Two Moto Kiwis Arctic To Antarctic May 2012...

[Two Moto Kiwis]

The trip from Puebla to Oaxaca was uneventful and we took the Cuota road to make some time given the hard day getting out of Mexico City.

We had arranged a couchsurf stay with Don and Pat, riding the Cuota road we made good time, we had a bit of fun finding their place but not because the lack of instructions

They greeted us and welcomed us in and made us feel at home .... bloody typical Canadians!!

Unpacking and changing into human clothing we sat down and scoffed some cold water which was very welcomed, Pat had organised Spaghetti for tea which was outstanding and set the bar high.



Next morning Don took us to town to see if we could find sealant and an O ring for Maya given she was pissing fuel out when things got hot, success, we did get an oring but more so we bought some fuel proof sealant/adhesive to fix the problem, looks like we succeeded thus far.



Swapped the non return vent to the rear and put put the open hose to the main tank, thanks to the Flexx Bar cushion it holds the tube in place perfectly.





That afternoon Ellen set to and made some dumplings (No pictures sorry, we could show you but we would have to kill you ), I set too and fixed Maya ... again.

Centro was calling so we piled into a bus and had a look around Oaxaca town center, arriving back home we all tucked int the dumplings, Don and Pat gave them the big thumbs up so that was great.





Tequilas and chats then off to bed with another successful day under our belt.

The pyramid ruins were on the agenda for the following day, we were greeted with a hot clear day and our hike started at 9.30 am before the heat really set in.

The ruins were very cool, amazing the flat area that had been formed on the top of the mountain which commanded 360 degree views.





Some large circular base columns



Me!! (note Ozzies no pink bum )



View of town from the top of the ruins



On finishing there we took the bus into Abastos the huge market place in Oaxaca town, memorizing to say the least.



Fruitart



Valentines Day .... same same world wide



Once we were done mindlessly running around in circles we headed back to home base.

Pat and Don cooked bar b q chicken, another outstanding meal thoroughly washed down by more Tequila ... life is good.



The plan was to leave the following morning however the teachers were having their annual strike blockading all major shopping centres and city exits so we were not going anywhere, Don and Pat said no point trying to go so we decided to stay (mainly cos we can't go anywhere).

Ellen could not get Sushi ingredients so unfortunately Don and Pat dipped out, onya teachers!!



Receiving an email from Phil and Jane, team bro and sis traveling south as well, we had a few emails back and forth and they came out to join us for tea that night, Don and Pat took us all out for tea to a local Tacorilla, the food again was outstanding and we all left substantially heavier.





See what the fud did to Phils eyes ... it was so big it made his eyes pop out



As we were being kicked out Phil and Jane had organised to take our room the next night as we were on our way again.

[TwoUpTourer]

Really appreciate the views and thoughts of Mexico. We so easily build up an image of drug lords/poverty/dead bodies/corruption everywhere, where as you show it is so much more. thanks! john

[Two Moto Kiwis]

Originally Posted by TwoUpTourer

Really appreciate the views and thoughts of Mexico. We so easily build up an image of drug lords/poverty/dead bodies/corruption everywhere, where as you show it is so much more. thanks! john

We are only showing it as it is, we are not special (although ellen says I am s p e c i a l ) and we have no hidden agenda.

See Gene and Nedas report as well, Mexico is a great place to visit providing you don't watch American News.

I am sure you can find trouble IF you want it, same as an city in the world but even is ver poor communities where we have stayed the people are great.

[ironbutt20]

We met you on the Dempster Highway and again in Dawson City at the D2D where you helped Ross bend back some of my bits. We went on to Prudhoe Bay and completed our Prudhoe to Ushuaia ride. You were right-the Haul rode was a breeze compared to the Dumpster! You're going to love the south half. Gene and Neda are friends of ours from our Toronto club so say hi to them for us.

[Two Moto Kiwis]

Originally Posted by ironbutt20

We met you on the Dempster Highway and again in Dawson City at the D2D where you helped Ross bend back some of my bits. We went on to Prudhoe Bay and completed our Prudhoe to Ushuaia ride. You were right-the Haul rode was a breeze compared to the Dumpster! You're going to love the south half. Gene and Neda are friends of ours from our Toronto club so say hi to them for us.

Heya guys, yeah I remember you guys, hopefully the straightening served you well.

Good for you guys completing the mission too, more to see on the haul road so great that you didi it .

Will say hi to Gene and Neda, will be catching up with them in Xela in Guatemala for Spanish lessons.

Cheers Andi

[Two Moto Kiwis]

Then the rain got heavy!!

We left Oaxaca when it was overcast. Not sure what the teachers are going to do on Monday, we didn’t want to wait and find out either.

Don told us from Oaxaca to Tuxtepec is nice windy road, up to the mountains and very nice. When we left town towards the mountain, it started to rain. We haven’t seen any rain for about 7 months, this time, it’s a real one.

I guess because the Oaxaca side doesn’t get much rain in the dry season, so it brought out the oily stuff to the surface, it’s as greasy as a butchers knife and slippery .

We carried on up to 3200m high, the temp went down to 3 deg C, we both got really cold. We had to stop on the top of the hill and found a restaurant, hot coffee ordered followed by some hot food. After a while, when we warmed up a bit, plus more warm clothes put on, we are on our way again.

The rain was driving in horizontally !!



The sign of a desperately cold face ... proof that yello can turn blue back to yello



The life saver



My jacket left a huge puddle on their floor, the water was pouring out of everywhere, the Klim gear held extremely well but water was driven in through the cuffs and the neck soaking down from my balaclava as I had to ride with my visor open for a fair bit of the time to see where we were going

Descending down the hill, this side the road was not as slippery as the other side, but the fog set in (we were actually in the cloud so no big view for us today), we can’t see 50m. It took us 5 hours to do the 220 km, and our Spot was killed by the rain too.

See the water rolling down the road



Bit damp but somewhere under there is a smile



It was windy as well as rainy so there was foliage all over the road.



Visibility was less than ideal



Thick fog and water chasing us down the road.



Getting to Tuxtepec, we quickly found a cheap hotel. Although our Gortex was water proof, riding in the rain long enough, water still found its way down to our chest and sleeves. Luckily we had the ceiling fan working all night to dry most of them.

To finish there was a waterfall cascading off the building so what is one to do but make the most of it ... next time I will wear my togs!

[Two Moto Kiwis]

Although the hotel was cheap, we both slept in until quarter to ten!

The rain has stopped, we had a dry day to start with.

We rode towards to San Cristobal, just after Acayucan, the weather was looking dogdy again - dark clouds in front of us again. Andi stopped to zip up his pants. We both hop off the bike, we saw a pile of oil under Maya’s belly, and it was still pissing oil! OMG, here we go again!



Oil was everywhere



Maya was undersealed with synthetic oil, my previous cleaning job shot to pieces with road muck, rainy stuff and oil all over everything



We were just opposite a Pemex, so we pushed Maya to the side. The lady from the service station was very kind, she let us park under the roof. It started spiting again. I pulled the bash plate off started the bike and found the oil hose was split, that was where the oil came from.

I cut the broken hose off, it’s now to short to put back up.



Ellen went to ask where we can get a long hose. The lady from Pemex told us of a mechanico just across the road, as luck would have it he had a straight piece, not perfect but it will get us going.

So cutting and mucking around and two hours later we were back on the road, we lost 2.5 L of oil and could only buy dinosaur oil so we got the 20 - 50 grade motorcycle oil to fill up, oil change due in about 600 km so it will come out then.

Can’t believe how lucky we were to find the problem there as a few km down the road would have been a different story and probable engine damage ... life is interesting.

Arriving at Manititlan we looked for hotel, they were either dodgy as for 150 Pesos or too much for us at 700 Pesos, we decided to hit the road out of town to find somewhere.

The last point prior hitting the main exit road was a love motel, 200 Pesos for 4 hours .... we want the night, discussions were had and we said 300 Pesos for the night?, she disagreed with us and said no and wrote down 270 Pesos till 9.30 am ......she won!!

The place was great, no Wifi she said, we turned on the computer and bing straight onto the net ..... a bonus.

Being outa town a bit restricted us access to good fud so off to OXXO for hotdodgies and a tamale that was ... filling.

Another interesting day saw two tired kiwis hit the sack for good sleep.

[hondav2]

You were lucky you stopped just in time Bro with the oil leak , reminds me of when I stopped at Alaska Leather and the Elephant had blown out seal behind cam drive . I had no net for a week so took a bit of reading catching up , I always tried to avoid riding in the heavy rain , tomorrows always sunny and remember to have a holiday from the holiday . Im at Northern Samar Philippines stuck in tropical storm . I have some cool pics of local stretched bikes and police bikes so will so will post them when i get them posted on my smuggy . Ride safe Toddy and JB

[Airhead Wrangler]

Lucky catch with that oil leak. At the rate that thing was gushing you didn't have much longer to notice it. Looks like your SPOT died too. You guys have been in the same spot out in the middle of nowhere for a few days now.

[Two Moto Kiwis]

Originally Posted by hondav2

You were lucky you stopped just in time Bro with the oil leak , reminds me of when I stopped at Alaska Leather and the Elephant had blown out seal behind cam drive . I had no net for a week so took a bit of reading catching up , I always tried to avoid riding in the heavy rain , tomorrows always sunny and remember to have a holiday from the holiday . Im at Northern Samar Philippines stuck in tropical storm . I have some cool pics of local stretched bikes and police bikes so will so will post them when i get them posted on my smuggy . Ride safe Toddy and JB

Yeah lucky with the leak alright, we were being looked after for sure.

Re the rain, we were committed by the time it started hosing badly and the weather map showed it miles away, never mind that is the way it works sometimes, believe me I would not have put a key in the bike had I known what we were in for!!!

[Two Moto Kiwis]

Originally Posted by Airhead Wrangler

Lucky catch with that oil leak. At the rate that thing was gushing you didn't have much longer to notice it. Looks like your SPOT died too. You guys have been in the same spot out in the middle of nowhere for a few days now.

Hell yeah, few more miles and I am sure the RED light of death would have come on we woulda been in the middle of nowhere with probable damage too.

Just so lucky to discover it there.

RE Spot, yeap died, Spot are replacing it under warrantee, only bugga we will have hole in our map for South East Mexico

Not a biggy in the scheme of things.

[Two Moto Kiwis]

Spotless ... in two ways, what a beautiful city and now we don't know where we have been .... or at least I don't, Ellens memory is betterererer than mine

So ..... leaving the love shack we had a nice warm and dry day, milage to complete was 350 km, easy as.

We chose the Cuota road for this leg as the Libre is partly dirt and loaded with toppes through small town so would take two day for not much.

We paid in total 100 Pesos so about $8 dollars which was worth it to make the ground on mostly smooth road with NO toppes.

To be fair the view from out the window was pretty good too, once we got to Tuxtla we then got on to the Libre road which took us up to 3000 metres with a beautiful twisty road and views that were outstanding.

Only a few road pics today

Someone wrote KTM on the road but clearly can't spell KTM



Beautiful day and backdrop with mountain ranges



A large inland lake we passed



Arriving in San Cristobal was sunny, warm and inviting, within 10 minutes of arriving we found a nice hotel called Hotel San Luis with a courtyard for Maya to play in, the rooms nice, Wifi and QUIET ... something to treasure in Mexico.



We decided that was the place, soon as we unpacked we decided that was the place for two nights!

Walking into town once in civilian mode we went to a recommended coffee shop, up till now Durango had the best coffee, now it was this place buy a country mile.



So good was the coffee we didn’t bother going elsewhere for the duration of our stay, of interest the coffee is locally grown as well so we are supporting the local, a nice feeling to be honest.

Around and abut we walked through town taking in the sights and at one point at the top of stair near a church we just sat and observed.....really neat watching the Mexican world go by.

Cool old bike



We like our shadows as they are taller than us



Town in the evening



Like a boring old couple we went back to the Hotel San Luis with a bottle of wine, cheese and crackers (like Wallace and Grommitt) and caught up on our trip reports and purchasing stuff for Maya.

Also to our surprise we saw a traveller earlier in the day on a Yamaha Tenere, when we arrived back home there was the bike in the courtyard and its owner Eamon Molloy came back later on so we sat round chatting... till after midnight.

Morning arrived dishing up a beautiful day again. We set off to our favorite cafe this time bringing Eamon with us, again the coffee did not disappoint yet again reinforcing it being the best we had since leaving New Zealand.



On returning to the hotel we fixed the rear brake pads which were covered in oil from the burst pipe thus leaving us with NO back brake and hauling up on one single front disc wasn’t cutting it.

Took the pads out, took them out to the sandstone street and sanded the oils shit off, job done in two minutes.

I then helped Eamon fix his leaking carb with a quick needle and seat cleaning job and some new filters.

Maya stalking Aemons Tenere like a tiger in the bushes



After fixing Eamons bike Ellen and I went for a ride to a couple of local villages to look at them, it was a nice ride and on our return we returned for a Frappe Coffee treat at our new local.

Staircase to the top of the hill



Crusing back to the hotel was more writing and picture uploading before heading out for some Indian for tea which was very nice indeed.

All in all we absolutely loved San Cristobal, is was nothing like we thought and far better than our expectations to the point that both of us agreed it was the nicest place we have been in Mexico so far ..... did I mention it was quiet .... just golden!!!

Eamon had gone to the movies and on his return we decided to ride together to Pelenque etc ...... 10.31 pm, time for the old fella and felles to go to bed.

[Mike Ryder]

Good to see you two Gruvers groovin. I like the pic of stalking Maya. Maybe pick up some oil hose and clamps for the kit.

freezing in Peachland.

[Two Moto Kiwis]

Originally Posted by Mike Ryder

Good to see you two Gruvers groovin. I like the pic of stalking Maya. Maybe pick up some oil hose and clamps for the kit.

freezing in Peachland.

Heya Mike, yeap all happening again which is great, still snowing up your way?

Got everything we need now I hope for our kit.

[Two Moto Kiwis]

New report up next