The Home Stretch

So, here I am, sitting behind a desk at my Uncle Peter's place in Smithers, British Colombia, Canada at the very end of my trip.
It has been a long time since I have updated this blog but the last couple weeks have been a bit of a blur as I made a rushed trip up through Mexico, The States and into Canada. Upon arriving in Smithers I was planning to take a couple days just to chill out and relax but the family over here had other ideas.. not that I am complaining at all.

BUT.
I should rewind back a bit and share a few photos..


In Guatemala (yep, still way back in Central America) I went on a bit of a tour up a Volcano to see some red hot glowing lava. The top photo shows all the people spread out on the lava bed, convincing myself once again that I don't take tours as a preferemce..

The second photo shows a few red 'holes' that we had to skip around, unless we wanted a barbeque..

Mexico....

was a big country to travel through. Some 3 thousand plus kilometers. My odometer doesn't work any more so I don't really know exactly how far I have travelled since Panama...

Spending most of the time on the saddle meant I didn't get to see a lot in Mexico. It was a lot greener than I expected. Did manage to snag an arts festival and a regional fair in two of the nights which was a bonus, getting a chance to eat some great mexican food and hear a bit a of local music, even check out the local beauty pagent...:-)

12 Countries here (plus two more to come - US and Canada). Sometimes hard to believe that I actually made it..

The States..

Like Mexico I didn't have much time so it was a real bumonsaddle type trip. My bike, as reliable as it has been, gave me a spot of bother as it started to cut out for no reason during my last day in Mexico and after entering the States. The problem seemed to disappear so I expect it was a bad batch or two of fuel..

Colorado was a very pretty state. Worth a second visit I think..

Even Utah with its dry canyons and colourful sunsets..

And after a few more hard days I entered Canada. The home stretch.

The Banff and Jasper National Parks in Alberta were beautiful which I enjoyed seeing but I was on a mission...



Smithers..

Arriving at 10 oclock on a Wednesday night after dodging deer, a bear and a moose, after almost 10 thousand kms of constant travelling from Guatemala, after 6 months of travel from Buenos Aires down the southern tip of South America and then all the way North.. my uncle gets a call...

"Hey its me, Bruce...."

bike problems

Hi.
Just a Qickie..
After a huge push through Mexico I have made it to the Sates. (Didn't realise how large Mexico was until I bought a map of it.)
However my bike is playing up. It is cutting out for no reason, starting easily each time. Can't work out the problem, a local shop not being of much help here in El Paso.
Sooo if you don't hear from me soon(ish) I'm probably pushing my bike through the Grand Canyon (or into it).

Guatemala - Semuc Champey

I really didn´t have the time but, I admit it, I am a bit of a procrastinator and the only deadline I have to break (but really can`t) is getting to Canada on time...

So I took a detour to check out Semuc Champey. A day detour that ended up taking 3..

Semuc Champey is renowned for its blue stepped pools at the bottom of a steep valley in the Guatemalan highlands. What is unique about this place is that the river, which is murky with sediments, flows underground through a cave for some 300metres. Above the underground river water seeps from the surounding valley producing perfectly clear pools of water. One of the best swimming holes I have been in. Period.

Swimming here brought on thoughts of Paradise. Though no `Eve´ around...


I thought the ride back would take a couple hours. Took a full day and a bit more. Not having much more than a mud map doesn´t help I suppose. (Of course I didn`t take a wrong turn.) Nor does waiting for roadworks to clear a few landslides..
But it was very enjoyable nether the less.

Made it to Antigua... and met Brad and Jola who I left behind in Nicaragua!!