This is the adventure of a guy named Ryan who is pedaling his bike from La Esperanza Honduras to Boulder Colorado. Help support the ride by sending 10 monthly installments of positive vibes, keep this Duzer going! Check my progress on the interactive maps, click on the links below. !!New!!! Buy the official super cool T-Shirt and support my kids in Honduras. Click on the T-shirt link below to see the design and order your very own Duzer shirt.

Tuesday, October 04, 2005

Hidden Ruins


Hidden Ruins
Originally uploaded by duzercruzer.

Ancient Mayan ruins in a little city called Xpujil. Ten bucks to the person who can pronounce that correctly.

Happy Road Signs


Happy Road Signs
Originally uploaded by duzercruzer.

Drive carefully, your family awaits you. The traffic has been very respectfull, the beers trucks pass on by at 80mph instead of 100mph.

Pedal Problems


Pedal Problems
Originally uploaded by duzercruzer.

This is the kind of problem that you can´t anticipate. I fixed it with a regular flat pedal and was moving in no time.

My housing buddy


My housing buddy
Originally uploaded by duzercruzer.

This is Marcelo, he rescued me after my pedal broke. I was fed an amazing dinner of beans and eggs and got to sleep in his front yard. (he doesn´t look happy in this photo but he´s really a happy guy)

Sunday, October 02, 2005

Sunset in the Rainforest


Sunset in the Rainforest
Originally uploaded by duzercruzer.

Belize is amazingly beautiful, even when it rains all night and you get wet in your tent.

Camping in the Mayan village


Camping in the Mayan village
Originally uploaded by duzercruzer.

We were quite the spectacle a few nights ago as we camped alonside a river in a small Mayan village called Golden Stream. All the boys and girls came out to visit their new neighbors and play with their flashlights.

Mayan Mamma in Golden Stream


Mayan Mamma
Originally uploaded by duzercruzer.

We were invited to stay with a nice family while camped out in the village but the tents were already up. They invited me over in the morning to chat and visit their house.

I Belize I can Fly

The smile that was on my face as I left La Esperanza over a week ago is still going strong. It's my sore legs and butt that aren't as happy. My journey so far has taken me from high mountains, past tropical lakes, through thick jungle and wetlands and even Caribbean beaches. Leaving Honduras was sad, it was my home for two years, my security, my family, my beans. I zipped across the Honduras-Guatemala border, raced 20 miles through banana country in Guatemala and threw my bike on a boat headed to Belize. Three countries in one day isn't bad for a days work on a bicycle. Belize is like no other country in Central America, it is a taste of the Caribbean islands locked into the mainland. The people are very laid back and friendly as can be. All sorts of cultures live side by side here, the Mayans, East Indians, Chinese, Menonite, Garifuna and Mestizo. This place is a multicultural wonderland and they are proud of it. A banner strung across central park in Punta Gorda read, "Diverse people, Diverse views, one goal, betterment for all." Maybe we can learn something from these people. It was a strange transition going from Spanish to English, although, the English is very hard to understand as it is mixed with Creole, slang and British words. I try to be cool and jive with the homies, "Hey mon, respect" or "hey broder, what happen'n?" This just doesn't sound cool coming from a white boy on a bike. I am not a Gringo here, here I get, "Hey white boy!" It is all said with repect here, no offense taken. I've stayed with a nice East Indian family, with Mayans in the rainforest, a funky ex-pat named Barry and with an El Salvadorean family up north, this is great! The riding has been mosty flat but the heat makes up for the easy terrain, I'm sweatin like a Duzer in the jungle. The roads are virtually trafficless and many times the only sound on the roads is the whistle of the wind in the power lines, very tranquil. Food status-Lots of Fry Jacks(fried bread), dairy products made by Menonites, and Snickers bars. Butt Status-Red like a Baboon Tan Lines-Bad and getting worse Mosquito bites-Too many to count Songs sung to myself while alone on the road-Informer(lick ya boom boom down), Born to be Wild, Follow the Yellow Striped Line(Sung to the tune of Yellow Brick Road) and Oh Donna-"I have a mommy and Donna is her name, do do do do, She likes to worry about her son on his bike, oh donna don't worry, Ryan will be back....again, he'll be back again, do do do do. I head to Mexico today, Goodbye Caribbean vibes, hello tacos and Tequila!

Humpy Troubles


Humpy Troubles
Originally uploaded by duzercruzer.

I have seen a lot of crazy things alongside the highways but this is the best. Two dogs stuck together with eternal love.

The ghost of the Duzer


The ghost of the Duzer
Originally uploaded by duzercruzer.

I ride so fast people only see a mysterious shadow cruise on by.