Biking across the Yucatan - November 2015

Eighteen of us set out biking from Merida to Tulum. About 500kms across the Yucatan which is flat, straight roads, low jungle and hot. Along the way we stopped in small villages, Mayan ruins, ceynotes, cemeteries.

Bike group stopping in Chichen Itza for a view. 

Each village has a central square (park area) and a municipal building facing the it. The municipal building hosts many local government agencies and there are always public washrooms that are a god-send to bikers. Otherwise we'd be using the bushes. The municipal buildings are well maintained and brightly painted. 

Pink in Merida, Yucatan

Local farmer at his orange stand. The hat is great.

School children getting ready for parade. 

Local lovelies in their finery. The day was November 20th - they are celebrating the Mexican Revolution . On this date, in the year 1910 the revolutionary war to overthrow the dictator Porfirio Díaz, began. One of our bike gang guys stepped into the frame at the last minute. 

Parades happen in villages to commemorate the Revolution and while the mothers dress in their finest, the children dress as historical figures. I think this youngster is suppose to be Emiliano Zapata.  

Selling tortillas in the local marketing and taking a break with a "Big Gulp" or something equivalent. 

Business is slow. Time for a nap. 

This gentleman so wanted his photo taken and he posed for it and it was the best portrait. 

This teenager so didn't want her photo taken. But the location of her taking money for the washrooms and the religious iconography store to the right, couldn't be passed up. 

Selfie of me at Chichen Itza: hot, sweaty, tired, having biked over 70 kms to get here and then walk around a large area of jungle. Impressive place except for the souvenir vendors who were everywhere in this site. Rather annoying and they really took away from the magic of the environment. 

I can't remember if this was at Chichen Itza or the ruins at Coba which were my favourite of the four locations we visited during the bike tour. 

Another selfie at the top of a temple in Coba. Locals actually don't call them pyramids. This temple visitors were allowed to climb and there were large crowds. It was a bit scary due to so many people. I wonder how long it will be before they shut it down from climbers. Certainly the temple is being denigrated with all the activity. Anyway, as you can see the land is flat. A rather boring view. However, the Coba site is the best of all the ruins I visited and I would recommend that if you are visiting this area (Cancun), this is the one to see. 

Last ruins we visited were in Tulum. They are on a cliff overlooking the sea and quite spectacular. These are often the ones shown in travel brochures and web sites. 

Biking is over and time to relax a few days on the beach in Tulum.