We only have 2 days in Nicaragua - hardly enough time to see anything. A mere 300 miles and we have travelled from the northern border with Honduras to the southern border with Costa Rica. We arrived at the Honduran border post at Los Manos at 8:10 - they opened at 8:00 but there was no sign of anyone official. Hung around in a typical Latin American way and eventually, after 20 minutes or so, someone strolled along and got to work. While waiting for all the processes to be complete we are entertained by small boys wanting to shine shoes and wash bikes for a few dollars. By 12:00 we are out zipping along Nicaraguan roads. The roads are surprisingly good; nice smooth tarmac round sweeping bends. Unfortunately they are too good; we are riding ... read more

As we try to leave Chichcastenango we have our first independence Day encounter - all the roads are blocked and a large parade is coming down the street. Independence Day is not until tomorrow so we were a bit surprised. Turns out its the children's parade today and the adult parade tomorrow. So we settled ourselves down for the next 2 hours to watch the parade go past. The great thing about Guatemalans is that they are only 4ft something tall so I am a giant here and can see over the top of the crowd. The parade seemed to consist of representatives from all the schools and collages so the mathematics float went past with black boards full of sums, the art school float went past with students painting pots (one of which was given ... read more

The groups grasp of Spanish is somewhat questionable. Everyone has the hang of 'mas cerveza por favor' (more beer please) but when faced with the road sign 'despacio - curvas peligrosas' everyone goes great lots more sweeping bends and hairpins to ride at high speed!! It actually means 'slow - dangerous bends'. While the boys are all excited by the 'curvas peligrosas' I'm excited by the fact that we are now heading into 'ruin territory' and will be passing through areas inhabited by numerous pre-Colombian civilisations. Overnight there were torrential rainstorms. Consequently the roads are well flooded and there are waterfalls coming off every building, even the manhole covers are starting to lift as the drains are so full. Kit up for a wet day and set of (thankfully not on cobbled streets). Are still in ... read more

Cross the border into Mexico at Agua Prieta. The hardest part is getting out of the US. They are so used to everyone nipping over into Mexico they just wave all the vehicles through so its really difficult to find anyone that you can hand your paperwork to. Even then they are reluctant to take it and keep saying ' are you sure you're not coming back to the US'. Seems inconceivable to them that anyone would want to stay in Mexico - mind you the chief of police in the next town along was gunned down yesterday so maybe they have a point. Having finally found someone to take the paperwork and spent and hour filling out forms a few miles down the road at the Mexican border post we are finally let loose in ... read more

Its now so hot by lunch time that even I have to take a siesta. Its regularly reaches 40 by mid-afternoon, so hot you have to drive along with the visor down or its like someone blowing a hot hair-drier in your face. Have another 300+ mile day to get from Moab down to Mesa Verde. Are still travelling through red rocky canyons interspersed with flat green plains. We never take the direct route and find two mountain ranges to cross en-route; the Red Mountain Pass, 11018ft and the Molas Pass, 10910ft through the San Juan mountains. From here the air is so clear that you can allegedly see for 170 miles - the longest sight distance in north america!! The scenery up in these mountains is very alpine with pine trees, flower meadows and quaint ... read more