Trevor's Troubles

Ever since we entered Michoacan state we have seen a lot more military and police presence.  They have been fully armed with machine guns ready to go into battle.  We met a fellow Canadian cyclist from Quebec who is riding solo from Alaska to Tierra Del Fuego who told us that Michoacan and the current state we are in, Guerrero, are red zones.  Meaning not the safest places in the world.  Apparently they are drop off points for drugs that come in from South America.  As a result we are making sure we are not cycling when it starts getting dark.  The French Canadian, who I might add is a grandfather, told us of 4 English motorcyclists who were touring about 3 months ago were held at gunpoint in and around this region.  Not exactly what I wanted to hear but it is better to be aware than not at all.  

The last couple of days haven't been so great for Trevor.  He had comfort problems downstairs again, been sick and had bike troubles.  His back tire kept deflating but there was no puncture.  So when he decided enough is enough, he'll put in a new inner tube, he realized the valve of the spare Schrader's we have do not fit the hole in the wheel.  As such he had to keep pumping up his tire every so often for about a 50km stretch in the blistering heat until we got to a bike shop for assistance.  When we arrived in the next town called La Mira, the bicycle shop (a little shack on the side of the road) did not have the Presta inner tubes we needed.  So we were in a bit of a predicament.  Then to make matters worse Trevor breaks the Presta valve which was on its last heels.  Oh joy.  As a result, Trevor spends the next hour or so filing the hole in his wheel to make it bigger so the Schrader valve can fit.  Not entirely sure if that was the best idea but right now things are working fine.  So good on him.  

Today we stopped in Zihuatanejo to look for a bicycle shop because Trevor's bike had been making ticking noises.  When we cycled around the Big Island of Hawaii in 2009 he had the same noise and the bike mechanic there ended up taking his bike apart and replacing some ring inside the bottom bracket.  This time around the mechanic just tightened up some bolts and that seemed to do the trick.  So fingers crossed we don't hear that noise again.    

Me somewhere in Michoacan state chilling while the rain comes down and down and down.  Doesn't look that bad here but seriously the rain came down and didn't stop on one particular day.  It was like I was swimming all day in the rain.   

They call Michoacan the untouched state.  I would have to agree because there wasn't much there.  But it did have some nice beaches and landscapes.

Vultures lurking about.  We saw plenty feasting on these dead pigs.  The smell was quite bad.  

Mr. Fix-It.  Here is Trevor filing that hole in his wheel.  

Zihuatanejo.  You may remember this place from The Shawshank Redemption as it is the coastal town where the characters of Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman reunite after they get out of prison.  I totally forget that scene and most of the movie so I need to watch it again because it was pretty good.