Moto Photo Mexico - Two Weeks of Amazing Adventure!!!

After a wonderful evening with my new-found friends in Monterrey, they all insisted on meeting up with me and buying me breakfast the following morning. What a FANTASTIC welcome to Mexico! Then it was off to the cloud-forest nature-lover’s paradise of Gomez Farias. But half-way there, just after crossing the Tropic of Cancer, a biker gang flagged me down! Not sure what I was getting into, I raised my helmet and gave them my biggest smile and friendliest “Hola amigos”!!! Luckily, the reason for stopping me (apart from their curiosity about this gringo riding solo across the remote mountain) was because one of them had a flat tire and no way to inflate it. I used my air compressor to get him back up and running in no time…after tons of “selfies” and handshakes all around of course.

While relaxing at Hostal Casa de Piedra, my mountain-side hotel in Gomez Farias near the Reserva de la Biosfera El Cielo, I made friends with a local group of birdwatchers. One of the kind ladies spoke excellent English and invited me to join them on their expedition down the river the following morning. They were searching for the elusive Potoo, a strange looking bird with a big eyes and a wide mouth that looks like a dead stump as it perches motionless in a tree. We not only saw the Potoo, but tons of other great wildlife as well. Sadly I had to bid them farewell and get on the road to Xilitla if I was going to make it before dark.

After a soggy ride into Xilitla, I met up with my friend James “Wobbly Cat”, who also rides a Honda CB500X! We’re staying at an AirB&B called Casa Colibrí Xilitla, which means “home of the hummingbirds”. Apparently they are quite plentiful around here during the right seasons. Deciding to take a day to explore the area, we toured downtown Xilitla before heading over to see the famous Las Pozas Jardín Escultórico de Edward James. Las Pozas is a surrealistic group of structures created by Edward James in this subtropical rainforest region high the mountains of Mexico. It includes more than 80 acres of natural waterfalls and pools interlaced with towering surrealist sculptures in concrete. James was a British poet and passionate supporter of surrealist art movement, as you can tell by his creations!

Chris your photos are incredible. Xilitla through my point and shoot leave a lot to be desired. Thanks for posting

Did you meet another rider also on a CB500X? Just watched the last vid Ive been to Las Pozas twice and loved the memories.

Thank you kindly, Cal! I'm sure your photos are great. And YES!!! I had connected with @wobblycat during my planning stages for the trip. We had agreed to meet in Xilitla since we were heading there around the same time. He's on Instagram if you want to look him up. We had a BLAST riding and exploring together for a couple days before going our separate ways. He was headed south and I was headed west.

After leaving Jardín Escultórico de Edward James, Wobbly Cat and I found ourselves on a beautiful twisty mountain road as we made our way to the incredible El Sotano de las Golondrinas. Tucked away deep in the rainforest, this “Cave of Swallows” is the largest cave shaft or “pit-cave” in the world! The mouth of the cave is 49 by 62 meters wide. But it swells to a massive room approximately 303 by 135 meters (994 by 442 feet) wide at the bottom! The floor of the cave is a staggering 370-meter (1,214 feet) drop from the top. No wonder it’s a popular place for adrenaline junkies to base-jump off of!!! But the coolest attraction to this wonder of nature is that early every morning a huge flock of swifts spirals out of the depths where they nest, in search of food. And every evening, they return in mass. As they cross the openings edge, the birds pull in their wings and free-fall, extending their wings and pulling out of the dive when they reach the heights of their nests. Just wait until you get to the end of this video and hear them whizzing past us like thousands of tiny arrows!

Amazing

Good memories of El Cielo! I was there in 2008 visiting a family in Ciudad Victoria for 10 days and we did this as a weekend trip. We had 2 quads and rented a 4x4 and driver and went up the mtn on a creek bed road to Ejido San Jose where we rented a cabin for 2 nights. The drive was insane and that driver of the 4x4 was excellent! I rode a quad with my wife on the back and there were parts where she had to walk or we would have flipped over. On the way home we also rented kayaks to float the river. Great trip
Thanks for the memory

That sounds like so much fun, Cal! Glad you enjoyed the trip down memory lane.

After a relaxing morning strolling around Xilitla, Wobbly Cat and I part ways. He’s heading further south. I’m heading up and over the lofty Sierra Madre Oriental mountains towards Tecozautla. To get there, I decided to take the famed MEX 120 highway. Described to me as “4 Hours of Tail of the Dragon”, this twisting, winding mountain road with breathtaking views and lush green vegetation did not disappoint! Along the way I stop to visit Zona Archeologica Ranas near San Joaquin, which was a really cool old historic ruins. Arriving at my destination, Joel, who I met on Bunk-a-Biker Mexico, is waiting for me. He and his family welcome me into their home and treat me like I’m a long-lost brother!

Brings back some good memories. I rode 120 back in 2008. I remember it so well. What a great ride! We came back on 85 going east into Tamazunchale. An equally good road. I kind of felt like I was in Cambodia entering Tamazunchale.

Following along. Have fun!

That's awesome, KDowell!!! Glad you had a great trip. And glad you're enjoying the ride down memory lane! If you could do me a huge favor and Subscribe to my YouTube channel, I sure would appreciate it: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFwleuZpTORGW6ZeX_GVkg?sub_confirmation=1. More pics and videos coming soon...

Off the beaten path, Tecozautla turned out to be pretty cool! Joel and his family were AMAZING hosts and wonderful ambassadors for their beautiful country. After getting packed, Joel hopped on his KLR 650 and rode with me half-way to my next destination. Along the way we stopped to check out El Geiser Hidalgo, which is an impressive hot springs formed around a natural volcano vent. SME is a colonial-era city in Mexico’s central highlands that is well known for its baroque Spanish architecture, thriving arts scene and cultural festivals. In the city’s historic, cobblestoned center lies the neo-Gothic church Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, whose dramatic pink towers rise above the main plaza, El Jardín. My Bunk-a-Biker host, Capi, meets me in front of this beautiful church, gives me a walking tour of the town center, and welcomes me into his home for the night.

Before leaving San Miguel de Allende, I shoot a few photos for Capi and his family. After which, he takes me on a nice walking tour of the old historic district. Then it’s back on the road as I have a new friend waiting to host me in Zacatecas. Maria and I met on Bunk-a-Biker Mexico early on in my trip. She has been super helpful…and in fact was the one who put me in touch with Capi! It’s a pretty day. But the drive is unexceptional…except for the awesome isolated lunch stop in the middle of nowhere! Maria and her puppy are kind and gracious hosts, as we stroll around their quaint little town on the outskirts of Zacatecas. It felt so nice to help stretch my legs and grab some delicious authentic Mexican cuisine for dinner.

Another great vid!
Chris I have never been to San Miguel, one day as its on my list. As for having to stop for a day and rest , that is now how I travel in Mexico. I usually stop and stay in towns for a few days but i travel with no itinerary for a minimum of 6 weeks. If you are retired or close to it traveling with no set time table is very freeing. Thanks for the effort you put into these updates

Thanks for the kind comments and great advice, Cal! Sadly I'm still a "working stiff". But each year I do my best to carve out some quality time to get out and explore this amazing world we live in! You're a lucky man to have a little more time at your disposal. Glad to hear you use it wisely! When I do finally grow up...er...I mean retire, I hope to be just like you. HA!!!

Best impersonation of a stump I ever saw! Thanks for sharing!

Last year at this time I was exploring Zacatecas, Mexico! With my wonderful Bunk-a-Biker Mexico host, Maria, as my guide, I took a “rest day” from the bike. It was so much fun to explore this beautiful city from a “local” point of view!

Zacatecas made a name for itself as a 16th-century silver mining hub. The prosperity from that silver is reflected in the city’s ornate churches and colonial buildings, from the old historic Catedral de Zacatecas with it’s intricate detail work, to the modern Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de Fátima with its orange-pink stone and ornamental wrought iron. Wandering the streets and photographing the colorful scenes around every corner was a real highlight of the trip!



If you've traveled to Mexico, what were YOUR highlights?!? I hope to go back next year and would love your suggestions...