The Way South

I started this thread but one of the more experienced riders and posters suggest that I re-start it without the poll. I tried to delete the poll but there doesn't seem to be a way to do that. I will try to cut and paste what I have already posted here. Thanks for your patience. New stuff!

I started my long planned and long awaited odyssey to and around Mexico on 12/12/12. The week since then has been spent pounding my way south on the highways and biways on New Mexico and Mexico. My original intent was to be in Palenque for the solstice, that was a bit unrealistic given the date of my departure and the weather and road conditions I would encounter. I am a morning person but I am definitely not a get going on the road early in the morning person. I like to stretch because it makes the ride easier and the end of the day less painful, I like to have my coffee, check my email, read posts on ADVRider, etc. This and a couple of other factors: I don't like riding more than about 250-275 miles in a given day, less if it as windy as it has been, the sun goes down early this time of year and I am not going to ride at night in Mexico unless there are extreme circumstances that dictate it, how I define extreme may be fungible with the circumstances and situation. I don't like riding at night in our country (a 1200 pound bull elk standing in the middle of your line on a mountain road is no contest), never mind in this place where there are so many unknowns.

All of this said, please come along for the ride. I will try to make it interesting, entertaining and informative. Right now I am sitting in a little cafe in Zacatecas next door to Hotel Reyna Soledad, an excellent recommendation by miguelito. On my arrival I met jrzyguy who has some mechanical/electrical problems with his DR650 and is stuck here, not a bad place to be stuck, while it gets sorted out. Jim has been guiding me through how to get photos posted, I got a smug mug account and should be able to get some stuff up here pretty soon.

If all goes well I am planning to be in Mexico until the end of April. I will probably be spending April riding north through Baja and re-entering the US at Tecate to be in LA for my son's 16th Birthday on 4/30/13. This summer I hope to teach him to drive a car and get him on a motorcycle.

I left Mancos, CO on the afternoon of 12/12/12. It was in the forties, glad for electric jacket and merino long johns and undershirt. It was also very windy. I got to Gallup, NM an hour after dark. Riding on the rez(ervation) at night is no safer than riding in Mexico at night but I had to make that destination. The next day I rode on to Silver City, NM where I awoke the morning of the 14th to rain and snow. I decided to take an unwanted layover day. I entered Mexico on Saturday the 15th at Columbus, NM/Palomas, Mex... It took all of half an hour to clear immigration with a 180 day visa in hand and then to walk next door to Banjercito for a 180 TVIP. Parking outside of the Banjercito was secure and I had no worries. Across the street from the immigration and Banjercito is a casa de cambios (money exchange) I wanted to exchange a few dollars so I had pesos for the first part of the ride. I wish I had exchanged a few hundred dollars because they had the best rate 12.90 pesos/dollar with no fee that I have yet to see here. Using the ATM's the exchange rate when you subtract the fees here and the fees at the home bank the rate has dropped to about 12.25 pesos/dollar. This doesn't seem like a lot but over an extended period of time it will add up.

I have already had some extraordinarily positive experiences here and look forward to many more. I will add to this in a later post. Want to get out and enjoy the sunny Zacatecas day.



Lerdo Cathedral



Lerdo Zocalo

p://dfoyster.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/The-Way-South/27169129_vB3GHx#!i=2281542032&k=JP8B6Vb&lb=1&s=A][/url]

Home Shrine Lerdo



Local Delicacy

Thanks Trice, welcome Scizz and MM. MM sorry I missed you in Portlandia in October. Maybe you didn't get my PM. Had a great time with my kid. We went to a restaurant that you recommended earlier in the year, the name escapes (too many Spanish words swimming around in my brain) me but it was fabulous. Mexico's here, wish you were great!

Zacatecas is a neat city. Ride safe and given us more.

Doll maker



Hotel Reyna Soledad



Merry Christmas



Park Bench Detail



A Street Named Desire



Park It Where?



Monument to Mothers and Children

Cpt. Muku great to hear from you! Long time! Thanks to all for checking in. Tomorrow on to SMA. This town is wild tonight. Parades, moto clubs, revelry in the streets. It is only Thursday!

You coming through on the way back?

Hi RMO,

I'm in and following along for the ride!

Have fun and be safe.

Rob

wait till you see Guanajuato (GTO) !
pronounced - juana watt toe

It is?

love the doll maker photo!

Does that mean juana's toes light up when.... well...you know. Eakins thanks for all of your help on Jim's DR problem. He is leaving it there and sending them some parts...hopefully will get it sorted out.

Not quite

Does that mean juana's toes light up when.... well...you know. Eakins thanks for all of your help on Jim's DR problem. He is leaving it there and sending them some parts...hopefully will get it sorted out.

Im in for the ride....

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=849812

This new Sig Line should work to link to the RR. Thanks for your patience as I scale the learning cliff with some help from our friends.

David