Day 187 - 193: Chiapas, Wind + an end to the Mexican chapter
The last 5 days have been cycling intense. After so long off the bike, I wanted to start logging kilometers again. I’ve averaged 112 km a day for the past five days and am now taking a rest day here in Tapachula before continuing on.
Let’s talk about wind. Specifically, the Tehuano winds. These blast down from the Gulf of Mexico, funnel through mountain passes, and come roaring out across southern Mexico toward the Pacific.
I fought these 50 km/h headwinds for two straight days. I’d find myself praying for bends in the road that might shift the wind to my side. These prayers went unanswered.
One morning I discovered a colony of ants had set up camp on my bike. The little fuckers had swarmed the handlebar. I used a mix of water and shaking the bike to evict them, but even hours later I’d still spot a straggler wandering around.
Another evening, I was “showering” at a motel. The water barely dribbled out, just enough to get wet. I went to turn it off in frustration and got electrocuted. A proper jolt. I jumped back a good three feet. Only after drying off could I turn the tap without another shock.
Eventually, I guess I passed the end of the wind tunnel. The winds died down and were replaced with gentle rolling hills.
The heat, though, is becoming a thing. Cycling in 35°C is now a daily occurrence.
Met another bike traveler, Louis from Germany, and we rode together for a couple of days.
Tapachula marks a milestone. It’s the last town before I cross into Guatemala tomorrow. More than four months in Mexico are coming to an end. Hard to know exactly how I feel about this. I also recently crossed the six-month mark of this trip.
Alright, that’s it for now. Just a quick update. Going to spend the rest of this rest day pausing, taking stock, doing some reflection and mentally closing out the Mexico chapter of this ride before starting the Central America chapter tomorrow.
