Mountain Biking on Volcan Agua with Backshop Bikes – November in Guatemala

Antigua Rides

Guatemala City and General || First Antigua Ride with Backshop Bikes |||| El Zur with Old Town Outfitters || Lake Atitlan with Old Town Outfitters || Tikal || Rio Dulce with Old Town Outfitters || Acatenango with Old Town Outfitters

Escaping the rains of Canada in Guatemala, mountain biking in Antigua.

Ride Two with Backshop Bikes – Volcan Agua Rides

Day two of our trip with Backshop Bikes had us shuttle on trails off Volcan Agua. These rides started in Santa Maria de Jesus ending in San Juan del Obispo, again riding though farmers fields. These trails were not as old and trenched as in the more populated environs surrounding Sta Tomas and Sta Lucia near Antigua,. Each of these rides was 5-6km long with an elevation drop of 500m and with about 100 to 150m of climbgin. The shuttle retrieval was about as fast as the ride, with only a 10 minute or so wait.

Lee sporting the Guatemalan colours with Pablo and Humber

First we ride through town

Then ride up through the corn fields

With the city views below

This trail is called Nispero for the fruit growing on the trees

Slippery when wet! A unique rock trail in this area that doubles as a river

Wes

Humber and Lee – Wes Butler Photo

Cultural Interlude;

Maya Pedal

Poverty is widespread in Guatemala and non-renewable power can be out of reach for many people. As such many NGO’s exist to help them out. Maya Pedal is one that started in 1997 with the Canadian group PEDAL. They recycle old bikes and give them to needy people, as well they repurpose bikes and parts to do other human powered mechanical jobs like husk peanuts, make smoothies and perform other tasks. They accept volunteers to come and work in the shop to help build and create new human powered machines. Maybe check it out to see if you could help them out!

They are situated in the town of San Andres Itzapa