plan my Mexico bike tour

Since my wife and daughter will be going with me on this tour, I toned it down a bit, reduced the distances and increased to quality of our accommodations.

We will travel a loop south of Merida known as the “Ruta Puuc”. The region contains the Mayan ruin of Uxmal and others that comprised the Puuc State Alliance. The Puuc allied with other Mayan states in a campaign against Chichen Itza. We will visit the ruins of Mayapan, Chacmultum, Labna, Xul, Kom, Xlapak, Kihuic, Sayil, Kabah, and Uxmal. We will also visit 3 Spanish mission / fortresses that were vital in the conquest of the Puuc Mayan (Mama, Chumayel, and Teabo).

The adventure is starting to take shape.

I just ordered a new set of panniers (bags for the back of my bike). They will be especially useful on this trip because they convert into a backpack. When we stop to explore the Mayan ruins, we can take our packs with us. Pretty slick setup (for a bike tour geek). :)

I am in the process of rebuilding my touring bike. I got the frame during a Cannondale “trade-in” program several years ago. If you brought in a bike, any used bike, you got 50% off of any frame. I got two T800 frames, a dark red and a ghastly burnt orange. I’m using the orange frame, brand new. I’m building a new wheelset, added a new saddle, bars, and got new racks (front & back). For the rest, I used old parts that I have accumulated.

I’m getting ready :)

I started spreading out the maps and my wife and daughter took notice!

To make a long story short, they both want me to wait until Christmas Break 2007 so that they can go with me on this adventure. They loved my route and my list of Mayan ruins. A 9 to 10 day / 600+ mile solo tour will now be a 14 to 19 day / 850 mile family tour. We will have a BLAST! My daughter will love the ruins and her Spanish is much better than my own. I added 2 days to the trip for my wife, days 18 & 19 we will enjoy massages and pampering at a Cancun spa.

So now that the Yucatan has become a “Family Christmas Vacation”, I need to find a new bike tour destination for Spring Break. Hummmm! Where should I pedal to now?

9 days of cycling, 14 Mayan ruins, dozens of cool cenotes and the wonderful people of Mexico. I’ll fly into Cancun, then it is inland to Valladolid, Izamal (ruins), Oxcutzcab, Ruta Puuc ruins, Santa Elena, Uxmal ruins, Ticul, Merida (west coast of Yucatan), Dzibilchaltan ruins, Conkal ruins, Motul, Telchac, Buctzotz, Tizimin, San Felipe, Rio Lagartos, Tizimin, and then the final stretch back to the east coast and Cancun.

Mayan ruins, jungle and white sandy beaches!!!!

I need to start rebuilding my touring bike right away!

My plans for a European cycling vacation have been put on hold with my daughter’s recent basketball plans, but I can still “get away”.

Mexico is close, cheap and fun. I have just begun to plan my “Mexican Aventura Grande”. I have two possible plans…

1. Cross the border in Juarez and head south into the desert.
or
2. Fly into Cancun and head into the interior of the Yucatan.