2001-01-18 - 20:15:58

Loreto marked a significant turning point for Team Tequila. Team member Stacy Jupiter was called back to the U.S for an urgent Phd. scuba diving assignment in Papua New Guinea. (Such is the unrelenting struggle to survive as a post-graduate college student...) After late night farewells (tearful and beer-full) at the bus station, the remaining team members resolved to make a sober day-break getaway - the following afternoon.

Riding in alternating, single line, slip-stream racing formation; a blistering pace was set at 28km/h for the day. Arriving late into Ciudad Constitution, a startling piece of news was received from a passing motorist. Team Swiss had been spotted 90 miles ahead of us. "What?! 90 miles?! That´s impossible! They took the bus!" we cried. Over tortillas and beans, Team Tequila poured through maps and worked on strategies to regain the lead. "I say we ride another 6 hours tonight, catch them before day break, and beat them into La Paz tomorrow" said Chris. "18 hours riding, 325km, 3 hours sleep, no sweat" I echoed. "The elephante´s up for it!" enthused Heath. "We don´t actually know where they are guys. I say we get some sleep and head out at dawn" Jeff countered. After a few more tortillas and another round of toxins, common sense and sleep prevailed. Heath awoke at 4am and stood up, ready and eager, trying to catch a whiff of Swiss Cheese Sylvia´s perfume in the morning breeze...

Further slip-stream racing ended with a string of punctures and broken spokes. A quick shelter was rigged for shade from the 35oC heat, while master mechanic Jeff retensioned a wheel. Chris managed to start a fight with a cactus and walked away with a large pod attached to his hand by a dozen 2 inch spines.

Riding into La Paz the following day, it didn´t take long to catch the odour of Swiss Cheese. Our original accusation proved correct - Swiss Sylvia had taken fright at Heath´s ´elephante grande´ and caught the bus from Ciudad Constitution. Problems with an archilles tendon was the official Swiss excuse. Team Tequila filed an immediate appeal with the Florida supreme court...and both teams danced on tables at the trendy La Paz ´La Varitas´ night club while awaiting the outcome.

With the Tour de Baja declared a tie, Team Tequila caught the ferry to Tapalobamba on the Mexican mainland. A day was spent in Las Moches before catching an early morning train east to the tiny town of Creel; 7000 feet high in the Sierra Madres mountains and access point for the Barranca Del Cobre (Copper Canyons).

From 3 weeks in the scorching desert, arriving in Creel was a shock to the system. After an incredible 9 hour train journey through the canyons, we stepped off at Creel into a snow storm with 4 inches of fresh snow underfoot.

A day in Creel waiting for the snow to melt marked the beginning of Team Tequila´s card playing addiction. After the customary beers and tequila shots, games of rummy, cribbage and yuker were played late into the night. Meanwhile, the original half of Team Swiss (Dave and Ursala) arrived, while the other half (Stephan and Sylvia) took an easier and more direct route south along the coast.

Riding out of Creel, the combination of cold air and altitude made breathing difficult. Hills required double the usual effort. Starting down a steep incline, Chris chose the wrong place to test his front brakes, and slid 15 feet on his back, between his bike and a patch of black ice.

A freezing night was spent card playing in a shed beside a Tarahumara mission hospital - we rationaled that we wouldn´t have far to go to treat our hypothermia in the morning.

The following day would rate as one of the more dramatic since Anchorage. A bone rattling 4WD road made a screaming descent 65km to the canyon floor, 2000 metres below. An old mining village called Batopilas marked the end of the road. the toll on the bikes was heavy; 2 flat tyres, a broken rack, lost pump handle and polypro skivy shredded in my rear wheel.

In tropical Batopilas, Team Tequila made repairs, played cards and prepared to disband after 3 fun-packed weeks. A short ride to a nearby mission had several members singing belated Christmas carols aided by brilliant accoustics, while the local children took turns riding the bikes outside. An impromptue Team tequila stunt show was arranged, with a climactic finale in which Heath managed to polevault, spread-eagled onto his bike frame, let out an agonised groan and collapse to the ground before 20 mystified children. The ´elephante grande´ would never be the same again.

A final night of card playing and gift exchanging was had. Jeff donated most of his equipment to Team Kiwi so at least his sleeping bag would reach Tierra Del Fuego if not his person. At 5.00am the following morning, Heath and Jeff boarded the first of many buses back to Arizona, while Chris and James went back to bed.

The following day, James and Chris made an early start, riding for 10km before hitching a bumpy ride on a truck laden with 50 gallon drums back up to the top of the canyons. Not far from the top, 3 unknown cyclists were resting on the side of the road. Stopping the truck, they introduced themselves as ´Team Wild Mamas´- 3 Canadian women who had been hot on our tail since early in the Baja. One hot mama - Chrystine - has been on my tail since Anchorage, Alaska (see www.bicycletheamericas.com - panamerica section). Finally we have met - albeit very briefly and travelling in opposite directions.

Suffering from tequila withdrawl symptoms, Chris and James spent a quiet night playing cards in a candlelit tent. A howling tail wind the following morning made for fantastic cycling and a 158km (98mile) day found us in Hidalgo De Parral - a sleepy town dubbed "Silver capital of the world" by King Phillip of Spain in 1640 and known for the 1923 assassination of revolutionary Pancho Villa as he travelled the streets in his 1922 Dodge. How interesting. And it´s snowing again - the first snow here for 3 years apparently. Might be time for some more tequila.

So, will the remnants of Swiss Cheese mix with the remaining tequila to create a potent new cycling cocktail? Will Team Wild Mama´s make it back up from Batopilas in time for a game of cards and a little merriment ´Team Tequila style´?

Wisdom for the week:

"Let´s have an honest game of cards fellas - that´s what it´s about." (Chris Conk in his thickest New York accent.)

Total distance cycled: 9976km

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