All in Pacific Tropical Lowlands

Cycling Across Panama: The Road to the Panama Canal

Cycling Across Panama: The Road to the Panama Canal

Pedals and Puffins
Bike Touring, Bike Travel, Bikepacking, Border Crossing, Cycling, Pacific Tropical Lowlands, Pan-American Highway, Wildlife, Panama City, Panama Canal, Chinese New Year, Semana Santa, Missions and Churches

Panama stands at the crossroads of two continents. At its narrowest, just 30 miles of land (48 km) separates the world’s largest oceans. Here, where the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans nearly meet, the Panama Canal bridges the gap and creates one of the most important international waterways in the world. In addition to the canal, Panama’s vibrant traditional, indigenous fabrics formed the backdrop for festivals celebrating the Lunar New Year (Asian) and Holy Week/Easter (Catholic) holidays, reinforcing Panama’s distinction as a ‘melting pot’ of cultures. Our road ended in cosmopolitan Panama City, where on any given day we could visit a historical old town, a scenic Pacific waterfront, or a nearby tropical forest. It was a wonderful ‘adios’ to our journey across North and Central America. South America, here we come!

Cycling Across Costa Rica: Steamy Tropical Forests

Cycling Across Costa Rica: Steamy Tropical Forests

Pedals and Puffins
Wildlife, Pacific Tropical Lowlands, Bike Travel, Pan-American Highway, Bike Touring, Border Crossing, Cycling, Bikepacking, Guanacaste Costa Rica

Costa Rica. The name conjures up images of tropical jungles teeming with wildlife. We were really looking forward to cycling across this fascinating country. Then a triple whammy of strong winds, oppressive heat, and rapidly deteriorating tires created more than a few challenges. But the country’s lush landscapes, ocean vistas, gorgeous birds, enormous crocodiles, and incredibly generous people ensured that we had an amazing visit.

Cycling Honduras and Nicaragua: The Flat Pacific Lowlands

Cycling Honduras and Nicaragua: The Flat Pacific Lowlands

Pedals and Puffins
Bike Travel, Pan-American Highway, Volcanoes, Bike Touring, Border Crossing, Cycling, Bikepacking, Managua, Granada Nicaragua, Missions and Churches, Pacific Tropical Lowlands

Central America has many countries crowded into a relatively small space, leading to frequent encounters with immigration offices. Having crossed quite a few land borders over the years, we nonetheless wondered if we were up to the challenge of Honduras and Nicaragua. Both have a reputation of bringing even the most seasoned travelers to their knees with less than well oiled bureaucracies. Luckily, we successfully maneuvered the bureaucratic obstacle courses at the borders. A home run in getting a visa extension in Nicaragua gave us the time to enjoy the capital city of Managua, and soak up the wonderful, historic ambiance of Granada, on the shores of a freshwater lake inhabited by sharks.