By Lulu Bravo/Kenneth Johnson, February 2004

This was my first bike tour and it will be hard to top. Thank you all. I have a new love of Mexico and I hope to return on another of your trips (Marcea). You have organized an incredibly diverse and enjonyable trip (Dena Wynne). It is a pleasure for us to announce that last Saturday, The Riviera Maya Bike Adventure Route culminated with a great success. This event took place from January 10 to January 17, and it was the fourth time that it was carried out.

This exclusive event, that was previously announced by the Riviera Mayan Trust, had the participation of national and international cyclists, who enjoyed the route at any moment doing diverse kind of multi-sport activities, such as: cycling, walking, snorkeling, birdwatching and kayaking.

The cyclists were accompanied at all moment by professional guides (bilingual and biologists), to assist and help them to have a better understanding of the uniqueness of this region. The intention of the route was to establish interaction of the participants with the nature and the surprising Mayan culture, but also to present all the tourist attractions that are offered in the region.

The Mayan culture region and the nature were the scene of the privileged cycling people. They had the opportunity to explore the Yucatan Peninsula from the forest to the Caribbean and across Mayan villages, archeological zones and ceremonial centers that respresent 1000 to 1500 years of antiquity.

Each explorer penetrated the jungle and wetlands discovering the rich variety of flora and fauna and through the explanations of qualified guides they appreciated nature as well as the amazing architectural and engineering skills manifested in once great Mayan cities: Tulum, Coba, Chichen Itza. Finally, they got completely impressed by the beauty of these ceremonial centers.

As a part of the route, the cyclists visited some Cenotes, crystalline open water formations that are part of underground rivers. They also discovered the variety of life, angel fishes, parrot fishes, turtles, that the impressive Mexican Caribbean coral reef has to offer. On the reefs a great diversity of life can be encountered; anemones, sponges, shells and polyps.

Travelers stayed in four star hotels and inns, and they did not miss the opportunity to enjoy delicious Yucatean cuisine--orange marinated pork baked in banana leaves, fresh octopus, chicken & lime soup, authentic Mexican dishes, and the freshest seafood imagined.

This event was possible thanks to the intervention of different organizers. Among them are the Riviera Mayan Trust with the collaboration of Mr. Jerry Colley, director of one of the more important cycling routes of the United States in Georgia (BRAG, Bicycle Ride Across Georgia), and Kenneth Johnson, the director of EcoColors, a company that has been operating in ecotourism in the area for the last seven years, and who is the director and designer of the Route.

We would like to thank all the event´s sponsors (XX's Brewery, Xcaret and Xel-hal), that without their support, this fascinanting route had not been possible.

The Riviera Maya Bike Adventure was a wonderful experience for the participants, who were enchanted with the Mexican Caribbean´s Magic and the amiability of its people.