America

[Johnny Drunkard]

[k7]

...scribed.

Safe travels Mark.

[athensugadawg]

you may want to take some time to recup and enjoy the scenery in Quetzaltenango...(Xela). I have some friends that have a hotel in Xela, well recommended from several individuals that have traveled there....

http://www.casasanbartolome.com/intro.htm

Ask for Anabella or Jorge, they will take great care of you....looking forward to your ride!

[crashmaster]

Yup, I think that I already told the goat about casa san bartolome in Xela. I spent 2 months there this winter. Great place.

[strikingviking]

It would be wise to monitor road conditions in Guatemala and El Salvador as those governments have declared states of emergency due to the massive devastation from recent tropical storms.

As we discussed, you are heading into rainy season.

[pdedse]

Originally Posted by Misery_Goat

Was Lloyd Dobler on to something?

Wow! Dejavu all over again...I was flipping through channels in Spanish the other night and started watching a telenovela that had almost the exact scene. Girl brings novio home to meet the rich abuelo, who asks about the guy's prospects in life, el novio hems and haws until he outs that he's training to be a professional kick-boxer. El abuelo tries to hide his disdain, smiles at his nieta, she thinks he's accepted her novio, but you just know the abuelo will have his bodyguards do a number on the novio-wanna-be-kickboxer.

So apparently telling your girlfriend's family you're striving to be a professional kickboxer will make quite the impression both north and south of the border. Of course, if he had told the family he was a motorcycle adventure rider, now THAT would be an automatic in!

[Mulekick]

Glad I could do my part!!!








Have a safe journey Mark and I totally look forward to reading about your travels!

[strikingviking]

Originally Posted by Mulekick

Have a safe journey Mark and I totally look forward to reading about your travels!

Given his obvious intensity, we should anticipate profound meanderings.

[rattlecan]

Sweet!

Be careful down there.

[Misery Goat]

I wrap up my ride through the Sonoran desert in Mazatlan where Glen, aka the Strikingviking, rolls out the welcome mat and gives me a whirlwind tour of the city. Historic colonial architecture, markets, sandy beaches, nightlife, Maz boasts a thriving tourism industry.















We spend the days hitting some of Glen's favorite eating establishments and discussing my travel plans. Glen arms me with a list of common Spanish verbs to aid in my immersion and we work on my conversation skills. I struggle with the new words as I try to piece together basic sentences but I'm optimistic as I begin my journey into a new language. My stay in Mazatlan is a great way to kick off my Latin American travel and I'm thankful to Glen for his hospitality. Gracias, amigo!









Next up I ride the infamous Devil's Backbone to Durango.


The Sierra Madres

[Misery Goat]

Originally Posted by strikingviking

It would be wise to monitor road conditions in Guatemala and El Salvador as those governments have declared states of emergency due to the massive devastation from recent tropical storms.

As we discussed, you are heading into rainy season.

Thanks, amigo.

I'll keep an eye on things. I plan to stay at elevation for a while so I will hopefully miss the stormy weather.

[Misery Goat]

Originally Posted by athensugadawg

you may want to take some time to recup and enjoy the scenery in Quetzaltenango...(Xela). I have some friends that have a hotel in Xela, well recommended from several individuals that have traveled there....

http://www.casasanbartolome.com/intro.htm

Ask for Anabella or Jorge, they will take great care of you....looking forward to your ride!

Thank you. Vince is correct, I plan to head your way when I cross the border.

[Misery Goat]

Thanks again for all the well wishes folks.

[Lobby]

[NCJ]

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