Day 86 – Antigua, GU to Finca El Naranjo, GU
November 18, 2010 3 Comments
Day 86 – Antigua, GU to Finca El Naranjo, GU 11/15/10 Mileage: 127
I’ve been in Antigua for almost 3 weeks all together now, and although it’s a great town, I can’t wait to get back on the road. My plan is to head north towards Coban, Semuc Champey, Flores, the ruins in Tikal and then on to Belize. After catching up on some email and packing up, I was off and it felt great to be back in the bike. The air was cool and dry and the road heading northeast out of Antigua is 20 miles of twisty goodness before hitting Guatemala city. The KLR was running good and I was grinning ear to ear in my helmet.
Once on the other side of Guatemala City the road descends out of the mountains into a picturesque valley to the town of El Rancho where I passed by a nice looking restaurant. About a mile down the road, I decided to turn around and head back to get a bite to eat. As I as walking towards the front door, I was greeted (in english) by a man wearing a “Harley” style leather motorcycle vest. Well, it turns out that he is in Guatemala with 20 or so other members of the Christian Motorcyclists Association donating motorcycles (Honda CR200 dual-sports) to local pastors so they can get around…how cool is that! I guess you can spread the word of God just a little faster on a motorcycle! They offered to bless me and my bike and I gladly accepted. It was a moving moment as they all gathered around me and the bike and said a nice prayer for me, the bike and my safe travels.
The members of the Christian Motorcyclists Association and my KLR
This bike was blessed
Whether it was a growling stomach or divine intervention, either way I can’t tell you how glad I am that I turned around and came back to the restaurant to meet all those wonderful people. It seems as if I made 20 new friends just like that. If they had bikes it would have been great to ride with them…maybe another day.
To all the members of the Christian Motorcyclists Association…Godspeed to you in your work and travels.
So after saying goodbye and having a quick bite, I was back on the bike hoping to make it to Coban before nightfall. The road was awesome as it twisted its way higher into the mountains and I was enjoying every mile of it.
But it soon became apparent that the night was going to catch me before I got to Coban, and I was starting to really get concerned as dusk gave way to darkness. “Never ride at night” is the golden rule of adventure motorcycling, and I don’t relish breaking it in the remote mountains of Guatemala. Just then I passed by a hotel with a brightly lit sign, so I turned the KLR around to have a look. They did in fact have a room available, it cost only $20 and was a really nice place. So OK, the fact that a hotel appeared on an empty stretch of road at exactly the time and place I needed it is well short of a miracle, but I did thank my new friends in the Christian Motorcyclists Association for it anyway.
From Deadhorse Down 
That Motel appearing in now where’s land is very interesting. The other day when I was writing you a “comment” you had just stopped riding. “Signs” like that scare me sometimes or even when I find a penny on the ground, heads up.
Lenny, the power of prayer can be very powerful. Be well. Love ya, Mom
We in the Christian Motorcyclists Association who met you in Guatemala and prayed with you, continue to do so. In a way, we are “riding” vicariously through you via your web site. Thank you for what you’re doing, and God bless your every move and every day. Your Mom’s right about the power of prayer. I’d love to meet her some day. She must be quite proud of you and what you’re doing!
She is quite a woman for sure. She prayed for and helped deliver good weather for me in Alaska all the way to the Arctic Ocean an back…so she is in good with the man upstairs! Thanks for coming along and again for all the kind words and blessings.
-Lenny