The Route

PANAMA & COSTA RICA

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Sunday, June 20: Changuinola – Shiroles                                                                Distance: 59 km

• 7:00- Leave Chang-arrive Guabito
• 8:00- 10:00- border crossing
• Guabito-Bribri: 34km (paved, flat)
• Bribri-Shiroles: 15km (rocky  road, hilly)
• Stay at Educational Center

Monday, June 21- Shiroles

• Nutrition training in Shiroles with cacao cooperative
• Stay at Educational Farm

Tuesday, June 22- Shiroles

• Continue training
• Stay at Educational Farm

Wednesday, June 23- Shiroles to Westfalia                                                              Distance:  53km

• Bribri- Westfalia – 53km
• Camp at Westfalia beach at El Pilon, ($3 per person)

Thursday, June 24- Westfalia to Pocora                                                                    Distance:  70km

• Limon-Siquierres-35 miles
• Siquierres- Gúacimo 13 miles
• Stayed at Cabinas in Pocora ($1000 col/cabina)

Friday, June 25- Pocora to La Virgen                                                                                   Distance:  86km

• Guácimo-Guapiles: 7 miles
• Guapiles-Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí (on HWY 4)- 28 miles
• Puerto Viejo to La Virgen- 11 miles (flat)
• Stay at Sarapiqui Outdoor Center ($10 USD/person)

Saturday, June 26- La Virgen

• Day of rest and relaxation and uniting as a team all together

Sunday, June 27- La Virgen to Aguas Zarcas                                                                       Distance:  35km

• La Virgen to San Miguel (slight uphill)- 7 miles
• San Miguel to Aguas Zarcas- 15 miles

Monday, June 28 – Aguas Zarcas to Ciudad Quesada                                             Distance: 28km

• Visit to Dina Navar’s site in Buena Vista to help with English class

Tuesday, June 29 – Ciudad Quesada

• Return to the city; stay at El Refugio

Wednesday, June 30 – Ciudad Quesada – Pavón                                                    Distance: 72km

• Steep descent from C. Quesada to Muelle San Carlos; rolling hills to Pavón

Thursday, July 1 – Pavón to San Carlos, Nicaragua (border crossing)                    Distance: 26km

• Pavón  to Los Chiles 26km
• 1 hr boat ride across the border at 1pm
• $12 boat ride + $10 bike transportation fee
• Entry fee into Nicaragua $7
• Stay in San Carlos (Costa Sur, $5/person)

NICARAGUA

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Friday, July 2 – San Carlos to Altagracia, Isla Ometepe

• Ferry  to Altagracia, 2pm-1am ($7)

Saturday, July 3 -Tuesday, July 6 – Isla Ometepe

• Group planning sessions; R&R
• Ferry to Granada Tuesday night, 12midnight-6am

Wednesday, July 7- Granada to Tipitapa                                                                 Distance:  44km

• Granada to Masaya, 17k (slight climb)
• Masaya to Tipitapa, 26k

Thursday, July 8 – Tipitapa to Las Calabazas                                                                      Distance:  60km

• Tipitapa to San Benito, 14k
• Mountain training! 1000 ft climb on Pan American

Friday, July 9 – Las Calabazas to Sébaco                                                                             Distance:  25km

• Low hills

Saturday, July 10 – Sébaco to Matagalpa                                                                Distance:  28km

• At least 3 climbs above 2000ft

Sunday, July 11 – Matagalpa

• Rest/Preparation Day

Monday, July 12 – Weslala

• 5 hour bus ride to Weslala

Tuesday, July 13- Wednesday, July 14 – Weslala

• Nutrition training with cacao cooperative
• Bus back to Matagalpa Wednesday evening (or Thursday morning)

Thursday, July 15- Matagalpa to Sébaco                                                                 Distance:  28km

Friday, July 16 – Sébaco to Estelí                                                                             Distance:  46km

• Serious climbs all day, especially steep after San Isidro (15km) and Las Lajitas (30km) and into Estelí, 3000 ft increase across the day

Saturday, July 17 – Estelí (Kat’s Birthday!)

• Recuperate and celebrate!

Sunday, July 18 – Estelí to Jalapa

• Bus to Ocotal
• Leave bikes with PCV in Ocotal
• Bus to Jalapa, PCV Micah’s site, 2.5 hrs

Monday, July 19 – El Carbón

• Nutrition charla with Micah
• Stay in Micah´s neighbor´s house

Tuesday, July 20 – El Carbón to Ocotal, Ocotal to Dupilto Viejo                                                     Distance:  12km

• beginning of long climb to border

HONDURAS

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Wednesday, July 21 – Dupilto to Danlí, Danli to Tegucigalpa                                                  Distance:  42km

• Finish climb to border at Las Manos
• Las Manos to Danli, 37km (steep 4km descent, followed by 8km of gradual descent, and 16km of gentle climb)Bus into Tegucigalpa, 2 hrs
• Meet up with Alyssa!

Thursday, July 22 – Tegucigalpa

• Team bonding

Friday, July 23 – Tegucigalpa to Juticalpa

• Bus 200km to the town of Juticalpa

Saturday, July 24 – Junction at Juticalpa to Gualaco                                                           Distance: 52km

• Juticalpa to Telica, 15km (flat)
• Telica to San Francisco de La Paz, 27km (some hills)
• San Francisco de La Paz to Gualaco, 20km (wicked climb for 10km out of San Fran, several false descents on backside)
• ***cycling abandoned & alternative transportation sought due to safety concerns

Sunday, July 25 – Gualaco to Tocoa

• Poor road conditions and continued safety concerns led to a team decision to bus ourselves to well-populated paved roads

Monday, July 26 – Tocoa to Jutiapa                                                                         Distance: 74km

• Tocoa to Saba, 28km (flat, straight and bordered by oil palms)
• Saba to Jutiapa, 46km (small descending hills)

Tuesday, July 27 – Jutiapa to La Ceiba                                                                    Distance: 35km

• A hot flat and gently undulating stretch

• Ferry to Isla Utila, Bay Islands at 4pm

Wednesday, July 28 to Sunday, August 1 – Utila Island

• Diving, snorkeling, poolside reading, & beach bumming to our hearts’ contentment

Monday, August 2 – La Ceiba to Tela                                                                                  Distance: 104km

• Gentle undulation and flat

Tuesday, August 3 – Tela to El Progreso                                                                 Distance: 61km

• Hot terrain, slight steady ascents

Wednesday, August 4 – El Progreso to Choloma                                                    Distance: 20km

• El Progreso to San Pedro Sula, 28km, **area known for assaults** BUS
• San Pedro Sula to Choloma, 20km

Thursday, August 5 to Friday, August 6 – Choloma

• Nutrition seminar with cacao cooperative, training near Omoa, on coast

Saturday, August 7 – Choloma to Quimistan                                                           Distance: 80km

• Choloma to San Pedro Sula, 20km
• San Pedro Sula to Nuevo Chamelecon, 12km
• Nuevo Chamelecon to Conoa, 38km
• Canoa to Quimistan, 20km

Sunday, August 8 –Quimistan to La Entrada                                                           Distance: 60km

• Quimistan to Chiquilia, 30km
• Chiquila to La Entrada, 30km

Monday, August 9 – La Entrada to Copan Ruins                                                     Distance: 53km

• Long climb with several false summits out of Florida

Tuesday, August 10 – El Copan

• Explore the Copan Ruins

Wednesday, August 11 – El Copan to Chiquimula                                                                   Distance: 70km

• Cross border into Guatemala

GUATEMALA

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Thursday, August 12 – Chiquimula to Antigua Guatemala

• Shuttle to Antigua, 4.5 hours

Friday, August 13 to Saturday, August 14 – Antigua Guatemala

• See the sights, bid Logan farewell L

Sunday, August 15 – Antigua Guatemala to Tecpán                                                                      Distance: 50km

• Melissa´s first ride of the trip
• Antigua to Chimaltenango, 20km (500ft climb over 4 km)
• Chimaltenango to Zaragoza, 11km
• Zaragoza to Tecpán, 19km (climb!)

Monday, August 16 – Tecpán t Los Encuentros                                                                                        Distance: 38km

• Tecpán to Los Encuentos Junction, 38km (legs are going to burn)

Tuesday, August 17 – Los Encuentros to San Pedro La Laguna                                                                             Distance: 24km

Group 1 Devon, Melissa, Kate, and Janell

• Los Encuentros to Sololá (Down hill to market town)
• Sololá to Panajachel (Steer down hill to lake side and ferry docks)
• Panajachel to San Pedro La Laguna (Ferry ride on rough water)

Group 2 Alyssa and Peter

• Los Encuentros to Sololá (Potholed down hill to market town)
• Sololá to Novillero
• Santa Clara to San Pedro La Laguna (Crazy downhill with landslides)

Wednesday, August 18 – San Pedro La Laguna

• Lake kayaking, relaxing and role plays; bid farwell to Peter

Thursday, August 19 – San Pedro La Laguna to San Antonio Suchitepéquez                                                                             Distance: 45km

• San Pedro to Sta. Maria, (über steep, bussed it)
• Santa Maria to Sto. Tomás La Unión, (we were told it was paved, come to find out it is loose gravel, deep sand and steep down hills; walked our bikes until we found a ride)
• Santo Tomás to San Antonio Suchitepéquez,  (arrived really late and bussed it)

Friday, August 20 – San Miguel Panán

Distance: 10km

• San Antonio Suchitepéquez to San Miguel Panán, 10km
• Nutrition training at cacao cooperative

Saturday, August 21 – San Miguel Panán to Mazatenango                                                                  Distance: 22km

• morning farm tour with coop members
• trip to the bike shop
• relatively flat terrain

Sunday, August 22 to Tuesday, August 24 – El Asintal

• Mazatenango community cycle-cross bike ride 10km (crazy stony trails and river crossings) 22 km
• Mazatenango to El Asintal 21 km
• Monday & Tuesday training with APROCA cacao cooperative

Wednesday, August 25 – El Asintal to Zunil                                                                                       Distance: 44km

• El Asintal to El Zarco Junction, 13km
• El Zarco Junction to Sta. Maria de Jesús, 20km (climb 1000m)
• Sta. Maria de Jesús to Zunil, 11km (climb up to another 900m)

Thursday, August 26 – Zunil to Xela  (Quetzaltenango)                                                                                                      Distance: 10km

• Zunil to , 10km (well-graded gradual climb)

Friday, August 27 – Xela to San Cristóbal Totonicapán

Distance: 11 km

• Work with Peace Corps Volunteer Kate

Saturday, August 28 – San Cristóbal Totonicapán to Pologua                                                                                        Distance: 20km

• San Cristóbal Totonicapán to Pologuá, (steady climb of 200 m)

Sunday, August 29 – Pologua to Huehuetenango                                                                                                                Distance: 52 km

• Pologua to huehuetenango (our friend Cesar from the Mazatenango bike race met us for the climb into huehue)

Monday, August 30 – Huehuetenango to Sacapulas

Distance: 50 km

Tuesday, August 31 – September 1 – Sacapulas to Nebaj (via bus)

• Steep bus ride to Nebaj to relax and do bike repairs

Thursday, September 2 – Nebaj to Cunen

• Nebaj to San Juan Cotzal (15 km)
• San Juan Cotzal – entrance to Nebaj (bus)
• Entrance to Cunen (8 km)

Friday, September 3 – Cunen to Coban

• Cunen to Uspantan (20 km)
• Uspantan to Santa Cruz (bus)
• Santa Cruz to Coban (13 km)

Saturday, September 4 – Coban to Lanquin

• Coban to Pajal (62 km)
• Pajal to Lanquin (pick-up truck)

Friday, September 5 – Lanquin to Coban

• Visit Semuc Champey
• Languin to Coban (via bus)

Saturday, September 6 – Coban to Huehuetenango

Monday, September 7 – Huehue to San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico

• Huehuetenango to La Mesilla (86 km)
• La Mesilla to Comitan (bus)
• Comitan San Cristobal de las Casas

MEXICO

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