Mummy Riders Mextrek #9 Ride Report

[Mextrekadv]

Mextrek #9 saw a great group of guys struggle with adversity, long days in the saddle, late nights on patios, fun fiestas, intimate dinners, amazing scenery, 20,000 curves, tropical pounding rainstorms, and unexpected carnage on the calles. Tell your best stories and post your pics and videos here!!

 

[Tourmeister]

 

[sodapop]

 

[Dao]

I went to the mummy museum....

"How will I be remembered?"

 

[Dao]

...went to the Don Quixote museum....
of all the pics & statues & stuff that's in there, this one speaks to me~

 

[Dao]

This is the airbnb dump Peter put us in on our 1st day....

OMG!!! look at my bedroom!
The squaller conditions this old crusty dirtbiker has to put up with...

cramped parking conditions

you can tell I'm depressed about all this.

 

[nevlec]

What a great trip! This was a similar route to the 2016 Run Down trip. During that ride I kept saying to myself, "man, Dawn (my wife) sure would love this", so this time I decided to leave the bike at home and drive her down in the truck. I was right, she loved it. As always, in addition to the adventure of traveling, it was seeing old friends and making new ones that really made the journey special. Pete's brother Matthew took the group through the best tour evahhh through Guanajuato as well as detour to Dolores Hildago, the birthplace of Mexican independence from Spain on our drive to GTO from San Miguel.

So, thanks to Pete and to Steve for all your hard work organizing and helping heard this ride along. It is much appreciated amigos.

Here are some pics from the journey: https://www.flickr.com/gp/49171637@N06/ZB7ZrU

 

[Liteitup]

Outstanding! If you've ever even considered riding in Mexico, go! It was everything promised, expected and more. Thanks to all involved.

 

[Mextrekadv]

Great pictures guys. I'm driving home through Fort Stockton at the moment, and the vibrant colors of Mexico are a stark contrast to desert patina in the USA. The next time a Hispanic neighbor says he's painting his house pink or red or green....I'm grabbing a brush to help out.

 

[Ocho]

How was this trip for the big GSs? Would love to do this at some point.

 

[Mudd Missile]

The way I would like to describe this trip is like it was a roller coaster. You think you have reached a point of excitement and beauty to quickly find out that the next one coming is even better. Thank you Peter and Steve for the hard work you put in to make this trip a success and an experience of a life time.

 

[StromXTc]

This is the airbnb dump Peter put us in on our 1st day....

OMG!!! look at my bedroom!
The squaller conditions this old crusty dirtbiker has to put up with...

cramped parking conditions

you can tell I'm depressed about all this.

What a dump

 

[Mextrekadv]

A big GS was the perfect bike for this trip. I never heard a peep of complaint about comfort or length of days from the GS crowd. I rode the RunDown with Charles ( Nevlec in truck this trip ) and he was on his GS, happy as could be. The two good dirt route days we had a moderate crash keeping us on tarmac day 1, then torrential rains turning streets to rivers the night before the big dirt day, so it was 99 percent concreto

 

[Mextrekadv]

Edwin, aka Mudd Missile, was the hero of the trip, sacrificing a big chunk of his vacation to tend to a downed rider. About said rider, we should all respect his privacy and have him tell his story if and when he is ready. Edwin, we all need more friends like you. You are always welcome!!

 

[Mudd Missile]

Day two, El Naranjo and Tamul Falls. This area of the trip was hot and muggy but the place we stayed in for the night made up for it. Plus the water fall was out of this world.

Water was nice, warm and crystal clear! What a way to spend the morning.

 

[Vinny]

Those camera phones sure are getting good

 

[ThomasM]

A big GS was the perfect bike for this trip. I never heard a peep of complaint about comfort or length of days from the GS crowd. I rode the RunDown with Charles ( Nevlec in truck this trip ) and he was on his GS, happy as could be. The two good dirt route days we had a moderate crash keeping us on tarmac day 1, then torrential rains turning streets to rivers the night before the big dirt day, so it was 99 percent concreto

To be clear, the GSA was the perfect bike
(In case anyone thought they already won the bet )

I've spent about four to five weeks each of the last four years riding Mexico (on the GSA and the CRF250L) but had never made it to Guanajuato.
If you get the chance, go. San Miguel de Allende was also really cool. Will definitely be going back to both to spend multiple days.

 

[Mextrekadv]

Guanajuato is indeed the gem of Mexico, a place where the culture is sorta frozen in time, suspended from modern realities like cable tv, to do lists, politics, deadlines, ruthless gangs, technology, bills, even the automobile. Not once did anyone in our group even mention wanting to go for a ride while we were there. Guanajuato captures your full attention and asks more and more of you with each day. I'm attaching some random GTO pictures for the fun of it...

 

[shovel]

I’ll sdd a few random pictures to the collection

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[shovel]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mextrekadv]

We started this Mextrek in sorta the usual way...3 groups...one from Mission, two from Austin. We converged on Santiago, just outside Monterrey. With much running around we sorted ourselves into 3 airbnbs and a couple rooms in a hotel downtown. Meeting at the bronze statue of Emiliana Zapato we grouped in a beer garden with very welcome cool misting fans and cold beer. A couple groups braved the looming thunderstorms to visit cola de Caballo. I made it to the parking lots when the skies opened. So a couple pina coladas later the rain died down. We met up for dinner at the restaurant formerly known as Mia Italiana and had a great meal. I think 18 of 22 planned riders arrived in Mexico. 2 for life reasons, 2 to last minute mechanicals. 18 was the perfect group size.

 

[Mextrekadv]

Mexico as a general concept tries to keep it's secrets, wonders, and idiosynchronies to itself. Never one to just open up to everyone, it must be explored by those seeking its finest. The hassle of border crossings, tvips, visas, currency exchanges, lien releases, phone plans, spousal consent extraction, and funds in pocket make for a difficult to eat soupy mix of adversity.

Living in Phoenix I suffer from an extra 2600 miles of truck travel and the co planned "Shaddock Beach Week" in Crystal Beach with extended family the week before any June Mextrek. All good cause I particularly love my family and our 50 year Beach tradition.

What I don't love is waking up at 5 am, driving to Houston, grabbing my previously stashed Moto and gear, rushing to get boots at cycle gear, loading up and driving to the border with friends. I'd kinda rather just bop on down to a local trail and ride some miles. Just like the other 10,000 dual sport riders who passed on this experience. But, alas, I know and love Mexico and all the sweet spots that those other guys are missing. So off to the Clarion, and Mambo's for dinner. And Walmart for everything else I forgot to pack.

Jeff Cole had rear brake failure halfway to mission. Eric had BMW caliper and problems before leaving the house. My brother decided to fly not drive to the good stuff, and 2 others had "life" get firmly in the way. Everett and Zara pulled a last minute coup and a borrowed vehicle to go Houston to Santiago all in one day. 15 bikes and one F150 were on Santiago. Most tired, sweaty, and exhausted, and it was just day 1. I think most were secretly feeling accomplished. We were in Mexico.

My best childhood friend Dave drove mostly overnight and by the time he had ridden to Santiago from San Antonio in a fast group had this scared happy face of what did I get myself into? He had maybe 5 full days riding in the last 3 decades. A crappy tired out old vstrom 1000 we cobbled together for the trip. No sleep. Sweaty hiking boots. And some caffeine on his pocket. And a thirst for more....

 

[Ben Bodie]

Howdy everybody. First off I want to say thank you for so graciously inviting rando's like myself from the internet on your bike ride to Mexico! Our rag tag group felt very diverse and everyone had something to offer, glad I met you all and hope to keep the adventures rolling on down the line! Having hotels/airbnbs all sorted when I arrived in a place I've never been was such a relief and very stress free, Shadman can't thank you enough! Now to the good stuff:

 

[Fang]

It was such a great trip.

 

[Mextrekadv]

My silly street bike / adventure rig worked flawlessly again. I had an accident in Phoenix last November and tweaked the forks and rear wheel alignment. Kinda forgot about it until I was loading on the truck. Luckily had some cbr mirrors that bolted right on. Got the crab walk sorted at the morning border crossing and my trusty steed carried on another 1848 miles without even a hiccup. Here she is in all her 42hp 500cc glory, lol. And since it's a crotch rocket I had to do one obligatory dumb stunt...

A few pics submitted by the group, not mine. Santiago: