Semuc Champey

I have been noticing a bit of a problem with Ziggy. She has been going through engine oil at quite a rate after having not used a drop between oil changes for the last two years. When I had the service two weeks and 2000kms ago they topped up the oil and now I had to top it up again. A few times I have started her to a rattling sound in the front that goes after a couple of revs on the throttle. The recurring brake light problem was back again especially after some time on rough dirt roads. I’ve decided to go back to BMW at Guatemala City to get it looked at.

So after finding some oil and topping up half a litre, checking and finding no oil leaks, I headed towards Semuc Champey. I had been told there was a bit of gravel road to get there. Also I was keen to follow up the recommendation for Utopia, a hostel in the area. It was a fun and scenic ride into the mountains on well-maintained bitumen, winding along the side of a mountain 

until…suddenly there was a hairpin turn and a winding downhill, loose-rock and gravel road. It was ok and well maintained and wide enough for two vehicles, good for the cars and buses coming the other way.

A glimpse of the road from above.

The road wound its way down and down becoming steeper and narrower in places and finally not getting any wider after the small town of Lanquin. 

Eventually it became a crumbly single lane winding down then up with each becoming steeper than the other. Some of the downhill sections were so steep they had a pair of parallel concrete strips for car wheels. One driver in a four wheel drive started driving up the strips as I was coming down. It was gravel and a drop off to my side so I had nowhere to go off the concrete. Finally he veered off the strip to let me pass. The vehicle after him blindly followed and simply smiled at my annoyed blaring of the horn in his face.

At this stage I was too glued to the bike to stop and take photos.

After about twenty kilometres of deteriorating road and near misses with vehicles coming the other way I saw a sign for two kilometres to Semuc Champey and one to Utopia the other way. Excellent. I took the Utopia turn and incredibly the road became worse. The surface was rough and sharp stone and the ascents and descents became even steeper with sharp and blind corners. I was in first gear on the footpegs going up and down. The road narrowed and wound through some micro villages and local Mayan people were walking along the road that was lined with tall corn plants. I wondered if I had missed the turn and I was feeling that if the roads became any worse I would be past my limits. Every precipice before a descent was like looking over the edge of a cliff. Finally after a particularly loose and challenging ascent I came to a right hand turn to Utopia. The last challenge was the steep driveway. I made it. I hope it really is Utopia after that ride. Without doubt the most challenging and scary ride I have ever done.