Trouble in Guatemala

[msg996]

So, having been in guatemala for a while now, I was starting to think how much I love this country, and then came today.

I set out from Antigua for a nice ride to Lago Atitlan and Chichicastenango, and about 5kms from the turn North to Chichi, I see a couple of vehicles stopped in the road in front of me. This is a mountainous area so I immediately think "accident" so as I am slowing I see a man running toward me, then I notice he's wearing a balaclava ... SHIT! I then realized what was going on and turned the bike around as quickly as I could. Mid turn I hear a pop pop sound and think "no way this can't be real". But it was real alright and I was now committed, and he was obviously pissed so I tried as hard as I could to get the hell going in the other direction. Between my tire spinning from all of the shit on the road, and me trying to move around as much as possible on the bike, I just about crashed!

Thankfully I did manage to get away and I made it about half a kilometre when I realized that my rear tire was flat! Had they hit it? or did I pick up something as I was riding half way in the ditch with my spinning tire?

I did not want to stop anywhere near there so I rode on the rim back to the next small town. I really thought I would wreck the tire completely but it seems to be ok now. From what I can tell the bullet must have entered at the rim bead because it damaged it so that the wheel had to be hammered a bit and smoothed with file to reseat the bead, with generous amounts of some kind of glue that the local bycicle repair guy had.
The strange thing is that there is also an exit hole in the tire as well, and yet I recovered the bullet from inside the tire???

Wierd!

Anyway, I'm back safe and sound in Antigua and want to let anyone in the area know to check with the local policia if they are considering a trip to Chichicastenango or Atitlan and ensure that the area will be safe. I know I am sure NOT going that way again!
I don't mean to scare anyone away, because this is a fabulous country, but just hope to raise awareness that it's not always happening to "the other guy".

Ride safe!

Mike.

(ps, anyone have a cheap 1200gs wheel for sale?)