Utila to La Union

Went diving and saw a Turtlle and a Sting Ray. it was pretty fun. Took the ferry back and our bike was safe and sound, but very rusty. Even the snaps on my jacket rusted on the island in the 6 days. As soon as we approached the bike a security gaurd was at our sides waiting for his paperwork. seems pretty secure to me.

After asking the cops at the dock, and some very nice cops at a station outside of La Ceiba, we decided that the Camino del Muerte looking better these days and has a lot more police presence. so we took it down to La Union. We took a dirt road over the mountains directly south of La Ceba instead of going around them on the paved road. The 32 mile dirt road was tough to find but good. It had great views and followed a beautiful river for quite a way. Then it climbed and turns into a cat track and finally 7 miles of a smooth grassy double track. small villages. burnt jungle in spots. some shallow creek crossings. We were basically making the only tracks in the road. No body had vehicles in their yards. pretty remote. there are a few intersections where we had to ask for directions and use the compass as usual.
After this road we were back on pavement for a while and at the turn off for la Union we were stopped by some cops that gave us the only trouble so far. they didnt like what the American registration looks like. they thought it looked like anyone could just print it off of a computer, which is does. but they let us continue without having the honduran registration papers. They also said the road was safer these days. so we continued.

I would be lying if i said i didnt feel nervous on this road known for banditos. Farmers are always walking out of the woods in Central America and they are always carrying machetes. So who is to know who is friendly and who is not. All of the sudden five guys with machetes walk out in front of you and its nervewracking on this road.
but the road was forested with pine, wide, smooth gravel, no problem. 5 cop trucks passed in the few hours. a total of 80 miles of dirt for the 100 mile day

La Union is nothing special. we stayed at a nice, clean hotel (on the right side as you enter with green paint). Like most places there are not many food options.

The next morning we drove to the village of Los Encuentros, about 3K away. I read that this village is filled with painted houses. So of course, i had to see it. Well, the information was outdated i guess. Because there was not one single painted house. There were actually more painted houses in the villages on the mountain road the day before. bummer.