A good trip often develops differently than intended. My original idea was to see Caste War sites by car and then spend some time in Punta Allen, swimming and wandering along its sandy beach. Somehow this alone did not quite gel, and the problems in getting to Punta Allen suggested to me that bicycles would be the most interesting way to go there.
A friend, fellow member of the Wilmington Trail Club and avid cyclist therein, Tony Belfiglio, became interested in going along once it started to become primarily a bike trip. Although that was to be our main form of transportation for most of the trip, we later made it to some Caste War sites by car as well.
I used an itinerary in the 1990 book, Bicycling México, that would take us from Mérida to Tulum and Punta Allen. The intervening years had caused it to have some inaccuracies. This is the one there is labeled as "Chichén Itzá to the Sea", and though it starts in Mérida, it was helpful as a framework.
After a late arrival in Cancún, it was a pleasure to be able to ride a first class bus from the airport to the bus station, instead of taking a van, which used to be the main alternative to hiking past the guard house and flagging down a departing taxi . We were riding straight into Cancún to the bus station and not being shunted through the hotel zone. I amused myself by noting the many multi-national companies, but then it got to be too much. I pointed out a sign for an Outback Steak House, while groaning and wondering what that was about. Who goes to Mexico and wants to eat in such a place? It defied any logic I could come up with. It still does.
We arrived at the station and a bus was leaving quite soon. My experience tends to be that the hungrier I am, the more likely it is that the next bus will be leaving very soon. Fortunately, I had granola bars and wine along to share, so the ride was pleasant enough.
We arrived in Mérida and I was glad to be back, if only for two nights. I had fond memories of the Hotel Peninsular, so we got a cab to it and found that it was closed and shuttered. The cabbie had stopped well before it where we could not see how dark it was and my guess is that it was intentional. However, I had noticed a hotel along the way and we hiked back there.
We found that the Hotel San Juan had double rooms for 140 pesos and was comfortable enough. It was a mere half block from the Zócalo, but was surprisingly untouched by tourists. Although we did not have time to make use of this, I took comfort that it sold large beers in a back portion of its budget restaurant where mostly locals would sit, talk and drink.
Our main task the next day was to buy bikes. With airlines charging $50-$100 each way to take bikes along, it was more logical to just buy them in México and sell them when done. Although not fond of Wal-Mart, we hiked there and were rather glad to see a pitiful selection of bikes. Even less impressive was that they included no bike equipment at all in their stock.
Heading back toward our hotel, we used our list of bike stores and detoured just a bit and went to a local company named Bicimotos, which had a wide selection of bikes. Most of these were of a better price than Wal-Mart. We found two identical mountain bikes for 850 pesos each. For 50 pesos extra, I got a small luggage rack put on the back of mine.
We did an impromptu warm up ride that day to the nearby ruins at Dzibilchaltún and this turned out to be a very good idea. Following this relatively short ride, both bikes needed brake adjustment and mine developed a wobble in the back wheel. On the way back from the ruin, we stopped back at Bicimotos and they quickly fixed everything. Had we just headed out eastward on our main trip that day, it would have been a serious problem.
The way would have been a bit easier if either of us had brought some tools, besides the items needed for fixing flats on normal road bikes. Once back at our hotel, the kindly manager loaned me a wrench, because my seat also needed adjusting. Later he gave me directions to a hardware store down the street. There I bought a wrench and two screwdrivers. I bought three bungee cords to tie my smallish pack onto the bike rack when traveling.
I had never gone to the ruin at Dzibilchaltún, because guidebook and other descriptions suggest that there is not much there, and I usually had something I saw as better to do when in the area. However, now that it fit nicely into the plans, I was surprised at how relatively impressive the site is. I also regretted leaving my camera at the hotel.
The next morning we left somewhat after dawn, expecting to have breakfast at a restaurant in Tixkokob. This place had received a good mention in the Bicycling México book and it sounded like something to look forward to.
We soon left Mérida behind and battled a head wind as we rode through Tixpehual and arrived in Tixkobob. A policeman politely gave me directions to the former location of the restaurant toward the other end of town without mentioning that it was out of business. Once we were there and could find nothing, someone told us it was closed and that the only food available was back in the market, so that is where we backtracked to for a meal.
On the other side of Tixkokob, we stopped where we could rest in the shade of one of few large trees we were to see along the way outside of a town square. This was at the entrance to one of those haciendas that caters to travelers and an amiable fellow who worked there stopped by on his bike to chat. He not only pointed out that my bike seat was too short (it had slipped down), but he also looked at that day’s itinerary and suggested a shortcut that would keep this day from being the longest in our journey.
The man helped me adjust the seat and soon we were ready to go. As we sped away, I could feel how my legs had come so very close to cramping up and I was very thankful yet again.
In Cacalchen, we followed the shortcut suggestion and headed straight through instead of turning left at the junction toward Bokoba. I checked my maps later and did not find such a road on them, but it exists. This skipped any sort of town or tienda, but was closer to our first night’s stop, Izamal.
Riding bikes is certainly not the easiest way to see Maya or other indigenous areas, but it has a certain charm. For example, whenever we biked into some small Yucatec village along the way and stopped to buy sodas or water, it was pleasant to not be seen as just two more tourists. People were friendly and when we were riding along, most people waved to us. We found that in many places, main highways have a path to the side for pedestrians and cyclists. When on the actual roads, it also seemed like people were careful to not pull out in front of us, so it generally felt safe, with the main exception of when we were going around a busy main square.
It was surprising how much trash was along the roads. There seemed to be a lot of disposable bottles and other garbage that would not be as visible to someone in a motorized vehicle. In some places, I could see where the roadside was burnt, leaving only glass and an occasional aluminum can. I remembered fondly back to when bottles in México required deposits and were used over and over, and before the country took on this trashy aspect of globalization.
We rode into Izamal slowly to not miss anything, but there was a good element of weariness as well. We pulled into the area of the city square, but did not see either of two hotels that were supposed to be there. I asked a policeman where a certain hotel mentioned in the book was, but he had not heard of it. Instead he pointed to the not so obvious Hotel Canto, which by most accurate accounts is not all that great. We too found that it left something to be desired to the extent that I would not recommend it to anyone. Our room was not only shabby, but the manager’s living area looked like a dirty mess. However, our hotel was on the square and close to everything and we were only to be there overnight, so we stayed.
We had time to have lunch and see and climb the local pyramid and explore a bit of the town. We ate lunch at the Meson de Landa, which is in front of the Canto and where they managed to do bad things to chicken instead of Maya codices.
Someone earlier told me that I could find the “best taco in México” on the square in Izamal, so I looked for it, based on his description, but did not find it until later. After a supper somewhere other than the Meson de Landa, we found that to the right of the church on the square there had appeared three food kiosks, and the one in the middle was the one recommended. It had a large ball of meat, reminiscent of what one would see in a gyro shop, from which the fellow was slicing to cook over a fire. I am not a big taco fan, but I had three of those tacos after a regular meal, one after the other, and they were great. I regretted getting so full and having to stop.
There is something about riding heavier, cheaper bikes that made me appreciate having a good road bike at home. The second day seemed harder, in that we had not quite recovered from the previous day and we were not yet acclimated to such riding on a daily basis.
We left Izamal before dawn to take advantage of the coolness. By now, we had gotten well into the habit of resting along the way without hoping for any large shade trees. When due for a break but close to a town, we would keep on until we saw some small store to buy sodas. We rode through Stilpech, Tunkas and Quintana Roo. Again we battled a head wind, but it did not start until after dawn.
Although the guide book referred to a good cantina being in Dzitás, we had no energy for what would have been a detour into town. Instead we took a longish rest alongside the road just past the turnoff. Then we rested again near the toll way crossing.
It would be accurate to say that I was very glad to finally make it into Pisté. We would have had time to see some of the Chichén Itzá ruins, but getting into a room with a pool and having a beer nearby sounded even better. We had planned on staying at the Hotel Pirámide, because of the pool. However, as we were riding along, a fellow sitting in front of another hotel, who introduced himself as its manager, offered us a room for just under $18. This included pool access at the hotel next door. He showed us an acceptable room with a ceiling fan that provided a good amount of white noise, so after seeing the pool to be sure, we happily checked in and swam for a bit. We also ate some very good barbecued chicken at a place called Los Pájaros.
It is always great to see Chichén Itzá, so I did not mind showing Tony around the next day. We got in at 8 a.m. when it opened, which is always a good plan, because of getting a head start on the tour buses that arrive later. Bicycles are not allowed inside the site, so we locked ours outside and explored on foot.
I cannot say that there was much that had changed there in the intervening years. No doubt, there are many other ruins that are in need of restoration to attract tourists, but it was good to see it again just like you would go to see an old friend.
We got on our way shortly after noon and detoured just a little off the highway to try to see Balancanché Cave. However, the next tour was not until 1:30 pm, so we opted to ride back to the highway and forge onward. We pedaled in the heat and stopped at a couple of tiendas along the way through Kaua and Cuncunil, but the wind was no longer our constant enemy.
When we finally slouched into Valladolid, we were very much agreed on getting a room in another hotel with a pool. There are several that meet this requirement, but we chose the Hotel San Clemente, which is right on the zócalo and charged us only around $30 for a double. I gathered that the hotel had more expensive rooms, but a ceiling fan is all one really needs for ventilation.
We discovered a selection of cocinas económicas diagonally across the zócalo and decided after a meal, that we did not need to spend a whole lot of money to eat well in Valladolid.
It was very early in the morning that we left, as was now the norm. On the way out of town, I gazed at the what I could see of the Plaza of Santa Ana in the darkness as we rode along. This was the place where the execution of Manuel Antonio Ay by a firing squad in 1847 caused the spark that ignited the Caste War.
The Bicycling México book had suggested one route that went all the way to Nuevo Xcan, but the ensuing years had provided a shorter route in the form of road that goes toward Cobá just before getting to the city of Chemax. Maybe we were in better shape, but the ride to Cobá was not so bad. We arrived and checked into the Hotel Bocadito and headed to the ruins after a meal.
The spread out site now has the option of renting bikes or hiring a pedi-cab and driver. Because it is spread out and the price of 25 pesos is not high, it is a win-win situation, except if you have your own bike. Then one still has to pay the rental fee. We opted to hike, but on later reflection, the experience of biking at this spread out ruin would be worth such a small sum. We cut short a hike along an interesting trail that was heading off to the right as one is heading toward the Nohoch Mul, but on bikes we would have persevered along one of the lakes.
I was surprised at how many people opted for the chauffer driven bikes, when there was such good exercise to be had. One had a remarkably good looking young woman as sole passenger, so I called to the driver, “hach ki’ichpan” or very pretty (female), and he looked back at me with some surprise and grinned.
Our room at the Bocadito had a quiet ceiling fan, which proved to be a problem late at night when barking dogs and later crowing roosters started in. However, there is now another alternative to the expensive Club Med, the Hotelito Sac-Be, and I wished we had stayed there.
Again we got an early start, but Tony forgot his wallet, which he had hidden inside his pillow case. I jokingly suggested that now that I knew where he hid his wallet, maybe now he could stop hiding it so well.
Tony suggested that I wait instead of accompanying him back, so I stayed right there for a bit. Not being all good at waiting around in one place and after getting annoyed with some locally barking dogs, I rode a bit and got off to sit on a large rock at an old roadside quarry. Two Maya men came along picking up aluminum cans and in talking with them, I discovered that there was a small village not far away. I asked them to mention this to my friend when he came along and I headed onward in search of a better place to rest.
I arrived in the very small town and promptly stopped at a tienda and got a cold drink to sip while waiting. Tony eventually arrived. Although the two Maya men had said nothing to him, he eventually decided that I had probably ridden on instead of disappearing into the landscape and had gone onward to meet me.
After his arrival, it occurred to me that I did not have any idea what the name of the village was, because it came before those I had on my list. So I asked the owner of the tienda. He answered “Manuel Antonio Ay,“ whom I earlier mentioned. I pointed out that “they“ had made a mistake in killing him and causing the Caste War, half expecting some surprise at such knowledge in a foreigner. However, all he did was surprise me by merely agreeing.
We went through another town or two on our way to Tulum and it didn’t seem all that long before we were nearing it. However, when we rode into town, it was with a feeling of accomplishment.
Tulum consists of the pueblo, the beach/hotel area and the ruins themselves. It made the most sense for two people just staying the night to spend in in the pueblo, so that is what we did.
We wound up in a small cabin in the Rancho Tranquilo, which is on the right side of the highway almost at the southern end of town. The name itself was an attraction, but it turned out that buses and trucks roared past it all night. This place can be only recommended to people who can sleep anywhere.
A bright spot in Tulum Pueblo is a Sinaloa-style barbecued chicken place that is almost across the street from the ADO bus station. We had pleasant meals there both then and later.
Once ensconced in the cabin, we rode out to the Tulum ruins. We wandered around them a bit and headed over to what had been a secluded beach that I had enjoyed, which was then open only to those who would climb down the rocks to get there. Now there was a wooden staircase leading down and a good number of swimmers and sun bathers. However it was still pleasant to float lazily in the water and see Tulum’s ocean skyline above and it was good to see that others could enjoy it now as well.
The next morning, we headed out on the last leg of our bike trip feeling in
better shape and in especially good spirits. Below Tulum are a number of resorts
along the road to Boca Paila and we passed them quickly. There are also places
along the way that advertise lodging well after that. There is a brand new
bridge that suggests upcoming improvements to the road as well. Eventually we got into the Sian Ka’an Biosphere and later on there was an information office that also has hot coffee and tea that we particularly enjoyed. It also has somewhat expensive lodging and a watchtower that people can look out at the park from. We went up to see more of what was around us.
It was a joy to see so many unspoiled beaches, wetlands and other areas. We did dawdle a bit, but it was not from laziness. It was our surroundings, coupled with a hot drink still somewhat early in the morning that held us. The people there were also quite pleasant.
The Punta Allen road would have been rough for thin tires on road bikes, but was mostly fine for our mountain bikes. It was largely packed sand, but there was one section of maybe a half mile as we neared Punta Allen that had soft sand that a person o
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bike could navigate by staying in exactly the right track, but for a couple
stretches of it anyone would have to walk the bike. Along the way, we saw a ruin, which was mentioned on our map and is called Chamax. Only one building was visible, but it was hard to miss from the road. It made a great place to rest near.
The road itself goes parallel to the sea and in many parts, one can see the Caribbean and unspoiled beaches. It was great to be in the sort of shape where we could enjoy the scenery.
It was a joy to finally pull into Punta Allen. We went to the hotel I had made arrangements with Serenidad Shardon, but there was no one readily available to check us in, so we left a note and headed to the Hotel Cruzan for lunch.
The woman running the Cruzan noticed our packs and bikes outside and asked if we had ridden all the way from Tulum. When we responded in the affirmative, she offered us the first beer free. We both had beer and fresh filets of fish and were now especially glad to be there.
Punta Allen probably has a few hundred residents. There are three grocery stores, of which one sells beer, wine and other necessities. There are several places to stay at and a few restaurants as well. As it was, we did not sample much of the local eateries, because we had access to a full kitchen. Because we arrived the last day of lobster season and the hotel's handyman showed us some beauties he had just bought, we were able to rush off to the Fishermen's Cooperative and buy some lobster tails as well. Following that, we used a large pot to steam up a wonderful supper the first night.