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Old 02-15-2012, 08:59 AM #91
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wow you guys are nuts. im from humboldt county on the north coast. i go to sf alot to watch the 49ers. im sure you guys have seen the redwoods in humboldt county. if not you need too. being born and raised in the country i cant help but wonder if you guys are packing at least a few guns. i know i would. good luck and be safe.
hey tor, We love Humboldt check out Lassen Volcanic, Shasta, Redwood National Park | Home on the Highway and Lost Coast Trail | Home on the Highway




nah not packing any guns, not worth going to pound me in the arse prison if the police catches us with them, highly illegal for foreigners to be packing in most countries
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Old 02-25-2012, 11:51 AM #92
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I spent 20 minutes trying to come up with a clever title, not much rhymes with Yucatan. I thought maybe YuCAtaN DO IT! but then gave up on that. I considered making up a fictional character named “Yucatan Dan” who lives in the jungle and grants 3 wishes to lost gringos. “I wish for 20 gallons of DEET bugspray…” Perhaps “Doin our thang in the Yucatang”… I don’t know! I have spanish class in 30 minutes and need to get this post done. Focus James!

We pushed further down the Caribbean coast headed towards a concentration of Mayan ruins called “The Ruta Puuc”. The Ruta Puuc is about 25 miles of backroad that connect 6 different Mayan ruins together. In Mayan times there was actually a road of limestone running through the jungle connecting many of the large sites. Unfortunately this road is long gone and were stuck to boring ol’ tarmac.

We drove on and on through the jungle on the paved roads eventually arriving near the Mayan site of Uxmal. The Sun was setting and we needed to find a camping site quick. We pulled our usual maneuver of scoping out the surrounding areas for cutty backroads, eventually finding one that looked good and turned off into the deep jungle.



We followed this trail for miles, passing 2 small bee farms and not much else. Intrigued as to what the hell this random road in the jungle leads to we pushed on further. Slowly the road deteriorates to little more than a single track ATV trail. After 10 miles of slow going through the jungle we stumble upon a very small, very creepy camp.



Hmmm… Skulls, dirty old clothes, random stick structures, 15 miles deep in the jungle. Me thinks we should NOT camp here.

Next morning we woke up and headed to Uxmal. Uxmal is a magnificent Mayan site. Estimated to have supported over 15,000 inhabits at its height in 900 A.D. or so. The site is one of the finest examples of Mayan construction, relying on precisely cut stone blocks for the exterior of the buildings rather than plaster which wears away quickly.





The carvings here were still in great shape and easily recognizable.



The site is surrounded by dense jungle as far as the eye can see, we were driving around somewhere in that mess the day before.



They had a wonderfully intact ancient mayan ball court as well.



The “goal”. I believe the way the game is played is the players are allowed to use any part of there body aside from there hands and feet. The game is over when someone sends the ball through the hoop. Rumor has it that the captain of the losing team is sacrificed. Now that’s some team motivation!



They also had this weird shrine to penises, or is it penii?



Fractals everywhere, endlessly repeating patterns, the Mayans were definitely spacing out on something…



We spent about 1/2 of the day touring Uxmal then headed down the road towards another site named “Kabah”

Kabah is home to the “Codz Poop”…

Surprisingly enough. to me, Codz Poop is in fact not petrified Mayan doo, but in fact a hugely impressive “Palace of Masks”. The entire face of the building is compiled of hundreds of repeating “Chac Mool” (The Rain God) carvings.



Read the whole story on the blog Home on the Highway
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Old 02-25-2012, 12:56 PM #93
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Great stuff man. I visited Uxmal in '02. Have fun down there. I am living vicariously through you from TX!
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Old 02-29-2012, 12:51 PM #94
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It seems obligatory for all overlanders to write a “Reflections on Mexico” post after their travels through the country are completed. Not only for collecting their own thoughts but also to share the truth about this “dangerous” country. While Lauren and I were preparing for this trip many people thought we were insane. Oddly, It wasn’t for the fact that we were planning to drive 25,000 miles to the bottom of the world. We were primarily labeled insane for simply wanting to drive into Mexico.



“Cant you just skip Mexico?”

“Have you thought about shipping around Mexico straight to South America?”

“I have heard/read/seen that you are going to be beheaded, raped, robbed, scammed, schemed, murdered, sold into slavery; the instant you step across the border to Mexico.”

Honestly, I cannot really blame them. The media blasts us with reports of daily beheadings, bodies lining the streets, downright bloodbaths. Momentarily while preparing for the trip we would feel a shimmer of trepidation as well. What if our years of research, planning, and reports from people who are actually IN Mexico were wrong and they were all right? Would there be banditos waiting to have their way with our innocent American flesh?




We pushed aside these fears and stood strong, after all… hard facts beat out hearsay everyday.

There is no doubt that there is truly a war going on in Mexico. A bloody drug war, a struggle for power between the all-powerful gangs and the quickly dwindling police and military forces of Mexico. However this war is concentrated primarily to the border areas and rarely involves anyone that is not poking their nose where it shouldn’t belong. I will leave my opinions on America’s drug/immigration policies being a primarily catalyst for this war for another time…

The MAJORITY of Mexico is a beautiful, peaceful, tranquil place. We found plenty of farmers/fisherman/working class people quietly going about their business. We found zero insane banditos hellbent on attacking innocent gringos. We primarily encountered children laughing and playing in the streets, women washing clothes and making fresh tortillas by the roadside, and hombres walking their cows from field to field.





We also found lots of police and military checkpoints searching for drugs and guns along our way. We saw 50-cal machine guns mounted to police truck cabs. It was not rare to be shopping in a supermarket picking up some milk next to a sawed-off shotgun wielding security guard. However after the initial “gun shock” wears off these things start to just be part of the routine.



Never in our entire month journey all throughout the far corners of Mexico did we ever feel remotely in danger. Lost, confused, frustrated, yes. In danger? Never.

Mexico is getting a raw deal. There are tons of RV parks, campgrounds, and other tourist attractions that are drying up and going to waste down here. The media has put a downright HALT to peoples plans to visit this beautiful country. Every single traveler we ran into had the same story to tell, zero problems whatsoever, great people, great food. We are here to tell you, do not be afraid. It is a wonderful place, full of wonderful people, with a rich and vibrant culture.



Fear is a strangle-hold on life, Do not let the fear of the unknown keep you from exploring outside your comfort zone. We have found that good research, a sharp mind, and a easy smile will keep you out of trouble 99% of the time.

Next time you hear someone talking about how dangerous Mexico is, Ask them the last time they were there? And then… point them to our blog.

Home on the Highway | Our adventures driving the Pan-Am.
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Old 03-03-2012, 05:19 PM #95
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I really enjoy reading about your trip so far. I have done a few cross country trips before, but never had to guts to do something as extreme as what you are doing. I will definitely be checking in to read more from time to time. This is really an inspiration to anyone who has been contemplating on doing such a trip. Good luck and be safe!
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Old 03-07-2012, 01:22 PM #96
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After a great night in Bakalar, Mexico we headed south to the Belize/Mexico border. Unsure of what to expect we checked out our friends “Life Remotely” blog who recently crossed the border and posted a great detailed report explaining the crossing in detail.



It turned out to be a simple affair. We found the Mexican customs office, relinquished our Mexican visas and stopped at the Banjercito to check-out the truck. We received an exit stamp in our passport and they removed our Mexican vehicle import sticker from the trucks windshield. We were officially in “No Mans Land”. The area that exists while you are checked out from one country but not checked into the next. You may know it by the term “duty-free zone”. They had a large mall here where you could pick up cheap booze, cigarettes, and crappy knock-off brand name clothes.

After stocking up on junk we hit the Belize border. We had just learned the day before that Belize’s official language is actually English. Quite a surprise to us. It took a while to get used to saying, Thank you, instead of Gracias and Yes, instead of Si. But man were we happy to finally be able to have a full-on conversation with people instead of standing there like idiots trying to communicate.

The check-in process to Belize was simple, a few stamps in the passport, a cursory check of the vehicle and we were in. Welcome to Belize! We picked up vehicle insurance just past the border, $23 for 2 weeks.

While we were in Bakalar we met up with "Team Equipt" who gave us the line on a great campsite just past the Belize border, We headed off towards the GPS coords. The road was not on our map but Ben assured me, we could make it. ;)



Cruising down the road we hit a river with a ferry crossing. This was no ordinary ferry, an ancient hand-cranked job which looked as if it would sink at any moment. (I later learned that it actually did sink about 3 weeks before…) It could hold about 3 cars at a time, apparently it runs 24/7. The conductor sleeps on a wooden bench in the ferry.


We met some cool Mennonites on the ferry who were partying it up, we shared a few beers while we took turns cranking the ferry across the river. Hard working farming folk, there is a large Mennonite community in Belize. Apparently they got fed up with U.S religious policy and a large population relocated to Belize in the 1950s. Most are still very religious leading an almost Amish lifestyle, preferring horsedrawn buggies to automobiles. We met some of the more "progressive”boys. Ha!






We crossed the river, continued down the road, eventually hitting another hand-cranked ferry.


Pressing on towards the GPS coords we eventually found the spot. And it was worth every mile! Thanks again



From our cove we headed towards a small town in Northern Belize by the name of Sartenja. Sartenja, Belize is home to the
“Backpackers Paradise” A great little hostel/restaurant run by an amazing French and Swiss couple. They have carved out their own little piece of paradise here. They rent out cabins, tents, and hammocks to travelers for great rates. Natalie also can cook like nobodies business, we had amazing French/Belizean fusion meals for dinner every night.

The “common area”. No shortage of hammocks to go around. Lauren and I spent most of our nights here lounging in the hammocks listening to the rain and crickets chirping outside.


Read more on the blog... http://homeonthehighway.com
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Old 03-07-2012, 01:49 PM #97
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Keep 'em coming, hoss. I can almost pretend I'm not in slushy Salt Lake City.
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Old 03-08-2012, 10:25 PM #98
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Great to be free
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I am the PuddyDad, Creator of things for the S2000, Part provider to 4 Maltese dogs we lovingly refer to as Puddys. Puddy is a mix of two words, puppy and buddy. Small dogs like Maltese are little like a puppy and all dogs are your best buddy. Put the two together and you have a Puddy.
Rest in peace Cosmo The Wonder Puddy, we love and miss you very much
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Old 03-09-2012, 01:28 PM #99
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Great to be free
its truly is brother, it is truly is
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Old 03-09-2012, 06:24 PM #100
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Nice Bob Marley flag hanging in the "common" area....any shortage of hippie-cigs down there?
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Old 03-09-2012, 07:58 PM #101
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Nice Bob Marley flag hanging in the "common" area....any shortage of hippie-cigs down there?
None at all, good stuff is hard to come by though
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Old 03-09-2012, 08:49 PM #102
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None at all, good stuff is hard to come by though
As Snoop would say, "Chuuuch!"
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Old 03-13-2012, 04:10 PM #103
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We left Caye Caulker behind and headed back towards Sarteneja where we had left our truck. We took a quick pitstop in Ambergris Caye as we waited for the next ferry.

We made friends with a Coatimundi (You may remember these guys as “Crock Snacks” in Mexico. Now I feel kinda bad, they are awfully cute.



We picked the truck up and headed deeper into the interior of Belize. We had heard good things about “The Belize Zoo” and went to check it out.


The entry fee for the zoo was a bit steep ($15US per person??) but all the animals were rescues so we figured it was for a good cause. It turned out to be a great little zoo, with lots of native Belizean animals we have never seen before.

The Jabiru Stork, largest bird in Central/South America, 2nd largest wingspan in the world. Over 9ft wide!



THE HARPY EAGLE! The largest and most powerful eagle in the Americas. This thing eats Coatimundis for lunch. (Coatis got it rough…) The harpy eagles are practically extinct in Central America due to deforestation.


Harpy eagle attacking some poor zookeeper!


Junior the jaguar, It was great how little concerns for safety the zoo had, You could stick you arm in the cages and pet the jaguar…


Hahahaha, Lauren was shooting shots of this Tapir when all of the sudden it turned around and shot a 10FT firehose stream of urine (At least we hope it was urine…) all over her pants and shoes.


After Lauren burned her clothes we jumped back in the truck and headed towards Barton Creek Outfitters. A small hostel deep in the jungle of Belize.

Adios pavement


A fun river crossing


More pictures and the rest of the story on the blog... http://homeonthehighway.com
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Old 03-13-2012, 04:16 PM #104
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Unless I'm looking at it wrong, that coatimundi looks like he was making pretty good friends with you too!
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Old 03-16-2012, 12:50 PM #105
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100% Guate? 100% Guatemalan! We knew nothing of the country before we arrived to its border but now having spent over a month here we feel that we have gone through a “Guatemorphosis” of sorts. Though we certainly stand out with our milk faces and our western clothes, we have been accepted into the population as voluntarily Guatemalans. We eat, work, and play like the Guats.



No more grocery stores for us, We prefer now to get down and dirty in the mercados. Why pay $20 for a bag of groceries when we can get fresher, healthier items at the mercado for less than 1/4 of the price? Just close your eyes and think happy thoughts when your passing the “carniceria” (think 3rd world butcher shop, lots of meat parts hanging from hooks with plenty of flies)


Who needs Pizza and hamburgers when you can pick up a delicious “Chuchito” for 1.50Q? (Less than a dime). Who needs a shrimp cocktail when we can have a bowl of “Ceviche Testiculos de Vaca” (Yes folks, cow testicle ceviche, and it is delicious!).


We’ve traded our fancy Vodka/Gin and tonics for good ol’ fashion Guatemalan Quetzelteca (It’ll get ya drunk!)


Need to haul a load of laundry or transport a busload of tamales? Balance all that junk up on your head like a real Guatemalan!


No more taxis for us, Grab a Tuk-Tuk. The official in-town transportation of Guatemala.


We’ve chosen our political parties, I've sided with "Lider" while Lauren’s stickin’ with SOY PATRIOTA.


No more treadmills and stationary bikes for us. You need exercise? Speed-climb that 5000ft volcano! Instead of physical trainers we have machete wielding Guatemalan grandpas, trust me.. much more motivational than some bozo in spandex bicycle shorts.


Pedro says “VAMOS!”. No mercy for these gringos.


View from the top


More pics and rest of the story on the blog http://homeonthehighway.com
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