On the way to Antigua

I rode along the same road into the mountains as yesterday to leave Panajachel and turned off towards Antigua. I had heard from Chris and Dexter who I had met at the Guatemala border and Chris told me they were at a town called San Andres Itzapa. They were staying at a workshop that converts old donated bicycles from the US into useful machinery such as pedal operated blenders. I decided to head there and find them.

 I stopped for lunch at a small town along the way and while I was eating a solo rider stopped on a Triumph Tiger 1050. We started talking and I met Manuel from Guatemala City who was out for a Sunday ride. He was returning to the city and knew a good back road to San Andres Itzapa and said he would show me the way. The small winding road was crumbling and full of potholes but it was an exciting ride with runners and cyclists sharing the route. At one point the road was completely washed away and we had to divert around a gravel road and through a small river crossing to start climbing up the other side of the hill. It was a great hour and a half ride through some more small towns with the typical Sunday markets until eventually we reached the turnoff to San Andres Itzapa and we fare-welled after swapping contact details.

I rode into the bustling town with markets in full swing. I had no idea how to find Chris and Dexter, so I pulled up in front of some stalls and asked where to find Internet. As I was talking, Chris and Dexter walked up with surprised looks on their faces.

‘When did you get here?’

‘Just now’

‘We are just returning from the markets and I saw your bike.’

 I followed them to the workshop and met a group of cyclists that were staying and building machines. We caught up on news and unfortunately this place was not hat it seems. It has been operating for 18 years with a designer/manager but recently he left and went out on his own, setting up an alternative business. That left this place on a trajectory of decline with the owner not having really any idea about design or engineering. The feeling was that it would not last much longer before folding. Everyone was leaving in the next week.

I stayed for two nights and helped around the place where I could and enjoyed the company of other travellers. One has to admire cyclists travelling long distances.

Have you ever seen a double-decker bicycle?

Have you ever used a bicycle blender?