Humaita´ is a rather pretty city on the Rio Madeira (which means wood). For the past few days I have been catching up on my X-Tudo and ice cream eating, tried my hand at fishing, and have met some colorful people along the way.
I packed up camp in the dark at 4:30 am and forced a few hundred calories of raisins, granola, cookies, and Tang down my throat for a kickstart to the day. I figured Humaita´ is about 75 miles away, there’s no sense making it a two day ordeal, might as well start early!
Ten bucks to anyone who can pronounce that. I left the riverside campsite and dogs behind for another day heading towards Humaita´. With such flatness on the road the previous afternoon I had ideas of another 100 mile day and was hammering the pedals before 6am. This wasn´t one of my wisest decisions. Also, I still don´t quite understand the indians of northern Brazil.
At this point in the trip when I tell people where I have come from I watch their eyes dart up and down from head to toe. While in a pharmacy before leaving Apui´ the woman came from behind the counter while I was explaining my trip and stared at my face from less than 10 inches away. Then she says, “Bacana, Americano. Bacana.”
I am now in Apui´ with an injured hamstring. I predict it will take more time than I have to heal so I will head out and try to take it easy on the bike. I have trimmed some of my gear down by selling and giving away parts I don´t need. It´s not easy to be a salesman in a foreign language!
I´ve made 160 miles since leaving Jacare´and had a very interesting stop over midway. In this section of the TransAm it is very sparcely populated and a smiling face is a welcome sight, especially after an afternoon bogged in torrential rains.
While tinkering with a broken pedal on my bike I see a familiar face come by…and atop his head is my very hat that was lost in the jungle 4 days ago!
Don´t worry, just having fun with this title. I have taken time in Jacareacanga on the Tapajos river to slow down a little bit, nurse a low grade fever I´ve developed, and get my hair trimmed with a straight razor for about 1.50$ US.
When morning came to the work camp in the Parque Nacional Da Amazonia I walked to the road with my bike. I pedalled less than 100m and had to carry it back on my shoulder and throw it in the river to clean off the mud. I´d have to hitch a ride out of the mire with the boss man and his employee, who was literally riding shotgun.
Deep into the Parque Nacional Da Amazonia I came face to face with one of the Amazon´s big cats. I had just finished a 12 hour day on the bike. I was trying to make some good distance through some of the most remote part of the jungle on the TransAm. My camp was set up and nightfall was less than 30 minutes away as a thunderstorm was just beginning. Then I heard the punctuated roars.
*After some further research, I most likely saw a Jaguar. Pumas, although similar in size, are not part of the big cat family since they cannot roar. What I saw that evening could in fact roar.
