Thursday Oct 25th, PM: After lunch we continue West through the main street of town, into the PEMEX gas station where 40 starving motorcycles congregated for lunch.
Justin, the intrepid traveller who once rode a Cargo CG125 Honda through 25,000 miles of Latin America with his girlfriend, smiles at the idea he is now on a CB500X with 400 times the power and comfort of his old Mexico scooter...
After a quick fill up (quick?) we headed up Mex 85, a big 4 lane highway to Monterrey. In the 5 miles we rode we came across a double 18 wheeler, missing the second trailer. Big truck accidents in Mexico are real, more frequent, and often dangerous. A real reminder to keep our wits about new dangers on the ride.
A quick left turn on the Rayones Highway and we pass the biopark
http://bioparquemonterrey.mx/ and start winding our way up the broken and crumbling concrete road. Uturns become scenic vistas, landslides remind us of recent heavy rains (see JT and Gina's beautiful wet and muddy adventure from early October: Dos Semanas:
http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=115670 ).
The usual huge smiles, high fives, and many picture opportunities ebing taken advantage of make me extra happy, knowing there are adventurous kindred spirits in this big boring world. My ride group posing on Tres Rochas halfway to Rayones:
Glamour shot
A waterfall I've never noticed is flowing mad amounts of agua. So fresh and clean I want to drink it.
I have to admit I like to ride hard and fast on concrete. You know, the kind of riding that lands you in handcuffs back home. The kind that has you cursing double yellow lines, slow traffic, soccer moms, and speed limits. In Mexico, I find myself laughing at the various agents trying to slow us down: Burros, work crews, landslides, football sized rocks in the lane, blind corners, breathtaking overlooks, and just way too many amazing curves to take in all at once. Bliss. Heaven. Thanks Mexico!! We regroup at the river and hear of an over exuberant rider looping his bike pulling a wheelie on tarmac. Ouch! but thankfully, rider and bike are fine. He chose his steed wisely, a dirt oriented dual sport that takes a licking and keeps on ticking. More on this later!
At this late hour and having had a few miles of fun riding to differentiate skill levels we divide our 4 ride groups into 3. 1 to head to Galeana. 2 small groups to take the longer dirt route. Everything points to us all arriving in Galeana late afternoon. I take the large direct group with Everett leading and me running sweeps. I've been riding concrete with Garon, a new to street rider on a slower XT250, with some dirt offroad skills. The last 100 miles are probably a true test by fire for him. Riding in formation, staying close in the scarier border towns, navigating terrible roads. Now we hit gravel on the road to Galeana and he is doing great. We have a quick trailside repair of a downed bike that bent a handguard into a lever and it won't move. 10 seconds of tugging and all is right. Yep, a CRF250L is a great tool for Mexico.
We meet up at the amazing Punte de Dios, the Bridge of God, a large natural bridge with a river running below. So big that the road runs over it but no one on the road ever notices. I rode this route 3 or 4 times before visiting the bridge and was laughing out loud that I'd crossed it not knowing. In pics this thing looks like a tine little blip. In real life you could pass your 5000 square foot house through it.
Without any more drama we arrived in Galeana about 4 or 5 PM, plenty of light left, all riders in my group accounted for. Did the usual check in and town square stroll. Steve and Everett's longer ride groups made their way in right around sunset as did JT's mountain group. 100% finish rate with no major mechanicals. What a great day.
Church in Galeana
A huge number and variety of bikes this trip...
Had a number of beers at "Upstairs at Andre's" simple bar. Andre is a regular on TWTEX and a Mextrek survivor on his big Triumph 1200. He also knows where to find a beer after 25 crashes in the mud in a single ride. A cold beer, in an upstairs bar, without a sign or name. So, "Upstairs at Andre's" it is.
JT and Ken TGtumbleweed sharing war stories.
Then on to a late dinner at a new restaurant, La Bonita, that was simple and nice. The menu was picked over when I arrived late, so it was chicken wings or enchiladas. Enchiladas were goooood.
After the food hits...
the owner and her manager (mi Mejor Amigo) Armando at La Bonita!
Storytelling, smiles, and friends in the square:
Ride leader Everett in shorts and his mom's sweater
Steve in his mom's white sweater
JP and Bill K with his mom's chapstick
Justin B standing in his mom's platform shoes
Steve on his mom's new bike
My new Houston friend and solo baja traveller Curtis
Magdelena Hotel sofas are like our home away from home in Galeana. Alan and Laura with Rob and Ricki came early. They already laid claim to the big sofa.
Myself admiring the "Woman become Mountain"
For some, it is maybe too comforting...