...Believe me. Craig6z has long been trying to get me to go on a Backroads multisport tour (he’s done Bali and S. America). He’s been enticing me with tales of great sport, excellent food, fine accommodations, and good camaraderie from this upscale adventure tour company. Ten years ago I would have scoffed at the idea of a Backroads tour, preferring to find my own way and save some money. Now, the idea of a support vehicle following with cold beer seems both prudent and reasonable.

So, Craig kept sending the brochure on Belize and I kept responding that I was too busy. “At least read it”, he said, and the mix of scuba, bike touring and hiking turned my “no” into “yes” with the alacrity that a valley girl prom princess changes her mind while making out on Topanga Canyon (I’m a bit of a slut when it comes to foreign travel). Besides, with my LatinPass mileage account being fat, happy and begging to be raided, it seemed a perfect opportunity to redeem miles and to renew myself before our new halfway house goes on-line March 1st. First class was quickly procured (by LatinPass standards, anyway) on Taca from LAX for a 2/9-2/18 outing.

Even a mild adventure trip takes more than planning, and I stoically filled my bike tires and put in a few rides before leaving. I had planned on getting my weight to 175, but Las Vegas with QuietLion, Honeybear and Craig6z killed any hope of that milestone

For what you get, the cost of a Backroads trip does not seem out of line. However, the economy of the trip was somewhat undermined when my wife’s 40 pieces of silver amounted to new landscaping, sprinklers and fences. But as these were already on the drawing board, she’s a good sport to take on two kids and overseeing aspects of the business in my absence.

Any ongoing reporting will undoubtedly be hampered by the lack of Internet connections in Belize, hence this pre-trip report. But, I am taking my Palm and a collapsible keyboard to take notes if anything interesting pops up. I’ll post, either by transcribing along the way, or by downloading back home.

Belize me.