I left Puerto Vallarta in the hopes of finding somewhere to stay on the Costalegre in Jalisco. The plan, such as it was, was to ride until I was tired then find a hotel. The road south of Vallarta was the standard issue Mexican roller coaster. But I began to notice something different now that I was further south and hugging the coast. The insect population had exploded....all over my helmet.
I had to pull over repeatedly to wipe off bug carcasses just so that I could see. This guaranteed that unless you are completely stopped, the helmet visor must me down at all times lest you're thirsty for a bug-gut cocktail. The other problem was that the temperature had been steadily increasing since I had arrived on the mainland. You would think that at 60mph the wind would be enough, but it still gets quite stuffy in the helmet if you don't at least crack the visor. I would roll the dice occasionally, like when passing over topes in small villages, and open up the visor so that I could enjoy a breath of fresh air......and whammo! Bug in the face.
Even with the visor cracked ever so slightly some persitent gnats would find their way through. And then they would crawl. And then they would find my ears. And I would be completely helpless as to how to rid myself of these pests. I would scream "GET OUT OF MY EARS!!!!", but they wouldn't listen. Innocent bystanders would however, as if I didn't garner enough strange looks as it was. It's amazing the kind of concentration it takes to keep a bike upright when you have gnats in your ears.
Now it seems reasonable that I would be safe from all bug attacks with the visor sealed tight. I might suffocate or overheat, but at least I would be bug-free. Not so, that's when they send the big guns. Dragonflies and butterflies the size of your fist would fly out of nowhere on a kamikaze run on my helmet. As they ricocheted off there would be a deafening "PING" and the momentum of our combined velocities would cock my head back and to the left, over and over. There's just simply no way to dodge bugs at that speed. My only hope was to take out their best and brightest so that the next evolutionary cycle of bug-dom would be tiny and weak for the next rider.
By 1pm I felt like I had survived the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan, so I pulled over to regroup. I ended up in a pleasant town called Melaque. After cruising the cobblestone streets I found a nice enough place right on the beach to have some fantastic camarrones empanizadas. Soon thereafter I decided that I had had enough for the day and I would stay here for the night.
I came across some bungalows on the beach and managed to successfully haggle a bit on the price. After taking a cold shower (not by choice) I realized how beat up I really was. Perhaps it was the emotional roller coaster I had been on the last few days, but I was mentally and physically drained. I didn't know it at the time but I would end up sleeping until 1pm the next day, and then stay another night to fully recoup.
three comments, so far...:
Yuk, not a great way to go…every once in awhile I experience a cloud of gnats when walking at the lake and I breathe very shallowly so as not to inhale them, they seem to hang in low places. I’m sure they pale in comparison to yours! Maybe you need a piece of screening fit into your helmut…you might try Casa Depot!! I’m busy getting ready for the Murray/Krukonis Tribe and am excited to see the babies. We will sorely miss you, but I figure I can cut my menu in half this year..HaHa! Of course I’d rather cook mountains of goodies than not have you with us!! Take care of yourself, you know you’re kinda important to us!! Don’t forget you always have choices!!! Love The Mom
Jacie Minick () - 11 21 05 - 15:29
Mom, surely you’re not just hovering over the computer waiting to pounce on my every new post? I think you replied less than 5 minutes after I hit enter. Amazing!
Just think, by Thanksgiving I should be just about to the Guatamalan border. Then I will be at a crossroads: to continue or not? I’ll try to take your advise with a grain of salt when I talk to you on Thursday.
until then,
ted
ted - 11 21 05 - 15:35
Look up, it’s a plane, it’s a bird, its Whirley Mom! HA!
Jacie Minick () - 11 21 05 - 15:46