| How I found my way Here road to mayan ruins Leads to SLo It took getting lost in the jungle to help Heidi Rank find her way home. of gas in the middle of the jungle when they happened upon a small, unassuming sign off of the road that read “Cerveza Fria” [cold beer]. Overjoyed at the thought of getting directions, the roadweary travelers stumbled into the establishment. Recalls Heidi, “As the woman behind the bar was pouring beer for the guys, I locked eyes with her and had the most powerful ‘déjà vu’ I can remember. She was beautiful, stunning, and spoke perfect English.” “In 1989 I was a single mother of five-year-old twins working in Chicago as an architect. I was at a point where I needed to take a break and clear my head, and it was the middle of winter, so I arranged a week-long trip to Cancun with a friend, who had to back out at the last minute. I was disappointed, but also determined to continue, so I decided to go by myself…” It was while boarding a bus to visit some Mayan ruins that the solo traveler, Heidi Rank, happened upon two other Americans who were being hassled by an exasperated, Spanish-onlyspeaking bus driver. Seeing that the pair had very limited Spanish speaking ability, Heidi jumped in to translate. The problem was quickly resolved – turned out it had something to do with the fare – and a full bus, along with the Lost: (left to right) unidentified Belizean guide, John Pratt, and Heidi Rank consult their maps. Photo by Dana Holt. three American tourists was soon chugging, bouncing, and lurching down the road toward Tulum, Mexico. An easy conversation flowed between the three Americans as they settled into their seats for the long drive, and it was discovered that the two men were from San Luis Obispo. John Pratt, a local attorney, was taking a longplanned trip with good friend, Dana Holt, a local photographer whose family had been in San Luis Obispo for many generations. Remembers Heidi, “They were going to rent a truck and drive into Belize in search of some pretty remote Mayan ruins. During our bus ride, they invited me to come along. I pondered it for a minute, decided it was an opportunity of a lifetime, and accepted.” On the first night of their journey, John called his wife, Gayle Peron, who is now a County Commissioner, to tell her that they had picked up an American girl who spoke Spanish. John recalls the conversation, “‘Hi honey… you’ll never guess what happened today.... We met this really nice girl from Chicago who speaks Spanish… We invited her to come to Belize with us… We all have to squeeze into this tiny room… You can’t imagine the sleeping arrangements’ …and then I hear a ‘click’ and the line goes dead. There was a storm going, and the power went out. So, this is the only thing my poor wife hears from me while I’m out in the jungle for the week with my buddy, Dana, and our new friend, Heidi!” The trio’s first attempt at finding the ancient Mayan City of Altun Ha was a disaster, and, after a full day of driving, they found themselves lost and nearly out How did you find your way here? Go to slolifemagazine.com and tell us your story. When she introduced herself as Alexandra, Heidi reflexively blurted, “Class of 1975, Guilford High School.” The two women were amazed by the odds of growing up together in Rockford, Illinois, a town of around 100,000, only to be reunited nearly fifteen years later in the middle of a remote rain forest. According to Heidi, “Rockford, Illinois wasn’t famous for much, but it was known as ‘Trampoline Town U.S.A.’ Alexandra and I had taken ‘tramp lessons’ together, as we called it. She was really good and went on to become the World Trampoline Champion.” After years on tour with various trampoline and tumbling groups, Alexandra was now working as the manager of the resort that her father had acquired as an investment property. She invited the trio to stay the week there as her guest, which they readily accepted. The remainder of their trip “flew by” as Alexandra directed them to some of “the best ruins in Belize.” Now, forever bonded by the whimsical twists and turns in their quest for ancient Mayan ruins, the trio kept in touch, and, looking for a better place to raise her kids, Heidi picked up and moved to San Luis Obispo later that same year with her two young children, where she has been ever since. <strong>SLO</strong> <strong>LIFE</strong> 10 | slo life magazine
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