2 January: Breaking up for Southern Mexico on "Via Recre-Activa" - Sundays in charge of Guadalajara's streets

One car less - our new slogan

We introduce our new crew members: Martin and Isa - friends from Switzerland

A nice ride along Lago de Cuitzeo

Km 10'410: First flat tire for my bike - We recommend Schwalbe Marathon Supreme including tube-interior Magnum milk.

Michoacan, we enter with mixed emotions...

...Zitacuaro's (ex-)police station: Watch out for the bullet wholes!

A common view: Shot gun and full metal jacket; nice guys, always ready for fun.

Crossing a rural market place

Our visit to the butterfly's Sanctuary at Angangeo:

Majestic monarchs...

... elegant and colourful

Hanging on the trees as grapes...

... and flying in the sky as sand on the seashore.

Strategy change for the nights: Accomodation as much as possible with locals:

Sleeping with 0°C in a horse barn - very nice! or...

...in the local's police jail court yard.

We love the fresh pressed orange juice.

Martin's fun dance - he's got too much power...

...and my response.

Boots and hat like a real cowboy

Very self-confident he offered to sing for 4 pesos, we enjoyed it.

A small tornado Southeast of Toluca

A pity, this is all we saw of Popocatepetl.

Heading South...

...through Puebla to...

Oaxaca, a nice town with a lovely historic center

Our hosts: Builders of simple but great recumbents - I was amazed.

Arbol del Tule: Average diameter 14m (really!)

Deep contrasts, Southern Oaxaca

Just awesome to finish up a day in these golden moments.

Camping at a military checkpoint, wild but perfectly safe.

Part of a huge windpark at the Gulf of Tehuantepec

Climbing the Sierra Madre de Chiapas

Thanks, Martin, for the photo shooting,...

... great results!

Matt, thirsty as four dudes

Everywhere Mangos, how delicious

Chiapas...

...some new impressions

The goal is always in front of our eyes

San Cristobal de las Casas - btw. my legs are the same length :-)

Always funny to observe the indigenous kids

Downhill to Ocosingo...

...the door to the jungle

I almost freaked out seeing the beauty of the jungle for the first time.

Coffee and banana - we arrived in Central America

No comment.

Soaking up the ambience even while sleeping.

Mexico, land of a thousand and one topes

The last "province" to cross - land of an alternative ideology - the Zapatista movement

Ready?

Let's go!

Agua Azul - a paradise in the jungle, ...

...a spot to hang out and relax.

While we were enjoying the blue water a civil dispute between two militant groups started to take place,...

... the electricity was turned off.

3 February: After one person got killed and many injured, Chiapas' government flew the tourists out by helicopter.

Spectacular view over the jungle

Villages as chess boards

Arrival at Palenque airport - the long minutes of waiting for our bikes begun.

Finally our bikes arrived with the next helicopter.

The journey is going right on: We shall meet the government of Chiapas in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, let's go by jet.

A lot of fun we had in the jet.

Arrival at Tuxtla Airport - the journalists were already waiting.

For everything is provided: Food...

... presents (clothes for the Argentinan girls, the other group of tourists)...

and medical check.

The final police report of what happened

And then, we were accommodated in a five star hotel. (As cyclists we have been used to paying at most 300 mx$.)

The day after, the government provided a tour to Sumidero Canyon

The newspapers:

Reporting about the rescued tourists.

1 Suizo ciclista - that's indeed me.

End of the unplanned adventure - flight back to Palenque...

... right in the pilot's backs.

Back into the work shoes

The worthwhile visit to ancient ruins:

Palenque

Impressing to imagine the epoch of the Mayans

Rio Usumacinta - Frontera Corozal

Crossing to Guatemala - Bye bye Mexico