Copán Ruinas to La Esperanza

More detailed route information in Cycle Central America – Ian Benford (available in pdf online). Guidebook distances are either correct or overestimates. Honduras ITMB map provides approximate reference… Bank/ATM only in Copán Ruinas and La Esperanza.

Copán Ruinas to Santa Rita (paved)

Santa Rita to Cucuyagua, via Cabañas (tiendas), Rio Negras (tienda), Las Juntas, Santa Cruz and passing La Union.
Dirt with steep uphills and frequent pushing from Rio Negras to Santa Cruz.

Cucuyagua to Corquín (paved – mostly flat) Both have tiendas and Cucuyagua has veggies/fruit.

Corquín to Belén Gualcho (dirt)
Well graded steady uphill past a couple of settlements with pulperías. Belén has a number of tiendas, but only has fruit/veggies on Sundays when the market it on.

Belén Gualcho to San Manuel Colohete (rough dirt) via Jualaco (spellings vary), Laguna Cubite and San Sebastian (tienda).
Rocky limestone two-track steeply down to river from Belén, then undulating steeply along river valley with fun (technical MTB-style) precipitous descents down to rivers and correspondingly brutal hauling back up. Surface improves after San Sebastian (pick-ups and buses). Tiendas in San Manuel (limited veggies)

San Manuel Colohete to San Juan (dirt) via San Marcos Caiquín (spelt wrongly on map), San Pedrito (walking trail to Santa Cruz goes R. at escuela), Tejeras, San Antonio (T junction with R. to Santa Cruz and L. to San Juan), El Palomar, Pajapas and Cataulaca.
Well graded to San Marcos (tiendas, no veggies/fruit) and for 8-9km afterwards, then becomes very rough with precipitous undulations until improves to more well graded steady downhill after Pajapas. Tiendas and fruit/veggies in San Juan.

San Juan to La Esperanza (c. 47km paved then dirt) via San Miguelito (? Miguel Guancapla on Honduras ITMB, Dolores turn-off is a few km afterwards) and Yamaranguila.
Newly paved rd. From San Miguelito onwards (old rd described in guide goes L. at San Miguelito) climbs steadily until near Yamaranguila (tiendas) when reverts to undulating, rutted dirt before final descent into La Esperanza (dangerously slippery during/immediately after rain)