August 11th - 15th, 2004

August 11th

The next morning she is still tired, but pushes herself nonetheless to do a good 40kms. We climb into San Francisco el Alto and then swoop down into Cuatro Caminos where we break for lunch. Our stove is slowly failing on us so we continue to eat out at midday whenever possible. The subsequent climb out of town knocks out Johanne’s already failing strength. We stop and lie down in a field under some tall trees to relax. Later on as we continue upwards our water supply shrinks below the one-liter level. We begin to look for a store. After using up the last drop we ask a girl on the side of the road if she knows where we can fill up. She shows us that we’re stopped beside the village washing spot, which is fed by a spring. Women from the village wash their cloths here and also fill big jugs and carry them home on their heads. We fill up and move it. Not long afterwards we push our bikes up a small dirt footpath along a cliff that is cut into the mountain so the road can pass. At the top of the cliff and away from the edge we camp. Tall pine trees surround us and as the light fades the myriad of lights that is Quetzaltenango become visible off in the distance. I sleep like a baby as Johanne tosses and turns. One thing I do remember, she talks in her sleep.

August 12th

Our wonderful camp spot is ruined by the early morning runs. Johanne needs to run for the trees about every fifteen minutes. After about five such scampers for the bushes we think we’re ready to bike up the mountainside. Johanne needs to abandon ship and run for cover once again after about one kilometer, when she comes back both of us can tell that she’s in bad shape. She’s very pale and looks like she’s about to fall over. So we do some push-ups, punch each other in the stomach, lift our bikes over our heads a few times, and return to biking? I think not, we hitch a ride to the next town, Nahuala, in hopes of renting a room and healing this poor girl. The first pick-up stops and takes us into town on a road that turns out to be mostly downhill. (Damn!) Our room is small and dirty, as is the toilet, but we make do. We do our best to relax and sleep for two days, visiting the local Comedores for meals, and being laughed at by the locals because we look so different compared to them. This stay in Nahuala brings us into a new and interesting world. The native Mayan dress, appearances, and traditions are all very new and interesting.

On the morning of the thirteenth we leave primarily because of Johanne’s decision to do so rather than the fact that she’s much better. Another problem is that her dust allergy, which developed because of Mexico City’s pollution, keeps her from recuperating properly due to constant sneezing at night. Just after leaving town Johanne’s strength fails once again. She can’t move another inch in either direction so we hitch a ride once again. A big flat bed truck with low walls picks us up after half an hour and we shiver and vibrate in the back for a couple hours watching mountain landscapes roll past. Some villages we see seem to be built inside the maize fields. The plants reach the eaves of the houses making them seem sunken in their crops.

Chimaltenango

Upon arriving in Chimaltenango I realize that my brain is frozen from the wind. After bumbling about aimlessly for a few minutes I thaw out and we find a hotel.

August 15th

We chill out until Monday afternoon hoping for healthy news. Johanne is meanwhile very happy that the toilet is only a few feet away. We are trying to make the project known so we write crazy amounts of emails to all sorts of publicity people.