What a day! Shanda and I show off our commemorative gear from the annual traditional hike through forest and scenic country roads from Santa Cruz Huatulco to Santa Maria Huatulco.
People have been doing this annually for 484 years! That is one solid tradition. Outstanding.
Organizers arranged a free bus shuttle to the trailhead.
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It all begins near the downtown trailhead of Monte Cruz.
After the first moderate hill, there is a rest stop structure displaying the history or legend of Huatulco. That is where it all began.
And it all began here at 3 AM last Sunday. The turnout was huge. I estimate there were about 500 people there, at least at the beginning. This is no casual stroll through the woods. This is epic. Some people say it is 24 kms long. My google timeline said 27. Yeah, it's a long one. I was warned too. Not everyone makes it to the end but vehicles, including an ambulance, follow along the country roads to rescue anyone in distress.
There's Shanda, my travelling partner. We received T-shirts, hats and a bag as soon as we arrived. Coffee and sweet breads were there for everyone to get us off to a good start.
I thought I knew the Monte Cruz trail pretty well and expected to cross the highway at the same gate entrance but somewhere in the dark we took a detour. We had already passed the ranger station, about ten minutes from the gate, when I finally clued in 30 minutes later that I was on unfamiliar trail territory. There were some tight rocky switchback hills that I definitely would have remembered if I'd ever ridden my bike that way. They looked like something out of The Hobbit.
It was still dark when we crossed the highway. The police had stopped all traffic so we could safely pass. Buses and transport traffic lined the road in both directions.
The trail ended up on the tail end of a rural dirt road. Soon there were a few houses. We were back in civilization Some early bird was playing Rock Lobster by the B-52s to start the day.
The sun was just starting to touch the hills as we got closer to our first rest stop in Piedra de Moros.
Wow! They were waiting for us with live music, coffee...
I had stuffed a little backpack with assorted snacks and water to last throughout the day but it hadn't been necessary. All I'd needed was one bottle to last through the first part. After that, there were snacks and beverages available at different stations all along the walk.
There is more to this annual festival than the walk. I didn't know at the time but there had been a parade, folk dancing and concerts on Saturday and, following the walk, the town of Santa Maria Huatulco had ongoing cultural events and something called "Espectaculo piromusical" which sounded extra intriguing but that didn't begin until 10 at night. It's one of those festivals where, much as you might like to, you can't possibly do everything.
There is a legend of a holy cross that an invading pirate tried and failed to burn. Hence the name, Huatulco, means "protected by God." But historians say Cavendish the pirate was never near Huatulco and a knowledgeable friend told me that "Huatulco" is from an Aztec dialect and it translates as "land of many snakes", which honestly does not sound as appealing.
Whatever the significance of the walk is, the answer could easily be "Why not?" So many celebrations involve passive entertainment for an audience. This is full-on active participation. I love it.
Walk through a dark forest with 100s of other people by flashlight and continue along scenic country roads, stopping along the way sometimes as friendly people provide you with food and drink? Sure! Why not? It's a total blast. I want to do it again.
It wasn't as leisurely as I'd anticipated. There is a tight schedule to keep to so everyone finishes before the sun starts beating down full strength. Shanda and I kept trucking along, barely stopping to breathe but couldn't keep up with the pack. At the beginning, a large swarm of hikers surged past us and I thought they would wear themselves out at that pace. Apparently not.
If we just paused to take a picture, drink some water or light a cigarette (just me), the people in front got further away every time.
At one point, there were other stragglers behind us but they must have dropped out from fatigue. Eventually we were the last of the group with no hikers visible in front of us or behind.
But the ambulance was always there and the other volunteer cars. That came in handy when a mysterious flying insect sting Shanda had received at Piedra de Moros became more than just irritating. Her hand had started to go numb. One hand signal and these guys pulled right over and took care of her. They pulled the stinger out and dabbed her with an ointment. Ready to go again.
Yet another friendly little town.
Breakfast at Hacienda Vieja. We rolled in 20 minutes behind schedule but there was still jamaica and beef stew waiting for us. Look. It's another UMAR student. UMAR was well represented on this trip. We ran into 3 other students along the way and a professor. I wish I'd taken pictures then. This was a complete accident. She just walked into the shot. Fun.
Onward. As we near the finish line, the pace is slower and it is easier to keep up with the group but our strength is fading. The ache that began in the calves before Piedra de Moros, had risen to the thighs and there was just a hint of a forthcoming ankle problem that I fended off by re-tying my laces tighter and higher.
This is it!
We made it.
I want to do it again. It is so much fun. If you plan on it for next year, the 485th anniversary, start walking more often now. Your legs will be so much happier by the end of your trek.
27 kms in 8 hours!
