About a year ago we went to Matagalpa vía the road between Telica and San Isidro (it’s close to León). It was horrendous!!! So bad that we decided to go down to Managua and back up to Chinandega on the way back, instead of punishing the car and ourselves on that horrendous road. Well, two friends of ours got married on Saturday so off to Matagalpa again….Dave Moore told me that the road was a lot better now (someone had told him). I asked and asked and asked and could not find good up-to-date information. So, this is for all of you who may travel between León, Chinandega and Estelí, Ocotal or Matagalpa.
Please do feel free to use the road. It is so much better now. Let me summarize it for you: The road is about 100 km. I am describing things from West to East. Telica (0 km) to El Jicaral (54 km) – great – smooth as glass. El Jicaral (54 km) to Finca San Augustín (64 km) – acceptable. It’s a bit rough and a lot of gravel, but they are working on it!!! So most of the potholes have been taken out…. Finca San Augustín (64 km)to Puente Las Mangas (93 km) – great – smooth as glass. The last 7 km aren’t bad – it’s the good part of the old road. Fortunately, they are working on it too. This 100 km road should be like new by Feb 2010, according to my sources. Makes going to that side of the country a lot more appealing now!!! Total time was 90 minutes.
I must admit that I got nostalgic when I started seeing the wonderful mountains in the Estelí, Sébaco, Matagalpa area. I lived there three years some time back in Matagalpa and another two years even farther back in Estelí. You know that nostalgic feeling that gives you a real hollow spot in your stomach – and it is dullfully painful, but you don’t stop thinking about it because you kind of like the dull pain. That’s nostalgia, I guess. And I have it.
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