Day 576
Tienda Elias
After yet another wild camp in what can only be described as a rubbish dump with a view, we were off for a 2,000 foot climb. The climb was supposedly on asphalt but though we had pretty much every type of surface known to man, asphalt wasn't one of them. It was steep, loose rocks of all sizes everywhere and staying upright wasn’t easy. I really struggled. My heart was racing with the effort and I decided to take the opportunity to stretch my calf muscles, otherwise known as walking. It’s not really the easy option as pushing a fully loaded bike up hill over rubble is about as hard. Then we hit dirt and lost most of the rocks, yeh! Back on the bike! It was dirt, dirt, dirt for mile after mile, rideable but slow going. Finally, we got some broken tarmac beside the toll road, I think we both preferred the dirt! Time was running out and Tom was out of water and we were low on food. Though we were only a few miles from a village Tom spotted that there was a shop, ‘Tienda Elias’ just half a mile away. Off route, uphill and on dirt obviously, but it was nearer so off we went.
Tiendas vary in Mexico, most are a small room selling cool drinks and a few food items. Some are just an open window, but Tienda Elias was unique. It was a big shed which was clearly used as a family work space and home set in a small holding with three cows, a pig, a turkey and many chickens. Elias was stood outside as we pulled up. I explained we needed to buy water and food and we were looking for somewhere to camp. I had barely finished speaking before we were ushered inside and invited to join them for dinner. We were then invited to spend the night in the barn. After dinner Elias’ mum taught Tom and I the traditional method of stripping corn from the husk with a piece of rock and a nifty hand action. I like to think I was a natural! Then we settled down for the night in our very own Tienda!
