How to Wreck your Knees in Five Hours

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Parque National Celaque is a bone jarring 20 minute ride from Gracias. I met my guide, Don Luis, there at the bottom of the path that went to the entrance of the park. Don Luis is a spry 52 year old man who wore hiking boots, a cowboy hat, and a ten foot long knife on his side. He speaks no English but guides visitors. I begged him to speak Spanish more slowly, but my pleas were not effective. Soon I was trying to understand by intuition only, which sometimes worked, I think.

Since it was early in my trip to Honduras, I was eager to do the walk, even though it is all uphill. After 30 minutes of walking we reached the visitor center, and I realized that the trails in this park were a little more challenging than I had thought.

The foliage of the tall trees was dusty, and there were few flowers and animals. It is prior to the rainy season, and this is a particulary dry year so far in this region, even though the park is supposed to be a cloud forest. I was not going to climb high enough to get into the clouds, however, where the constant moisture is so important to maintaining a diversity of plant and animal life.

I told Don Luis I wanted to go to the waterfall, which was supposed to take about 4 and a half hours round trip. I looked at a map with a lot of squiggly lines, and all I could think was, oh, that means arriba arriba arriba, up up up. And soon after we got on the trail beyond the visitor center, Don Luis pointed to a distant cliff, very high above us, indicating that that was where the waterfall was located.

No problem, I think, I can do it. Off we go, climbing, climbing, multiple switchbacks. Don Luis was always in front of me, sometimes pointing out specific plants along the way, although I think he did that just to give me a rest when he thought I needed one, which was often. He listened for birds, and sometimes talked to them. The trail went up, and I mean up. And when we got to the last half mile or so, there was barely a trail. I was bushed; Don Luis was tireless. He laughed as I had to stop every 20 feet or so, there were impossible steps, slippery ball bearing rocks, oh what was I thinking when I started this? Sure, I work out once a week with my personal trainer in Aztec where I live, but Lawrence did not prepare me for this, and my legs were aching and I wondered if I was going to really make it. We stopped a couple times, at my request, to rest on some benches. He offered me some nuts, I offered Don Luis some dried blueberries that I bought from Trader Joe's in Albuquerque before I left the US a couple days before. I think he liked the coconut cookies I gave him more.

Somehow we finally made it to the view point for the waterfall. I was greatly disappointed. The waterfall was about a quarter mile away and I couldn't even hear it. So Instead I looked at the bromeliads taking over trees, and tried to see the elusive quetzal. Although Don Luis heard several, we never saw one. Instead he called in another bird that I caught a fleeting glimpse of--beautiful red breast, haunting call, and my bird watching friends will laugh because I don't remember its name. A Koa?

More rest, and down the trail, although this time we took a shortcut, which meant really steep. Don Luis made me a walking stick with his huge knife that he carried at his side. He worked hard on that walking stick, removed the bark, smoothed the twigs off, rounded the end. It was perfect; I made a big deal out of showing it off to the person at the visitor center.

Going up is easy. If you have bad knees, going down can be excruciating. My knees are better than they have been, but they're 56 years old now, and I really tested them. Oh what was I thinking when I started on this 4 and a half hour walk, which was now stretching into 6 hours? I was so sore when we got off the steep hill, and to tell the truth, I wasn't particularly proud of myself, because I knew I'd be paying for it the next day. And I haven't mentioned the blisters I was developing..

Don Luis slipped once. I asked him if he needed my stick. Very Funny. He declined.

So went my hike in the cloud forest, where I did not reach the clouds, although it felt as if I should have, nor did I see the elusive quetzal. But the forest was intriguing, and I had such a lovely companion in Don Luis. I dozed in his small restaurant as I waited for my three wheeler ride while he and his grandkids stared at me. And later that evening I went to the hot springs outside of Gracias, and soothed my tired legs.

I shall include photos as soon as I have time to figure out how to add them.

I made it to the school Ixbalanque in Copan Ruinas, and am now using their internet, which is 10 times faster than the others that I have used so far. I am meeting my family where I will live for a couple weeks. I am ready for a bath.

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Photos

Don Luis and Terry
After about 5 hours of going up and almost completely down to the bottom of the trail.

My View
I always trailed Don Luis

Our Destination
See the white spot way up there?Yes, that´s where we´re going...

Visitors
Writing on leaves to memorialize their visit to the waterfall viewpoint.

Don Luis Makes a Walking Stick
To Save my knees

Warning
The rivers in the park supply water to about 12000 people. Here is the subtle warning to help keep the water clean.

The Road to the Park
Hills in the distance are in the park.

Comments

[dianne]

What a great hike!
I just figured out your blog again. You may be home already! Love, dianne