Return to the North

Isla Mujeres is a lost paradise. I was the flip of a coin from being stuck there forever. Beach front hostel, blue caribean ocean, white sand beaches, travelers from around the world and a 20 km paved highway looping the island for the bike. I pulled myself away from the place before it was too late and on Sunday morning I found myself driving through Canmore in a snowstorm. I figured I had heldout long enough down south to have avoided such a thing but mother nature was waiting for me. So were the cops. 2 hrs after getting off the plane I found myself with a $150 speeding ticket. When the cop asked how fast I was going or what the speed limit was I came up blank. After being in the freedom of central america where virtually nobody is liable for anything they do I was brought back to Canadian reality in a hurry. I am now off to visit my Dad in the mountains to chop firewood and drive tractors until I can figure out how to function in such a proper country again.

Hippie Van

Out on my $70 rental bike for a second ride I began to cirucmnavigate the 70 km of Cozumel island. About 10 km in a old hippie van (aka volkswagon) blew by, only to have its rear left wheel fall off about 100 ft past me. Watching the van skid along the highway on 3 wheels was pretty amusing but even better was watching the free wheel roll down the highway for 300 metres and into the other lane causing a old pickup to nearly swerve off the highway. As I rode past the hippie van now resting along the highway I pointed out to the driver that he was missing a wheel, he gave me the middle finger. The rest of the ride around the island was spent trying to draft off random tourists on there rented scooters. Done with Cozumel I headed back to Cancun for another night of spring break and then the next day headed to the Island of Mujeres to relax for the day. Last nights bonfire party on the beach was a much nicer pace then the out of control chaos back on the mainland. Tommorow may be the final day in paradise so I am soaking in whatever heat I can to take back with me to the frigid north.

Mexican Yucatan

Spring Break in Cancun is the gongshow of gongshows. After two days of hanging out in the chaos I determined that there are three ways to enjoy it there:
1. 8 beers,
2. 8 shots of tequila, or
3. 4 beers and 4 shots of tequila

On day three I headed south to the more civilized resort city of Playa del Carmen. Day 4, was spent with 2 other Canadians and an Aussie as we rented a car and headed south to the seaside Mayan ruins in Tulum. Tulum was a welcome break as its much cheaper and more relaxed place to visit then the northen resorts. Day 5 was back in Playa del Carmen for a beach day. Day 6 I woke up with the need to bike after 5 days off so I hopped a ferry to Cozumel and rented a bike for the afternoon to cruise the island. Riding a $70 wal mart bike is sketchy as the bike was ready to fall apart at any moment but it heald togethar for the day. Resting in the Mexican Yucatan has been a welcome break although on some occasions rest is difficult to come by a.k.a: Cancun. Tommorow I will head back to Cancun for another round before I start preparing for my return to the Northern Lands.