Epilogue

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Yucatan Bicycle Tour

Epilogue

A typical Yucatan road. Straight, flat and no traffic.

Prior to my Yucatan tour, several friends and relatives expressed concern for my safety. Their two major worries were crime and traffic. I heard several horror stories of the "it happened to a friend of a friend of a friend" variety. However, my research indicated that this trip would be reasonably safe. I relied heavily on the "Bicycle Touring Mexico" book and the Lonely Planet guide book. As usual, the best resources for any bicycle tour are the experiences of other cyclists who have done similar tours.

We were not affected by crime on our tour. At no time did I fear for my personal safety. Tourism is very important to the region's economy. Police maintain a very visible presence at many tourist attractions. However, it is very important to understand that there are very many desperately poor people in the region. The temptation to steal from "rich" foreign tourists must be huge. In Tulum, I spotted a guy standing in the woods behind the beach. I suspect he was up to no good, possibly waiting for an opportunity to snatch our wallets and cameras.

I wouldn't let fear of crime deter you from bicycle touring the Yucatan. Carry a good bike lock and be aware of your surroundings. I used a heavy duty lock along with a Kryptonite cable. This gave us many options for locking our bikes.

Roadsidem memorial
We saw many of these roadside memorials on our trip. This one was lager and more elaborate than most.

We locked up our bikes in plain sight at Mayan sites and other tourist attractions. We always returned to find them undisturbed. When leaving bikes in our hotel rooms we usually locked our bikes to the plumbing fixtures. Some places did not allow us to bring our bikes in the rooms. In these cases we asked the management to provide us with safe place to lock up our bikes, usually within sight of the front desk.

With the exception of downtown Cancun, traffic was not an issue on our tour. Most Mexicans can not afford automobiles. As a result, there are far fewer vehicles on the road than in the U.S. Bicycles are an important and respected form of transportation in Mexico. Drivers are respectful of cyclists

Most of the roads in the Yucatan are straight and flat with little scenery. That doesn't make for spectacular cycling. In fact most of the time, the cycling, was rather boring. The rich cultural and historical heritage of the region more than made up for it. Cycling allowed us greater interaction with people. It is also a very inexpensive way to travel.

Mexicans are notorious litter bugs. There was litter everywhere. At times, we could smell a faint odor of rotting garbage as we rode along. This also detracted from our enjoyment of cycling in the area.

A political protester in downtown Cancun.

You can avoid some of the longer cycling stretches by taking buses Mexico has a well-developed bus system. Cyclists are not required to box their bikes on Mexican buses. As long a space is available in the cargo bay, you can take your bike on the bus.

I'm glad that I took the time to learn some Spanish. Although there are many people in the region who speak English, most store clerks and waiters do not. You don't need to speak fluent Spanish to make yourself understood. A little knowledge goes a long, long way. I really enjoyed learning and using the language. I'd like to improve my Spanish skills.

I really enjoyed my experience in the Yucatan. It was an incredible adventure. I'll never forget it.