Day 1: San Antonio De Prado to Armenia (Almost)
The primary reason for spending so much time at the Casa was that I wanted to change my bicycle. Lewis and I decided we wanted to spend more time on the back roads, which are often rough and sometimes steep. Some of our best experiences have been on dirt roads in the middle of nowhere. The Famous Mockingbird, my Montague Navigator, had done an amazing job getting me from the USA to Panama, but with 700c wheels, fairly narrow tires, and a frame designed for city riding, I knew I would be more comfortable and capable if I changed to a bike built for the mountain. After much searching, stressing, and second-guessing, and with the help of Manuel, we found Tela, a 90's Giant Boulder 520 with a classic steel frame and 36 spoke 26" wheels that could fit a nice fat tire for maneuvering the dirt. With a little extra work and some swapping of parts, we were ready to go! Little did I know that Lewis and Manuel had planned a route that would really put Tela to the test.