10.09.2017
Well today was relatively easy! The roads were very good with only 5 miles here and there of potholes, but overalI the highway was great. I also found out the tollway sections are free for motorcycles, but you have to squeeze between the bar and I barely got through the two I encountered. I did notice more military presence than expected. Every couple of miles three or four soldiers were stationed, some up high observing the roadways. There were a number of police stops in the smaller towns, and they made me a bit more nervous due to their gun handling. There they'd stand with a folding stock battle rifle, holding it in one hand with a finger on the trigger. Firearms training didn't seem to be a part of their schooling.
I looped around Tegucigalpa on the Anillo Periferico and got a view of the enormous city surrounded by mountains. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I was riding in mountains and pines. This country really is a beautiful one. Anyway, I was glad to avoid what would likely have been a couple of extra hours and a pound of diesel particulate in my lungs by taking the bypass and avoiding the city center. I dodged a couple of serious showers on the way and once out of the fringe of traffic towards Danli, the road got much worse as to condition, but all my pothole training in Guatemala paid off.
When traveling on the bike, I ride hard and fast, pushing much more than I should maybe, but it's a lot of fun at the same time. Though I'm not paranoid, I do feel it's better to move quickly and I zing through villages and little towns. I figure it's better to be a moving target than to dawdle. Folks seem so surprised to see the beast blow by, but I'd rather be perceived as a fast moving spectre than someone easy to target. Plenty of time to dawdle when I arrive...
I made my destination of Danli by 3 pm and found a cool old hotel with courtyard. Much more rustic and original than some of the newer places, and to top it off, the owner has a few old Honda's around the place for decor. This one's just outside my room and I don't know old Honda's, but if they actually made this, how cool a bike is that!
Luckily I beat the rain by 30 minutes or so. Danli is an authentic town with no tourist bullshit and I enjoyed the crazy traffic and streets. People were coming up to the bike at stops and smiling and waving. It was a lot of fun being in the congestion. I stopped in a place to eat and everyone in the joint smiled and made me feel welcome cause...
"I'm Good Enough, I'm Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like Me!"
Well maybe not, but people are very friendly here and excited to see a gringo on a moto. Having fun with it!
When I checked in, there was a large group of women sitting outside my room discussing things and smiling brightly at me. It turned out they were having a mini Avon convention which in my twisted thinking was what I was guessing, but it turned out to be true.
Rain came hard and heavy all afternoon, finally lightening up about 6:30, so I slipped out in the dark to find something to eat. What I found were quiet streets with little lighting and almost everything closed. Any places that were open had armed guards, but I found one little shop with a couple of bags of chips and bottled water for my evening meal. I didn't relish wandering any further in the dark.