Monday 23rd June 2025 Wonderful nights sleep in the barn / come coffee store in Finca La Paz, still up way before breakfast time, as is the normal check the progress of Steve, not a lot has changed, very concerned but very hopeful, getting all the feedback we need from the crew back home, so good. Stroll down to the breakfast area in the great place, birds singing and the sun shining still 1/2 hour early for breakfast, but try and blag it a bit, get a coffee, that's a start, then scrambled egg, rice (you get that with everything) and some black bean stuff that is lovely, another coffee, few pictures then we are off, around 07:30. Very busy road, as it is going to the Capital San Salvador, we will not go through it I hopefully going around the outside after around 16 miles or so, so just have to put your head down pedal and concentrate, big lorries thundering past you and worse are the little buses, that just stop straight in front of you and pull out with no thought of who is behind them. Though we are getting used to the yellow perils, it's a bit of a love / hate relationship really. When we started this morning, we said we would get out of the San Salvador traffic before we have the first stop, wise move, for the first couple of hours it was just head down and pedal. Was nice to turn away from the city, the road got a lot better, even had a blue cycle lane luxury, stopped for a posh coffee and a soft drink in some service station, nice and cool and very good coffee, what a holiday, still nothing booked for staying, keeping the options open, as we had a later start than normal. Fueled with the extra strong coffee we go, both feeling strong and fit, so go for it on the relatively flat road, looking over the green pastures, riding hard and strong, legs pumping sucking in all the hot humid air we can. Me being me start to day dream a bit, thinking of my brother laying in an hospital bed thousands of miles away, all sorts of weird things going through my little head, the one massive factor that keeps reoccurring, is he would want us to carry on, I know that, so does Bingo, but still pretty difficult to get your head around it. We push on at an incredible pace, just trying to block things out. I think it seems to work, more concerned about my aching legs now as we keep going, have a little chat on the road, keep going until we complete the last little climb, then look for a little stop. Full steam ahead, once again in a dream world, think i may have been an Aboriginal in a past life living the dream world, sets my little mind off again, thinking about the wonderful carefree days Sandra and I had travelling around Australia and new Zealand in the 80's, as we pedal through the El Salvador forests. Mate I was dreaming, twisted my head around to talk to Bingo, everyone who rides with me knows I never do that, my saying is "Don't look back, your got going that way" lovely quote Mary Engelbreit. Well Bingo was nowhere to be seen, slowed up, just taking it easy, sure enough a motorbike came past, pulled over and told me that Bingo had a problem with his back wheel, but is now riding, top man.  I pull over at a coconut stall or is it a shy? who knows, anyway thought I would try and get a new Mum for Linney, get a coconut but nothing else going mate, she said try the next stall. Bingo came and rode straight past, saying I can't stop, thinking he knew I had a date lined up, soon caught him up, he has a problem with his rear wheel, not worries only 8 miles to go. Bingo managed to nurse the bike in the last 8 miles, I had sorted out a hostel, right in the worst part of town, typical me, but hey ho lets get there, as we were coming into Sonsonate, we went right past a bike shop, stopped and asked the guy, he only sells bikes does not repair them, but gave us a few shops to try. Only half a mile from the hostel so decided to go there, then sort a bike shop out. All the dreaming does work, just the other side of the hostel was a bike shop, while I got booked in and got a beer , Bingo organised his back wheel repair, only had a sip when he came bouncing back in where's mine, soon got that sorted. All booked in spent the time catching up with family business well Steve, not great news as they are going to transfer him up to St Thomas hospital London, felt a bit down, then had a lovely facetime chat with aDeb, must admit felt a bit better after that, but still very concerned. Bingo's back wheel all sorted, great news. Bite to eat and restless nights sleep, not great when things are on your mind, be positive I keep saying to myself.