by Ken Scott, SBL Touring VP

With the coming of cooler weather last fall, I began to think about a warm weather bike ride. Mark Minick recommended the Riviera Maya Bike Adventure (RMBA). I checked out their web site www.ecotravelmexico.com and read Mark's seven page article posted there. BAM! The $1,120 was went to Jerry Colley the US business contact. Jerry is known as the Bicycle Ride Across Georgia King, having been the guiding force behind BRAG for 14 years or more.

Erin, my wife, decided go to Mexico with me for 4 days prior to the ride. We flew to Cancun and drove about 90 minutes to Tulum. The road was good and traffic not bad so no problems. Tulum beach is undoubtedly the most beautiful beach I have ever seen; uncrowded, white sand, palm trees. Picture the Florida panhandle 50 years ago before development. Food was good, cheap and plentiful as was the cervesa (beer). Topless sunbathers? None that I would admit seeing to Erin.

On Sunday, we went to the Xel-Ha water theme park. No, this is not like White Water. It is the most perfect river and beach park to be seen. The water was crystal clear allowing great snorkeling. The 45 minute tube ride down the river was relaxing. But the once in a life time experience was swimming with the dolphins. Have you ever dreamed of swimming, petting, flying Super Man style over the water or being jumped over by dolphins? Erin flew home on Monday, MLK Day in the States. I stayed for another week for the RMBA

So much for the preliminaries. Twenty three adventurists met in Purto Morales for dinner and orientation on Sunday night. SBL members joining me on the trip were Lynn Rosner, Jerry and Gloria Colley. Other adventurers were from Georgia, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Vermont, Texas, California and Indiana. Kenneth Johnson, owner of EcoColor Tours, was our tour guide. He and his wife Miriam have masters in Marine Biology so we learned a great deal as well as experienced great adventures.

How ca n seven days of fun, bike riding and adventure be described in this article? Well to be brief, we visited three Mayan archaeological sites, Tulum, Coba and Chichen Itza. Tulum, which means stone wall in Spanish, lived up to its name and fame. It is a small site but beautifully situated on a cliff above the Caribbean Sea. The beach is to behold. Coba is 45 km inland, just a half day ride away. So that is what we did. Chitchen Itza is more awesome than I remembered from my last visit 12 years ago. Elias, a Mexican national and US citizen (now living in Dallas) and I strolled through the park without a guide. Magical! Oh yes, guides were provided with the RMBA so those wanting the full tour were accommodated. Have you ever gone into a Mexican pyramid? You can do so at Chitchen Itza.

We rode our bikes from archaeological site or attraction. When distances were too far, bus and van transportation was provided. We often stopped at cenotes (lakes in limestone sink holes). The water was clean and clear. This provided ample opportunities for swimming, snorkeling and just relaxing. The Yucatan is a raised limestone seabed similar to Florida. The limestone is very porous hence all of the rivers are underground. The cenotes are interconnected by an underground river system. We repelled into cenotes. Rode zip lines over cenotes, snorkeled in Cenotes. We even had a Mayan purification ritual in a beautifully green dry cenote. Not that I needed purification, of course.

Our last day was one of fun and leisure at Xcaret. Xcaret is Mexican water theme park. It is the Yucatan as envisioned by Walt Disney. Yes, it is that perfect. Beaches, snorkeling, aquariums, underground river, restaurants, swim with the dolphins. The two hour Ballet Folklorico was, for many, the highlight of the RMBA. What a finally!

The bottom line? GO FOR IT! The price included all hotels, breakfasts, dinners, transportation in Mexico, admissions. Add only for air fare, tips, drinks, souvenirs etc. The biking was geared to slower, more casual riders. Hammer heads will be disappointed but the rest of us had a great adventure.