WNTAYPOI S 8 GEARED UP 40 FINAL MILE 52 A DVENTURE C YCLIST GO THE DISTANCE. MARCH 2012 WWW.ADVentURECYCLING.ORG $4.95 CENTRAL AMERICA: Touring Guatemala PLUS: MEXIco’S YUCATÁN PENINSULA ROUGHING IT IN TAJIKISTAN WEIR IN PORTUGAL – PART 1 3:2012 contents March 2012 · Volume 39 Number 2 · www.adventurecycling.org A DVENTURE C YCLIST is published nine times each year by the Adventure Cycling Association, a nonprofit service organization for recreational bicyclists. Individual membership costs $40 yearly to U.S. addresses and includes a subscrip- tion to Adventure Cyclist and dis- counts on Adventure Cycling maps. The entire contents of Adventure Cyclist are copyrighted by Adventure Cyclist and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from Adventure Cyclist. All rights reserved. OUR COVER Cara Coolbaugh encounters a missing piece of road in Guatemala. Photo by T Cass Gilbert. R E LB (left) Local Guatemalans are sur- GI prised to see a female traveling by CASS bike in their country. MISSION CYCLE THE MAYAN KINGDOM ... BEFORE IT’s TOO LATE by Cara Coolbaugh The mission of Adventure Cycling 10 Guatemela will test the mettle of both you and your gear. But it’s well worth the effort. Association is to inspire people of all ages to travel by bicycle. We help cyclists explore the landscapes and THE WONDROUS YUCATÁN by Charles Lynch history of America for fitness, fun, 20 Contrary to the fear others perceived, an American finds a hidden gem for bike touring. and self-discovery. CAMPAIGNS TAJIKISTAN IS FOR CYCLISTS by Rose Moore Our strategic plan includes three 26 If it’s rugged, spectacular bike travel that you seek, look no further than Central Asia. major campaigns: • Creating Bike Routes for America • Getting Americans Bicycling WINE OF THE PEOPLE: PEDALING NORTHERN PORTUGAL by Willie Weir • Supporting Bicycling Communities 34 Along with his wife Kat, the seasoned bicycle traveler finds a land of amazing variety. How to Reach Us To join, change your address, or ask questions about membership, visit us LETTERS online at www.adventurecycling.org or call (800) 755-2453 or (406) 721-1776 04 LER TTE from the EDITOR 44 ANNUAL REPORT email: [email protected] 05 LER TTE S from the READERS 52 FINAL MILE Subscription Address: Adventure Cycling Association LER TTE from the DIRECTOR SCENE FROM THE SADDLE P.O. Box 8308 06 55 Missoula, MT 59807 DEPARTMENTS RIDIN G SWEEP Headquarters: 56 Adventure Cycling Association 150 E. Pine St. 07 COMPANIONS WANTED 58 C LASSIFIEDS/MARKETPLACE Missoula, MT 59802 08 WAYPOINTS 63 OPEN ROAD GALLERY 40 GEARED UP ADVENTURE CYCLIST MARCH 2012 ADVENTURECYCLING.ORG 3 A DVENTURE Letter from the Editor Letters from our Readers C YCLIST T HE STEADY MACHINE Traffic regulations confusing, dangerous, and, possibly costly March 2012 reference recent only in geological terms volume 39 number 2 The more things change, the more one thing stays the same WWW.ADVENTURECYCLING.ORG EDITOR MICHAEL DEME [email protected] Yield not to temptation of an ad-libbed comedy segment which Your letters are welcome. Due to the volume of mail ART DIRECTOR The 20th century was a bustling innovative and email we receive, we cannot print every letter. GREG SIPLE For many years, I waved drivers through invites guests to make fairly outrageous We may edit letters for length and clarity. If you do [email protected] when I stopped at intersections. comments in general. Rather than being TECHNICAL EDITOR period for modern humans, full of monu- not want your comments to be printed in Adventure JOHN SCHUBERT That all stopped after reading about a ‘recent rant,’ it happened in 2009. Cyclist, please state so clearly. Please include your [email protected] mental leaps in technology and thought. The the liability I took on with that behavior. Australian cyclists immediately took name and address with your correspondence. Email FIELD EDITOR your comments, questions, or letters to editor@ MICHAEL MCCOY century started with the invention of successful human Whether bicycling or driving a motor her to task, she apologized and did, as [email protected] flight, and within 66 years the first people stepped foot vehicle, the operator who waves another you suggest, ride a bike. A quick Google adventurecycling.org or mail to Editor, Adventure CONTB RI UTING wrITERS operator (or bicyclist) through then search of ‘Magda Szubanski bicycle’ Cyclist, P.O. Box 8308, Missoula, MT 59807. DAN D'AMBROSIO NANCY CLARK WILLIE WEIR jAN HEINE on the moon. Think mundane move. Sure, becomes responsible — and liable — if brings this news article from the event: PATRICK O'GRADY about that. From a 12-sec- hand-helds are amaz- an accident occurs. www.theage.com.au/national/magdas- COpy EDITOR CO RRECTIONS: February PHYLLIS PICKLESIMER ond, 120-foot flight to ing machines in their I appreciate the motorists who wave anticyclist-rant-sparks-chain-reaction- ADVERTISING DIRECTOR an extremely perilous own right, in many me through, especially when they are 20091001-gcyf.html. a We misspelled Adam Coppola’s RICK BRUNER 509.493.4930 expedition of approxi- ways they are much at a point at the intersection where they Here’s a look at it is from a cyclist name, giving it one “p” and two ADVERTISING@ ADVENTURECYCLING.ORG mately 250,000 miles more technologically have no responsibility or traffic control on an Australian blog: ozsoapbox.com/ “l”s (Copolla). Adam was the winner of our 3rd Annual Bicycle STAFF through the vacuum of advanced than anything device requiring them to stop when I cycling/magda-szubanski-apologises-will- EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR space — and the key: the developed during the have a traffic control device that requires join-ride-to-work-day. Travel Photo Contest (page 52). JIM SAYER people returned safely Apollo program, but me, as a vehicle (including bicycle) opera- And there were many other responses a On page 56, we stated that [email protected] CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER to the Earth. Shortly they rarely push anyone tor, to stop. However, I still make sure I from local riders. Deanna McMillen’s bike trip ended SHEILA SNYDER, CPA after this, human space beyond their boundries. maintain eye contact with that motorist I’m not writing to defend Magda, nor in Jasper, Wyoming. It should have MEMBERSHIP & DEVELOPMENT read that the trip ended in Jasper, JULIE HUCK AMANDA LIPSEY flight occurred regularly, And then there’s our and check all other intersecting routes to to even suggest she is back in the good AMY CORBIN jOSHUA TACK mostly through NASA’s Space Shuttle buddy the bicycle. Developed in the 19th ensure I can safely cross the intersection graces of the local cycling community, Alberta. THOMAS BASSETT ALEX CAMPBELL a Events we didn’t include (pages M EDIA Program, and there is now a growing, century and mass-produced in the 20th, and maintain my responsibilities to yield just to say that your reference to the inci- WINONA BATEMAN MICHAEL MCCOY albeit slowly, International Space Station it advanced very little technologically, to travelers from other directions. dent was lazily incomplete — a useful 33-35): ALISON RILEY – Berkshires to Boston: Sept. 19- PU BLICATIONS orbiting the earth. especially in comparison to the previ- Paul Lloyd-Davies illustration for your point perhaps but MICHAEL DEME gREG SIPLE Almost equally impressive, the French ously mentioned machines. But maybe Great Falls, Montana taken well out of context and mis-catago- 23, berkshirestoboston.com. DEREK GALLAGHER RACHEL STEVENS – Governor’s Autumn Bicycle Ride INFOrmATION TECHNOLOGY and the British developed the Concorde, slow and steady wins the race. Concorde rized as ‘recent.’ JOHN SIEBER RICHARD DARNE an amazing passenger jet that flew at is retired. The Shuttle Program has been Australian update Elizabeth Cage Across Kentucky (GABRAKY): JOHN EIKENS twice the speed of sound for extended scuttled. What endeavors are there left to I’m a member of Adventure Cycling, a Croydon Park, New South Wales Oct. 4-7, gabraky.com. TO URS ARLEN HALL MO MISLIVETS periods of time — longer than any mili- test human limits? Sure, you could jump devoted reader of Adventure Cyclist, and – Trans New Hampshire Bike Ride, PAUL HANSBARGER MADELINE MCKIDDY tary machines of the time. off mountains in a flying squirrel suit like an everyday rider in Sydney, Australia. June 22-24, transhnbikeride.org. REOUT S AND MAPPING CARLA MAJERNIK JENNIFER MILYKO Sadly, for many, these achievements Dean Potter, but you can count me out. But Just for the record, Australian cyclists – Lobster Ride & Roll, June 21, VIRGINIA SULLIVAN CASEY GREENE NATHAN bikemaine.org TAYLOR MELISSA THOMPSON were not adequately followed up. We hop on a bicycle and ride across the U.S. or took care of Magda Szubanski when she SALES AND MARKETING haven’t been back to the moon since some other nation? Sure. Sign me up. made her ill founded remarks in the heat TERI MALOUGHNEY the last Apollo mission in 1972, and we I recently read a short story titled “Artie’s CYCLOSOURCE TED BOWMAN SARAH RAZ seem to have come to the conclusion Angels” by Catherine Wells in which a OFFICE MANAGER that robots will take over space explo- young man in a post apocalyptic world BETH PETERSEN ration. The Concorde has been retired helps redeem downtrodden people by BOARD OF DIRECTORS and, although there are a few supersonic giving them bicycles that he has built. By Distinctive Bicycling Vacations since 1979 prESIDENT programs sputtering along, faster-than- riding bicycles, they are rescued from what CAROL YORK VICE prESIDENT sound civilian travel remains elusive. seems to be a hopeless existence. It was WALLY WERNER Although it’s so far short-lived, the during the author’s tandem bicycle tour of SCTAE RE RY 21st century has been interestingly slow Arizona that the seeds of the story were ANDY BAUR T REASURER in terms of groundbreaking advances.