Resurrecting and riding a vintage bike in Guatemala.

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After a rather long night in hostel El Marquesote it was time to sweat some alcohol away. I haven't been drinking for quite some time but here I couldn't resist the good company and fun associated with getting a little tipsy. Heck we have even opened a 23 years old bottle of rum. Que loco!

During the night after few drinks we have talked with Carlos - the hostel and a vintage bicycle owner about the possibility of repairing it to sell. I am a big fan of bikes and actually a bicycle mechanic as well. So we have pumped the tires full to see if they last until the morning. To my big surprise they really did.

So after I woke up the next day I only tighten few bolts and screws and I was ready to go.

Huehue has very busy and dirty streets so it was an absolute adventure to take this bike for a ride. The hostel is located at the main street and just crossing it to be able to go the direction I wanted was a challenge. However after few turns as I have disappeared from the main road it started to be fun.

Locals were shouting something like "Capatas de bisicleta" at me and I was responding by "yeah gracias!" like a total gringo. Only later I have figured it out. My bike stand was down and they saw it as a treat to my safety. I had to bend it and modify a little so I can go further safely.

I was on my way to the local Mayan ruin. I knew it costs 50 Quetzal to enter but somehow I had a feeling that I could negotiate a little. Surprise, surprise I was wrong. The site was full of locals who only need to pay five. I wanted to pay the same for just ten minutes and taking few pictures. The guard was against my idea - so I have quickly came up with a better idea. Let's take the bike to the mountain! Make sense right? Just go and do some mountain biking with an eighty years old machine...

After crossing a small river the climb started. Of course my bike had only one gear so I had to start pushing. It was a reminder of all the drinks we had the day before... But there is no better cure for hangover than some physical activity. I was hence pushing up with pleasure knowing I will feel much better after. Even better is not to get hangovers but explain this to an east European.

I was proceeding in an "indian" style. Sometimes pushing sometimes pedaling and before you know it I was on top of the mountain which presented itself with awesome views over the city and possible mountain bike trails all around. Sadly I had no suspension and breaks from the stone age so I had to be very careful on my downhill ride back to the city center.

Even on the way down I had to walk sometimes - the breaks just weren't made for my style of riding. But believe me it was great fun anyways. People watched me like an attraction and when I have arrived to the center one guy approached me with a question about my bike. He was a mechanic as well and ended up showing me his shop and bike exposition in the near by bank. Pretty cute choppers right...

All the best,

Global Local

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