The only "problems" between San Cristobal de los Casas and Lacanja (pop. 500 elev. 950 ft.)were the hundreds of topes along the road, the heat combined with the humidity, and the first rain storm that lasted longer than 15 minutes. Other than that it was a great ride. The roads from Palenque to Lacanja were mainly straight and flat, with only the slightest curve here and there.

Just before Palenque I pulled into Misol-Ha where the Rio drops 150 feet into a wide pool surrounded by lush vegetation. It was a refreshing 1 hour stop playing in the natural pool under the waterfall.

I decided to skip the famous ruins of Palenque, since 3 hours later I would be in the Encampemento Lacandon which is essentially a wilderness jungle camp run by Explora. Part of my stay there included a 2 day, one night jungle rafting trip down the Rio Lacanja, ending with a 1 hour hike through the jungle to the ruins of Bonampak. This would be followed by a motorboat ride 2 days later down the .5 mile wide Rio Usumacinta, which separates Mexico from Guatemala, to the ruins of Yaxchilan near Frontera Corozal.

It began to rain just as I turned south from Palenque. I put on my raingear and continued to ride slowly on the almost deserted road towards Lacanja, but soon the rain became so heavy I could hardly see, so I pulled over and stopped by the side of the road. Two minutes later amid the thunder and lightning I heard some shouting and whistling. Looking throuth the heavy rain, I could barely make out a poor farm house about 200 feet from the road, which looked more like a shed. On the porch was a man waiving and inviting me to come into his house to get out of the rain. I shouted back "si" and he ran to the gate to let me in and we ran together back to his house. All this guy had to his name was a small plot of land, 4 chickens, 2 ducks, a dog, a few goats, and 2 of the cutest little daughters I have ever seen. He spoke no english, yet we managed to communicate quite well during the hour it took for the rain to stop. This was quite a moving experience for me, to see someone so poor with a million dollar heart. This guy's behavior essentially summed up the attitudes of all Mexicans.

About 2 hours later under steamy sunny skies I arrived at the encampment. It was beautiful with a large kitchen and out door dining area under a large palapa.

The rooms were actually a series of 8 bamboo huts scattered along the Rio Lacanja with mosquito neting surrounding each bed. I had already started with my Maleria pills. All one could hear was the birds, crickets and other assorted jungle animals. While eating supper, a beautiful guy, Leoncio Reynoso, a Doctor from Mexico DF, came over to my table and we began to talk motorcycles. He told me how he used to ride enduro and motocross all over Mexico, but now with both a family that he cares very much about, and a number of sophisticated medical testing clinics scattered around Mexico City he had no time to ride. He was very intrigued about my trip, and we compared notes about the places I rode, most of which he knew well. Before leaving we promised to exchange photos, and he insisted that I visit him in Mexico DF on my return.

The next morning after an early morning swim in the warm river just outside my room, I met Axel, a Mexican who would lead the rafting trip, and his assistant Alex, who was a Lacandon - an local Mexican indian tribe, similar to the Mayans.

Axel explained that we would be joined by another Mexican family, Miguel and Isabel Cruz y Celis and their 3 great kids. All 8 of us would share 2 rafts for the next 2 days. Miguel was the director of all operations for Mexico and Central America for the giant software company, "SAP". They all spoke english fluently and were a big help in explaining to me what Axel and Alex was saying.

We all got along quite well and Miguel and I appeared to be reliving our childhood playing in the water and floating down the river with the rafts.

The river was mainly flat interrupted by a few sections of white water - some as high as 5 meters.

In the middle of the afternoon we tied up at the side of the river and hiked 45 minutes through the jungle to a beautiful cascading waterful, passing some scattered ruins under going restoration along the way. We spent an hour in the falls jumping of 9 meter high cliffs into the warm pools.

After a snack, it was back to the rafts. We paddled some more until around 1800h, when we pulled in and set up 3 tents in a clearing in the jungle. Axel prepared a great dinner of pasta in a cream of mushroom sauce and by 2000h I was fast asleep.

What a treat to wake at sunrise - 0700 h - to the sound of junjle life, including a few "howler" monkeys. These large black monkeys, about the size of a 10 year old, call to each other from the trees with a sound that sounds like a deep gutteral roar of a lion. It was really scary the first time I heard them, but Axel assured us their "bark" was worse than their bite.

After a breakfast of coffee and quesadeas, we were off in the rafts by 0830 h. We coasted down the river, half the time in the rafts, and half the time in the river until the early afternoon, where we pulled out for the last tome and hiked to the ruins of Bonampak.

The ruins of B, which was once a prosperous Mayan village, date back to around 500 AD - that's 1,504 years ago. Bonampak is famous for its well preserved painted murals.

After touring the site, we were picked up by a bus and driven back to our rooms at the Explora encampment.

After dinner, Miguel and his kids taught me the fine art of dominos.

The next morning after having breakfast with Troy an American teacher in Mexico DF and his friend "Texas Mike", I said goodby to Miguel and his family after exchanging emails and phone numbers, should I run into any problems.

Around 0930 Axel drove me the 20 kms to Frontera Corozal, where I picked up a motorboat and began the 1 hour ride down the river to another famous Myan ruin, Yaxchilan. Here are many tunnels that you need a flashlight to explore. Upon entering the tunnels it was quite un nerving to be surrounded by hundreds of bats flying around screaming. I also saw a family of six howler monkeys roaring in the trees.

Then the boat back, where Axel was waiting to bring me back to camp.

After a great night's sleep it was off SE to Comitan, MX., my last night in Mexico before crossing to Guatemala and Panajachel on the shores of Lago Atitlan.