04/09/24 Izalco

April 9, 2024

Short and sweet

Heart

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Today I finally followed my own advice and left and stopped early. I went less than 20 miles, and was fine with stopping at 11:30, my shirt already completely wet and sticking to my back. Tomorrow will not be so easy, but that’s tomorrow.

I needed to decide if I wanted to follow the costal route or turn inland and gain some elevation and opted for the latter. The air by the coast is too thick and heavy and has a lot of steep up and down, resulting in a lot of climbing while staying at sea level. Hotels look a lot more expensive there as well. I’m at barely 1,500 feet here in Izalco and while it’s still quite hot outside it isn’t exactly miserable, so I’m pleased with my decision.

I tried to write a paragraph about how I feel less an outsider here than in Guatemala but it turns out that a lot of that has to do with genocidal practices in the past so I’ll shut up instead.

Breakfast was $4.50, would have been $3.00 but I wanted fresh orange juice as well

No sign of the owner, but he must have been nearby. A different machate carrying technique from they guy at the bike shop yesterday

Mexican calabash, according to my app. The “cannonball” fruit needs to be broken open in order for the seeds to propagate, according to Wikipedia

This looks so much nicer in photos, probably because I’m lying in a hammock and not feeling the sweat run down my sides

These skinny cows were getting sprayed for files

I’m close to San Salvador but it doesn’t feel that way

These trucks work as busses. The shade is important

A second Izalco sign was just below the very appealing central plaza

In the shade, with a breeze, this was a very comfortable place

School was getting out, I had to wait behind a crowd of students before I got mine

My $35 non-air conditioned room is behind those shurbs

Tránsito Vega built this house in the 1860’s and it has remained in the family since. A single mother, she created a small empire and left over 20 properties such as this to her heirs. A grandson lives in the adjacent property

Including a casually placed 2,300 year old carved jaguar head. The Vegas family

I learned these things while having coffee in the courtyard with Romero. Our conversation was interrupted by this small avocado which fell from the tree onto the tin roof with a loud thunk. Romero gave it to me and I’ll have it for lunch day after tomorrow when it’s fully ripe. He claims they get twice this size

Only green mangoes in the tree today. We’re getting to the end of mango season

Thomas buses instead of Blue Bird are the norm. No roof racks and less glitz. Same aggressive exhaust

Destroyed historic building which I have photographed but not investigated

I went back for a second shaved ice after my nap. This one is ice, salt, lime juice and tamarind syrup. I could eat them all day

Izalco volcano was behind the clouds much of today but put in a brief appearance in the late afternoon. It was in continuous from its birth in 1770 until 1958 and was known as the Lighthouse of the Pacific

Today's ride: 18 miles (29 km)
Total: 3,343 miles (5,380 km)

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Karen PoretToo bad the heat is such a factor in riding on your trip. I, personally would not have attempted this location because of this. Thank you for sharing your adventures!
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