All Riders Are Brothers: A Border Crossing in Honduras

Day 28 Pines 2 Patagonia log

Choluteca, Honduras

To

Managua, Nicaragua

Honduras was a flyover country, only because we were trying to get back on schedule after our delay in Guatemala and we were unsure what the border crossing had in store.

After attempting in 3 different devices to submit the advanced notice of border crossing to Nicaragua all ending with error messages, we decided to SEND IT and see what happens.

It was a pretty quiet ride with very little chatter on the coms as we pondered what we would do if we really had to wait 7 days to enter. We were also unsure about the future of our Starlink and GoPros. Did we make the right call?

Roughly 25 kilometers from the border we noticed a group of riders on our 6 that were moving faster than we were. As they got closer we saw they were all wearing cuts. It was a group of MC members. Understanding the code of the road the 3 of us slowed and lined up single file on the right side of the lane. The gesture was well received by the lead rider and they flashed a few peace signs and thumbs up as they passed us.

Five kilometers down the road we see them again getting waved over at a military check point. We were directed by the official to get in the line as well. Now 3 dorks from Oregon are parked on the side of the road in Honduras with a group of patched in Club riders.

The official only talked to the lead rider. He checked his ID and we were on the road again. We provided plenty of room to let them get out in front again and continued to the border.

At the first station we reached at the border we were waived around, so we went. This was not the right move. After some wandering we saw the group of MC bikes and parked near them.

One of the MC riders a Mr. David Flores of the OSOS VIEJOS MC saw us trying to figure out how to start the process and approached us to see if we needed help. He spoke some English and with Keeb & Reds limited Spanish, we developed a plan.

Flores walked over a 1/4 mile in full leathers and 98 deg heat back up to the guard station we were waived around and got us the 3 import slips we needed to start the process. He showed us each of the 6 stations we needed to visit and in what order. It was a HUGE help. Flores stayed with us for over an hour and a half after his MC had departed to make sure we were all squared away. It was proof that all Riders are Brothers. He didn’t care what we rode or where we were from. He saw respectful adventure riders who needed help and came to our aid. AMAZING.

We cleared the border after 5 hours and headed down the road. Flores sent several messages checking on us and even invited us to the bike rally they were all headed to in Leon.

It may be our only regret on this trip that we didn’t divert and go to the rally. Yes, we would have been the only 3 gringos there in a sea of thousands of MC bikers from different clubs across Central America… but Damn the pictures and videos he was sending looked like a Great Time.

We made it to our destination just before sundown. It felt great to have that crossing done ✅

After a quick check on the map of our surroundings, we were left with only one dining option that didn’t require riding, so McDonalds was on the menu for the night.

That itself was an experience. Maybe it’s a you had to be there thing, but we all laughed so hard our cheeks hurt as we dined in a McD’s in Nicaragua.