What a great vacation and an excellent opportunity to spend time with my son. Not everything went as expected, we a had a couple day delay in Jalpan, but we saw 50% of the intended items my bucket list items, both places I've dreamed about (literally, at night, recurring) for a decade. #1: Las Posas. #2: A bullfight in Zacatecas. Here are some highlights.
Day 1 heading into Gleana:
With Nevlec
Already loving it!
Along Highway 57 headed on the altiplano south towards Tula. Funny story for another day!
Quiet little Tula at night.
Day 2: More clouds in the mountains.
Beautiful fields of sugar cane on the way to The Orange (El Naranga). Listo!
Along the river, after drinking and eating at a sublime large palapa restaurant with fresh squeezed...when in rome!
Pranks with the kids near Aquismon in a beautiful river valley.
One of the 5 misions. One of 2 I visited.
Why can't we be like trees when it comes to color? This is a lifetime embrace. Almost looks like hands holding on.
Day 3: 2 up to bucket list #1:
Las Posas. AMAZING!!!!!!!!
Sunset headed back to Jalpan.
Day 4: Rest and recovery! Halfway done!
Day 5: Repairs complete, and myself recovered from the Vinny's elixirs we peeled off from the rest of the official Rally and headed off West after noon Wednesday in search of Tricepilot and crew in San Miguel. Just take highway 120 to the fork in the road and head to Penamiller, says Bob.
I have to say that highway 120 from Jalpan is likely the best road I have ever ridden. For a guy like me who takes 2-3 trips and year to ride, and has done maybe 250,000 miles on two wheels over 33 years, that must mean its a darn good road. Smooth, sweeping, and dodging in and out of micro climates from lush waterfall terrain and the east into hot dry dusty mountains into the plain. Truly spectacular. Only got one pic when it got hot and dusty.
The small mission towns all are unique and the marketing...so cool.
Traffic into San Miguel was horrendous, but we found Bob and crew at the hotel easily after asking a traffic cop for directions and chatting about 10 minutes about bikes. Nice hotel, Las Monhas. Great staff. Super secure parking.
We had a wonderful dinner with friends at Tio Lopez and met, then hilariously danced at a club with, Kevin Hendrickson who is a few months into a RTW trip. San Miguel is beautiful. And very gringo-fied.
Me and mi amigo Trice. We need more of this, buddy!!
You can always tell by the clothes who came to Mexico single.
Headed upstairs with the crew
The rest of the night is a bit blurry for me.
Day 6: Sid gave me the play by play at La Gruta, a nice hot spring with pools and restaurants just a few miles north of San Miguel.
We all come to Mexico to have fun, seek adventure, feel like a big kid again. I think I found the fountain of youth in San Miguel's La Gruta cave spring.
Sid always finds a way to climb something.
A late afternoon short ride to Guanajuato to find a hotel and have dinner at the famous Luna capped our day. A shot of the nice theater, Teatro Juarez, in the town center, El Jardin.
Day 7,8,9: We walked, ate, and museumed our way around Guanajuato. Met up with friends of mine and my brothers from past vacations.
A bit of the view from the Pipila, hero of Guanajuato.
One of the few streets that aren't pedestrian / moto only in GTO.
This is a more common view, with one of thousands of fountains enduringly representing the wealth of the city through silver hundreds of years ago.
Most roads are tunnels. Here is street above, tunnel below.
A special VW event brought hundreds of cool cars to town and stacked the main walking street into the Jardin with 75+ years of VW history.
We walked and walked. Took in the indoor market.
Marveled at stonework and murals
Ate and strolled the city till the wee hours
And hung out with our friends. Sid, being single, chose his company wisely.
Day 10, with the threat of horrible storms and advice that Houston was under 10 feet of water, we bullet trained north to Galeana, only taking a break under a bridge for a passing storm / much needed nap. Got to Galeana around 9 PM after showers and 60 degrees. Ate a great meal at the General de Casona ( he was open late for a big wig private dinner, but let us sit in the corner since we didn't speak spanish). Checking in I was again given the 20 questions about why I wanted 1 room for two men. I'd produced they laughed at father and son. Checking out I noticed MexTrek representing! And all the staff said to say Hello to Richard and be sure he comes back in October!
Day 11: The last trek home. One last magical ride through the canyon to Linares
And checking out our TVIP at the Anzualdas Bridge Office.
Loading up in our little blue truck (Steve, thanks for getting it back to McAllen, it's yours to borrow again anytime), we registered 1646 miles in Mexico.
Thanks to everyone who scouted, planned, prepared, and attended to make this central Mexico dream a reality. Of course, without having the opportunity to attend a bullfight in Zacatecas, I will have to go back again to knock #2 off my bucket list.