It was January 31st, the perfect time to leave the hardships of a long Maine winter behind. Onward to Mexico! We’re joined by our friends Wendy and Jay.
Once, in Mexico, in the hottest day we had experienced in months, our windowless, AC-less van broke down again and again on our first ascent to Potrero Chico. No complaints when the view is this good! Oh - did we come here to climb? We were distracted by the tacos!
Delicious snacks aside, our days were filled with trips to the weekly local markets, hiking in the park and climbing shenanigans. Wendy and Jay were by far the safest and best dressed climbing companions on the crag! They taught us how to properly clean routes, multi-pitch climb, and rappel, and we taught them how to properly enjoy a post-climb margarita.
Of course, a Mexico vacation wouldn't be complete without a trip to the beach. We swore we wouldn't tell anyone about the "secret beach" we found, but we tell you it's not Cancun! A hint for you: to find the secret beach location, follow the cenotes! These deep underground swimming caves, home to many snoozing bats, are both amazing and creepy. Our swim game and our snack game were strong, due to the Redd we had stuffed in our backpacks.
By the end of our beach adventure, our friends were done with the sun and ready to get back on the rocks. We headed back to Potrero, where friends, face burgers and some serious whips awaited us. And, yes, face burgers are exactly what they sound like: burgers the size of your face! Good luck eating one by yourself.
The takeaways from our trip? Tacos should be eaten in fours, margaritas should be seasoned with tajin (not salt!), safety should be taken seriously, and, for goodness sake, confront your fears and take a therapy whip. Next winter, we'll be smart and stay until March is over in Maine. I guess that means we’ll be checking 10 pounds of Redd!