15.06.2010

 

Philipp und Valeska Schaudy

5 years with the bike around the world or 2-play-on-earth

08.06.2010, Lima (Peru): We leave Trujillo and start – in thick fog - a dirt road into the mountains towards Huaraz. The following 80 kms are really rough dirt through a gorge with 35 tunnels. In numerous bends the road winds up to 3000 meters. A beautiful, amazing, dusty and exhausting stretch for us. Here we run into two motorcyclists, who are coming down from the mountains. Renate and Peter, the first "self-driving" Austrians we meet on our whole journey so far! We spontanuously camp together besides the road in a patch of reed besides the river and exchange travel stories. Finally the dirt road ends and we suddenly face green meadows, cows and lots of villages. Besides that the first huge glacier covered mountains appear and after five days of riding from Trujillo we reach Huaraz. We spend four days hiking in the Cordillera Blanca. Lonesome valleys, enormous mountains, huge glaciers, blue sky and freezing cold nights – we love it! We spend a night in our tent on 4600 meters altitude – not without a little bit of headache. This area is phantastic, an absolute highlight on our trip! Ed has managed to get all his documents replaced and his bike repaired, so he catches up with us and we meet again in Huaraz. After a nice evening spent together we pedal in the same direction for half a day. The morning is really chilly, good that we all bought new gloves and hats! The road climbs slowly and the vegetation becomes sparse. We see dry fields in front of picturesque mountains everywhere. We part from Ed – for the last time – as he stays in the mountains and we head to the coast. We spend a night at 4100 meters altitude, where we stay in the only "guest room" of the whole village of Conococha. In the next morning we start the longest downhill of our bicycle career so far: 4100 meters of altitude downhill! An amazing ride from the highlands down to the coast. The road zig-zags down the mountain, through a few villages and in the end along a river. Unfortunately head wind blows against us from the coast and slows us down in the lower flatter part oft he downhill. At the coast we are surrounded by sandy desert, which reminds us of the Sahara. But coastal fog "sits" in the whole area. Lots of chicken-breeding-factories are run along this stretch – the smell is almost unbearable. The scenery is therefore pretty boring, nonetheless we find interesting spots to overnight: Once we turn away from the highland for 8 kilometers and climb up into the fog-forest (national park of Lachay), where we spend a foggy night in a damp tent. Annoying rodents nibble holes into our bags, but the foggy morning is very mystic, quiet and interesting – so we quickly forget our anger about the rodents. The next night we spend at a Hare Krishna Ashram, which looks like a Fata Morgana here in the Peruvian coastal desert. We camp amongst Indian towers and temples and enjoy the strange Indian-Peruvian atmosphere. Behind a long climb and covered in fog lies Lima. We cycle 50 kilometers through dense city traffic, in order to get to Marc and Chantal, our hosts in the south of the city. We park our steel donkeys here for the next two and a half months, as we take our yearly working-break from cycling. From Lima we fly to Europe, stop in Austria for a while before heading up to Svalbard and Greenland. We will work there as hiking guides and lecturers on an expedition cruise ship for "Oceanwide Expeditions"...




22.05.2010, Trujillo (Peru): There are two ways south from Piura. The shorter way is going straight through the desert and is a hotspot for muggings. We take the second possibility. It is the longer, but safer way. Dry bushland, small villages and long straight roads. Since we are riding with some distance to the coast the headwinds are just getting serious in the afternoons. We camp on the way and reach (again back at the coast) the small city of Chiclayo, with a huge market. When we stop in front of a hotel, people come and try to lead our attention away from the bicycles. Behind our backs another "amigo" is already at our bags. Luckily we had a strange feeling and have turned back to our bikes in time. Many people warn us, to keep more than an eye on our belongings – especially in the market. Besides that people warn us about robberies taking place in quiet roads. When we read our Emails in the evening we get news from Ed, with who we have been cycling in Ecuador and who is shortly ahead of us. Shortly before he reached Trujillo (our next destination) he got mugged on the road. There is not much traffic on the Pan-American Highway at this desert stretch and suddenly three guys with a knife are jumping in his way. They attack him, slump him off his bike, grab one of his bags, throw his bicycle from a bridge and escape. Money, Credit card, Passport, camera – everything gone. And his bike damaged. There were already seven attacks like that on touring cyclists in this year on that stretch. When we ride on our thoughts are spinning. Shall we ride this part (around the village Paiján) anyway – not every cyclist gets mugged – or shall we avoid it and take a Taxi? In the past years we have been through a couple of areas, where bandits are attacking traffic and we have been riding all of them. But here it seems that somebody is specializing on long distance cyclists. Against heavy headwinds and after a long ride through the desert, we are pushing into the village of Pacasmayo and get stopped by the police. They strictly warn us to ride the stretch to Trujillo and advise us to take a bus. Enough warnings! On short notice we take a taxi and reach Trujillo the same evening. Here is the location of one of the most famous "Casa de Cyclistas". It is the house of Lucho and his family, where all long distance cyclists are welcome to stay. We are number 1321 and 1322. But we are not getting here at a good point of time. The "Casa" is filled up with people and we stack us on top. The strange thing is, that there is only one real cyclist amongst the guests. Most of the people are backpackers. Besides them there is one guy in a wheelchair, who was wheeling to Trujillo from Colombia. He just broke the world record of continuously-wheelchair-riding. And here again - we meet Ed, who is trying to get his stolen documents replaced and his bike fixed. Poor fellow.

17.05.2010, Piura (Peru): Since we are fed up with the wet and miserable highlands, we decide to escape the bad weather and ride west from Cuenca, 2500meters of altitude down to the coast. In just a few kilometers we are rolling through distinct zones of vegetation. From wet and green hills with agriculture we are riding down (beneath the first cloud cover) into a extremely dry zone with cacti and lots of dust. Some curves lower we are diving into thick fog and even have to turn on our rear lights. All of a sudden it is green again. Shortly after it is getting humid and warm, bananas grow beside the road and the vegetation is lush. We get underneath the fog (second cloud cover) and are rolling into the flatlands. The sun is finally out and we are wheeling through endless banana plantations. Via the pretty disreputable bordercrossing of Huaquillas / Aguas Verdes we get into Peru and to the Pacific coast without any problems. The country is getting dryer and dryer the further south we move. The landscape is becomes desert-like, a dusty steppe-like semidesert with thornbush vegetation. The peruvian roads are bad, narrow and often blotched with potholes. The small villages look poor, dusty and desolate, and remind us of the Middle East and Africa. Motorcycle-rickshaws are cruising the roads. There are not many cars. Two times we are staying over night at endless sandy beaches and jump into the sea. It has already been quite windy so far, but when we are leaving the surfers-village Máncora, the strong southwind almost hinders us to get ahead. The following days on the bicycle are a torture and the headwind is almost killing all the enjoyment as we crowl through a beautiful desert landscape. Two days later than expected we reach the city of Piura. Time for a day off. With Michael, a German who is living and working here since one and a half years, we wander around town. And for hours we are chatting and exchange stories. He got mugged three times so far. The first time on his first day. The second time on his second day. The third time on the day before he went on home leave. Today we all went to explore the big and colourful market, where one can buy almost anything and where it is swarmed with. Michael says, that it is an exception that he brings his camera today. Usually he leaves it at home, because it is too dangerous. We are not even five minutes on the market and Michael´s camera is gone. Stolen out of his closed bag! Wow! Everything went extremely quick. What a pitty! For us a warning to keep a better eye on our belongings. So far we had nothing stolen in over three years on the road – and we would like it to stay that way. We spend another day in Piura, then we hit the road again... and the wind.

05.05.2010, Cuenca (Ecuador): On the weekend we are joining Quitos "Ciclo Paseo". In the whole city big roads are closed for motorised traffic and only belong to cyclists! All Quito is moving on two wheels. What a great atmosphere! Something European metropolis should definitly adopt! We almost get the impression of Quito being a green and alternative city. On the day we say goodbye to our friends, we are back in reality. Trucks and busses are blowing thick black clowds into the streets. The throat starts hurting and the exhausts are befogging the city in a grey cloud. The 20kilometers out of town (always slightly uphill) are torture. Finally we reach the green hills and can breathe again. Unfortunately the weather-god is not on our side. Rain and thick fog are our daily companion. We are riding south via Rioabamba. Huge volcanoes like the Chimborazo to the left and right. But we only see them on tourism advertisement posters beside the road. The clouds are low and we are often riding in rain for hours. In small villages and cheap hotels we are trying to dry our clothes at night. The next day we are immediately hitting the next downpour. For the small appetite on the way we are offered meat from whole pigs barbecued beside the road and on the plazas guineapigs on a spit. Interesting for taking pictures, but nothing for vegetarians. We are better off with stopping for a bite in the chinese restaurants, that we find (almost) everywhere, and get fried rice with vegetables. The track is mountainous and every day we are climbing up to 2000meters of altitude. Here in the wet and misty hills of Ecuador we meet another cyclist: Ed from England, who we have met months before on the Baja California (Mexico) for the first time. Together we are riding the last two days to get to Cuenca, the nicest city we visit in Ecuador. Still the clouds are hanging low and it is raining often, but the small town has a cozy and warm atmosphere. It is also a good place to be ill, since there are modern hospitals. Valeska has amoeba and invitably we spend a couple of extra days in Cuenca, before we start riding again...

25.04.2010, Quito (Ecuador): It is cloudy and rainy when we leave Medellin. In the following weeks rainfall is our disagreeable companion. Sometimes it rains already in the morning and we stay in bed for another hour, then it hits us again during the day, sometimes in the evening and ocasionally it stays dry for the whole day. We are often riding uphill for several days. Fast as the wind for more than thousand meters down the other side. Then uphill again for another two days and downhill and uphill and downhill. We thought that Mexico and Guatemala were hilly, but Colombia dwarfs every other country. Every day we are riding more than thousand meters of altitude difference, on peakdays more than two thousand. Phantastic landscape, green range land, forests and mountains. It is comfortable cool at night and enjoyable warm during the day. In the many hills of the country, roadbikers are doing their training-laps. Specialy on the weekends hundreds of cyclists are speeding passed us. Smiling, waving, greeting, a short chinwag and we get bananas as a present. Another time we are comparing force with a group of mountainbikers, who we ask for the way. We stay overnight in grubby hotels along the road, with people who we learned to know via the cyclists-network-site www.warmshowers.org, we sleep on a banana-farm, in a country-side-disco, camp beside the pool of an upgraded hotel and get invited on the street to stay in a private house. We are guests of rich Colombians, of people from the middle-class and of poor farmers. There is one thing that all have in common: great hospitality! People are very open and friendly to us and we feel completly comfortable. There is no strange feeling in our stomachs when we are out on the streets at night. Nobody ever tries to diss us, or shouts something incomprehensible after us to get his buddies a good laugh. And we are never called "Gringos". The Colombians approach us with lots of interest and couriosity, but in comparison to lots of other countries we never get tired of telling our story. The friendlyness of the people is great and from this perspective Colombia is definitly one of our favourite countries! Although the guerilla-activities are still not completely under control (amongst other areas also around the border to Ecuador), we never ever feel unsafe or in danger. We wheel across Colombias coffee region and across the lowlands around Cali, where sugar-cane is growing alongside the road. Again there is a long and ample ascend, and we reach the beautiful collonial town of Popayan. The road descends forever down to a dry valley with desert-like vegetation, before we start climbing again to more than 3000 meters of elevation. Via Pasto and the interesting church of Las Lajas, we reach - after a never ending day where we climb 2400 meters of altitude and ride more than hundred kilometers - Ecuador. The country welcomes us with bad weather and uncountable more hills and deep valleys. But there are also clear mornings with great views of volcanoes and phantastic vegetation-successions. Cacti- and desert-vegetation in the gorges and green medows and forests thousands of meters higher. For two days we are riding together with a humorous Venezuelan and cross the equator – for us the second time over land since Africa. Since the border we see much more indigenous population. They wear their traditional clothes, a hat and in the chilly morning hours a poncho. When we stop in villages to have a break, we are surrounded by curious onlookers, who don`t want to miss those two white-noses on their bicycles. Via a narrow, steep road – which could also lead into a greek mountain-village – we reach Quito from the east, where we are warmly welcomed by our friends Anita, Leon and their family. It is good to park the bikes for some days after all the climbing of the last weeks. We enjoy the flair of the metropolitan and hike up volcano Pichincha, the landmark-mountain of Quito...

05.04.2010, Medellin (Colombia): Early in the morning we are wheeling out of Cartagena. For the first time since months it is really flat and no headwinds are blurring our riding pleasure. In one of our longest days we ride 170 kilometres to the coastal town Tolú, where we see the Caribbean for the last time. Three more days we are pushing through the – in the meantime hilly – lowlands of Colombia. It is extremely hot and humid and sudden heavy rainstorms are bringing a pleasurable cooling down. People are very friendly, smile, wave and wish "Happy journey". So far we don’t feel unsafe or in danger at all on our ride through Colombia. The problems with guerrillas and drug-gangs kidnapping people seem to be under control on the main routes and trucks, busses and private cars are on the road even all night. But there are lots of military and police checkpoints. We guess that the young soldiers can use their phones for free while they are in the army? It is unbelievable at how many roadblocks the soldiers are busy texting messages or phoning :-) Now we get into the mountains and the road starts winding its way up into the hills, since we left Puerto Valdivia, like a snake. In only one day we are climbing more than 2400 meters of altitude. It is almost only uphill and we reach one of our worst average speeds. Up in the town Yarumal it is heavenly chilly and the sweating of the last months finally comes to an end! It is such a pleasure to put on socks and a fleece and we enjoy using a thick blanket at night. Still hilly and with lots of altitude to climb the road continues through beautiful landscape until we reach Medellin, the second biggest city in Colombia. Unbelievable how many cyclists on road racing bikes are on the street! In Colombia bicycling absolutely is a national sport and has a very high value in society. We are warmly welcomed by the cyclist Alejo in his house and enjoy nice and cosy rainy-days with him and his girlfriend Mildred in and around Medellin – the rainy season has started.


22.03.2010, Cartagene (Colombia): Leaving Granada we are cycling a long day with heavy cross- and headwinds in order to reach Costa Rica and stay the night in La Cruz, a friendly hilltop village. The wind is picking up, the not very solid built hotel is shaking and the tin-roof rattling. In the morning we first think that it is impossible to cycle, since the wind almost seems to blow us over just standing in front of our hotel. But we ride anyway, facing extreme wind conditions (cross- and headwinds) for the next couple of days, which even make us change our route. We end up riding across the Nicoya-peninsula, which we can really recommend. Small roads, little traffic, lovely hilly landscape, fincas (farms) and country-towns. Crossing over back to the mainland with a dead-old rusty ferry – at least it is not a far crossing - and we were sure we could probably swim to shore, if the boat would sink. The wind is back to moderate and even turns back to its normal northwesterly direction. We take the coastal road on the Pacific side, which is a nice stretch through jungle-like vegetation, sugarcane and oil-palm plantations. It is a very rural area, where thousands of retired Americans and Europeans have their tropical retreat. "House / Lot / Property for Sale" -signs everywhere. It seems the Costa Ricans (short: Ticas) are selling their country as much as they can. Our guidebook described Costa Rica as "the tropical backyard of the Gringos". And it is true. At least for along the coast. Everything that makes money is Gringo owned. On every nice spot Gringo-Villas are erected. Supermarkets are selling what Gringos like, from Peanut butter to Pancake mix. Burgers, Hot-dogs, Coca Cola and apples are imported from the US. The coast has its special flair and beauty, no doubt, but there are far too many white faces around. Overall Costa Rica is much more developed than all the countries of Central America that we visited before (excluding Mexico). Houses are bigger and nicer. There are far more cars and they are newer, cleaner and larger. There is less poverty and it seems much safer. No more barbed-wire-fences and walls around houses and no more armed security at supermarket entrances. But roads seem to be neglected. They are small and almost no road we are on has a shoulder. That sucks! Humidity is extremely high, we sweat day and night and night and day without a break. Hills really become a killer and we start dreaming of living in a fridge. We stop in Jaco, surfer’s paradise, and for the first time after thousands of kilometers along the Pacific coast we really do it - we jump in the water! It is wet and salty. What an experience! The border-crossing to Panama needs some preparation. We knew already that the authorities will not let us in without a proof that we exit the country again. Without showing a plane-ticket they will make you buy a bus ticket for 25 U$ out of the country as a proof of exiting. There is an internet cafe just beside the checkpoint. We hop in, fake a plane ticket (e-tickets are a great invention :-), print out the Word-document and make it look a bit "traveled" by folding it a couple of times. Prepared like this we walk over to the customs. The guy really checks on the tickets (at least the names) and without any more questions our passports are stamped and we are in Panama! Like Costa Rica, Panama is a rich country and not much is changing. Supermarkets instead of farmers-markets, a secure and safe vibe in the cities and something strange: almost all small groceries along our way are run by extremely unfriendly Chinese families. We meet two other cyclists, Stefan and Gareth and cycle with them for two days. Together we stay at a nice Couchsurfing place in Davis and at the Catholic Mission in Tolé, and experience our first rain since months. Gareth’s bicycle is making more and more trouble every day and needs some proper repair. We are riding ahead and after another three and a half days through Panama’s countryside we reach Panama City. After crossing slums and shabby areas we get into the new downtown area. Skyscrapers are stretching for the sun, Mercedes’ and BMWs are cruising the streets and with the boutiques and fast-food-restaurants it seems like an imitation of Miami or Singapore. We spend a day at the Miraflores Locks just out of the city, where we see small yachts and huge containerships with up to 5.000 containers on board, crossing the Panama Channel. Very impressive!

Panama City is also a point of decision for us. There is no road connecting Panama and Colombia. The so called Darien Gap is a swampy jungle area between the two countries. Due to guerilla activities and lots of drug smuggling it is an extremely unsafe and dangerous area and highly not recommended to travel in. And if one does not get kidnapped, raped or killed by smugglers, a "bicycle journey" looks more like the one of Ian Hibell who was dragging his bicycle across in the 1970es. Yes, some people have really managed to cross this stretch by cutting their way through the jungle and being dead-lucky. We think we are adventurous, but not stupid. It is not an option for us to try to cross over land. Another possibility is to hop on a small open cargo ship operating along the coast. We heard that people have managed doing that, but it might take a long time waiting in a small harbor for a captain, who might take you, and - on the other hand – finding a captain you trust is difficult too. Those vessels are often smuggling goods both ways (refrigerators, TVs and other electronics to Colombia and Cocaine on their way back to Panama). We read a few reports of people crossing like that and nobody was happy about being part of illegal affairs. Not our preferred way of making it to Colombia either. But there are two relatively safe and easy ways to cross over: Flying or taking a private yacht, who takes passengers. Those boats are all owned by Americans or Europeans who are hanging around in the Caribbean and want to increase their budget by offering backpacker trips from Panama to Colombia (or the other way). We already had reserved on a large sailing vessel with very good reputation, but did not catch it in time. We got recommendations for two other boats, but both of them were crossing over too late for us. Those trips cost some serious money and there are lots of stories of unsatisfied customers: ships being too cramped and people have to sleep on deck, food being crap, captains being drunk in the storm and captains just being after the money and not trying to deliver a nice product. And about two small boats with passengers sink every year. For those reasons we wanted to be on a ship with good reputations. We spent almost a day in the Internet searching for possibilities, but did not find anything promising. We always thought of crossing to Colombia by boat, but the more we researched the more we also figured out that those trips are probably not too much our thing anyway. It is an organized tour, where you stop on the San Blass Islands, to take pictures in Indian villages of poor children begging for sweets and topless woman breastfeeding, white-sand-and-palm-trees beaches to sunbath, and its advertised (like many backpacker activities and tours) as being real FUN! Well... maybe it was good we did not find a boat, who knows. It should be quite windy at this time of the year too, and it is very likely that seasickness takes replaces all the FUN anyway. So we check for flights and compared to the prices of the boat they are super cheap! We fly and save cash and time. Besides that we stay the individual travelers that we are. After only an hour our prop airliner lands in Cartagena, Colombia. Customs are easy and we are on a new continent :-) Cartagena is an extremely pretty town and we stroll the narrow streets with their beautiful colonial buildings and get ready to cycle again...


04.03.2010, Granada (Nicaragua): After fairly relaxing days with Robert in Guatemala City it is time to start cycling again. We ride out of town up on to a big hill. The road cuts into the mountain, the air is sticky and black from the exhaust of trucks and buses. Because it is Sunday, lots of locals train on their road bikes going up that hill. They cheer us up while passing us. Later, further away from the city, where the air is much better and we stop at a road stall to eat some pineapple, we see a big group of cyclists passing by – now we applaud J. A quiet road leads us through small villages across several hills from the highland down to the coastal plains of Guatemala. Suddenly we are in the tropics, it is hot and sticky. The vegetation is lush and mainly sugar cane is grown here in huge fields. Palm and mango trees grow beside the road and we cycle through a lot of shady but sticky alleys. Here people do not only wear cowboy hats and boots, no, they go for the wildwest-image seriously and decorate with revolvers on their belts or even pump guns, while going for a walk with their kids! This is hard to get used to and we wish we had dared to ask one of the weapon-brothers, if they go out to shoot something for dinner or they expect a shoot-out in the bar after a few beers? We cross the border to El Salvador without problems. A land where criminality is extremely high, for example 10 murderers happen each day. Organised criminal gangs rule the streets and the police are only a farce. People seem more sceptical towards us compared to the countries before and we see a lot of poverty, especially in the countryside. Huts made from plastic, cardboard, wood and tin line the roads, where many families spend their whole lives. There is not much traffic and only bad but expensive hotel rooms await us. Weapons wherever you look: Armed security guards in front of every single small shop, at parking areas and street crossings. A typical situation of El Salvador: we see a mini-bus, which delivers toilet paper rolls – guarded by an armed security guy. Would he shoot a toilet-paper-thief? Bars in front of every window, walls around every house, topped with razor-blade wire. All this seems threatening, although we never run into problems or feel unsafe. Still, El Salvador does not become one of our favourite countries. We reach the Pacific Coast and dip our feet into the ocean! Apart from that there are no tourist highlights for us in this country and we are leaving for Honduras. There we only spend one night and two half days of cycling. One village comes after the other and we hear "Gringo! Gringo!" being shout from every corner. Kids run towards the road when they see us, men whistle at us (at Philipp?) and non-understandable words are shout after us – all this makes us waving, smiling and greeting less. The term "gringo" actually comes from "green go home", which the Mexicans shout after the American troops in the mexican-american war (1846-1848). Today "gringo" basically means "American", but who knows where we are from exactly, well, and being white, just a little green behind the ears, that is suspicious. On this stretch we meet several other cyclists: the Crazy, the Bike-Mechanic and our second female solo Cyclist. It feels good being across another border – in Nicaragua. This country is poor as all the others in this corner of the world, but it seems to be much safer. We see less walls, razor-blade fences, security guards and weapons. People are not hysteric as we roll through villages; they are friendly, wave at us or just leave us alone unbothered. We stop in León, where we "dive into" the masses of tourists. Along a line of volcanoes we reach our next destination, Managua, (apparently) one of the most dangerous cities of the world, where we have a wonderful experience with locals. Our Mexican friends from León (Mexico) "connect" us with Arnaldo, a Jesuit priest in Managua, who organises a host family for us. In a neighbourhood, where we – as being white-nosed – would not have dared to go. Narrow streets, partly unpaved, one barred entry door to a house next to another. Far from luxury, but also no slum, it rather is a middle-classed neighbourhood. Our host family of eight lives on a small property in a house with a couple of rooms and a tin roof. "Bathroom" and toilet are in one corner of the yard, the kitchen and the open living room are in the middle, towards the road are two rows of iron bars. The TV seems to be important, as it is running all the time. Besides that there are not any luxury items in the house. With hands and feet and our very poor Spanish we chat the evening away, feel secure and welcomed. This "barrio" (= neighbourhood) of Managua is called "Villa Austria". Not because of any similar alpine architectural style, but because Austria has helped with building the infrastructure (sewage, water, electricity,...). There is also a school in the area, called "Ottakring" (a part of Vienna is called like that)! In 1972 an earthquake has almost completely destroyed the old city, which has not been rebuilt yet, as the probability of another earthquake is too high. Empty spaces, seeming-lost governmental buildings, extensive slums and empty streets – this is the center of Managua. Shocking but fascinating (because so different) at the same time. From Managua it is only half a day against the wind (which seems to blow from southeast at the coast of Centralamerica – headwinds for us) towards Granada. There we reach another "gringo-paradise". Granada has a well restored old centre with colonial buildings close to the Lago de Nicaragua. Unfortunately locals can hardly afford the prices to live in the centre of town. Europeans and Americans run Italian Trattorias, Irish Pubs, where you can pay with US-Dollars European prices. Spanish schools everywhere, Wi-Fi-Internet is available in the cafes – what a "blessing", we can update our website...



17.02.2010, Guatemala City (Guatemala): In San Cristóbal de las Casas we meet Paul, another Pan America cyclist, who we met months ago in Oregon (USA) for the first time. With him and Niki we make a trip to the neighbouring village Chamula, which is famous for its church. In general catholic, but the natural religion of the Maya is mixing with Christianity. The interior is mystic. No benches, but the floor is covered with needles of conifers. Hundreds of candles are burning in groups on the floor. The air is thick from smoke. People are sitting, mumbling in prayer in front of the candles. They brought oblations – Cola and other soft drinks. From the side walls, saint sculptures are watching. Luckily photography is prohibited and therefore the big crowds of tourists visiting this place do not disturb the atmosphere too much. After some relaxing days in San Cristóbal Niki is leaving us after a month of cycling together – we are already excited about where and when she will join next time? Paul is riding towards Yucatan and we start wheeling towards Guatemala. It is a nice country road with little traffic, which is winding its way for two days down towards the border. For a short time we again are in tropic climate and are sweating in the humid heat. It is market day at the border village and the road cramped with many stalls, sellers and people. No wonder that motorized traffic is almost zero. The formalities at the border are easy and the road in Guatemala is immediately starting to climb again into the mountains. Coffee orchards forest and small villages seem to be "glued on" to the steep hillsides. The people of Guatemala are more open than the Mexicans, who were always friendly but still reserved. Here people are waving, saying "hello" and wishing a "safe journey" when we are passing by. People we meet in villages are very friendly and we get the feeling to be in a safe country. Hard to imagine that we are in a country, where anarchy, robbery, murder, kidnapping and vigilante justice are part of every days life. Back in the highlands and well above 2000 meters, we are visiting Caroline, a colleague and friend of ours from University-time in Graz who married into a Maya family. She and her husband Julio are living in Austria, but every year they are back for two months in the village where his large family (15 people) lives. Housing conditions are poor. Clay houses, tin roofs, no running water, pit latrine and almost no furnishing. When we are riding towards the houses, the children are waving self-made Austria flags. We are warmly welcomed by the family and it is exciting to see how Mayas are living today. After the intention to destroy their culture in the Civil War (1960-1996), they are trying to find back to their roots and their traditional religious believe. Especially for us the family makes a fire ceremony. Resins, spices, sugar, special wood and candles are piled up in a clay bowl and lit. We are all kneeling around the fire and prayers are mumbled and holy places called and answers are found in the fire. The ceremony is in Quiche, one of more than 20 old Maya languages which the villagers still use as their first language. It is mystical and an interesting experience. Although the situation for the Maya has improved since the war, they are still seen as second class inhabitangs, who experience little education and therefore have hardly any possibility to climb a step higher in society. Since years Caroline and Julio are helping the village to improve their standard of living. Two years ago a drive track was built from donations, this year hundred families got a school-begin-package (books, pencils,...), the creek (polluted and almost dry) will be revitalised and garbage bins put up. You find more about the projects of Caroline and Julio and how you can support them on our page. After some nice days with the family we have to say goodbye and continue rolling through the hills (again we cross the 3000 meter line) towards Lake Atitlán, which is beautifully situated between high volcanoes. Our next stop is Antigua, a cosy little colonial town. Lake Atitlan and Antigua are a striking contrast to the time we spent with the Maya family. Pure tourist places. Expensive hotels and cheaper hospedajes, restaurants, bars and cafes line the roads. Hundreds of tourists in the streets, beggars in the corners and Maya woman and children are running after white faces trying to sell bracelets and colourful fabrics. However, both places have their special flair and we meet Caroline and Julio again, who are taking vacation from the lots of work they do in the village. After a short day on the road we reach Guatemala City. Robert – from the same area as Valeska in Styria and they have been riding the same school bus for a couple of years – works at the Austrian School (Instituto Austriaco) and has invited us to his home. He is living in a beautiful green area in a big house and we enjoy the space, quietness and especially the good and funny company Robert is. He shows us around town, we walk through colourful markets and give a presentation about our voyage in the Austrian school. Caroline and Julio are also coming to the capital and together with them and Robert we are celebrating Valeska’s birthday with an Austrian speciality: a typical chocolate cake called "Sachertorte" from an Austrian bakery and the birthday excursion leads us to the volcano Pacaya where we hike beside liquid lava.



01.02.2010, San Cristobal de las Casas (Mexico): We are "privileged" to be in Mexico City while there is the coldest period (for that time of the year) since 20 years. It is raining and raining and we run (wearing all the clothes we have) between coffee shops, museums and churches. We get company on our journey: Niki (from Pemberton, Canada) has already cycled with us from Vancouver to Seattle some month ago and has decided to join us for another leg for about a month. Coming from the winter in Canada she was looking forward to getting some warmth and sunshine, but no, it stays cool and rainy. The three of us start from Toluca towards the east. Uphill and downhill we travel on small roads with little traffic through beautiful forests. We climb up to 3000 meters and down back into a valley on the other side. Via Malinalco, Cuernavaca and Cuautla we reach Puebla, where we arrive – well, what did you expect? – in rain, of course! Puebla is a beautiful colonial town with a huge Plaza, which is crowded with people. Everywhere nicely renovated houses and inviting streets. In the market place we find – besides the usual piles of tomatoes and pigs in halves - freshly roasted crickets and other small insects, which are eaten in bread rolls – alive! Yes, it is true, we have seen it! Well, Niki also had a bite... In Puebla we meet the German cyclist-couple Doro and Sven. They are travelling from Tierra del Fuego to Alaska and we had been exchanging a few emails before. The long evening is full of laughter, beer and exchange of tips and experiences. Check out cyclists we met. It takes us three days cycling across numerous hills to Oaxaca, but for a change this time in beautiful sunny warm weather. Oaxaca is another highlight on our trip through Mexico. A beautiful historic center, losts of huge churches and colourful markets. We visit the impressive ruins of the pyramids of Monte Alban close to the city up on a hill, from where we have a nice view. After that we have a couple of intense cycling days. Niki "fits" to us perfectly. She also wants to see, experience, despite moving forward and keep going. We all have about the same speed and so we climb up countless hills (often for hours), enjoy going downhill, only to go up the next one... The countryside is suddenly pretty dry again, cactus and trees without leaves are the main vegetation. We pass through small towns, where we are the highlight of the day, when we roll across the main plaza and ask for a place to stay. The quality of rooms deteriorates as there is hardly ever a lid or seat on the toilet, beds are well worn and chewing gum can be found in the corners. The states become poorer and a lot of garbage lies beside the roads (especially in Oaxaca). Houses turn more into huts and the poverty is obvious in many ways. For a short time we leave the highland and speed down to sea level to the Gulf of Tehuantepec. At once we are in the Tropics. Everything is green, palm trees grow towards the sun, there is a lot of agriculture and it is unpleasently sticky and hot. Here we reached the narrowest part of Mexico between the Gulf of Mexico (Atlantic) in the North and the Gulf of Tehuantepec (Pacific) in the South. It is (apparently) one of the windiest areas on earth! We believe that as we experience unbelieveable strong cross winds which blow us off the road. For half a day these strong winds drive us almost crazy. Luckily the road turns out of the wind and by the afternoon we fly with tailwind. Another climb into the highlands awaits us. On the way we do a boat trip into the Canyon del Sumidero (National Park). The steep rock walls rise up to 900 meters on both sides of the river. We are lucky and see a few alligators, monkeys and lots of birds. After that Niki’s last cycling day comes up. Only 54 kilometers, but 1800 meters of altitude have to be climbed. It becomes one of the five days with our worst daily average speed within our last three years of cycling – see our superlatives. In the morning we start in the Tropics and by the afternoon we have reached a damp, foggy and cold highland climate. Pushed by heavy rainfalls and therefore soaking wet and cold we head into San Cristobal de las Casas. Once more it is unusually cold and rainy for this time of the year, therefore we use some days off in this beautiful "big village" in order to prepare for our leg through Central America...


07.01.2010, Mexico City (Mexico): We spend the days until Christmas with our host family. León is the leather capital of Mexico and we have the opportunity to visit tanneries, shoe and boot factories (Thank you Herbert and Sissi!). It is interesting to see how many steps it takes to turn a piece of animal skin into a shoe. We could not resist buying a pair of boots. But unfortunately the boots are made for riding real horses, not for riding "steel-horses". Besides that they are too heavy to carry, so they will be taken by plane to Europe (Thanks Monika!). The 24th of December we celebrate with our "new multicultural big host family". In the morning we celebrate Philipp’s birthday with "rico" cake made by Omi. For Christmas Eve all the family members come together and we are welcomed to take part in their celebrations as well. It is a very nice evening where we get to know some Mexican Christmas traditions and enjoy the lights of the Christmas tree, the crèche and the singing... It is difficult and sad to say good-bye to all our new friends in Leon on the 26th, when we pack our bags and push our bikes on to the road again. First we can use a cycle path for 13 kilometres (!) going southwards. We spend two days cycling through not too exciting flat dry landscape until shortly before Morelia we encounter hills and pass by big lakes. Valeska cought a cold, so we stay in Morelia longer than planned. The city is beautiful with its colonial center, huge churches and lively plazas. But on the other hand it is loud and stinky from all the traffic going straight through it. We stay for New Year’s Eve and Valeska finally feels better. We want to cycle on the next day, so we “sleep over” New Year on purpose. We put ear-plugs in and don’t wake up before six o’clock in the morning of the first of January 2010. An hour later we are on the road, cycling out of the sleepy town into the mountains. Hours of uphill, nice downhills and hardly any traffic on this winding road, which carries the suitable name "mil cumbers" – meaning a thousand bends. The surroundings are very green, dense forests, lush grass, birds are singing... what a nice contrast to the days before. From the town Zitacuaro we do a trip to the famous Monarch Butterflies. They spend the winter here – in the mountains on 3000 meters southwest of Mexico City - every year, after migrating from Canada to Mexico. They are said to be the insects which undertake the longest seasonal migration. We visit the El Rosario Butterfly Sanctuary. Masses of butterflies sit or hang in big lumps on the tall conifers. Unfortunately it is cloudy, so the animals all sit and don’t fly, nonetheless it is beautiful. Something else is impressive: the crowds of people who are visiting the sanctuary. It is still holiday time in Mexico and in addition to that we happen to be here on a weekend! We guess another 2000 people admire the insects besides us and fill the walking tracks between hundreds of souvenir stalls. What an experience! Our next stop is the town Valle de Bravo, which we reach after climbing a lot and finally descending. It is touristy but has a nice calm atmosphere. There is two ways to reach the next biggest town Toluca from here. As we cannot find out which is the better route for us (due to our lacking knowledge of Spanish and due to us not trusting into information given from people driving cars and judging the route for cyclists…), we choose the one which should be more scenic. We will regret it later, because we think the other route could not have been with more uphill, more traffic and a smaller road? From 80 kilometres we have to go 50 steep uphill and gain 1700 metres of altitude. Unfortunately the road is narrow, full of bends and the traffic expects our full concentration. An exhausting and dangerous stretch of road. Finally we roll downhill into the city centre of Toluca, where Magalie expects us. We leave our bikes with her for the next days and take the bus into Mexico City. We did not want to miss the capital of Mexico, but cycling in was not really an option with all that traffic. About 22 million people live in the metropolitan city and its surroundings. An impressive number, which is reflected by the large area the city "swallows". South of the center we are guests of Father Ralf in the German speaking Catholic Church San Thomas Morus. We explore the city for three days, stroll through different areas, admire huge colonial buildings, relax in green parks, visit churches, markets, museums, archaeological sites and take participate in Father Ralfs services :-).

20.12.2009, Leon (Mexico): There are lots of private Yachts at the Marina of La Paz and for a couple of days we try to get a lift across the Gulf of California to Mazatlan on the Mexican-mainland. In the mornings we are on the radio and announce our request. Afterwards we are small-talking with the sailors at coffee-hour. We get offers, but none of the boats is crossing over in the next days. Finally we take the overpriced ferry and reach Mazatlan the next morning. We decide to ride up into the highlands to Durango and soon after Mazatlan the road starts climbing. First day: flat, flat, uphill, uphill, uphill - until we reach a lovely little village in the middle of the mountains: Copala, where we are the only guests in the only hotel. Second day: uphill, uphill, uphill, uphill, uphill until we reach the village of El Palmito after more than 6 hours riding time and only 52 kilometres. It is one of the days with the worst averages we had in the last three years – see superlatives. Third day: uphill, gentle uphill, uphill, uphill, finally relatively flat and even a bit downhill, uphill, uphill, downhill – and after a long ride we reach El Salto at 2.600 meters above sea level, where we can warm up at the open fireplace (!) in our hotel room. Fourth day: uphill, downhill, uphill, downhill and pushed by roaring tailwind we reach Durango. It was only 320 kilometres from Mazatlan to Durango, but we had to gain 5.500 meters of altitude. It is a slow and exhausting stretch of road, but on the other hand an extremely beautiful one and we are glad that we took the exertion. The road is winding its way across hills, is cutting into slopes and squeezes on to rock walls. Besides this the views are stunning! And the further we get into the mountains, the more green and lush they become. High in the mountains it is distinctly cooler, in the mornings the land is frosted and we are freezing on our bicycles until the sun gets stronger in the late forenoon. For the first time since more than two months it is raining and fog is magically rising from the valleys. When we finally reach the highlands it stays hilly but it gets dryer again. The pine forests are replaced by cacti, Joshua Trees and dry grassland, where cattle are grazing. We become friends with a very nice young couple from Durango, who we meet via "couchsurfing" (www.couchsurfing,org) and are fascinated by the great city. Huge baroque churches, a marvellous historic centre and lots of street life: fancied up girls, city-ladies in high heels and stylish purses, cool boys with gelled hair, businessman carrying briefcases and cowboys wearing a hat, tight jeans and pointed boots. We are taken by the atmosphere and especially by the Christmas-illumination and the acoustic-Christmas-irradiation. Across countless hills, through dry landscapes and passing by small villages with huge cathedrals, we reach Zacatecas. Colourful houses are covering the slopes, the concentration of churches is enormous and the colonial centre is gorgeously refurbished. It is the 12th of December, the day of the "Virgin Guadalupe", who is one of the major saints of Mexico. In the whole country people pilgrimage to churches dedicated to her. There are corteges and celebrations. We don’t want to miss out on that and head over to the neighbouring city, named Guadalupe to the cathedral of the Guadalupe. Carnival atmosphere around the church awaits us. There are souvenir- and junk-stands, balloon sellers and lots of "healthy" food (potato chips, popcorn, deep fried pork skin and mounts of meat on white rolls – of course everything is served with chilli-sauce) is sold. Dancers in red dresses are spinning around to the “boom boom” of a drum in front of the cathedral. One church service follows the other. Some pilgrims flatter on their knees to the house of "Virgin Guadalupe". Besides that a caravan of decorated trucks, busses and cars is slowly moving towards the church. Monks besprinkle the vehicles with holy water and a priest is blessing them. Now all drivers are sure that nothing can happen when driving too narrow curves with too high speed. We are glad to be travelling by bicycle and not by bus, and wheel further southwards. In Aguascalientes we stay at the Lukas Hostel and make friends with the likeable owner, who is putting us on his website as special visitors (www.lukashostel.com). After another long day we reach the geographical central point of Mexico, León, where Monika, Javier and their mexican-german-austrian extended family are warmly welcoming us. Their home is a green oasis, where we can lean back and relax. We stroll around town and shake hands with the mayor, who is showing us his bureaus. Monika takes Mika – from Berlin (she is here to learn Spanish) – and us on a trip to the fascinating historic town of Guanajuato, which is close by. The whole city is criss-crossed by tunnels underneath (old sewage-canales) where most of the traffic is rolling. Colourful houses are covering the hillsides, beautiful churches, narrow alleys, theatres and shady Plazas with classy restaurants. In León we experience unique hospitality, eat the first Christmas-cookies since four years (!!) and are invited to celebrate Christmas together with the large family.


30.11.2009, El Centenario / La Paz (Mexico): After some relaxing days in Ensenada we pack our panniers and again hit the road southwards. There is way too much traffic on the small road, which hardly accommodates two trucks passing each other and ends with a sharp edge towards the ditch. It is a less physical but more a psychological demanding ride in the northern part of the Baja California. We have to be permanently alert of what is happening around us and the landscape isn’t much appealing either – mainly flat, dry, grey and bleak. Places are dusty, street-villages with truck-stop-character, but the wind is with us (tailwind) and pushes us along. As we finally reach San Rosario and turn into the mountains everything changes. The road winds its way through beautiful hills and boulder fields, countless cacti are stretching towards the sun – the diversity is fascinating and the plentifulness indescribable. The traffic is almost dying completely and there are almost no villages for the next couple of hundred kilometres (and the few existing ones are much nicer than the ones before), water becomes a scarce good and the tailwind becomes a strong side- and headwind, which almost keeps us from enjoying the great landscape for some days. Finally the track changes direction and we are again riding with the wind. Now the Baja stays landscape-wise, except for a small stretch around Guerrero Negro, gorgeous! Mountains and elevated plains. We sleep out in the desert by cacti and starlit nights, find accommodation in small motels in tiny villages and put up camp beside roadside restaurants (inns for truck drivers). "Inventive" are the place names in this part of the world and we pass through villages called Rosarito, El Rosario, Rosario de Abajo, Rosarito (again), Santa Rosalia and El Rosarito. However, our favourite place name on the Baja is Villa Jesus Maria (here we find shelter J)! We stop in the small oasis San Ignacio for a day and enjoy the shade of the date palm trees, the sleepy cosiness of the village and experience the festivities of the "Mexican Revolution Day". On the piazza (town square) scholars enact dances, short plays on the revolution, cowboys are marching with their horses, the hymn is sung and in a militant style sworn to the flag. Very interesting, but distressingly patriotic. At San Rosalia (yes, again) we get to the Golf of California (the east side of the Baja) for the first time. Beautiful bays and sandy beaches are taking turns with rocky cliff lines. Retired Americans, sun seekers, and the ones, for whom the USA is too expensive, meet up to spend the winter in caravans, motor homes and small houses down here. We find fantastic camping spots on the beaches and stop in the small village of El Juncalito, where we enjoy relaxing days as guests of Roberta in her small cosy house and get the possibility to live a little bit of her idyll, before we start the next mountainous stretch towards La Paz. We are climbing steep through the hills and enjoy a long steady downhill on the west side of the Baja. On the last few hundred kilometres before La Paz the traffic is increasing. Also the "oncoming traffic" – for the first time in Mexico we are running into two cyclists (only a short distance between them) who are coming from Argentina. Before La Paz we get into rolling hills for the last time and we are camping once again - surrounded by cacti. At night coyotes are howling, cows are visiting our site and "muh" to the moon. The stars in the sky are so bright – terrific! Well, the next morning starts with fixing a flat tire – the cacti have won! With great tailwinds we are flying on the final stretch to La Paz and stop at Michael and Niurkas place, a German-Columbian couple, where we are guests for a few days in their great house...



10.11.2009, Ensenada (Mexico): We make a trip with Marlies and Setso to Joshua Tree National Park (per car), where we also meet our cycling friends Uwe and Simone, who just rent a car for two weeks before flying to New Zealand and Australia for more cycling. The National Park is fantastic: impressive granite boulders, countless Joshua Trees, a lot of different cacti. We hear and see coyotes, squirrels run from one shady place to the next and by night the full moon is high above us and dips everything in a spooky white light. During daytime we hike through alternating landscapes and in the evening, when it gets cold, we enjoy sitting by the fireplace.

After a few more days in Los Angeles, it is time for us to pedal on southwards and say good bye to Setso and Marlies. The next stretch of road is not through lonesome nature, but very urbanized until San Diego, where we look across the border to Mexico for the first time. It’s hard to say good-bye to the USA, especially because we have just made friends with great people again within the last few days (Thanks to Steve, Linda, Dave, Paul). We pick the border crossing at Tijuana, because it is close, not because it is famous for its drug wars between different drug dealing groups. We have no problems at all – it seems to us like a border such as many others. Although it is the most frequented border crossing in the world we pass through pretty fast and ARRIVE IN MEXICO! If we had not looked for a stamp and the visa office, we would have just walked past the office, nobody stopped us. The difference between the US and Mexico is quite big: Mexico is lots poorer and that is so obvious immediately. Streets have big holes, sand piles lie around, rocks on the driveways, garbage everywhere. Everything seems hand-made and a little tilted – but colourful! Music comes from car repair places and shops. Pedestrians smile and wave to us, car drivers honk their horns and show thumbs up to us. It is exciting to be in a new culture again, a new country for us. We leave dusty Tijuana and cycle back to the coast. We ride on the toll road (freeway), as it has a shoulder and is therefore less dangerous than the small roads. It is forbidden to cycle on the toll road, but neither we nor the police could care less about that. On the way south we pass a lot of small towns, where rich Americans build huge fenced- off houses, plenty of food stalls beside the roads, bakeries, lots of apartments in high risers for sun-hungry tourists, and we are followed by "herds" of barking wild dogs. After two days cycling in Mexico we reach Ensenada, a medium-sized town. Via the "warmshowers-website" (www.warmshowers.org) we find a place to stay – we even get "our own" flat – and take in the first impressions of Mexico...

27.10.2009, Los Angeles (California - USA): Marlies has organised tickets for us to the U2 concert on October 25th in the Rose Bowl Stadium, which is the second biggest stadium in the USA. We use two hours driving on freeways through the city to get close to the event. To get to the entrance we take a shuttle bus. Almost 100.000 people are crowding together through the entrances, the green and the tribunes. The stage is a gigantic structure, which appears like something between a space station and an octopus. It is said to be the biggest concert stage ever. After a so-so warm-up band (Black Eyed Pees) the main concert starts around 9 pm. U2 are coming on stage and a mega-show starts. Light, video, effects, smoke, with every new light-effect the stage looks more and more surreal and the crows becomes crazy. The concert is spectacular, the atmosphere overwhelming and presumably not even the pope would manage to get 100.000 people (many of which might not even be religious) to soulfully sing a "gospel" – "I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For" :-)


13.10.2009, Sacramento (California - USA): We do a side-trip to Sacramento, where we spend a nice evening with our host Micheal, Marc and their Austrian mother. With them we get back into talking Austrian slang, which will be useful tomorrow. In the morning of the next day it is raining cats and dogs, that’s why we spend our day in California’s Capital in coffee shops until the big hour broaches. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Governor of California and the most famous Austrian abroad, has invited us to meet him in his office. After a security-check at the entrance and a "check-in" at the reception of the Governor’s office we are in the heart of the Capitol. Pictures of Schwarzenegger from all phases of his life, gifts, flags and awards decorate the corridors to his office. "Kommts nua eina!" (Austrian-dialect for: "Come on in!"), Arnold Schwarzenegger is beckoning us in and grins. It is exciting to suddenly stand face to face with one of the most famous man on earth! In a broad Austrian dialect we chat about our trip. Where we have been so far, what our next steps will be, how many kilometres we have covered until now, etc. And as a recognition that one has to go his/her own way, he says: "My mother also always said that I should go for a real job and not for bodybuilding and making movies." Good that he did not always listen to her! We pose for a picture, drink Governor’s coffee and get a special guided tour around the Capitol. What a great experience – as the Americans would say: "Arnold rocks!" We say goodbye, and head back to San Francisco and south along the Pacific coast...


10.10.2009, San Francisco (California - USA): After some relaxing days in Seattle we get back on our saddles and continue cycling southwards. Shortly after we reach the Pacific coast of the US - which we follow during the next weeks: steep cliffs, basalt rocks in the powerful sea in front of long sandy beaches and small bays. Sunshine and winds from northwest (tailwinds J) accompany us. It is warm during daytime, uncomfortably chilly in the evenings and just above freezing during the nights. Cycling is pretty exhausting as we have to climb lots – almost a thousand meters every day or more, one hill after the other. Nonetheless this is the prettiest stretch along a coast on our journey so far! Unfortunately there is a lot of traffic in Washington and Oregon and roads sometimes too narrow, which takes away some of the joy. Finally, when we reach California, we find alternative routes, small roads, which follow the coast over every single hill. We pass windswept trees and come through small towns, where we often have a contact person through the website www.warmshowers.org (cyclists supporting cyclists). In between we find State Park Campgrounds, which are usually located in a nice spot, offer cheap hiker-biker sites for 5 USD per person and a possibility to shower! The area is not suitable for bush-camping, as there is either a town or the slopes are too steep or the forest too dense. We are not the only cyclists, who work their way southwards along the coast. We meet lots of Americans, who go from Seattle to San Diego (Canadian to Mexican border). Besides that there are a few other Europeans. As we run into amazingly many cyclists, we have decided only to include those ones, with who we had more contact or cycled a bit, onto our website. We had especially lots of fun with Uwe and Simone, cyclists from Bonn. Another highlight along the coast is the Redwood-forest with its huge trees. We admire those giants of trees, which are more than 100 m high and some are more than 3000 years old, and feel really small besides them! Via the Golden Gate Bridge we reach – after almost 2000 kilometers from Seattle – the most beautiful city in the New World on our tour so far: San Francisco. Lots of atmosphere in this hilly city with its Victorian-style houses – which we want to enjoy, so we stay for a few days and explore…

The western part of the US does not live up to the general cliché of the US: lots of hybrid-cars in the streets (Toyota Prius), even hybrid trucks and the Tesla Roadster (an electric sports car) are spotted by us. Supermarkets offer a big variety of organic products, which are even affordable. Organic supermarkets are also abundant in smaller towns. Besides that there are initiatives for cyclists: in San Francisco for example, the cycle routes will be doubled in the next year. America’s West is not "super-green", but many people we met seem to be aware of the environment and try to act in an environmentally friendly way.


19.09.2009, Seattle (Washington - USA): After another circumnavigation of Spitzbergen – a hiking-trip with great wildlife – we shortly stopover in Austria. We visit family and friends, check with doctors (our yearly health-check) and meet up with sponsors and media. We get interviewed by the Austrian radio stations "Ö1" and "Radio Steiermark" and we have appointments with the newspapers "Kronenzeitung" and "Die Presse". Northland Professional is providing us again with lots of new equipment and from Radsport Kotnik we get stocked up with spare- and exchange-parts for our bicycles. Then we are back in Vancouver, where we have stored our bikes. We change lots of parts and get them fit for fight for the long kilometres south. Soon we are prepared and ready to start, and together with Niki – a friend from north of Vancouver, Pemberton – we are leaving the city with direction to Seattle. It is a long way through suburbs until we reach the US-border. Passed the checkpoint cycling gets nicer and we are wheeling on small country roads, forest-paths and sometimes along the coast. We stay overnight with Glenn, who we met in the Yukon Territory. He just has published a very funny movie, where he participated as investor and as actor – he is the man with the plant-pot as a head. The piece of art is called "Kung Fu Joe". We are "hopping" over islands towards Seattle. A bit of rain, lots of sunshine and through dense fog we reach Seattle (with another small ferry), where we stay with Caroline and Roman – an Austrian couple living in the US. After great days riding with Niki, she is leaving us and is riding back home via Vancouver Island. We stay for some days in Seattle, then leave with direction southwest towards the coast...


15.08.2009, Longyearbyen (Svalbard): We leave our bicycles in Wanda and Tony’s garage and start making our way to Europe and the Arctic. We have a short stopover in Austria to see family and friends and head on for Longyearbyen, Svalbard. The next day we shoot our rifles at the rifle range (polar bears!) and go on board the “Antarctic Dream”, our home for the next month. Together with three other guides we are leading ten-day-trips around the archipelago. Hiking, outdoors, nature and a touch of science are the main focus of our trips. Easy and interested guests, fantastic wildlife, lots of polar-bears, plenty of pack-ice and good weather are our companions. We just came back to Longyearbyen from the second circumnavigation. In the afternoon new guests come on board and we head out again...



12.07.2009, Vancouver (British Columbia - Canada): After we had spent a nice day horse riding and relaxing in Hudsons Hope, we say good-bye to Rebecca and Stefan. A steep downhill, where Philipp reaches one of his speed records, then cycling against strong headwinds over endless hills. Some bears still cross our paths, deer jumps out of the bush and more and more colourful flowers grow beside the road. We take a break in Prince George and as we continue we try to avoid the main road, which is full of traffic by now. The weather is very variable and it seems to become a rule that after one sunny day three rainy days have to follow. Despite that we are lucky to get to know and visit some very interesting people: immigrants from Europe, fans of nature, yoga and health freaks, good-view-fetishists, cacti-collectors and growers, biodynamic farmers and the "ordinary" bicycle-freaks. Therefore the bad weather becomes a minor matter. We struggle over some mountains as we proceed towards Whistler (Olympic Games 2010) and continue in the mountains. We enjoy nice atmosphere at some lakes and rivers, manage steep gravel roads over mountain passes and get a glimpse at a view of some mountains and glaciers, as the clouds open up. When we reach Vancouver, the sun is shining and we are hosted by likeable people. We stroll through the first big city on our America-leg. For the next (almost) two moths we will leave our two-wheeled horses here behind. We will (as every year) go up to the European Arctic, Svalbard, to earn some money as tourist guides...


24.06.2009, Hudson's Hope (British Columbia - Canada): We are leaving Whitehorse towards southeast. It is more than 500 km to the next town. 500 kilometers of hilly countryside, forest, bears and beautiful weather. We proceed quickly and reach the small town of Watson Lake, where we spend 2 nights at friendly couchsurfers. So we are lucky and spend our first rainy day in the dry! From here we have two choices how we continue: via the Steward Cassiar Highway or via the Alaska Highway. We have cycled the Steward C. HWY about 6 years ago, so we decide to take the other one this time. But at the moment both Highways are closed! The Steward C. HWY because of a land slide and the Alaska HWY because of forest fires. Luckily on the next day the Alaska HWY is opened again and we can start. It is again more than 500 kilometers to the next town, Fort Nelson. This time we leave the hills and climb up on some mountain passes. Fantastic scenery with beautiful lakes, mountain tops and rivers accompany us on our way. We find gorgeous places to camp and see bisons, goats, stone sheep and lots of bears – it is a "beary" area and we are happy that we carry our electric fence with us. Philipp falls on a downhill and his knee, arms and legs show some deep road rash after that. "Luckily" there is still big bush fires going on and more than 80 fire fighters are in the area with helicopters and cars. First aid cars are stationed at their camps, therefore Philipp is able to get professional help in the middle of nowhere. The weather stays sunny, so the wounds dry quickly and heal as we reach Fort Nelson. For the first time on our entire trip we meet so many long-distance cyclists in a very short time span and from Fort Nelson onwards we cycle together with the Japanese Sohei for 6 days. We fight headwinds, rain and big hills together and become a good team. We spend a rainy day at a small lake, making a camp fire to keep warm, roast marshmallows and watch a movie on our small portable outdoor roadside cinema (our small laptop). The weather improves again and we have to part from Sohei before Fort St. John, he is on the way to Edmonton. But we go westwards again, where farmland starts and an awfully head-windy day waits for us. We encounter the worst headwind since – well, probably the Nullarbor in Australia. In the small town of Hudson’s Hope we are “picked up” from the road by the Swiss couple Rebecca and Stefan, who have a wonderful forest-property close to town. We spend a relaxing day here and sit at their fireplace at night...

04.06.2009, Whitehorse (Yukon - Canada): Tailwind pushes us out of Fairbanks and we enjoy beautiful sunny weather. On our next leg there are almost no shops on the way, so we have to carry food for several days with us. In Tok we pass Marten and Karin, who we have already met several times before that. On the way to Whitehorse we produce "Roadart" along the Alaska Highway to cheer them up. Dark clouds start forming in the sky and for the next two days we have to put up with cold rainy weather. We have to use our new rain gear (jackets and trousers), which had been sent to Anchorage for us from our sponsor "Northland Professional". So we stay dry! The rain only lasts for two days, after that we cycle again under blue cloudless sky. We run into, well rather cycle into Chris, who is going around in Canada and Alaska on his trike. Before we cross the border to Canada, we camp with Chris and chat all afternoon + evening long. After the border crossing we meet Aaron, who had been cycling up from the southern US and is on his way to Alaska. Beautiful mountains, good weather, but lots of headwind accompany us on our way southwards. Especially along the huge Kluane Lake the wind blows hard into our faces. About two thirds of the lake are covered by ice, which looks beautiful. It is warm and the mosquitoes start becoming a plague as soon as we get off our bicycles. Apart from the mosquitoes the places we find to camp are marvellous. We have good views and can make a fire quite often. After ten days on the road we reach Whitehorse and stay for a couple of days in this nice town...

23.05.2009, Fairbanks (USA - Alaska): From Agra it is just a short ride of three days until we reach Delhi. It is hot and the "air" of the metropolis is almost as thick that you could cut it. We stay with couchsurfer, organise boxes for the bicycles, get our stored cold weather gear (fleece, sleeping bags, gloves, tent,...) delivered, pack our things, enjoy the great Indian cuisine for a last time and catch out flight to Alaska on the 06th of May.

Temperatures are just around zero and we experience drizzling rain when we climb out of the airplane in Anchorage and are hugged by our friends Elke, Roy and their kids Maya and Anika. But already after the first "night" (it is already light all night round :-) the sky turns blue, temperatures during the day reach friendly 10 to 15 degrees and it is just great! We immediately forget the sweaty climate of India and start preparing for a new continent. We put the bicycles together, buy bear(pepper)spray and a signal-pistol (for bear defence), and also get an only one kilo weighing bear-electro-fence to put up around our tent at night. We can still remember the sometimes (almost) sleepless nights of our last Alaska-Canada-trip six years ago, caused by bears. We don’t want that this time! After a couple of relaxing days in Anchorage we are on the road again. The air is cool and clear, birch- and willow-trees are starting to become green leaves, the last snow is melting and the first flowers are stretching for the sun – it smells like spring in the north! The traffic gets less and less, it is nice riding on the wide shoulder and we reach Talkeetna, where we are hosted by Ralf from "warmshower" and sleep IN his bicycle-shop named "We Cycle"! He is a cycle-freak and is hosting two other riders, Karin and Marten from the Netherlands who are also on their way to South America. In Talkeetna we catch our first great views of Denali (Mt. McKinley) and the Alaska Range. Then we find fantastic spots for bush-camping along rivers and lakes with marvellous panoramic-views in the end of exhausting days with lots of altitude to climb and headwinds. Temperatures at night are dropping well beneath zero, during the day it is sunny and warm. We meet Karin and Marten often on our way and camp together for a couple of times. We want to ride into Denali National Park for some days. Cars are not permitted, but during the season shuttle-busses are running in and out the dirt-road every half an hour. Campers must stay on the few campsites in the park and often have to wait several days at the entrance to get a site in the park. BUT: we are a week too early for all of that. The campsites are still closed and the busses are not running yet. The only way to get in the park is by bicycle! We check a "backcountry permit", which allows us to pitch the tent wherever we want (which is usually not allowed), and get going. After a couple of kilometres cars are not allowed any further and we are alone in the park! Great, fantastic, amazing! The weather is extraordinary good and we see Grizzlies, Moose, lots of Reindeer, many Hare and Ptarmigan, Mountain-sheep, Ground-squirrels and Birds of prey. The road is winding through valleys, over mountain-passes and the views are stunning! In the evenings we usually arrange to meet up with Karin and Marten, and the two Dutch are happy to put up camp inside our bear-proof-fence as the bear-concentration in the park is huge. After a couple of days in the Denali National Park we are back on the highway and ride in just two days, across numerous hills, to Fairbanks, where we move into Heidi and Dave’s cabin, take a break from cycling and wait for our friends to return from their holiday...



30.04.2009, Agra (India): Valeska is catching some bad stomach bugs in Udaipur and visits "Doctor Larifari" (a tip from the boss of the hotel). After a stooltest he prescribes a couple of pills and assures: "everything will be ok in a while". As Philipp already had some bad experiences on his "Pune-doctor-Rallye", we are very sceptical to diagnosis from Indian doctors. Therefore we communicate via email with a doctor-friend of ours in Austria. She tells us that "Doctor Larifari" has prescribed some harmless stomach-bacteria-reviving stuff, but besides that 3 (!) antibiotics and some pills for schizophrenia (!?!) And his diagnosis is amoeba. According to the stooltest-result and our Austrian doctor there are just Coli-bacteria, which are not more precisely defined – some of those even go away without medication. Finally Valeska takes only one of the antibiotics, does not visit the Indian doctor again, rests and after a week in Udaipur we can start cycling again. We are heading east to Chittorgarh, a small town with a fine castle, then north to Pushkar, a hinduist pilgrim-village and a favorite budget tourist place. Next we get to Jaipur, where we stay for two days. It is a beautiful city with lots of Bazaars, a great palace and a nice old city ("Pink City"). Temperatures during the day are climbing up to 45 degrees and it is windy and dusty in the semi-desert country. However, roads are perfectly good and wide and riding goes well. The more north we get, the more we notice a change in the mentality of the people. In the south everyone seemed relaxed when we pass by, saying hello or waving. People were trying to talk and were interested in us. Here reactions along the road are getting more and more hysteric (screaming!). Or shouting things at us, which make people laugh and giggle when we pass. Or just come, stand and stare with price-winning faces when we stop. But fortunately there are still nice conversations and friendly smiling people along our way. We get to impressive Fahtepur Sikri, a Mosque-Palace-Ruins-Complex listed as a World Heritage Site, before we ride to Agra, where we stop for two days and enjoy the magical atmosphere of the Taj Mahal...


14.04.2009, Udaipur (India): Soon our bicycles and we are ready to hit the road again and we wave goodbye to our Pune-friends. It is good to be back in the saddle, to feel the wind and to carry on with our travels. We are riding over low hills and down towards Mumbai. Traffic is increasing and we are trying to ride as good as possible around the metropolis and head north. It is hot (above 40 degrees) and the country is dry and dusty. The exhaust gasses from the diesel trucks, the dust and dirt, in combination with sunscreen and lots of sweat, are producing a brownish-black layer on our skin until the evenings. When cleaning the nose, black stuff is coming out, so we start (as many Indians do as well) riding with a facemask. Lots of traffic and industry accompany us almost all the way to Ahmedabad. Chimneys are spitting dark black smoke, often there is a biting smell of whatever chemical in the air, rivers and creeks are green, blue and red in colour and smell disgustingly. All in all not a real holiday area. Just the last 200 kilometres before Ahmedabad are friendlier. There are again alleys of big trees and plantations of banana, sugarcane and mango. The city is warmly welcoming us with lots of nice people, which we get to know via the website www.couchsurfing.org. We are strolling through the old city with its narrow alleys, temples and mosques and continue to cycle into Indias desert-state Rajasthan. The country is getting even dryer, there is almost no other vegetation than cactus and thornbushes, and around lunchtime temperatures are climbing above 40 degrees. We reach the small town of Udaipur. Gorgeous palaces, fantastic sunrises and –sets and a cosy atmosphere await us there. We stay for some days before riding on towards Jaipur, Agra and Delhi...

There are also news concerning our route, which we have changed another time (after long pros and cons discussions) – having the freedom to decide wherever we want to go... Already in Nepal it became quite clear that most likely it will be impossible to get into Tibet this year – especially as individual tourist (which is not allowed), and then even with a bicycle. The main problem in that case is the border between Nepal and China, where one definitely has to get an entry stamp. One possibility is to join a organised tour (for lots of money) to get into the country and then "disappear". The problem is that there will be a group-visa and a group-permit issued for the whole group and it is not sure that you are already a "group" with only two persons in the party. On top of all that it is the 50th anniversary that the Chinese invaded Tibet and trouble in the country are almost programmed. Due to that there is more police and army in Tibet and at the moment the Nepal – Tibet border is closed for all tourists. We have thought and discussed a long time about alternatives, but since India is somehow a dead end (if you don’t want to go to Pakistan, which is the only open border), we have decided to do something completely different! In the beginning of May we will fly from Delhi to Alaska and start riding from Alaska to Patagonia. After that we will return to Asia (in about one and a half years) and cycle back to Europe from Southeast-Asia – hopefully via Tibet...


15.04.2009, Rajasthan (India): "Namaste!" - this time from Rajasthan. After a nice holiday in Nepal (holiday from our bicycles :-) with Philipp's parents and wonderful trekking-adventures, we returned to India, Pune, to our bicycles. We packed our bikes and cycled about 800km northwards (avoiding the traffic of Mumbai) to Rajathan, a desert-like part of India. The day before yesterday we arrived in Udaipur, where we enjoy sightseeing in a "touristy town"! Udaipur is one of the most romantic towns in India, that's what people say.... We stay for three days, stroll through the palaces, enjoy sunsets from rooftop-restaurants and update our website. Again - we have changed our route: We put "Asia" at the end of our "agenda", flying to Alaska in the beginning of May, in order to cycle the Americas from North to South :-) According to our new plan we will return to Asia in about one and a half years time and cycle home from there...
By the way HAPPY EASTER ! Too hot for easter eggs here, so fresh mangoes have to do instead...
We wish you a nice spring time...

30.03.2009, Pune (India): After we had helped enough to breath-away the dust and smog of Kathmandu, we are making our way together with Philipp's parents Ilse and Hansi to the Langtang valley. The "road" is an awful dirt-track and is winding its way through steep hills until we reach our starting point for the trek, the small village Syambru Besi. It is extremely dry (there was no precipitation since the last seven months) and the strong valley-upwinds are covering us in dust and dirt for the next days, while we are hiking. But it is a nice walk in the narrow valley and we catch some good views of the Langtang Range in the north. We reach the last settlement at 3800 meters. We stay and do some day-hikes to glaciers, up on an (almost) 5000 meter peak, and further into the valley, where Yaks are grazing. In the Lodges we feel like in refrigerators. Sometimes they are not much more than a better hut, where the wind is howling through and in the evening everybody is meeting around the wood- (or yak-dung) fired stove. Then the weather changes. The mornings are clear and chilly, in the afternoons clouds are coming in quickly, thunderstorms start, in lower parts with rain and in the high country with snow. We are hiking down the same valley for a bit, then making a turn up into the mountains, towards Laurebina Pass (4600 meters). Up on the pass we are catching the last rays of sunshine, before bad thunders are rolling over us, while we are walking through intense snowfall. Also for the next days the weather stays unpredictable and we have lots of snow, until we reach lower altitudes, where the weather gets better and we hike in beautiful forests with up to 400 year old fir trees and rhododendron trees (which just start flowering). Agriculture starts in this area. On steep slopes farmers are ploughing on narrow terraces. Small villages are on our way, which are often built on top of ridges. Children are waving; grown-ups are looking sceptically at us. With the villages we are back in the dirt of civilisation. Plastic-bags and wrapping material is more and more littering the path and we are walking down to the outskirts of Kathmandu. After 14 days of hiking we are back in the (maybe) dirtiest capital city of the world. Garbage in the streets, the "air" (an almost solid mixture of dust and exhaust-gases) can be cut, roads exist of more potholes than asphalt, dirty monkeys and dogs are roaming the roads, and there is an always existing smell of urine and garbage. However, Kathmandu has atmosphere, a special charm, lots of sights and its own beauty in a way. We are checking out the burning-ghats of Pashupatinath, enjoy the quietness around the stupa of Bodhanath and take a stroll through Bhaktapur. On the weekend we fly back to Pune and our bicycles. We want to start riding northwards as soon as our stuff is packed and we had a day adjusting to the heat...

10.03.2009, Kathmandu (Nepal): Philipp`s tonsil operation was going well, but the pain afterwards is cruel. In addition to the pain the doctor allows only "easy walks", because of the chance of bleeding from the wound – therefore exhaustion has to be avoided. Finally we have to spend three weeks in Austria – but it’s also good to see family. Philipp recovers and in the beginning of March we fly back to Asia. Our bicycles are parked in Pune, but we are flying to Kathmandu. Why? - Because already some moths ago we have agreed with Philipp's parents to meet in Kathmandu and go trekking together – so they have booked flights. The original plan was of course to cycle to Kathmandu, but there is no time for that at the moment. Therefore we will return to our bicycles after our "trekking-break". Kathmandu is welcoming us dusty, smoggy, full of garbage, without electricity, but with friendly faces and lots of atmosphere. A day later Philipp's parents arrive together with two more friends from Austria (who will do another trek) and we spend the days with sightseeing, enjoying good food and organising our trek. It is the 10th of March, the day of the "Holi" festival. It is the festival of water and colour, which is celebrated to mark the end of winter. Water-balloons are flying criss-cross through the streets. Colour-powder is getting mixed with water in buckets and those are poured from rooftops on pedestrians. Faces are covered in red, blue, green and waterpistol-fights are starting in the streets. We have bought cheap clothes and filled water-balloons the day before and are fit for fight. As Europeans we are a good target and Valeska (a young woman) is an even better one. We are completely wet in no time and covered with colour. But we are also fighting back! It is good fun and the atmosphere is friendly. Great that we could attend the "Holi" festival! Tomorrow we will be on our way – for the next 14 days we will trek in the mountains north of Kathmandu – in the Helambu and Langtang area...

17.02.2009, Graz (Austria): In Pune we are running from one doctor to the other. Seriously they look into Philipp’s throat and subscribe him tons of antibiotics. No pain, no temperature, but a permanent infection in the gap makes Philipp feel weak. “Wait for four days and everything will be fine again.” Four days later we should wait for another four, then 7 more, and so on. “Something like this takes time, you just have to be patient.” After three weeks of doctors-rallye and no real improvement, we not only loose confidence in the doctors but also patience. Spontaneously we book a flight to Austria, since waiting there for the next weeks seems more pleasant and at least Philipp will have the possibility to get his throat properly checked. On the 10th of February we touch down in Vienna and take a train to Graz. It is cold, sunny, clear and there is snow in the mountains. A nice contrast to humid-muggy India. The next day Philipp goes straight to a throat specialist. The case is clear after the doctors first look: chronically tonsillitis. The tonsils have to be removed. Why did the doctors in India not recognise this? – that will stay a mystery to us. The next day Philipp is going to hospital and the morning after the operation takes place. We are happy to be in Austria and fascinated how you sometimes intuitional do the right thing. After four days Philipp is coming home. The throat pains and the hours of breakfast, lunch and dinner are the worst of the day. Because of the danger of secondary bleeding there will be no more sport than “easy walking” for the next three weeks. If then everything is fine, we’ll be back on the subcontinent in the beginning of March...

20.01.2009, Pune (India): We stay some more days in Arambol, enjoying the beach, eating good food and plan our route. Back on the saddles, we leave Goa and the coast, and once again we are pedalling into the mountains (Western Ghats). The (too) warm and humid climate is over and we enjoy summerly-dry days and cool nights. After cycling on small mountain roads for two days – at every junction we have to ask for the way as signs are only in Hindi – we reach the „National Highway Number 4“, a Freeway-like road, with two lanes and a sholder in each direction. It is a fast ride – tailwind and not too much traffic – and after long days on the road we reach Pune, with 4 million inhabitants our so far largest city in India. We get accomodated by a nice family of six and stay for some days. Philipp caught a bad virus-infection, which is going for his lungs and throat. With the help of our friends we find a good doctor, Philipp gets treated and can relax until he is well and we start riding north again...

10.01.2009, Arambol (India): We leave Mysore on the 26th of December and cycle through nice and (for indian standards)lonely countryside across the mountains (Western Ghats)down to the coast. Traffic is not too bad and therefore cycling is enjoyable. People are relaxed, friendly and ask us "which country are you from?" and "what's your name?" everywhere. In Murudeshwar we see lots of pilgrims and the 40m high temple is impressive. Unforgettable is the night. Philipp has diarrhoea and has to throw up several times, Valeska also lies awake in her bed with an aching stomach. Nonetheless we head on the next day to reach the village of Gokarna, another holy place for hindu pilgrims. But because of its beautiful beaches, the village also attracts long-term "alternative" India-tourists. We meet our austrian friends Doris and Leo here, who travelled in Rajastan before. We spend New Year´s Eve together, but a couple of days we are (almost) all sick: diarrhoea, aching stomach, cold. Despite that we make it into 2009 on a sandy beach in Goa. Leo and Doris buy bicycles of the brand "Hercules Turbodrive" (sounds better than they are, as we are talking about one-gear-cycles!). Together we travel along the coast northwards. The landscape is quite green, roads winding, scenic and sometimes across really hilly areas – not too easy for our one-gear-pilots! So we reach Goa. And Goa is different: fantastic portuguese colonial villas, pretty villages, the area gives a cleaner and wealthier impression than the rest of India. White churches, Christmas-cribs are standing in front of almost every house, and as there is less tax on alcohol in Goa, the streets are full with bars. But we are not alone – we see lots of "white faces", it's high season in Goa. We meet some long-distance cyclists on the road, unfortunately there is not much time to talk, as we have to look for a place to sleep. We spend relaxing days at the beaches of Agonda and Benaulim and finally continue to Panjim, the capital of Goa. Portuguese quarters with big colonial style houses and nice churches are waiting to be explored by us. A highlight is a trip to nearby Velha Goa (Old Goa), where several huge cathedrals pose in green gardens. Impressive! Still a cycling team of four with our friends we make it a bit further north to the hippie-beach of Arambol, which seems to be in russian hands nowadays. It's the first time we see so many east-european travellers. We have spent 10 days with Doris and Leo, now they have to head back home. We stay in Arambol for another two days and then we'll continue northwards...



More info under: www.2-play-on-earth.net Pictures here

---