Planning Ride to Mexico Spring 2015

[scharfg]

Hi folks, I'm stuck in Prince George's winter waiting for riding season so doing some 2015 ride planning research

I've got 2014 figured out (BC and AZ) so I'm onto 2015.

I've been to 3 HU meetings in Nakusp and enjoyed everyone of them (Grant and Sue are awesome!). I've ridden to the Arctic Circle in the north and southern New Mexico to the south and now its time to do some pre-retirement exploration in Mexico!

There are two of us (so far, riding Wee's) and we are looking at getting out of dodge early in April 2015, taking the coast down (~1 week), then ~4 weeks in Mexico and then taking a week to get home via an inland route (ie: NM, CO, UT) weather permitting. We plan to ride the Baja down, take the ferry across to the mainland and then explore MX before heading home.

With the approx. 4 weeks we will have in MX, I'd like some help with suggestions of must roads to ride, and places to see during that time (we have Copper Canyon and the Devil's Backbone on the list so far). I've been to Akumal on the east coast and PV on the west coast (1 week holidays) so I know a smidgen about the country. I rented a 250cc dual sport in PV when we were down a couple of weeks ago but got a nail in the rear tire in the first hour so it was a short excursion.

Once I retire (~10 years) I plan to head further south for a much longer ride, but for now I'm getting my feet wet with our first MX ride.

Rather than put up a newbie post in the wrong forum I thought I would start here and ask for assistance on where and how to find out what I'd like to know to plan our MX adventure.

I had a quick look at the Trip Planning forum but it did not look like it was organized by region (ie: Riding in Mexico, Russia, Europe, etc) so rather than stumble around I thought this would be a good place to start.

Thanks very much in advance!

[mollydog]

Your plan is a good one. Since you've been to Mexico ... you may already have some idea of what you like? You'll find thousands of Canadians to keep you company down there.

Where to start? Really depends what YOU like to do and see. Will your ride be about riding or about exploring the country, language and culture?

Reading individual ride reports is a good place to get ideas ... of and course guide books also contain many hidden secrets .. and most writers are actually literate.

So much to discover in Mexico. Pick your poison! Way too many North Americans BLAST past Mexico on the way to Tierra del Fuego.
Their loss. I've been going down since I was 12 ... and I still love it! (I've been to every other country in Latin America save the Guyanas)

April is a pretty good time of year. The coastal regions will begin to heat up but as that happens the Central highlands will be perfect, warm with low humidity. Rainy season won't kick off until May or June. Much less humidity in the highlands (which has forced more than one Canadian back onto the plane for home! )

The Central highlands are my favorite region of Mexico: Real De Catorce, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosi, Fresnilo, Aguascalientes, Leon, Guanajuato, San Miguel De Allende. So much beauty and history throughout. Some of those towns are world heritage sites. You can do this whole route starting from Durango. (see map)

I'm not fond of the North East coast ... but further South I do like the Quintana Roo area (Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, Isla Mujeres, Tulum). Touristy/pricey but very nice Caribbean feel.

Good riding roads can be found everywhere. The Devil's Spine road is but one of dozens of great roads. That road from Mazatlan up to Durango can be crowded with trucks with spilled Diesel and 18 wheelers cutting hairpins blocking YOUR LANE. But it leads straight to the highlands ... easy 3 to 4 weeks worth of exploring after that ... about a 5 hour ride from Mazatlan, iirc.

But from Baja I would take the Topolobambo Ferry: Cheaper, faster, easier at just a 5 hour crossing vs. 12 to Mazatlan. From Topo you can take GREAT roads up to Copper Canyon. (Mex. 15 North to Mex. 12 East, to Mex 16 East to Creel)

Take your time to adapt to Mexican driving style, take it easy and I don't usually ride at night ... but have many times. It's a big country. Enjoy!


Mexico 16 near Copper Canyon - 2004

[scharfg]

Hey there mollydog thanks for the great reply, I was wondering if I hadn't checked "auto reply" as I had not seen any replys till yours.

In answer to your questions, I'm about riding the best twisty scenic roads and exploring the country first with language and culture second. My riding partner is more laid back and and less eager to boogie so I made a compromise and added an extra 2 weeks to the length of the ride

I purchased "Traveler's Guide to Mexican Camping: Explore Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize with Your RV or Tent" which I hope will give us some ideas and I'll check out those ride reports.

Yeah I'm not retired yet so this will be a practice run for a later much longer ride. I typically ride 2-3 weeks in the States every year covering off 1/2 of a western state each year.

Wow you have a great deal of experience down that way.

Yes I know the coast will be a cooker (I don't like much over 30C and high humidity) but I will take one for the team to escape icky Prince George and that's about as early as we'll be able to ride out of here. Great to hear the highlands will be good then.

It will be nice to get our coastal/beach fill on the way down doing the Baja then explore the highlands and canyons on the mainland side. I think we'll leave the east coast for another trip, but no firm plans yet. I need to figure out the must see places and roads first and then look at linking up a favourable route to them.

I just did a search on the Devil's Spine (Mazatlan to Durango) and found out that they spent 2.2 billion on "improving" the road with 140 miles done including 115 bridges and 61 tunnels! I wonder what/if there will be a toll, it could be very pricey. I hope most of the old road is still ridable so one could still experience that. Check out this web site:

Taming the Devil's Backbone: How the Durango-Mazatlan Highway will revitalize northern Mexico | Mail Online

From reading the article I was surprised to find out all the negative info about the drug trade in that area, how accuarate is that info? Are there areas we should avoid at all costs?

I also read that by summer 2014 it will be all paved to Copper Canyon

Right now you can take two dirt detours around the construction. I hope dirt access options will still be available when we get there in 2015. If I understand it correctly there is an alternative way to ride out of the Canyon via Urique, is that correct?

Great photo, is that a flat cat on the road or bovine poop? What tires did you have on your Vee? I was thinking of riding on Tourances.

Thanks again for all of the advice, I look forward to your reply.

Take care.

[mollydog]

I haven't ridden the espina del Diablo since 1998. There are lots of ways into the Canyon and surrounding Sierra Tarahumaru. Map study will help. You can approach from just North of Culiacan. Mex 24 should now be paved all or most of the way up to the highway at Guadalupe Y Calvo. From there, go North on main roads into Canyon and onto Creel.

The road construction on the dirt road from Creel to Batopilas has begun since my last visit in 2006. As you note, there is a way around.

There is also a couple dirt routes into CC from the West off Mex 15. One is Mex 1 EAST to El Fuerte and onto Choix. Both lead to Batopilas. it's dirt and pretty rough with water crossings.

Another way that leads to the same dirt roads is from Navojoa on Mex 15, go EAST to Alamos ... wonderfully charming little town. From there I can't give specifics but there are only one or two dirt roads. Both the El Fuerte and Alamos ways can be rugged and in rainy season creeks may not be passable.
You are also in the middle of Pot growing region.

The Route up Mex 24 is unknown at present to me. I did this route in 2006 ... on the Vstrom with a Tiger and GS. We got seriously lost ...15 hours of very tough dirt roads in the dark. But I'm told the WHOLE of 24 is now paved. So ask locally to be sure. Go to the town of Tameapa and ASK. They will know for sure.

Drugs.
The entire Copper Canyon area is a big Pot farm. Sadly, Meth labs have also sprung up ... and it's a deadly, nasty business. Lots going on now around Culiacan ... so can't recommend any of these routes without checking with locals ... Police and Army will ALWAYS tell you it's dangerous, no matter where ... even if it's not. Locals are more balanced in their view.

The SAFE way from Topolobambo to Copper Canyon is to use the route stated in my earlier post. Topo up to Los Mochis and Mex 15. Go NORTH a couple hours to Ciudad Obregon. Just North of town, take Mex 117 to Esparanza.
Follow this to Mex. 12 and onto Mex 16. Take Mex 16 EAST to Creel. It's all paved and some fantastic twisties all the way. Any good map will get you there. It's remote but road is good. Watch out for Horses and Burros in the mountains and don't stop for anyone if riding at night.

Can't remember which tires, either Avon Distanzia or Michelin Anakee. It was
2004. The Tourance are THE BEST. Expensive but the Perfect Mexico tire. They just last so much longer than the competition. My buddy ran Tourance on his GS, me on Anakee. We both started with new tires. Anakee rear worn out after 5000 mi Tourance went to 8000 mi !!

Good planning, have fun. It's getting cold down here, couldn't ride today, it got down to 50F. But will be back up to 70F in a day or two.


Private Hotel in Batopilas

[scharfg]

Thanks for the great follow up MD, I'll pass it along to my riding partner.

Your advice about the danger areas is also appreciated and the nice looking accommodations!

Take care.