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Hail Yes - MexTrek 2010

Joined
Jan 1, 2005
Messages
4,465
Reaction score
1,222
Location
Buda, TX
First Name
Rich
Last Name
Gibbens
What's the story line for MexTrek 2010?

With all the news reports about the drug wars you might predict it would border shenanigans and shootouts. But, you would be wrong. We encountered none of that stuff.

Instead, Mother Nature blessed us with a daily dose of adventure weather! Specifically, weather in the form of rain (lots of it each afternoon)...
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...and hail so thick the ground looked like it was covered in snow.
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The astonishingly beautiful scenery...
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world-class adventure roads...
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...and strong camaraderie were more than a match for the formidable weather.
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So, ride along with us as we share our stories and pictures from MexTrek 2010. And when it's all done you'll say "hail yes" too.
 
Had an excellent time!! Thanks Richard!! :clap:

I will add some pics and stories later. For now, here is a link to my photobucket album if you want to look for pics of yourself and download them.

http://s142.photobucket.com/albums/r82/tjrockit/2010_MexTrek/

Here are a few quick ones.

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Richard asking directions from a local. :lol2:

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Fork in the road that forked into 3 possible routes. Consult the maps and gps.

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Gold Standard Route....

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Someone Greased the Road ??
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Last edited:
I've been wanting to ride in the interior of Mexico for years.

So it is with a great deal of thanks to guys like Richard and Milton for not only blazing the trail but to share all their knowledge with the rest of us.

With their help and guidance to trip was a breeze. If fact Richard rode from Galeana to McAllen on Wednesday just to lead a group to Galeana on Thursday.

I hope to pass on the knowledge gained to assist other riders in the future.

My next purchase is a good GPS, I've always relied on maps alone but in Mexico I need the extra help.

Ready to leave Castroville Wednesday morning
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Across the border on Thursday morning
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Stop at the falls on the road west of Villa de Santiago
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West of Villa de Santiago, Nuevo León, Parque Nacional Cumbres de Monterrey
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It's just so beautiful...
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San Isidro Canyon
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San Isidro Canyon
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West turn off on the road between San Juan Bautista and Laguna de Sanchez, it goes to Los Lirios, the road of Hail
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Plaza de Galeana, note Milton's bike is already at the hotel and it's still daylight.
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Staging for the Gold Standard
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Trail down into the canyon, Puente de Dios, north of Galeana on the road to Rayones
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Puente de Dios, north of Galeana on the road to Rayones http://puentededios.wordpress.com/
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Amazing and effective roadside repairs in Rayones, front brake line on the DRZ and bag mounts on the TransAlp
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Those welding goggles aren't OHSA approved
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Casillas
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Casillas
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Our leader heading up to Mesa de Oso, The Gold Standard
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Coming down from Mesa de Oso, The Gold Standard
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Just above Laguna de Sanchez, Bill cleaning off some mud.
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"Let's go!"
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West of Villa de Santiago, Nuevo León, Parque Nacional Cumbres de Monterrey again, heading east this time
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Turn off of the paved road south of Iturbide to start El Almar, Agua Blanca, Around the Mountain, Buena Vista, etc
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El Alamar route, above Cuevas
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El Alamar route, above Cuevas 2
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El Alamar route continued
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El Alamar route continued
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El Alamar route continued
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Fortunately no one pulled the rope
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El Alamar route continued
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El Alamar route continued
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El Alamar route continued
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El Alamar route continued
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El Alamar route continued
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El Alamar route continued
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El Alamar route continued
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El Alamar route continued
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El Alamar route continued
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El Alamar route continued
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Nearing the end of dirt on the El Alamar route, Pablillo, inside out
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Nearing the end of dirt on the El Alamar route, Pablillo, Bill and Ed outside
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Brunch in Linares
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Hwy 40 headed for Reynosa
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Friendly Ronnie on the HP2
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Anzalduas crossing, waiting to turn in our vehicle permits
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Adios Mexico
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The last couple of miles home, TX 173 Medina county
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Teaser shots

Made it from Galeana back to Austin in 10hrs. Once again the Pharr crossing rocked, pulled up with only two cars ahead of us. Took about 5 minutes to cross! A local told me that all of the traffic was over at that new fancy bridge :mrgreen:

I'll wait on the official thread to post more picts but here's a few teasers.


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Jarrett couldn't help but wonder if there was a reason that this dolls arms were ripped off. Was it some type of twisted warning??




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Pink turned a few of us on to the best tacos in town. This place rocked!





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Don't ask Izz what put that small dent in his gas tank.. He claims it's a rather large dent!

Moved from the other thread.
 
For those that don't know, (like me) what's the story behind the pulling of the rope in front of the cave entrance?

.
 
For those that don't know, (like me) what's the story behind the pulling of the rope in front of the cave entrance?

.

Not sure what the rope was for. Booby trap?

We could see a wall of hay 20 to 30 feet back from the entrance.
Was the cave just used to store hay? Or was the hay covering up something else?

Probably just to keep hay dry. But when Bill and Ed pulled away I didn't straggle and I checked my mirrors...

I saw several other caves just past that one. One was 20 or so feet above the road with a handmade ladder up to it.

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The Buena Vista route, only completely navigated by MexTrekers for the first time last year, is fast becoming a favorite. On Thursday, Tom, Jimmy and John T. and I ran the Buena Vista Route.

EDIT: Hummm... Seems the book calls the route we took the "Around the Mountain" route. To me it's the Buena Vista Route, but what do I know. So just to be accurate, the route described here is called Around the Mountain in the book.
The book is a work in progress, however.
What is the Buena Vista route in the book bails off the mountain at Buena Vista and descends to Purisima. Maybe we should change its name to Buena Vista, the Short Version.

Tom and Jimmy just south of Inturbide on the Buena Vista route
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Tom's very first visit to Mexico. This is what its all about.
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John T., a seasoned MexTrek veteran. At the community of Cuevas.
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Community between Camarones and Santa Inez
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Down near San Francisco and Santa Inez
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Jimmy's KTM 990 Adventurer in Santa Inez
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Santa Inez
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Storm clouds up ahead. Santa Inez, Buena Vista Route.
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North of Snta Inez
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TJ rockets by
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Finally, Buena Vista. Tom laughed when I called this place a "town".
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By now its raining. The boys didn't want to hang in the sawmill "town" of Buena Vista, out of concern with the weather. So we pushed on. Weather is always a concern in these remote areas as the roads can turn to slippery slop all too quickly. That being said, Buena Vista is a nice place to get stranded. Mexican eco-tourists come up here to camp.

At the Purisima cut-off, 0.2 miles outside Buena Vista. Go down here to reach Purisima, up to continue around the mountain and reach Agua Blanca.
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Rain makes the rocks and clay slick. Jimmy struggles with the KTM 990 but makes it up the inclines every time, eventually.
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Our crew, Jimmy, John and Tom, take 5 on the Buena Vista Route.
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Two groups meeting on the trail, going opposite directions. Always a time for a celebration of sorts.
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GPS guru John T.
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Izzy, Scott, and Jimmy
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Finally, Agua Blanca
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Agua Blanca.
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This is the hard-to-spot entrance to the arroyo below Agua Blanca that is the shortcut to the Milpillas route. Scott and Jared searched for this in all the wrong places.
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San Juanito de Solis
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These things were in bloom
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Back to Galeana via the beautiful Hwy 2. Back before dark. Good time had by all.

Scott, Jared, and Izzy finished the same route going the opposite direction even though they didn't start until around 4pm.
 
You. Guys. Suck.

Wish I could have been there... Glad no one was hurt and it looks like everyone had a great time. No two ride reports show the same picture and no two trips to Mexico are the same!
W.I.W.I.M.
 
I'm glad you guys made it back ok and I'm sorry I did not make it down this time. Keep the stories and pictures coming. I have not suffered enough yet.:suicide:
 
Wow, pics looks awesome! Looks like the rain made it extra fun and challenging. I'm so bummed I wasn't able to make the trip. It's unbelievable this heaven lies just a days drive south of here.

Already planting the seed for Mextrek 2011!
 
Milton -

The riders looking at the sky out of Santa Inez and the big Katoom rider in the canyon are great!

J
 
Wow. Awesome pics and reports. Wish I could have been there. Can't wait to hear about this year's "unknown" or "road of death".:clap:
 
FREE DVD TO ANY ONE WHO MADE THE RIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Done with Vholder HD helmet cam.
It came out great. After watching it, now I know why I was scared.
No editing has been done you could mix some pictures and music with it which I am going to try to do.
Just send me your address and I should mail out by the first of next week.
Trying to post one small clip to Utube, will post if it works.
THANKS
Ronnie (Hp2 guy):rider:

ronniespinks@yahoo.com
 
Beautiful pics, and glad to see everyone enjoying Mexico, without all the problems down there lately. Very inspiring, keep the pics and reports coming!
 
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