Leaving Mexico City
 

Pepe and I rode for 200 miles of this. Well, the first 30 were pretty much city traffic miles. We stopped at the small historic city of Cuetzalan.

Cuetzalan
 

We got a couple of rooms and later when I bashed my thunb with a hammer trying to reset the preload/sag on the rear of the bike, this woman was beside herself being helpful.

On to Veracruz
 

Pepe returned to Mexico City and that put me on my own for the first time in a while and pretty soon I made a wrong turn. The sign had the right word on it and it went left/east as I needed but it turned out to be someones driveway. Wet and slick the bike slid to a stop sideways half way down that hill. I wiggled it straight and continued down to the man's house. I made a u -turn, went back to the pavement and checked the sign. I then ignored the right word on the sign and stayed on the pavement and found another sign with the right word on it. Later,in traffic, it rained breifly, so I stopped to put wallet and camera in a plastic bag. I made it to the gulf that afternoon. This forttress in Veracruz had a sign refering to The Battle of Santigo. I keep thinking I will remember it , but not yet.

Cosamaloapan
 

This trailer thing just makes me smile. I'm thinking of it full of sportbike friends and all the wide eyed yelling back and forth about how to do what and what to when, etc, etc. I stopped for a coke and under the advise of this woman with worse english than my spanish, I went in search of a hotel in Cosamaloapan. I found a room for $450 ($33.50us) and when I balked at the price the atractive woman speaking english sudjested that maybe I could find a room mate. I left. After wandering, I stopped at another place and was told they were sold out. Then a guy setting in front of a pet shop offered to help. One thing led to another and he got in his car and led me to a hotel around the corner from the pricey one. $165 ($12.35us)Thank you. The next morning after I struggled a little ordering breakfast and then had nowhere to sit, this man invited me to sit with his family. They spoke no english. Thank you, again.

Oaxaca
 

I hear differant birds when I stop and I see differant vegatation while I'm rolling. Then at Valle Nacional the ride gets really intresting. I am told, in english, that it will take 4 hours to go the 107k into Oaxaca (65miles). I figure he miscalculated, he does not know who he is talking to etc, etc. Turns out that about 50 miles of the ride is 2nd gear switchbacks with quite a few 1st gear spots as well. I got up to 50 mph three times and then on the brakes. I certainly could have ridden harder but I am on the 'don't screw this thing up so far from home plan'. At the top, some of it was cold, rainny, foggy and difficult to see. 10,000 peaks on either side. I did not measure carefully,but I think it took two and a half hours. I stopped briefly four times for pictures and a moment of stomach bothers.

The spoils of victory
 

I arrive on the dusty back streets of Oaxaca and most places are closed. Up and down the street and I go and then back to the pricey looking place I had earlier past on. I have learned that square plates means it will likely be tasty and it certainly be pricey. It was indeed a nice meal. It came $90 ($6.75 ) The waiter/manager says that is about '8 bucks'. I find few people can do the math. It is not quite three times what I should be paying for a meal. I reach in my pocket and I don't have the money. I have $50 and a us ten dollar bill. I go from swagger to embarassed and ask him if he can take the ten. He agrees and I figure vaguely that he got a two dollar tip. I can't do the math while embarassed. He did get a good tip.

Hey Mike -

Great blog, great fun to read it and see the pictures. :clap:

I'm over here, thinking "Hey, I know that guy! and he's way down there in Mexico,:palm: following the dream,:mchappy: getting by with 'oink' and hand signals." :clap:

Went to the motorcycle swap meet last week end with Jerry Burak.

support....
 

So....... Airdale 74451 and Saralou.... Did you guys get across da borber? If I can help in so way please let me know. And Mac-1769, thanks for your kind words. Jerry, I'm thinking that all the fotos will go to Photobucket later. Got about 1800 fotos so far! Need to learn some more new skills to load that many... Glad you guys enjoyed the report. This is a map that Pepe and I congered. The pen cap on the left is Mexico City and on the right is going into Belize. mike

Hi Ratbikemike,

Really enjoy following your travels. It brings back good memories. Won't be heading south for a few weeks. But who knows? Maybe see you down the road.

Keep up the good work!

Kindest regards,
John Downs

Awesome!

mexico on thursday
 

We are in Houston still for bike service. Will cross at Del Rio tomorrow. Your blog is great! Sara

Where are you at now? About to cross into Guatemala? Going to Belize?
Stomach getting stronger?

Mike, I can't post a custom avatar so click on my profile . . .

Out of order.....
 

I am in San Cristobal but the blog is stillback in Oxaxca. Got some time line issues, I do. I am in a tourista eatery, having ice cream and coffee and.... internet! For those who might find this kind of info important.. I have had solid bowel movements for almost three weeks now! To be fair, I was way out of sorts for about 4 or 5 days and then iffy for three weeks. I don't drink the water but I eat almost anything from just about anywhere. I must say it is good to get a responce on the list. It negates that notion that I am blasting 80 posts off into a vaccum ( where is my%$^%&^ spell check?) It is 6500ft above sea level here and cool and wet. Came down from above the clouds again, must have been a couple of thousand feet down. Place is full of...... wait .... The blog is going back to Oxaxca to get caught up. Thanks for the responce mike PS: Yes, that is a big rock with a tree on the side of the road.

The nice side of Oxaxca
 

I was wandering around lost looking for a hotel and Carlos hooked me in. For $150 ($11.25us) I got a bed in an empty dorm and for another $25 ($1.87us) I got this breakfast. And Internet too! That allowed me to sit still for a few days ,drink red bull and get caught up on da blog. Often I was posting at 3+am. Oaxaca has a lot of tourist pleasing jazz. Jazz of the traditional, classic style. I watched an older guy stand in the street and play an alto sax without any slurring or blending of notes at all. He was influcenced by Miles Davis, me thinks. Clean,clear and with the full knolage that the space between the notes is music too. Alone in my room I heard the chant of a large crowd. Chanting together. I had no idea what was happening but I was pretty sure that I did not want to be noticed. Turned out, it was the annual school teachers strike, complete with angry speeches. Carlos did that crossover from hussle to providing good service. Thanks for your help Carlos.

Leaving Oaxaca
 

Good food, good service and tolits that work in customary ways were a refreshing change but, it really was time to travel. All these cops and they show no more than a passing intrest in me. Not normal for 'Mr. Speed Racer' here. No, I did not stay at Marilyn Monroe Motel, but I could not help stoping for a picture. I should say that, nowhere in Mexico is a good place to have any issues with exactly where the edge of the road is. Some things are important. Also, I must confess, that after a week of being still , I remembered the map wrong. I went the right way but mixed up the distances. I thought it was 55 miles to a reasonable stop but it really was about 90 miles and late in the day. It was a really charming road quickly at first and then a lot of second and third gear stuff. And beatiful.