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Gettin dirty in Guatemala?

  1. #26
    Soul Rider Paul_E_D's Avatar
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    Re: Gettin dirty in Guatemala?

    Quote Originally Posted by csmutty View Post
    It's kind of a pain but it's possible. Have to edit the link.
    What do you edit it to?

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  2. #27

    Re: Gettin dirty in Guatemala?

    found it...follow these instructions

    How to get a direct link to an image (of a specific size) - Photos Resources

    right click your google photo, copy the link, paste it, then add -tmp.jpg on the end and use your regular [IMG ] tags

    or you can just put IMG tags on your facebook pictures...right click them "view image"...so that it's not being viewed in facebook anymore, then then just right click the picture (now in the browser) and right click/copy image location and paste link like you usually would

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    Last edited by breakdirt916; 01-23-17 at 01:53 PM.
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  3. #28
    Soul Rider Paul_E_D's Avatar
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    Re: Gettin dirty in Guatemala?

    We flew in on saturday evening. The view from the plane was a little hint of things to com. Volcan Fuego letting off some steam.

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  4. #29
    Soul Rider Paul_E_D's Avatar
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    Re: Gettin dirty in Guatemala?

    One of our guides, Luis, picked us up an the airport and brought us to their little biker hostel in Antigua. We arrived after dark, took a little walk around the city and made plans for day 1. I had been chatting with these guys for months, so they knew a bit about us, and figured we were solid enough riders to explore some new routes. Our destination for Day 1 was a farm up in the mountain north of lake Atitlan. The plan was made to cross some uncharted Mayan territory to get there instead of the usual routes. They knew there were roads through, but were not certain how to connect them, or if they were even passable. But we said... Hell yeah, we're in! We woke up to incredible views right outside the hostel. Fuego was burping steam and ash every 20 minutes or so.






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  5. #30
    Soul Rider Paul_E_D's Avatar
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    Re: Gettin dirty in Guatemala?

    After a quick breakfast (Mcfucking muffins) we got on the road. leaving town was exciting as we got used to the controlled chaos that would become our new normal. Buses, people and animals constantly filled the spaces. We squeezed through wherever we could fit. After a short while we gassed up the bikes at the edge of civilization and pointed the bikes up a dirt road that a normal person would completely ignore. This was the beginning of 150 mile trip across the altiplano inhabited exclusively by mayan tribes. We gained elevation fast and furious and were soon cruising at around 8000 feet above sea level. The roads are so steep that we could gain or lose 5000 feet in like 10-15 minutes. I had a slight elevation headache but spirits were high and the riding was fun.

    After 4 hours or so, we realized that our way would be much harder to find than expected. GPS maps no longer showed the roads or villages, and our guides had to ask the mayans how to reach the next village every time the road branched. When no one was around, they had to make the best call they could and we forged on without even stopping for lunch. We started to worry that we would not make our destination by 7pm when dinner would be waiting for us. Every once in a while we would make a turn that led into a dry riverbed, or other marginal tracks. Locals would simply say you are lost. Turn around. They weren't asking. this terrain is Mayan, and not really open to outsiders. Given their history, I understood.

    The terrain changed from cloud forest, to desert, to cactus forest, and everything in between with each ridge crossing. We finally reached a ridge where we could see a river below that the guides knew to be on our way. The sun was setting, and it was clear we were riding into the night.








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  6. #31
    Soul Rider Paul_E_D's Avatar
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    Re: Gettin dirty in Guatemala?

    Our route went to these places, but not by marked roads. Guatemala

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  7. #32
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    Re: Gettin dirty in Guatemala?

    So, we rode past sunset and ever higher until we hit cloudveil. Visibility dropped to zero and our progress slowed even more. We were exhausted, hungry, and our asses were swollen from the rough roads. Mentally this last hour was seriously tough. I thought the guys were going to kill me when we finally arrived. But dinner was ready at the farm and it was incredible. Flank steaks, tortillas with fresh cheese produced on site, vegetable that I still don't know the name of, all served family style by a mayan woman standing under 4'6". We were elated to finally eat and relax. Our cabin had 5 beds and a hot shower. Sleep came easy.

    When we woke up, we felt like we had entered another dimension. The farm was in a ring of mountains that contained in it's valley the village of Acul. We never actually saw the village because it was veiled in cloud. The farm sat exactly at the top of this cloud creating the most beautiful scene I have seen in... ever.






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  8. #33
    Lifer Imbeek's Avatar
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    Re: Gettin dirty in Guatemala?

    Awesome!

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  9. #34
    go faster cdovego's Avatar
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    Re: Gettin dirty in Guatemala?

    Stunning pictures!

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  10. #35
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    Re: Gettin dirty in Guatemala?

    what a sweet trip. major bucket list checkmark. think you'll do another?

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  11. #36
    Soul Rider Paul_E_D's Avatar
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    Re: Gettin dirty in Guatemala?

    This trip was intended to be kind of a feeler for bigger forays into South America. The way it played out, it will be tough to top. But yes, I fully intend to travel by moto in Latin America again.

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  12. #37

    Re: Gettin dirty in Guatemala?

    Amps me up!

    Keep em coming!

    Man hearing you get tired on a guided tweaks me though...You're a pretty fit guy

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  13. #38
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    Re: Gettin dirty in Guatemala?

    Day 2: Destination, San Pedro La Laguna on lake Atitlan. We felt like we had already traveled a million miles from home. We had some body issues and resolved to stand as much as possible on the bikes. LOL. We had to backtrack a bit so were able to actually see and enjoy the roads from the night before. The ride was stunning and we covered ground much more easily on some nice paved routes. Well, nice is maybe the understatement of the year.






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  14. #39
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    Re: Gettin dirty in Guatemala?

    We stopped in the market town of Chicachicastenango. Although it wasn't "market day" there was still a little bit of activity and we got some interesting history. There was a church built over a mayan temple. The mayans pretty much took it over so the spaniards built another one across the square. Between the two churches was a tall pole used for the mayan sun dance. Participants hang by ropes tied to an ankle and are spun like a top until they reach the ground.






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  15. #40
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    Re: Gettin dirty in Guatemala?

    Pretty crazy that all this stuff isn't THAT far from Texas...as in, you could drive there, if you were willing to deal with the hazards.

    Btw for anyone interested, check out a book called "in search of captain zero"...it's partly about winging it by car from the US to Central America, and it spurred me to take my first trip to Costa Rica

    Keep the pics coming Paul, loving it!

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  16. #41
    Soul Rider Paul_E_D's Avatar
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    Re: Gettin dirty in Guatemala?

    It's not that far in miles but not easy to access.

    Anyway, we continued on down to the lake. The road down was insanely steep and sacked out. It was paved (kinda), but keeping pavement on those grades was proving tough. The peaks around the lake were in the clouds, so we only had limited views as we approached. We rolled into San Pedro and our guide turned down a narrow alley. We had communicators on and were like, really? The bikes almost felt too long to make the tight corners. People and animals moved against the walls as we zigged and zagged though a tight tourist town.

    Eventually we stopped at a bar, slammed the bikes tight against the wall, and went in for a beer. The patio was right on the water, about 15 feet up. There was no railing. The views were great, and so were the beers. Our guide said you can jump in the lake. The boys stripped to their undies and jumped in!

    After that we turned the bikes around and did more alley navigating to out hotel which was also on the water. Later that night Shawn sang at an open mic, and we went to bed pretty early as we were still SMOKED from day 1.








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    Last edited by Paul_E_D; 01-24-17 at 03:50 PM.
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  17. #42

    Re: Gettin dirty in Guatemala?

    Dang!

    Rolling through the city alleys like that would never fly anywhere in America

    I guess the people complaining about the pussification of America should move to Guatemala and get their fix y2

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  18. #43
    Soul Rider Paul_E_D's Avatar
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    Re: Gettin dirty in Guatemala?

    Zero pussification in Guatemala. Our bikes weren't even registered. lol

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  19. #44
    Lifer jimmycapp's Avatar
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    Re: Gettin dirty in Guatemala?

    Awesome. I can't see your first pic in post #41. Something wrong with the link?

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  20. #45
    Super Moderator TheIglu's Avatar
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    Re: Gettin dirty in Guatemala?

    Quote Originally Posted by jimmycapp View Post
    Awesome. I can't see your first pic in post #41. Something wrong with the link?
    That photo decided to say fuck it and not come home after an epic trip like that.

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  21. #46
    Soul Rider Paul_E_D's Avatar
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    Re: Gettin dirty in Guatemala?

    I see it, but I was there...

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  22. #47
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    Re: Gettin dirty in Guatemala?

    Quote Originally Posted by Paul_E_D View Post
    Zero pussification in Guatemala. Our bikes weren't even registered. lol
    One of my biggest realizations from central america travel was just how many layers of bullshit we go through in the US to do anything, and how the difference is almost imperceptable in places where they dont have ANY of it. Registering dirt bikes is the tip of the tip of the iceberg of bullshit red tape we have, but most forms have the same end result: more money and power for "the government(s)"

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  23. #48

    Re: Gettin dirty in Guatemala?

    CA is worse...the "registration interest" accumulates the day it's first reg'd...let it lapse and the fees rack up...3-4 years not paid = $100's to transfer an xr100 reg to your name.

    long rides and fatigue from comfort - I'd say the guy on the BMW is the bike of choice down there

    mo' pics/vids of the desert/dirt please!

    although the pavement conditions there look like they have the consistency of dirt

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  24. #49
    Soul Rider Paul_E_D's Avatar
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    Re: Gettin dirty in Guatemala?

    Ok, picking up the thread on day 3: we had an easy day making our way around lake Atitlan, trying to connect some dirt tracks and pavement, stopping in hippie towns that have sprouted up around what is one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. It's a little more touristy here than where we have been so far, but that is understandable. We stayed in another tourist town on the opposite side of the lake. Caught some live music. Oh, and we acquired a girl and a puppy. One of our guides bumped into a close friend and she joined the rest of our trip riding in the jeep chase vehicle.










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  25. #50
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    Re: Gettin dirty in Guatemala?

    Quote Originally Posted by Paul_E_D View Post
    Oh, and we acquired a girl...
    Pics or it didn't happen...

    And did the Jeep go up the switchbacks or take a detour?

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    Last edited by ZX-12R; 01-25-17 at 04:52 PM.
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