Ruta Maya

Wow, so everything has been very hectic the last week.

First, on Monday last week, I got a hair cut from Jay! After our group meeting I told him I would like to have my head shaved. He agreed, so now I have a buzz-cut! This is the first time my haircut has really changed since highschool where I wore it a little long for a while, but now it is completely different. After, it was one of the student's (Claire's) birthday. We had a little celebration at a local restaurant because her and Elida (the Galen secretary of sorts) shared their birthdays. That night, Phil almost convinced me to join him and Josh on their solo attempt of the Ruta Maya. However, I eventually turned them down for two reasons: 1 I didnt want to let down my group and 2 it seemed impossible (the 3rd was to stay with Jess)

Last Wednsday before the Ruta Maya, we recieved a ton of work. We had to fill out surveys and have a presentation, do a take home mid-term, and prepare a project presentation on our progress so far in Arizona. and we only had two days to complete it: Thursday before Ruta Maya and the Tuesday after.

Anyways, that afternoon, regardless of the work load, we went out to practice our rescue technics for the race. It was fun flipping boats and trying to get them back up, but we didnt need to do any of that in the race itself. We also got to meet the other volunteers, Robert, Rolph and a French couple, Jordan and Manot.

Thursday, I worked hard on my midterm until class. It was Tom Paterson's first time teaching our service learning class. Jay and Meg had said good bye the night before and Tom had taken Jays place teaching. They are now on vacation, but we will probable see them around town still. It is bitter sweet as Logan puts it. I hope Tom and Susan fall into the same role as Meg and Jay.

There was a little party that night in celebration of the start of the Ruta Maya. Fireworks kept Jess and I up a little later than we would have liked for a 5 am wake up, but it was fine. Friday morning, we got up bright and early! Phil was all ready for the race and got out of bed along with me. After some waiting around the person who led our volunteer group, a full fledged-hippy named Michael, we got started. Jess and I were sent with Marco down to the Low Bridge in San Ignacio where we were to check for the first boat to cross under the bridge. The first team to do so won $500 so alot was riding on our shoulders. First through was Carribean Pride (CPBL) and soon after the other dozens of boats crossed through. Total there were about 90 cannoes in the river at the start. At least 10 pulled out by the end of it.

Quickly, we left that site and moved on to the next at Spanish Lookout and then, when the other time keeping unit caught up to us, on to Iguana Creek and finally to Banana Bank Bridge. There we waited for hours. The first two checkpoints were quick, but this one we waited at for 3 or 4 hours before we saw anyone. Marco left us there without our lunche and Freddy (a Belizean volunteer who drove the truck) came by to pick us up, however, we had to switch into the saftey boat when it came by. Every few checkpoints, our cleanup boat would switch its crew except for the stern man, who was a proffessional racer (his name was Calvin). When our boat came, Jess Heiman and I jumped in for the last 6 miles of racing. After not having any lunch and little water, this stretch was tough! Calvin pushed us hard and fast and I got tierd fast. Jess H kept a good pace but not as fast as Calvin would have liked. I was supposed to do the 45 mile leg the next day, but he switched me off that shift. When we reached the campsite, I was dead tierd, and so was everyone else. It was hot and we got to sit around and do nothing for a while. Dinner was some spaghetti, but the best thing of all was going to sleep. The news of the day was that CPBL held a 5 minute lead over the reigning champions Belize Bank. In this race, that was an incredible amount!

The next morning, the team got ready while a bunch of us ran off to the next few checkpoints. It was a cold ride down the Western Highway and when we turned off of it we were glad. At the next point, St. Paul, we had another long wait until the racers came. It took from 9 am to 2 in the afternoon for our boat to reach us. However, there was some excitment. When the first place boats passed it was neck and neck! Carribean Pride and Reagan International were squeezing Belize Bank so they could not paddle, and CPBL came out in the front. At the end of the day, they would be behind Belize bank by half a boat length. When our boat came, Logan and Jess Brightfeller jumped in and headed off to do the last 10 miles to camp.

At that point, Shaun and Ben, who had gotten off doing the 45 mile stretch at St Paul, were exausted. I was happy I wasnt apart of that, but still felt sleighted that I wasnt deemed good enough to do it. The next day I would get to prove myself. We left St Paul soon after and went to Bermuda Landing, where we would camp. After getting situated, we went to the water to wait for the teams to cross. When Phil and Josh came by we were extatic. It was a heroic effort they were making to complete this race. They got out of their boats and started eating up their dinner, provided to the racers for free, like animals. I was very glad to see them. Their thrid member, Dale, had been cramping up and not pulling his weight so he had bailed earlier. Things wrapped up fast that night and soon everyone was asleep, dispite a big dance going on up the street.

The next morning we got up, cleaned up camp and watched the start of the race. It was very intense. There was hardly any space to move and yet no one tipped over. When the boats had passed everyone jumped in their cars and headed for the next checkpoint 10 miles down river. At that point Jess (Cohn) and I were scheduled to switch in so we got ready. As soon as we got there, it started raining so we rushed for shelter. We thought we would be cold out on the river, but the rain turned out to be a blessing. When we got in the boat, Calvin was not happy. He was in last place and wanted to make up some ground. So, thinking we only had 15 miles to go, we dug in and pushed hard for 3 streight hours! There were point on the river where I got tierd and had to keep rowing. Then I got to another level of tierd and felt I couldnt paddle anymore, but had to keep on going. It turned out our seggment was not 15 miles but closer to 30. after the 3 hours we slowed down and struggled with the last 2 hours and 12 miles. We had passed 7 teams shooting up the river but in those 2 hours, 5 of them had passed us back. We were pushed to the brink of utter exauhstion and had to row more. At one point Jess wanted to get off, but as the rescue boat came close, she changed her mind and powered through to the end. I was really impressed by the work we both did, but especially her. She made herself do the impossible and more. For the whole 30 miles and 5 hours, we did not stop paddeling besides one break where Calvin got a cigarette from another boat. That only took 30 seconds though.

So after 4 hours 59 minutes and 30 seconds of rowing, Jess and I were ready for bed. But the rain continued. There was not a dry spot that whole night. At one point, Jess, Freddy, me and the crew of people helping Marco went to the bar and hung out of a while. Calvin was there and so was Marlone, a support member I had talked to for a while at St Paul. It was nice being the only white people in the bar and it was great getting to know the Belizeans who were working with us.

The stretch Jess and I did was amazing, but it was nothing to brag about. It redeemed me from being a complete failure but I have no right to boast. The other people on this race had to do the whole thing without any switches. When Phil and Dale got in that night, I had so much respect for what they were doing. Josh had fallen out of the boat and sliced his finger and left the two of them to finish that day, but he would go again in the morning.

The last day was the quickest. After a night in a tiny tent that got flooded with water, I was ready for this whole experience to end. It coninued to rain on and off all day, but the canoes came by much more quickly and made the wait shorter. At the end in Belize city, we waited for hours for our ride to leave. But as I did, I got to say goodbye to all the people I had met along the way. Even Reynolds from Caye Caulker showed up as we were passing by. I hope to get to see all my new friends again and I may even get a T-shirt of the championship team: CPBL. Carribean Pride's 5 minute lead on the first day was enough to beat Belize Bank. Even though each day they had been first to check out, they only shaved off 2 minutes or so from the monsterous lead CPBL had.

All and all, this was a week of endurance. Endurance of rain, cold, heat, hunger, sleep, and time. There may have been points where I felt like quitting but I feel so much better for being apart of this incredble cultural experience.
It has been a very intense few days, but I have to keep on going. Today I do work, and Friday I go to Amberguis Caye to meet dad! It is almost spring break! This study abroad experience continues to be amazing.

Best wishes to you all,
Colin