Going on a Crazy Adventure

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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jaysodyssey
Posts: 1
Joined: 11 Mar 2015, 3:21pm

Going on a Crazy Adventure

Post by jaysodyssey »

Hello Everyone

I put a limited bio here for those interested, but if you really want to learn about me you should [url][url]visit my website[/url][/url] (that’s what I built it for) as to type it all out would take away from what I am looking for.
My name is jay of course, I was supposed to buy a boat and sail around the world but I got scammed out of a lot of money on that deal. Then I was going to backpack Central America but then my friend wasn’t ready to go. Well now I sit here in Florida with my brand new passport and I am ready to go. I am going to outline my plan of my jump point and then some ideas for my trip. Obviously some of these (if not all) will be outrageously impossible, but then again what is fun if we can’t live in life!
Right now my plan (which is in its infant stages) includes the following. I want to fly to Cancun from Florida, there I will take my bike (or backpack if I don’t go the bike route) and ride to town. After staying two days in Cancun I plan on heading west towards the Yucatan jungle. After exploring some really interesting places there I plan on diving south east towards Belize. Once I reach Belize I plan on crossing into Guatemala where hopefully my friend will finally have arrived. He owns a house (several houses) on Lake Atitlan and I want to stay with him before continuing south.
My ultimate goal is to bike to panama and I am in no rush at all. I do not want to follow the “normal” touring routes and I will plan my trip to avoid the touristy spots purposely. I am a travel blogger but the difference between my blog and others is I don’t use the blog to make income. I own a few private companies and I just want to do this. I have no issue reporting my experiences to help others. I plan on doing something I like to call “immersion adventure travel”. What this is is basically not just traveling someplace, snapping a few pics then leaving. That’s for the tourists. I plan on meeting the local people, staying with them if invited and learning about whom they are and their cultures. I of course will do interviews and blog about it as well so others can enjoy the knowledge as well.
My requirements for this trip are not many. I know I’ll need an international cell phone (I own an unlocked IPhone 4s with sim card capability) somewhat decent wifi access, as well as a way to power my devices. I am thinking a solar panel pack for the bike. Bike lights for safety, helmet? (mine is pretty banged up) a tent and sleeping bag, some cookware in case I have to stay in the woods ( I was told central America wild camping will get you killed, I would be curious on peoples thoughts of this). I am trained in survival aid; first aid CPR, rescue deep woods and ocean deployment, as well as several forms of martial arts. I am also trained in backwoods survival as well as being highly logical.
Right now I own a bike, it’s a mongoose XR 75 21 speed mountain bike, I bought it in California for 50 bucks from a guy who didn’t like it. It’s a full suspension model with twist shifters and good brakes. I just replaced both shifters (the right one broke after use in phoenix) and the handle bar grips also just got redone. The front shock barely moves anymore and the seat has slipped off the metal so I can feel it now. The gears skip a bit so the cog may be wearing down as well. Obviously I do not think this bike would be appropriate for my trip without some work, and it’s HEAVY.
I know this is going to sound weird but instead of spending thousands of bucks on equipment and bikes and gear I want to try to do this cheap. It’s not that I do not have the money it’s that I know I can do it at a good price.
I have no issues buying a “decent” bike, I’m thinking amazon and no more than 300 bucks tops, add some panniers to hold some of my gear and a backpack and lights and I should be good to go.
I noticed in lots of blogs that flat tires seem to be an issue but I’m wondering if buying slime tubes wouldn’t negate that altogether.
I should point out I worked at a bike shop when I was younger and do not have any issue tearing a bike apart or getting my hands dirty. I have respoked (retrued) rims, installed cogs and derailleurs, redone brakes and shocks, and of course fixed flats.
I don’t have a gear list or anything but my friend matt karsten (the world knows him as the expert vagabond) once took a trip to Mexico and has been traveling over four years.
I have talked with JetBlue (nonstop flight) and Aero Mexico (3 hour layover in Mexico City, chance my luggage could get lost) about bringing a bike. Right now it comes down to cost of ticket, layover, and arrival times. I heard I had to box my bike but then I was told it could go in a plastic bag as long as handlebars and pedals were taken care of. I will have to reassemble the bike curbside as my hotel is 14 miles into Cancun; I have no issue with this at all
I am in the field of information tech and know this heavy 17” dell laptop will not be going with me, what do you all use when communicating from the road. If it was just the blog I would use a netbook and tablet, but I have to have video editing for one of my other business (it pays so I can keep traveling)
Like I said this is all scattered, I am trying to form a plan, I book my ticket today. But if I’m not taking a bike there is no sense in buying panniers. I have a prime membership with amazon so once I start with my list I can get everything shipped in.
I carry about 70 pounds of gear with my when I travel domestically, lots of clothes, electronics, and misc. stuff. I plan on thinning all this out big time for my trip. I considered a hammock for my shelter but honestly I don’t like them, but wonder if animals will make me lunch if I’m on the ground.
I appreciate any advice to help me out, I’ll probably post this a few places to get maximum exposure. If you have biked Central America I would love some real world info about the people, camping, surviving in general. Also greatly appreciated would be where to find others who may be doing the same thing.I would love to ride with a group!
Thanks in advance!
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BeeKeeper
Posts: 1265
Joined: 29 Apr 2011, 6:45am
Location: South Devon

Re: Going on a Crazy Adventure

Post by BeeKeeper »

Have a look on http://www.crazyguyonabike.com where you will find accounts of trips in the region, some completed, some ongoing.

I also suggest you take to heart the motto "less is more" in your writings but best of luck! I lived in Belize for 6 months in 1981/82 and I can only hope the roads have improved since my time, avoid the wet season is all I can suggest and take lots of midge repellent.

Hopefully the border crossing into Guatemala has been improved a bit too - and open, it was closed when I was there as Guatemala was threatening to invade Belize.

Image

And on the way through Mexico make sure you visit Chichen Itza. Belize and Guatemala have great Mayan ruins but Chichen Itza is very special, but I fear you will find it a lot busier these days than when we went:

Image
Last edited by BeeKeeper on 12 Mar 2015, 11:52am, edited 1 time in total.
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jamesgilbert
Posts: 316
Joined: 5 Feb 2013, 4:25pm
Location: Lyon

Re: Going on a Crazy Adventure

Post by jamesgilbert »

The link to your website didn't work, could you post the address as it would be interesting to have a look?

You can get lots of very useful advice on this forum but you'll need to be more specific with your questions - the wall of text is quite hard to read :wink:
beardy
Posts: 3382
Joined: 23 Feb 2010, 4:10pm

Re: Going on a Crazy Adventure

Post by beardy »

I have done a world trip, not quite an “immersion adventure travel” but certainly the immersion bit.

I think that one thing that liberated me in comparison with some other travellers was my lack of equipment. Especially anything valuable and which made me stand out as European or wealthy.
That can be things that we take for granted like watches and the names on our clothes.
My water bottle was an old lemonade bottle, functionally perfect yet adds to the signal that you are not worth robbing.

I also went armed with a hidden sheaf knife which is the wrong way to go about things, the best way is to carry a smile.

As for an iPhone4 being essential, I had no phone, my essentials were a small plastic handled knife for cooking, water purifier, a roll of industrial ribbon and a small bottle of disinfectant.
Cheap closedcell rollmat and sheetbag.
The countries that you are travelling through already contain the resources needed to live in them.
Too many travellers are a slave to their kit and have to exert too much effort caring for it rather than mixing freely.
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