Back in the intro to this report you showed us your DR-Z (?) shod with nobbies. Have most of your travels been on paved surfaces? Have you changed tires yet? Is finding the necessary sizes an issue where you have been? I'm thoroughly enjoying you photos and report.
damn bud, sounds like you r having too much fun. Enjoy your ride and keep the good photos coming. I know you are missing the beautiful CO snow about now. Be safe and let me know if you need anything from this end.
Thanks... glad you're enjoying the report. My bike is a DR650, not a DRZ. The tires currently on the bike are Dunlop 606's, and they are knobbies. At the time of purchase, I was planning a Baja trip. I've put about 3K on them and hope they'll make it home with about 7K on them... we'll see. Dual Sport tires would be better suited to the riding I'm doing. And that's what should be on my bike. Best of luck with your tire choice.
Hey Steve, Yes I'm having a great time. I am definitely not missing the snow, or the cold temps. Thanks for watching out for me... it's appreciated.
Natalia has lots of family in Mexico City, and some members are coming over today (Sunday) for lunch. It was a great opportunity for me to meet and to see them interact. Everyone is helping with meal preparations. Matt and Natalia's family will grow by 1 in April. I didn't need to understand what was said (no hablo español) to know that there was a ton of laughter, conversation, and love shared between them... and it lasted for hours. The kids attend private schools, where half of their classes are in Spanish and the other half in English. We talked... and they even gave me some Spanish lessons.
I was up early and on the road. My ride across the city in Monday morning commuter traffic had me a little nervous. But it went much better than expected. About 100 miles north of Oaxaca, I stopped to take a few landscape pics. Bienvenidos a Oaxaca, The Hostel Don Nino, my spot for the night. Oaxaca is a magnificent colonial city. I took a walk after dinner to check it out. The food vendor in the park across from my Hostel is catching some late action.
Jim, Was awesome to catch up in DF. While the Sunday lunch was a bit unexpected, I'm glad I had another gringo to share the experience that is a family lunch in Mexico. Can't wait to see where your trip goes. Stay safe bro! All the best, - M
While I was packing my bike in the Lobby this morning, I had another one of those small world experiences. Uti, Matt's brother-in-law walked in from the dinning area. Last winter, Matt, Uti, and I rode together from el D.F. to Oaxaca and on to Puerto Angel, down on the Golfo de Tehuantepec. To be surprised by an old friend... what a great way to start the day! About an hour or so out of Oaxaca, I began to climb up into the mountains. The road was motorcycle heaven... and the views weren't too bad either. Continuing eastward on 190 toward San Cristóbal de las Casas, I crossed the narrowest section of Mexico, the Istmo de Tehuantepec. The expansive wind farms confirm that the wind blows here... it was blowing, but not too bad. I soon came upon traffic completely stopped. So I did what all moto riders do in Mexico, I went to the front of the line. What I found was unexpected, a large group of people were sitting in chairs and blocking all vehicles from passing. I mimed my request to go around... and they let me pass. The moto Gods have smiled again! The protest was a momentary flashback to the 60's... minus the tie-dye and reefer. I rode on! It was a huge traffic mess. So after a no-so-demanding day, I took to the hammock. Life is good!
Hi Jim, Cool RR as usual! Great to see you on the road again, Looks like your on about the same route I took last winter, I did a short jaunt down to Cabo and back on the Sherpa a few months back, but no mainland riding this time. I see Matt, (Hi Matt!) got a 660 Tenere, another bonus of living in Mexico, wish we could get them here in the US. Glad to hear you got the camera fixed, You take some really amazing pics. Stay safe. Dan
Nor I, but nothing a rattle can of paint can't fix. Riding with a Washington state plate down thru Mex and CA is even worse.
The climb in elevation brought welcomed cool mountain air as I approached San Cristóbal. I stayed at the Blue Bamboo Guesthouse, run by Steve and Sophia with their two adopted street dogs. I soon took to the streets exploring. After dinner I headed back out into the streets.
I left my guesthouse later then planned, after talking with Sophie, who is a linguist, about learning the Spanish language. She shared a lot of helpful insights. I wasn't far from San Cristóbal, riding slowly through a small village, when I felt something hit the inside of my lower leg. It was one of those moments I could have easily dismissed and continued on, but I made a U-turn and carefully scanned the road surface. There in the middle of the street was my wallet. I carry it in a zippered thigh pocket in my riding pants... and apparently didn't zip up the pocket. What a mess I would have been in, had I left my wallet in the street! I counted my blessings for miles! Leaving San Cristóbal, the road south begins in the pine covered highlands and then descends to a warmer elevation. As I came closer to the Guatemalan border we began to climb into beautiful mountainous country. Then, just before I reached the border, the road tightened and was lined on both sides with vendors. My pic doesn't show how it was teaming with foot traffic, vehicles of all kinds, and shoppers... a real crowd scene! In hindsight, my border crossing went rather easily, but because this was a first for me, it was sensory overload. I was first told that I needed to return to the Mexico side (4 Km down the road) to get a departure stamp on my passport. When I returned, and was having my paperwork processed, the immigration officer pointed out to me that my Certificate of Ownership shows my license plate ending with a 9 and the plate on my bike ending with an 8. I walked a few feet toward my bike with my Title in hand, looked at the Title and then at my plate, shrugged my shoulders, and returned my papers to the officer. Believe me, I deserved an Academy Award for my act... inside, I was panicking... would they refuse to let me in? Disaster averted, they completed my paperwork! The moto Gods smile again! Now, in full disclosure, I must explain the plate number issue. I have two bikes that I registered in Cali at the same time... and the plate numbers are in sequence. And yes, I inadvertently switched the plates... dumb shit! Oh yeah... I'm in Guatemala! The road to Huehuetanago cut through the mountains... most of it felt like riding through a canyon with little elevation change... a fabulous road to ride! When I arrived in Huehuetanago, I realized that I've returned to a former world of navigation... I have no GPS mapping for Guatemala!
Great stuff, Jim. Keep it coming. I had one of those little number issues here in Fort Collins. My VIN number was transposed on a registration doc, but thankfully it all happened at home. --Doug M