Thurs, Feb 26 - Tikal, sort of

This morning was very frustrating.

I packed up my things and paid my bill, and started heading down back to the main road when I realized my luggage rack is empty. Usually it carries a bag with the bike cover, a bungee cord, and a block of wood that I put under my kickrest in the mud or sand. Last I remember it was also carrying my packtowel that I use to dry my body (I have another one for food and the bike). I turned around and went back to see if I had left it in the parking at the ranch I was staying at, but alas it wasn´t there. Looking at my camera, I saw this picture:
This means that I had that bag on there when I crossed into Guatemala - I didn´t leave it at the campsite the night before. I rode most of the way back towards the border looking for it on the sides of the road, about 8 miles each way, but nothing. It was either stolen by someone in the past 24 hours, or it all got bumped off the bike by one of the enormous potholes in the road. I can´t possibly see what anyone would get out of a torn up old motorcycle cover, a block of wood, and a rag, but that cover is worth the value of the bike, as it generally deters theives when I´m in risky parking spaces.

After giving up on that, I headed to Tikal - the road was actually well paved, contrary to my map, but it was very long. Once in the park I was given a sheet with people who write down the time through each checkpoint to make sure I´m not speeding over the 45km/h limit, which is dreadfully slow for a road like this. And it´s a really, really long road, about 10 miles into the park.

I´m still getting used to Quetzals. It´s not easy, being 7.5 to a dollar, to calculate in my head, and I´m still sort of in Peso mode. Belize was 2 to 1 so it doesn´t really count. This means that when a guy tries to sell me a map at the gate of the park for 20Q, I should tell him to go jump off a cliff. But no I´m like duhhhhh ok, and I buy the expensive crap-o map-o that has the worst english translations I´ve ever seen. I should keep it just for the amusement.

When I get to the park, I find out that the entry fee for a day is 150Q! this is really expensive, and beyond what I feel comfortable paying to go see some Mayan ruins. Besides that, I got a Disneyland sense, with rich american tourists running around everywhere, and po
or locals trying to sell them all crap.

I´m sure Tikal is great, but I´m just not in the mood to deal with that today. Add 40 wasted miles to the 16 from the morning.

Now I´m headed south, where I am told there is some beautiful scenery and great archeological sights - I think I might be done with those for this trip, though.

I´ll have to find a new bike cover in Guatemala city, but for now, I´m just trying to head in the other direction of all the tour buses.