Local Cyclists take on the Andes Epic sponsored ride for mental health charity has highs and lows
Kristian
Moller Butcher from Chiswick and Nick from Southfields, London have just
completed a six month self organised charity challenge raising money for
Mind, a UK mental health charity. The challenge was to cycle through 10
Latin American countries and climb some of world's highest peaks. This route enabled them to see most of the greatest sights the countries had to offer. The Mayan ruins of Tikal, Guatemala entwined in tropical jungle and the tranquil beautifully landscaped ruins of Copan, Honduras as well as Mayan Tulum, Mexico with luxurious back drop of idyllic white sand beaches. Also mystical Machu Picchu, Peru which was the religious capital of the Inca's, hidden deep in the mountains. Almost everyday they cycled through breathtaking landscapes. Crystal clear mountain lakes to dense humid tropical jungle. They also managed to surf the crashing breaks of the Pacific including one of the best point breaks in the world Libertad, El Salvador. They scuba
dived with 20 Caribbean reef sharks in the paradise Bay Islands of Honduras
and experienced the wonders of the Galapagos, saw lava rocks flow down
the active volcano Arenal, Costa Rica, and relaxed by many beautiful lakes
including one of the largest in the world, lake Granada, Nicaragua. They
hiked in the Peruvian Andes and climbed three of the world's highest peaks
in Ecuador; Iliniza, Cotopaxi and Chimborazo. With the
prevailing winds against them they often cycled the whole day with the
wind in their faces doubling their cycling time, very disheartening. One
day they were disgusted to see a dog get run over by an articulated lorry.
They were sitting by a roadside shack where they had just bought a soft
drink and were watching the dog meander casually toward the road. A queue
of lorries were thundering slowly uphill and one caught the dog with its
first back wheel spinning him around and the second back wheel left the
dog ripped in half. This was especially off putting as the same lorries
were passing them day in day out, some so close they got dragged in. |