WOH HOH in GC (Guatemala City) ...this time with nothing to do with hospitals etc as promised.
Arriving back to GC was great and arriving by bike to meet up with Victor in one piece was even cooler, we had to pick up our passports from immigration as we had spent our 90 days and we had not even left Guatemala
.
Arriving in GC at about 1.30 pm we discovered that Immigration had closed at 12.00 noon that day for renovations until the following Tuesday... hmmm, our plan was to leave Monday morning .... OK, plan B.
We had also ordered a pinlock fog insert and SAE cable 6 weeks prior through a professional shipping company, we were also stood up on this too with them saying it was all held up in customs....but we paid for it NOT to be held up in customs.
Argh
Well, Sunday morning, 7.30 am, planned to go for a ride with Victor and some local lads.
As mum nature would have it she decided the road needed a wash ... all night and in the morning.
No problemo I have flash new wet weather gear, part of the team rang in earlier and cancelled so it was up to the hardy souls.
We headed off to the petrol station that is the designated meeting point, Victors cuzzies Fernando and Carlos were a little late and with every moment that passed the weather was on the improve.
Wasn’t too long and they turned up, gear on and off we went with local knowledge working well.
We headed through and out of GC, a little bit of rain here and there but nothing much, as we got out of town the cloud dispersed and although still overcast it was not wet at all.
Our destination was laguna de Ayarza, we stopped for breakfast at a small and were fed and watered like kings and queens setting ourselves up for the day.
The bikes, left to right, Fernandos, Maya, Victors and Carlos.
The crew, left to right, Ellen, Fernando, Me, Carlos and Victor.
The lake was only half hour on tar then about 20 minutes on gravel, Victor of course is on his little 250 hyosung roadie which was less than ideal for the rougher road, both Fernando and Carlos were on the two F800GS’s and us on Maya.
We all but made it to the lake, Victor only had to turn into the car park but unfortunately lost the front end, he went down at an awkward angle and was not happy, his foot swelled up like a ballon quickly.
This is a photo of a man who is in a bit of pain
The bikes lined up at the lake.
Back to Victor, we carried him down the road to put his foot into the cold water
He tried to soak it but the lake water was warmer than colder ... NOTE, NOT me this time.
Time to regroup and sympathize with Victor and formulate a plan to get bike and rider home
Now Victor is a hairdresser by profession and this leaves him open for a bashing (as most of us office style workers endure) however, this tough little guy said get my bike back to the tarseal so he is not jarred by the shingle road and he will ride it back!! ..... a true soldier
So we headed back to the town for lunch, we stopped at a petrol station as well while waiting for the lads to return with Victors bike, a local was so taken by Maya which was nice, he gave me a good luck pendant so I will keep that with me for good karma.
There was a Policeman, the forecourt attendant, shop attendant and a couple of his mates, I put Maya up on the centrestand and one by one they all had there photos taken, it created a great atmosphere with huge larfs and huge smiles all round ..... makes a great day out.
So we sat down and had lunch, fish from the lake, Victor grinned and beared it while keeping a sense of humour.
After lunch we set off back to GC, Fernando and I swapped bikes so Ellen and I took his 800GS back and he rode Maya, a great back to back comparo pointing out strengths and weaknesses on both machines.
All in all the weather held and barring Victors off it was what one would consider to be an almost perfect day out.
And a good word for our soldier, Victor rode back unassisted back to GC with TWO broken bones, both at the bottom where his leg bones join the angle, his foot got smacked heavy breaking the smaller leg bone and breaking a piece of the bottom of the opposite side.
Victor, you are hard mate!!!
So we have got to partly reciprocate with Victors injury as he took us in when I did my ribs and he looked after us, goes round comes around, came round a little quick (the bugger of being injured) so we have extended our stay a few more days to get Victor set up as best we can before heading away, this has given me time to help with repairs on his bike to get him back on the road.
Maya has to stand in the rain and watch
Arriving back to GC was great and arriving by bike to meet up with Victor in one piece was even cooler, we had to pick up our passports from immigration as we had spent our 90 days and we had not even left Guatemala
.Arriving in GC at about 1.30 pm we discovered that Immigration had closed at 12.00 noon that day for renovations until the following Tuesday... hmmm, our plan was to leave Monday morning .... OK, plan B.
We had also ordered a pinlock fog insert and SAE cable 6 weeks prior through a professional shipping company, we were also stood up on this too with them saying it was all held up in customs....but we paid for it NOT to be held up in customs.
Argh
Well, Sunday morning, 7.30 am, planned to go for a ride with Victor and some local lads.
As mum nature would have it she decided the road needed a wash ... all night and in the morning.
No problemo I have flash new wet weather gear, part of the team rang in earlier and cancelled so it was up to the hardy souls.
We headed off to the petrol station that is the designated meeting point, Victors cuzzies Fernando and Carlos were a little late and with every moment that passed the weather was on the improve.
Wasn’t too long and they turned up, gear on and off we went with local knowledge working well.
We headed through and out of GC, a little bit of rain here and there but nothing much, as we got out of town the cloud dispersed and although still overcast it was not wet at all.
Our destination was laguna de Ayarza, we stopped for breakfast at a small and were fed and watered like kings and queens setting ourselves up for the day.
The bikes, left to right, Fernandos, Maya, Victors and Carlos.
The crew, left to right, Ellen, Fernando, Me, Carlos and Victor.
The lake was only half hour on tar then about 20 minutes on gravel, Victor of course is on his little 250 hyosung roadie which was less than ideal for the rougher road, both Fernando and Carlos were on the two F800GS’s and us on Maya.
We all but made it to the lake, Victor only had to turn into the car park but unfortunately lost the front end, he went down at an awkward angle and was not happy, his foot swelled up like a ballon quickly.
This is a photo of a man who is in a bit of pain
The bikes lined up at the lake.
Back to Victor, we carried him down the road to put his foot into the cold water
He tried to soak it but the lake water was warmer than colder ... NOTE, NOT me this time.
Time to regroup and sympathize with Victor and formulate a plan to get bike and rider home
Now Victor is a hairdresser by profession and this leaves him open for a bashing (as most of us office style workers endure
) however, this tough little guy said get my bike back to the tarseal so he is not jarred by the shingle road and he will ride it back!! ..... a true soldierSo we headed back to the town for lunch, we stopped at a petrol station as well while waiting for the lads to return with Victors bike, a local was so taken by Maya which was nice, he gave me a good luck pendant so I will keep that with me for good karma.
There was a Policeman, the forecourt attendant, shop attendant and a couple of his mates, I put Maya up on the centrestand and one by one they all had there photos taken, it created a great atmosphere with huge larfs and huge smiles all round ..... makes a great day out.
So we sat down and had lunch, fish from the lake, Victor grinned and beared it while keeping a sense of humour.
After lunch we set off back to GC, Fernando and I swapped bikes so Ellen and I took his 800GS back and he rode Maya, a great back to back comparo pointing out strengths and weaknesses on both machines.
All in all the weather held and barring Victors off it was what one would consider to be an almost perfect day out.
And a good word for our soldier, Victor rode back unassisted back to GC with TWO broken bones, both at the bottom where his leg bones join the angle, his foot got smacked heavy breaking the smaller leg bone and breaking a piece of the bottom of the opposite side.
Victor, you are hard mate!!!
So we have got to partly reciprocate with Victors injury as he took us in when I did my ribs and he looked after us, goes round comes around, came round a little quick (the bugger of being injured) so we have extended our stay a few more days to get Victor set up as best we can before heading away, this has given me time to help with repairs on his bike to get him back on the road.
Maya has to stand in the rain and watch
__________________
No comments:
Post a Comment