The Raft

When hiking from Xcaret to Tulum, we came upon an inlet; it was too deep and the current was too strong to swim with our backpacks. Our backpacks had our money, plane tickets, passport, camera and food. The inlet was also too swampy and there were too many mangroves to walk around the edge. And we have already been hiking for hours with no one around, so we could not turn around or get help. So what could we do? Well, my dad said that we will have to build a raft! My adrenaline just shot up higher, and I felt like Tom Sawyer.
Dad found an old pallet and a large drift log. He put the drift log between the boards of the pallet and I suggested using palm fronds on top of the raft to help keep the backpacks out of the water. I put each valuable item securely in a ziplock bag and used our 2 trash bags that we brought along to cover our backpacks. Dad tested it first with his backpack; then came back and we floated mine across while we swam. It worked perfectly!

Montezuma's Revenge and the Mayan Curse

In all of the 450+ miles that we have hiked, we have only gotten sick once. That was year 2008 from Tulum to Santa Rosa. (Santa Rosa is the peninsula between the 2 large bays after Punta Allen. It is also a private island--the only way to get there is by boat or plane and you need permission.) We were also invited to go to 2 ruins on this island: Tupac and Chac Mool. Tupac is a Mayan observatory and Chac Mool is a sacrificial site.

We both got Montezuma's Revenge: however, I was still able to hike 15 miles of this island! I believe that we got Montezuma's revenge for possibly 2 reasons: we brushed our teeth with tap water in one very bad cabana, or we were so desperate to have cold water to drink, we took ice from a gracious picnicking Mexican family. Our bottled water was hot, gross and low, we came across a MX family on a picnic out of nowhere near the water. They had coolers with ice. They also gave us a huge container of purified water that we carried with us and cups. But the ice was probably made from their tap water. My father was so sick, I went to the Punta Allen Walk in Health Care because I was worried. 2 weeks after we returned home from Chac Mool, the Mayan Sacrificial Site, I got a kidney stone (my family and I are not prone to this), my father had poison ivy all over his face, he got pneumonia, and a Cadillac converter fell off the shelf at work and cut his leg. He had to have 28 stitches!

Was it a Mayan curse?

Our Article on Sac-be.com written by Mari Pintkowski

http://www.sac-be.com/footsteps_of_piessel.shtml

Belize and Jail

This year our main obstacle is the Belize Border. In 1958, when Michael Peissel walked the Yucatan Mayan coast and crossed the Belize Border, he ended up in the Belize jail because he crossed the border illegally. There is no official border crossing along the way from XCalak. The nearest border crossing is maybe 100 miles thru jungle, swamp and mangrove in Corozal Belize. I have emailed several officials in the US/Belize immigration and border patrol, as well as the Belize Travel Board with an official letter of request. I have not gotten an answer.

Even though I would like to get to the official Belize border crossing by going thru the jungle, mangroves and swamps, that is not going to happen. I have heard thru the internet that there is a boat going from XCalak to Ambergris Caye, but we won't know until we get there. I suppose I might have to talk my dad into letting me use my machete and cut a path thru the jungle. ?

The Tin Man in Mexico That Had Too Much Tequila

Publicity

Not only was our interview on the local NBC news, it seems that there has become more interest. I am in the works with 2 articles being written about this hike from the author of the book Embarking on the Mariposa Trail by Mari Pintkowski on Sac-Be.com and there will be a phone/radio interview with the president of the College of Southern Maryland. We are also posted on the website of ecoyucatan.org. There might also be a possibility that there will be a canvas picture of this hike on the walls in the restaurant VERVE in Orono, Maine.

How it Began Part III

During the winter of 2006/2007, is when I read the book Lost World of Quintana Roo by Peissel. And the idea started spinning in my head: we could walk the entire coast of the Yucatan Caribbean. My father, of course, was all over that. He thought that was a great idea. Peissel walked the Yucatan coastline to Belize in 1958. He was the first white man to explore this treasure coast. However, back then, there was nobody on the beach but bandits, pirates, chicle camps, coconut plantations and men running from the law. That is why it was called the Lost World. But now from Cancun to Tulum there is nothing but all inclusive resorts. South of Tulum there is still that wild, savage land that Peissel once experienced with some inhabitants: small fishing villages and Mayan communities. Although, every year and about every 100 miles I notice that there are new resorts being built. Which is why I am calling it the Found World.

Every winter I do my research, by reading as much as I can, re reading Lost World, peering over my topographical and road maps marking the mileage and towns, looking at the aerial coast photos by using the Loco Gringo site, and reading the Yucatan Adventure Guide by Bruce Concord. As far as I know, there are only 3 people in this world that have walked from Cancun to San Pedro: me, my dad and Michael Peissel.

How it Began Part II of III

In the year 2006, I knew I just had to go back. At the time, Iberostar was the only hotel I knew. So I talked both of my parents in to going back. This time my father and I went 20km of Iberostar to Puerto Morelos and walked back. My parents and I also went to Punta Allen in a jeep and to Puerto Morelos on an off-the-beaten path jungle tour to a Mayan ranch and a cenote. That is when I discovered the small town Mexico. I also already had discussed the possibility to my dad that we should walk the entire coastline.

How it Began Part I of III

In Sept 2005 my parents asked me if I wanted to go to Mexico with them and their 10 other 50-60 year old friends, along with my sister and her husband. It was a group, all inclusive tour. I hesitated, knowing that I am not the crowd/partying touristy type sitting at the pool drinking. But I ended up having the time of my life. We stayed at Iberostar Lindo and I fell in love with Mexico. It has everything I always dreamed: tropics, beach, culture, great food, music, friendly people, adventure, exploration, jungle, language, freedom, colorful, ruins, history, Indigenous natives, and an abundance of nature. On the next to the last day, my father and I, with my sister and her husband, took a walk on the beach to the right--south. We ended up at this abandoned hotel that was damaged by Hurricane Emily in July 05. There was nobody there except for marine iguanas that overtook the building, so we walked thru the hotel, looking inside all of the closets and rooms. I felt like a pirate searching for treasure in a run down fort.
The last full day before we were scheduled to leave, on a Friday, my father asked me if I wanted to go for a long day hike with him on the beach. His plan was to ask a taxi guy to bring us 20km on highway 307 (direction of south) and drop us off. The taxi guy left us standing there, after we told him we were walking back along the beach, and after he told us we were 'loco gringos', while shaking his head. This was where our first help from the locals were. I believe that the 'law' in MX is that all the coastline/beach is public in MX, but as soon as you step off the beach, it is not. Which means that we needed to have public access to get to the beach to walk back. There is not public access any where in this area (Mayan Riveria) , so we got permission by the owner of Playa Los Pinos to allow us to cross his property.
We asked the hotel staff back at Iberostar before we left for the day's hike if there were any rivers to cross. They said no, but there ended up 3 rivers to cross: at Tres Rios--using ropes and large logs to help us cross and a teenage boy (who spoke no English) who yelled at us for getting to close to his boat, but eventually helped us by showing the way that was not too deep or a strong current. We also got chased by 3 angry dogs, in fact we had to swim in the ocean to get them away from us. But I loved every minute of that day.

Esto es demasiado

When I give presentations to the public in Maine, almost all people know where or what Cancun is. And most people have heard or know where the Yucatan is. But hardly no one has heard of Quintana Roo. Quintana Roo is one of the 31 states that is comprised of Mexico, where Cancun, the popular vacation tourist spot is.
I have visited Cancun twice; once overnight, when my father felt better after being sick on one of our hikes. He wanted civilization and a cheeseburger desperately!

I know what the real Mexico is like, and it is not Cancun. If you are looking for a place to party with groups of people in a noisy bar or disco, drink alcohol all day long while sitting in a pool side chair, attend organized group tours on a tourist bus, stay at a fancy hotel probably owned by international CEOs, or eat at expensive restaurants that serve Americanized food--then Cancun is the place for you. My sentiments are exactly what this sign says in Spanish: THIS IS TOO MUCH. This neon sign is posted on the street of the Hotel Zone when you walk into Cancun. I have experienced Cancun on a short visit and at the Iberostar resorts, and I will never look back. I much prefer the Mexican pueblos that are rich in culture.

How do we train for hiking 500 miles in the tropics in sand and rocks?

The terrain on the Quintana Roo coast is not all white sandy beach--in fact, I'd say that it is 60% coral, limestone and rocks, and 40% sand. It is also 108 degrees F at noon in the sun. My backpack usually weighs about 18 pounds, minus bottled water.

My father is 65 years old and I am 42 years old. To train for this adventure, during the winter months in Maine, I participate in Zumba and all other aerobics and cross country ski; all other months, I run on trails with my Siberian Husky. Also, in March, if the conditions are right, I will walk in the snow (acts like sand) on trails. By April and May, I walk with my backpack, full weight, I will even walk during my lunch break at work with my backpack. I also kayak, hike, play volleyball, tennis, bike, and surf. I have participated in a number of running 5K races, such as Komen and Race for the Cure. I was also in the US Navy for 7 years--bootcamp will get anyone in shape and start a lifetime of physical fitness!

My father has played basketball all of his life; he is on the Senior Olympics basketball team, and the number one 3 point shooter in New England for his age group. He has numerous medals. He cross country skis every weekend in the winter, and plays volleyball, tennis, bikes, surfs and hikes.

I am not exaggerating when I say that he is ALWAYS ahead of me on the coast of the Mayan Yucatan! He even carried my backpack plus his for an afternoon, because I was too hungry, thirsty, and upset that we could not find a hotel!

Details of the Hike

Years 2005 and 2006: hiked (on day hikes) from Puerto Morelos to Playa Del Carmen, about 40 miles.
Year 2007: Paa Mul (just below Playa del Carmen/XCaret) to Tulum (about 120 miles in 8 days) Year 2008: Tulum to Santa Rosa Island (about 100 miles in 8 days)
Year 2009: Punta Pulticub (part of Punta Herrero coast) to Punta Kanechaxh (120 miles)
Year 2010 (May): Punta Kanechaxh to San Pedro Belize (100 miles?)

We hike about 15-20 miles a day. When we need to get to the area where we left off the previous year, we always travel like the locals: using collectivos, hitch hiking, riding in back of pick up trucks or chicken buses. I like to practice my Spanish, it is cheaper, exciting, and adventurous!