Neeed Advise For Loop Of Mexico Ride

I put this in "Americas" first but I think it should have been put here:

I have traveled several thousand miles in Mexico on my KLR in the Creel/Batopilas/Mazatlan areas and am ready for a more through tour of the country. This trip will be two up with my wife in the Feb to Mar time frame on a R1100GS. We want to ride on pavement, but not the toll roads. We are much more interested in geographical site seeing as well as how ‘regular” Mexicans work and live out side of large cities. I have stopped at houses on the side of the road in Mexico that serve meals out of the same kitchen that feed their family, my wife will love this! We are not interested in staying in the tourist areas, even though riding through some of the “famous” places would be nice. I worked across the border at Piedras Negras, MX for five and a half years and spoke “work” Spanish about twenty years ago. I will be studying up a bit on the Spanish before we leave and hopefully my wife will learn some basics. She understood meetings and greetings when I worked in Mexico. We plan on traveling about 30 days, but since we are retired, there is no tight time constraint. About 250 miles per day while in Mexico is the plan. Plenty of time for stopping and exploring. We would like to make the trip as economical as possible and do not plan on staying at expensive motels, I hope to average less than $30 per day on motels, I have paid as little as $7 in the past! We also plan on eating where the Mexicans eat which will be more economical, plus provide for a fuller experience. There might be places where we stay multiple days and do day trips?

Basically, we want to enter Mexico at Laredo, TX and head down to the Cancun area. Then cross over to the west coast of the main land and travel up to Mazatlan. Then we will ride across to Presidio, TX and head home to Mississippi. Detours are welcomed, especially for towns such as Alamos and mountain riding on paved roads! I loved Espinazo Del Diablo!!! I guess in summary, while we want to ride through some of the large “famous” places, we want to stay in and explore the more "common” places."
Please provide your advise along with suggestions for necessary maps. My GPSs will not accept a Mexico card, so it will be all paper, plus what I may have on a computer/Google Earth.

Thanks You!

Donnie & Sheryl



Places that we have put down as possible vistas include, as well as the order in the trip: Piedras Negras, Saltillo, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosi, Guanajunta, El Tajin, Veracruz, HWY 175 Veracruz to Oaxaca, Cancun, Palenque, San Cristobal de la Casas, Tuxtla, Puerto Escondido, Alcupulco, MX200, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Espinoza del Diablo, Durango, Hidalgo del Parral, and Ojinaga.

There are many 'ruins" in this loop, what are the best two.

Please add other points of interest in keeping with the general direction of the "loop" and suggestions for actual roads to use will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Again!

Donnie & Sheryl

Hey Donnie, i am doing a similar trip and time frame as what you are doing. I am heading down to Antigua and Tikal Guatemala to meet some friends riding north from Ushiaha,Argentina. They are currently in ICA ,Peru. I am having tough time deciding which route to take also. Have you tried www.bingmaps.com , very interactive map site and should let you print some good colourful maps with routing directions.

I want to see some volcanoe action near Antigua and Myan ruins in Tikal. I think the most famous ruins in the Cancun area would be Chitzen Itza in the Yucatan. We are planning that on the way back up.

Check out the thread of Top Ten Roads in Mexico

Good luck, i will let ya know what i find.

Scott and Joanne

Hi!

I hope y'all have a great trip! I have looked at bing maps as well as Google map and have some paper maps ordered. I thought the Top Ten Road Thread was dirt roads and we are not planning any dirt on this trip. Thanks!

Donnie

Palenque Ruins were incredible. I liked more than Tikal and Chichenitza but those are good as well, just Palenque was my fav. San Cristobal, Guanajuato two must see's on your plans. Enjoy.

IMHO-Don't do too much planning.

I Agree!

I know the general loop we plan on taking and have accumulated some places we want to visit or pass through. I want any recommendations that y'all may have to add to the list. Actual route plans will be made on a day to day basis with the nights stopping point being where ever we are at when the day ends! When traveling in the states, we normally have a stopping time in mind and start keeping our eyes open for a spot about an hour before than time.

Thanks!

Donnie

We have made further plans. We will enter Mexico Feb 16 and return ???, but around one month. Places labeled "pass through" are areas we will go through on the way to the next destination. "Site seeing" and "seeing the ruins" are places to spend a day or more. "Quick over view" is the "famous" areas that we want to see a bit of, but not spend a lot of time.

We will greatly appreciate any suggestions you have! Don't worry about us having enough time. We are retired, there will always be the next trip. We have traveled extensively in the US and Canada and see Latin America as our next frontier.

Piedras Negras - enter Mexico
Saltillo - pass through
Zacatecas - site seeing
San Luis Potosi - site seeing
Guanajunto - site seeing
El Tajin - site seeing the ruins
Veracruz - quick over view
HWY 175 Veracruz to Oaxaca - enjoy the road
Oaxaca - site seeing/Mole
Chichen Itza - site seeing ruins
Cancun - quick over view
Palenque - site seeing the ruins
San Cristobal de la Casas - site seeing - Agua Azul
Tuxtla - site seeing
Puerto Escondido - pass through
Alcupulco - quick over view, how do I find the Cliff Divers?
MX200 - enjoy the road
Puerto Vallarta - quick over view
Mazatlan - site seeing
Espinoza del Diablo - enjoy the road
Durango - pass through
Gomez Palacio - pass through
Piedras Negras - return to the USA

Thanks Again!

Donnie & Sheryl

maybe Xilitla is too far off your route, not sure if you are aware of it as a unique place to stop.

I have read a bit about the area. We plan on sticking to pavement on this trip. Are the roads to and around this area paved? Thanks!

Donnie

How do I find the Cliff Divers?
Stay at The Jungla Hotel in Old Acupulco 250 pesos and then you can walk to the cliff divers. The zocalo is also about a 15 minute walk.
Don't be tempted to stay at Hotel Angosta because it is very loud all night long, being right on the hill to the divers!

A nice route with not much backtracking would be from El Tajin, thru Vercruz on paso del toros on the by pass, to Catemaco/Monte Pio on the gulf road,Campeche, Merida, and on to Cancun/Tulum (if you must). Then south to Vallalodid/Chichen Itza, on to the Caribe at Mahahual, at Chetumal, cross into Belize for a day, and enter Guatemala a couple hours from Tikal (must see). At this point either see lots more of Guate by going to the western highlands: Antiqua, Lake Atitlan, Coban, Huehue, or take the new crossing at El Ceiba/El Naranjo west of Flores to Palenque, south to San Cristobal, west to Chiapa de Corzo, Tuxla, then Oaxaca, Puerto Angel, and the rest as noted. There are so many cool places to visit it's really hard to decide.

For years I've been doing different routes, but have settled on certain ones, mostlly to meet my 200-250 miles a day criteria, to see a cross section of the regions, and expand my horizons. If your not on a tight schedule, it's great to let the trip flow from one spot to another. I ask people about what there is to see in their areas and over the years have gotten some great tips on sites, road conditions, accomodations, etc., and have made some great friends.

Have a great trip, however you go, Feliz Viaje, Saludos Eduardo

Thanks!

Donnie

Thanks!

I have read of folks taking "quick" trips into Belize and Guatemala. Do you have to do the whole tourist visa - check in - check out along with importation of the motorcycle each time you enter one of these countries for a short visit? Or is there a "zone" for which this is not required?

Donnie

Another update!

We will greatly appreciate any suggestions you have! Don't worry about us having enough time. We are retired, there will always be the next trip. We have traveled extensively in the US and Canada and see Latin America as our next frontier.

Piedras Negras - enter Mexico
Saltillo - pass through
Zacatecas - site seeing
San Luis Potosi - site seeing
Guanajunto - site seeing
El Tajin - site seeing the ruins
Veracruz - quick over view
HWY 175 Veracruz to Oaxaca - enjoy the road
Oaxaca - site seeing/Mole
Tehuatepec
Agua Dulce
Ciudad del Carmen
Campeche
Merida
Chichen Itza - site seeing ruins
Cancun - quick over view
Palenque - site seeing the ruins
San Cristobal de la Casas - site seeing - Agua Azul
Tuxtla - site seeing
Puerto Escondido - pass through
Alcupulco - quick over view,
MX200 - enjoy the road
Puerto Vallarta - quick over view
Mazatlan - site seeing
Espinoza del Diablo - enjoy the road
Durango - pass through
Gomez Palacio - pass through
Piedras Negras - return to the USA

Thanks Again!

Donnie & Sheryl[/quote]

If you are at Palenque then I recommend also visiting Bonampak and staying Eco-lodge/village run by the Lacondon Indians - very nice place and in the jungle. Also in the area is Yaxchilian, much more remote Mayan ruins which is on the Mexico-Guetemala border. You can park your bike at the river and take a small long boat upriver to see the ruins - amazing! Monkeys in the trees, cayman on the river...pass the sacred Cedar tree as you go up...really worth it.

I did the loop of Mexico in 2001 on a 1974 Honda CB750 - took a month. Entered at Tijuana went down to La Paz...ferry ride to Mazatlan, Devils Highway to Durango...down the Central Highlands to Patzquaro...headed to the Pacific Coast...back up to Oaxaca...down to Aculpulco...San Cristobal de la Casa...Tulum/Chicken Itza...Veracruz...exit at Texas.

Have fun!
Andy

Thanks!


Donnie

You can pass through Belize without a bike permit, you just have to buy insurance, for about $12. I've never slept in Belize, and have crossed through 26 times. It's only about 5 hours from Chetumal to the Guatemalan border at Menchor de Mencos, and another 2 1/2 to Tikal. I suggest staying in El Remate at the bottom of the hill from Tikal, it sits right on Lake Itza and is cheap, and nice.

Entering Guate requires a visa, and bike permit. If you don't want to tour more of Guatemala, you can go straight west of Flores/Tikal 3 1/2 hours and cross into Chiapas close to Palenque, via the El Ceiba crossing. You don't give up your Mexican bike permit crossing into any of these countries.

I copied maps and drew in a zillion route scenarios trying to get a logical loop, but due to unseen events, have changed it several times. Stay flexible.

Feliz Viaje

Entering Guate requires a visa, and bike permit. If you don't want to tour more of Guatemala, you can go straight west of Flores/Tikal 3 1/2 hours and cross into Chiapas close to Palenque, via the El Ceiba crossing.

Eduardo,

I've been searching my maps for the El Ceiba crossing and have drawn a blank. I've located "El Ceibal", but the maps that I have fail to show a road in that area. Can you direct me to a better or...? Thanks.

Thanks! I think Mexico is all we will do on this trip and probably the next one as well!

Donnie

Hola Steve, This link will help with directions:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=422517

Saludos