Day 1 - Nov. 15

Well day 1 is banked and in the books and all I can say is WOW!  It had everything included in it...  We rode in the sunshine, we rode in the mist, we rode in the clouds, we rode in a soft gentle rain, and we rode in a torrential Central American deluge.  Saw numerous waterfalls, fantastic scenery and a mudslide that covered a good portion of the road.  It was amazing.
It was hellish and a helluva day.  It started out with bright brilliant sunshine, clear skies and temps in the 70s, perfect.  Then we started the 2,000+ meters of climb.  Yes it was all that and more.  It wasn't a constant unending climb like the Blue Nile Gorge in Africa.  But it taxed the legs much the same.  At first it teased us with short tests.  Then it brought on the real inclines.  Constant 16-18% grades were the norm.  Then it would greet you with a tantalizing downhill that was so anticipated.  But you quickly learned that all you were doing was giving up a good degree of hard fought real estate only to have to reclaim it just around the next turn.  Climb after climb we drove our way through the rain forest.  Yes, rain forest (just as you imagine what it would be like)...
Just before lunch we crested the volcano mountain and started some serious descent.  But the road was very narrow and there were a good number of cars, trucks and motorcycles.  I had to snug right in behind a Range Rover and just bide my time.  The passengers kept looking back and pointing that I was keeping up and riding right on their bumper.  As we came into lunch I understood what 100% humidity felt like.  It was raining but not really coming down it was just in the air.  I was descending in the mist with a fairly significant drop in temperature since we were on top of the mountain.  A bit of a chill set in.  At lunch the mist changed to a real rain that was on and off.
After lunch there was a phenomenal waterfall followed by more climbing.  The Central American climate followed its typical pattern and opened up a deluge as we were climbing.  It rained so hard that the rain gear was useless.  The glasses were completely covered with rain drops and could not see the road.  Which made it quite interesting with potholes and cars flying up on us.  Once we crested the hill the rain stopped and opened the opportunity for a dramatic downhill.  Dramatic meaning unleash the bike and let her fly.  I started out slow and cautious due to a recent crash that set me back a bit.  But, I fell back into the groove and let it run.  With increasing confidence the bike gained speed building more and more momentum as the decline increased in grade.  The speed hit 82 kph (roughly 51 mph)!  I did not get to 80 kph through my whole trip in Africa but the first day in Central America there it was...  It felt so good flying down the hill at break neck speed.  The amazing beauty of it was that there was an Australian lady who was hanging in there with me...  Keeping up through hare pin turn after hair pin turn.
There were many more climbs as the day came to an end.  But what a day!  

I must be in fairly decent shape as I was first for the day!
What a great ride today...

Here are some photos of the day:

The start of the adventure...

The trip is called the Ruta Maya.  You see some of these along the route.

Panoramic view down over a valley after the climb.

The hillside that came down and covered some of the road adding difficulty to the ride.  

And waterfalls, lots of them.

More tomorrow...