Most Inspirational Moment
There are so many moments where you just go 'wow'. I won't go into a lengthy description of the awe inspiring moments as it may spoil it for your own 'wow factor' . But the lava in the volcano was mesmerising; cycling in the backdrops of volcanoes makes you smile non-stop; casually seeing a crocodile and other wildlife as you raft on by was brilliant; sharing conversations at a local school, a bus stop and even whilst being overtaken by a 4 year old girl running up the hill (I was on my bike!) are moments I'll never forget; swimming in the sea as the sun comes up; having my 'guardian angel domestiques' (the bf and Antony and Paul - the mechanics) placing their hand on my back and literally pushing me up the tough hills - I can never thank these guys enough, they are amazing. ...... but mostly, it's the feeling of having pedalled yourself many miles through 3 amazing countries with people that you were thrown together with and shared random experiences with, that you'll never forget.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Ah Roberto. What an amazing leader... The passion that Roberto showed both on and off the bike was unbelievable. I don't know where he gets his energy from! Super fit on the bike! I was often up early and would see Roberto working away. Then giving briefings for the day, then cycling back and fore taking photos, making awesome videos that he would then share on fb, plus then giving us cultural information whilst on the van. It was like having our own personal documentary maker and he was brilliant. Awesome knowledge on all 3 countries and a way with people than is a engaging, personal and professional. I can still hear his 'one, two' advice when going up the hills and this is what keeps you going. There are so many things that go on behind the scenes when you have 14+ people to organise and the way he made it seem so easy goes to show how good he is. Oh, and he has some great cycling tops too! He's funny and makes you feel at ease. If I do another trip, I would actually head to Costa Rica just to have him as my leader! Pura vida. The rest of the team were great too. Ronald the driver works super hard and drives so safely and professionally, Paul and Antony, the mechanics were a godsend. Paul is a funny guy, an amazing cyclist and really helped me on tough hills and long flats. Antony - what can I say? This guy is a machine! I called him Terminator 2 as was always looking out for me and pushing me up hills. The strength is has is phenomenal. He made the cycling so much better for me and made my experience better. Thanks guys!!!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Learn a bit of Spanish. There are opportunities where you least expect it, to meet locals and exchange a few words. It's a great feeling. Great to take some stuff for the school that you visit. We missed/forgot this and were gutted. Get some hill training in! Read the trip notes, but don't micromanage... the best days for me were the surprises of things I had forgotten and the leaders will change the schedule to make the experience better, or if the roads are busy, to make it safer. We did a white water rafting trip on our day off in Fortuna. Was brilliant but if you want a rest... this isn't it! I left my trainers there, one of the guys was going to give them to charity, so don't throw stuff away if you no longer want it.
Suggestions
Everyone goes at their own pace, but remember to enjoy it and stop, take photos, look around. It's about the journey, not the destination! The sights you can preserve, but the smells and environment changes all the time so make sure to notice them as you whizz on by. I had some great conversations whilst panting up a hill, sharing grimaces, water and tips to get to the top. Great friendships are made on a trip like this. Note that the bikes change in Costa Rica for CR and Panama and many bikes of the smaller frame only had room for one water bottle. This was a problem for me and even though the bike mechanics gave me theirs, it meant I was reliant on them and one occasion was by myself and ran out! So, take a camelbak!