Is Mexico Safe?

[tricepilot]

Bob C. broke traction on the rear wheel of his GS on sand and loose stuff in a curve. He wasnt going that fast at all. I and Schizzman were right behind him. He shook it all off, picked up his bike and rode on. He is an Ironman.

To watch is all happen and now remember it is like thinking about it in slow motion. How that big GS can flip and land like that, and then have virtually no damage is amazing.

Bob feels fine, rode long and hard after his biff, and we are all enjoying a day off the bikes here in lovely Pto Escondido

[tricepilot]

Originally Posted by McFoil

Trice-sorry to hear about the crashiones. Is 175 the better than 131? We've been told 131 is rough and avoid it like bird flu.

Jimmex was leading at that junction and picked 175. I think he would say the same thing about 131.

Know that 175 is not in the greatest of shape and there are many spots of potholes and loose stuff.

You can still move along at a pretty good clip, but dont get surprised going fast in a corner and find your tires skipping over some rumbles.

[tricepilot]

Originally Posted by Bato

Glad he is ok and having fun...So how many miles have you guys be riding per day? mas o

San Antonio via Piedras Negras to Saltillo

Saltillo to San Miguel de Allende

San Miguel to Oaxaca

Oaxaca to Pto Escondido

[SchizzMan]

Originally Posted by tricepilot

Jimmex was leading at that junction and picked 175. I think he would say the same thing about 131.

Know that 175 is not in the greatest of shape and there are many spots of potholes and loose stuff.

You can still move along at a pretty good clip, but dont get surprised going fast in a corner and find your tires skipping over some rumbles.

Several turns were so rough I scraped both left and right pegs at the same time.

[Bato]

Originally Posted by PirateJohn

Not sure. Maybe we should send bandages

Maybe just some more pryers (on the way)

Originally Posted by tricepilot

San Antonio via Piedras Negras to Saltillo

Saltillo to San Miguel de Allende

San Miguel to Oaxaca

Oaxaca to Pto Escondido

[Bato]

Originally Posted by SchizzMan

Several turns were so rough I scraped both left and right pegs at the same time.

You are kidding me ...

[PirateJohn]

Originally Posted by SchizzMan

Several turns were so rough I scraped both left and right pegs at the same time.

Sounds like you are carrying too much luggage and need to lose some weight. Especially if things are dragging on a straight road.

[WhiskeySmith]

Originally Posted by tricepilot

Bob C. broke traction on the rear wheel of his GS on sand and loose stuff in a curve. He wasnt going that fast at all. I and Schizzman were right behind him. He shook it all off, picked up his bike and rode on. He is an Ironman.

To watch is all happen and now remember it is like thinking about it in slow motion. How that big GS can flip and land like that, and then have virtually no damage is amazing.

Bob feels fine, rode long and hard after his biff, and we are all enjoying a day off the bikes here in lovely Pto Escondido

Glad to hear that Bob and bike are okay. Did the cerveza in the cooler survive?

[AK Smitty]

I just finished my two week ride in Baja. Bike is stored and Cabo and I head back to it on Feb 8. I was originally planning to ride to Panama but now realize that there is so much to see in Mexico that I may just ride Mex for my entire month off.

I have no real plan yet except to sail on Feb 10th and then head east from Mazatlan to the moutains. PM or me reply back if you are interested in a ride in Feb!! I would do more planning but I left all my notes in storage with my bike in Cabo. Idiot!! Oh well the best plan can be no plan at all!!

Mexico is dangerous from what I saw another ADV rider I met alomost choked on the lime in his beer!!!

[tricepilot]

Originally Posted by WhiskeySmith

Did the cerveza in the cooler survive?

First thing he checked

[Aanarchy]

Originally Posted by tricepilot

We are here in Pto Escondido for tomorrow, a full day of off bike rest.

I missed a stop somewhere. Did you stop between San Miguel de Allende & Puerto Escondido?

Yer killin' me with the real time reports.

EDIT: Oops - missed the post about Oaxaca. One of my favorite places. I would have stayed there a couple of days.

[tricepilot]

Originally Posted by Aanarchy

Yer killin' me with the real time reports.

Clutching out at 7 am for San Cristobal. Friday into Guatemala.

[Old-n-slo]

Got the carb back together and stuffed into the KLR. Fired up and ran(finally). A short ride at 20 degrees suggests I am about ready for departure. A few things to tie up around here and I'm off! Probably SundAy at this point. Heading southwest from Michigan, crossng at Prisidio, TX and on to Chihuahua for my irst Mexican night. Then Creel and the Copper Canyon and then...wherever. Look for the beat KLR.
Via con Dios!
JohnD

[Sjoerd Bakker]

Glad to hear the tumble was not serious. Keep the rubber side DOWN
Actually I am surprised that you guys are still on the Pacific Coast ,. I thought that you were going to sort of beeline it down to Tikal .Apparently you got the extra week to play with ?. I was sort of expecting to see your group zoom by us today. Actually I have not seen a single solitary motorcycle tourist at all so far this entire run through Mexico.Pitiful!
We just spent a night in Pto Escondido this weekend . Temps sure beat what we had up in Coahuila a couple of weeks ago . Now spending a night in Coatzacoalcos... sorry Trice , I dont think Salma is visiting her hometown today

[Sjoerd Bakker]

Originally Posted by BMW Kurt

Mike,


4. Continue on the MX 57 Libre to Matehuala.
5. In Matehuala take MX 61 to Doctor Arroyo.
6. In Doctor Arroyo take 88 towards Tula.
7. In Tula take 101 south. At the “T” turn towards Ciudad del Maiz.
8. Continue to Antiguo Morales.
9. In Antiguo Morales take MX 85 to Cd. Valles.
10. In Cd. Valles take MX 70 towards Tamuin to Ebano.
11. After Ebano take MX 105 through Panuco to Tempoal de Sanchez.
12. In Tempoal de Sanchez take MX 127 to El Alazan.
13. Take MX 130 towards Alamo and Tihuatlan.
14. Take MX 180 towards Vera Cruz. Stay on MX 180 all the way to Jaltiplan and La Venta.
15. In La Venta take the rural road towards Sanchez Magallanes.
Gracias!

Kurt, nothing wrong with any of the route you mention ,but just thought I d give you a heads up on Number 5
a couple of weeks ago on this trip I actually was going to take the road south out of DR Arroyo but decided against it after asking several Taxistas in Dr Arroyo about it. They all said that the pavement ends in Mier y Noriega some 40km south and that it is pretty tough , brecha , any farther. . I know my QUIMERA and old >PEMEX maps do show a line connecting south to some farther villages in the mountains but I have no idea what quality or ride time would be involved. Also don t know how much you like tough dirt roads , so you may want to investigate and certainly figure in enough daylight.
Instead of staying on 57 to Matehuala you could turn east at San Robertyo junction on to Mex 58 towardGaleana but then turn south on NL 61 all the way to Dr Arroyo. This is a very nice scenic high country route and you can take a side trip to Arramberi and the waterfalls park at Zaragoza (hotels at both)
Then at Dr A got o Matehuala and maybe visit Real de 14 Then south on 57 again to the Huizache junction and east on Mex 80.

At Cd del Maiz you can turn south on paved stateroad to Rayon and south to Pinihuan and join up with the road south to Jalpan in the Sierra Gorda. and Mex 120 junction.
If you insist on going east from Cd del Maiz you can turn south at Naranjos, another excellent scenic road . lot less traffic than Mex 85 and that will deposit you on Mex 70 eas to Cd Valles

Number 15 I cannot help with very much except to say that I chickened out on that one a few years ago. I started out from El Paraiso at the east end and discovered that the road, as they called it, turned into loose beach sand with palm fronds in the tire tracks.Not my idea of fun to drag a bike around sand in 35C temps. Also I think the west end of the barrier islands involve one or two ferrry crossings.