We'll be there around 5... or so

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So here we are in San Miguel, exactly a week after we first packed our bags to leave this city. We've made so many wonderful friends here, and every day has presented yet another reason for us to stay a little while longer... We've had so many memories from our extended stay here: from learning how to make mozarella to Unitarian Universalism philosophy, from participating in a drum circle to butchering a 180kg pig... Throughout it all, we've had huge smiles on our faces and plenty of good food in our bellies.

There is a wonderful newspaper here called the 'Atencion'. After being encouraged by several people to write an article about our trip, we finally managed to put our creative brains together.... The following is the article we submitted:

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Two days before our departure we bought two commuter bikes in Vancouver - the place where we started our trip. We had high hopes of working in Buenos Aires (if we ever make it that far), and were looking for two reliable bicycles to get us there. A commuter bike that was "ideal for the commute to work" seemed just fine with us. After all, it was less than half the price of a touring bike and, well, we were commuting to work… It just happened to be 20,000 km away on the other end of the continent.
So, mounted upon our new saddles, we pointed our handlebars south and started riding down the coast. We slept on beaches and patios, in trailers and penthouses (not ours of course). We were taken in for the night by family, old friends and strangers we met on the road. We wore our wool socks over our hands to fight the cold in Oregon, and sunburned on beaches in Southern California. We bravely cycled through the hairpin turns of Big Sur (Northern California), the abandoned flat stretches of shoulder-less desert highway in Baja, and conquered nerve-racking rush hour in Guadalajara. And throughout this hodgepodge collection of experiences, some things seem to linger in a sense of repetition. For one thing, we always tend to arrive at around 5 pm no matter how far, mountainous, or ‘easy’ our day’s ride is meant to be. If it's a short distance, we usually find ourselves taking more breaks, and our tires become eager magnets for staples or nails in the road. And on long days? Somehow our legs find the energy to push us along a little faster. In any case, 6,000 km away from Vancouver, San Miguel was no exception.
You see, we had poured over the maps in Guanajuato, consulted cyclists and talked to people who frequently made the trip to SMA. The conclusion was that we’d be able to make it before 4pm- our host for our stay in the city (the ever so inspiring Joyce) had an appointment at that time, and it was best that we arrive before then. But after over 2 and 1/2 hours of uphill leaving Guanajuato (something a bike shop owner assured us he did in 50 minutes on his mountain bike on a regular basis) we began to question our prediction. Despite our rather slow pace leaving Guanajuato, we still made it to Dolores Hidalgo by noon for lunch. Delighted that we still had a chance to make it on time, Nicholas was happy to break for a quick and fairly standard peanut butter and jelly tortilla on the curb before jumping back on the bike and moving onward to SMA. But Emi insisted on making the left turn into town. Emi’s recent interest in all things historical made Nicholas think she'd self destruct if she didn't see the place where Hidalgo famously delivered the cry for independence. Nicholas, on the other hand, is more under the impression that if you cycle long enough, you’ll pass an old historical something-or-other eventually (aka don't cycle out of your way to see a church, just keep cycling south and a church will come to you). But, in any relationship, especially one where you spend 24 hours a day together, you pick your battles wisely, and Nicholas chose to turn left into town. And, like any relationship, the girl ended up making the right decision.
To our surprise we weren't the only people making the left turn into town (or right for you SMA folk). The streets were lined with people clapping and cheering. Riding bikes went from difficult to impossible and we proceeded to walk our bikes, weaving our way through school bands, vendors, and crowds of people. “What day is it?” we wondered- we both didn’t wear watches and had little need for keeping track of days of the week. After hemming and hawing, we were able to conclude that it was the 20th. The 20th of November: a date we had seen adorning many city street signs since entering Mexico. This explained all the commotion. Happy that we figured out the mystery, and to be in a city of such historical importance, we joined the crowd, tucking away the tortillas and peanut butter for another day, and scoped out the street vendors. We tried the pulpo, tequila, and cerveza ice cream (and bought something much more delicious), feasted on a crunchy dorito salad, and were entertained by the bands, dancers and endless commentary by the parade announcers. Eventually we made our way back through the crowd and were once again heading comfortably towards our destination. Even after taking an hour break, we could still make it to SMA for 4 if we pushed it.
We don't brag about our speed. Our bikes more closely resemble pack mules than race horses. But, as a carless road opened up and we started up an incline coming into the last few kilometers to SMA, something new happened: we were over taken by a runner... and then another... nothing like putting things in prospective, eh? These, of course, weren’t just any runners, they were first and second place in the yearly “marathon” commemorating Mexican Independence part II. There were cars with sirens and several motorcycles leading the way… and us: two loaded up cyclists trying desperately to stay in front and out of the way (and, of course, taking some pics). Luckily we were able to catch up and overtake the runners on the downhill and entered the city in ‘first place’ (just barely). As luck would have it, for the second time that day, we entered a city whose streets were lined with people. Though it was apparent that these folks weren’t waiting for two smelly cyclists to roll by, we got smiles, waves, and a few cheers just the same. But feeling rather like we’d entered a room full of people waiting for the birthday boy at a surprise party, we sheepishly stepped off our bikes to join the cheering crowd on the sidelines. We wouldn’t have made it much farther anyway: Nicholas’ back tire was completely flat. Hunkering down to fix it, we glance at the watch of a nearby spectator… 5pm.
We originally planned to stay in SMA for 2 nights, but it has now been almost a week since we arrived (we’ve heard that by this point most have already bought a house). We’re beginning to ponder the purpose of a schedule anyway. If anything, maybe we just have it so we can break it. It does, in fact, exist only in our minds and rarely keeps us from pursuing the twists and turns of life on a bike. Emi’s side trip to see an old building allowed us to join in a parade and try pulpo ice cream, and subsequently caused us to join a marathon. Getting a flat tire on the side of the road helped us meet a new friend (Yo Akiko!) leading us to more great friendships and uncountable laughs here in SMA. Even the walking of our heavy bikes over cobblestones meant that we got a chance to chat with people who were curious about the two pack-muled bikers in first place at the marathon. It has been the unplanned happenstances that lead our two day visit to stretch into a weeklong stay… ‘tis the magic of San Miguel.
We would have never guessed that this hilly inland town, with its bone shattering cobblestones and steep hills, could provide such welcome relief and happiness to two cyclists usually in search of flat, smoothly paved roads and coastal views. The magic of being in a community of people who believe in the concept of now, and are seizing the moment to live their dreams, is a powerful force which we have tangibly felt during our time here. So, though we hope to be riding into Buenos Aires around this time next year, maybe these continued twists and turns will lead us to a different adventure altogether. But wherever we are in December 2010, you can be sure we will be arriving around 5.

Nicholas Sutton and Emi Do departed for their one year cycling adventure on August 4th, 2009. Besides enjoying the company of Joyce, Jim, Akiko and countless of their colorful friends, they have spent their days in San Miguel loitering in coffee shops and milking cows with Gaelle at Rancho La Romita. To read more about what inspired their trip, and their numerous adventures, visit their website: www.grab-a-wheel.org

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