Mountain Biking Guatemala With Fabien Barel

May 6, 2014
by Julbo Eyewear  
In September 2013, Rodolphe and around 30 other passionate bikers used the Julbo website to apply for a place in the next Ride Session with the prize on offer of a 10-day enduro mountain biking trip to Guatemala with Fabien Barel. After uploading his video and filling out the form, Rodolphe got a phone call from Fabien who wanted to meet him on the Roc d’Azur along with nine other candidates. After a day of biking and spending time together, the final choice was made: Rodolphe was the lucky winner and in line for a dream trip to share the life of a pro in November 2013.

Off to Guatemala

After a 20-hour journey to get to Guatemala from Geneva, Rodolphe, the lucky winner of the 2013 Julbo Ride Session, Fabien Barel, and the production team set up base camp in Antigua, one of the country’s treasures and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its cobbled streets and brightly colored houses are overlooked by three volcanoes: Agua (3,766m), Fuego (3,763m) and Acatenango (3,976m). At 1,000 meters above sea level, the city is ideally placed for easy access to the different ride spots and buzzing with activity in the best Guatemalan tradition. The scene is now set for the 2013 Julbo Ride Session.

Rodolphe with Fabien Barel.

The team set up base camp in Antigua one of the country s treasures and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its cobbled streets and brightly colored houses are overlooked by three volcanoes Agua 3 766m Fuego 3 763m and Acatenango 3 976m . At 1 000 meters above sea level the city is ideally placed for easy access to the different ride spots and buzzing with activity in the best Guatemalan tradition.

THE WARM-UP
On the first day, the team lost no time in attacking the Agua volcano, located just a few kilometers from Antigua. This first ride session took place surrounded by the incredible scent of the coffee trees. Up next, the Pacaya volcano (2,552m), but the lava from its last eruption in May 2010 made riding conditions more difficult for Rodolphe and Fabien. Descending slightly, however, they could enjoy the thrill of bombing down dunes of black sand formed by pebbles of eroded lava. "It felt just like surfing," explains Fabien. "Normally you feel the ground underneath you, whereas there you had to be constantly steering into the skids, making it really feel like you were floating: fantastic!" The next day, around the coffee plantation estate of Finca Filadelfia, they crossed from one valley to another taking their bikes over 400 and 500m rope bridges, an amazing system that the team soon fell in love with when searching for new mountain biking trails. Once there, they ripped down tracks in the middle of coffee and maize fields, ending up in a favela where the children welcomed them with big smiles.

Julbo press images.

Julbo press images.

Julbo press images.

MISSION ACATENANGO (3,976m)
Well warmed up by now after getting their bearings on volcanic terrain they’d never experienced before, the team set off on the ascent of the Acatenango volcano, the highest summit (3,976m) in a little country which has more than 30 of them. Dropped off at 2,000m in a 4x4, Fabien and Rudolf took the remainder of the ascent step by step. They stopped halfway up to sleep at a base camp at 3,000m before starting the ascent the following morning, with a planned departure of 3am. A short night marked by the rumbling of the volcano located just opposite them: El Fuego, who gave them a memorable show with fantastic eruptions of lava. In the early hours, their bikes on their backs, Rodolphe and Fabien took almost two hours to reach the summit just before sunrise. And what a sunrise! After several hours enjoying the spectacle, they decided to head down the mountain, a run with a 3,000m descent. The upper slopes of the summit consist mainly of a large expanse of black sand where it’s difficult to ride, with faint tracks that meant lots of technique was in order, with the emphasis on anticipation and good weight distribution over the bike otherwise in a split second they’d be on the deck. And they often were! Lower down, they ripped down narrow paths in the jungle to get to fields and back to Antigua.

Base camp at 3 000m before starting the ascent the following morning with a planned departure of 3am. A short night marked by the rumbling of the volcano located just opposite them El Fuego who gave them a memorable show with fantastic eruptions of lava.

Ridind the Acatenango Volcano...

Acatenango volcano

Ridind the Acatenango Volcano...

Ridind the Acatenango Volcano...

Julbo press images.

Julbo press images.

THE END OF THE TRIP
They finished their journey at Lake Aticlan, a vast expanse of water in the middle of a crater, offering runs with incredible views of the surrounding volcanoes. And they came back with no shortage of incredible images. Rodolphe could share his experience with us through photos and videos and that’s the whole point of the Julbo sessions: "The trip was a fantastic time for sharing and spending time together with everyone and especially Fabien. A great guy, uncomplicated, passionate and committed to what he does. An inspiration for achieving your dreams and getting to where you want to be," explains Rodolphe. And from Fabien: "There was an immediate connection between us. Rodolphe is a guy who loves nature and was 100% up for the adventure. He amazed me with his professionalism in the shoots with the production team. He’s also a really great rider, who’s good at anticipating his lines but his enthusiasm did cause a few falls."

Lake Aticlan a vast expanse of water in the middle of a crater offering runs with incredible views of the surrounding volcanoes.

A trip with great memories but also its share of hassle missing luggage when they got to Guatemala a technical problem with the car which meant looking for a welder in the middle of nowhere...

Film released on 7 May. Stay connected!

Author Info:
JulboEyewear avatar

Member since Jul 22, 2011
13 articles

27 Comments
  • 14 0
 What great shots, now I totally want to hit up all those volcanoes even more!

Just a quick correction Acatenango volcano is not the highest in Guatemala, Tajumulco is at 4,220 metres (in fact its the highest peak in all of central america)
  • 3 0
 Also, it's Lake Atitlan. Planning my return for a bike trip now!
  • 2 0
 Ah the bus in the background on the last photo is a trip down memory lane. You are looking at was typically the city bus while I lived there. They raced around the city like NASCAR drivers- scary.

There was also a little restaurant in Zona 4 I think called "Nais" - was fantastic food back in the late 80s early 90's. But the best people I ever met were from Santa Lucia Cotzulmaguapa- land of sugar cane and hard working people.
  • 1 0
 Are those pictures of Atitlan overlooking Pana?
  • 3 0
 Nope thats San Antonio Palopó, its two towns over from Pana (Santa Catarina Palopó is between them) its a fun trail I have ridden it a few times.
  • 2 0
 Grew up in Guatemala but never ventured onto the trails....next time I visit I'm lugging my bike with me. The "country of eternal spring" is truly one of the most beautiful places on earth. Loved seeing Atitlan on Pinkbike. Great article and shots....
  • 2 0
 the traveling bike trips are my favorite part of pinkbike! Guatemala is amazing in so many different ways, I'd recommend it to anyone. i would go back, but with my bike next time
  • 5 0
 I've been to over 35 countries. Guatemala is in my top three....
  • 5 16
flag ctmtb98 (May 6, 2014 at 19:55) (Below Threshold)
 Murica is my number 1 haha
  • 11 9
 that's cause your a yankee moron who doesn't even know how to spell the name of his own country. please stay there. Wink

headed to Guatemala next January, looks like a fun place.
  • 2 1
 lol guys i was just joking, guatemala looks sick
  • 3 2
 It's "you're." You might want to do a little proofreading before getting so high-and-mighty and calling someone a moron.
  • 2 1
 On a phone.. it does what it likes sometimes.. and the statement was moronic therefore..
  • 1 0
 @dmadness, sheesh I was just jokin lol
  • 1 0
 No worrys man.. I live in a tourist town and you would be amazed how much ignorant Americans come here and do stupid stuff and mess with our town.. sorry for coming off like an ass, has been a long week.
  • 2 0
 lol, yeah dude, canda's a sick country haha
  • 4 0
 It's amazing how beautiful is Guatemala.
  • 3 0
 nice to see more of our beautiful Guatemala on PinkBike
  • 1 0
 is this after the crash ?? I hope so. This just looks amazing i know u r riding thru bananas there haha keep away from tarantulas Big Grin
  • 1 0
 Probably not, a broken back takes at least a few months to heal up :/
  • 1 2
 After what crash?
  • 1 0
 He had a big crash in Chili, broke his back
  • 1 0
 my beautiful country,has a lot of potential for DH and mountain biking yeaaah Guatemala
  • 1 0
 I lived in Antigua a few years ago! I've been wanting to move back just the ride the volcanoes.
  • 1 0
 Love Guate. Lago Atitlan is a gem, & looking across it from the top of a volcano is unbelievable!
  • 1 0
 looks like such a cool place to ride
  • 1 0
 I stay connected. There is usb3 already grown in behind my left ear.







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