Hail Yes - MexTrek 2010

[Mextrekadv]

And here is some of the sublime riding south of General Zaragosa

http://vimeo.com/12179196

 

[Mextrekadv]

The last clip was just a 1/4 mile before driving into San Diego, one of my favorite villages so far.

 

[tjrockit]

Ronnie, got the DVD today. Looks great!! If I wasn't having Mexico withdrawals before, I'm really needing a Mexico fix now!!

Thanks so much for sending that out!!

 

[Iceman Jack]

Ronnie, got the DVD today. Looks great!! If I wasn't having Mexico withdrawals before, I'm really needing a Mexico fix now!!

Thanks so much for sending that out!!

Ditto............got mine yesterday. Thanks Ronnie.

 

[Trail Boss]

Day 3 continued

Since this was uncharted territory for us we often stopped and asked directions when we encountered folks. Even kids could provide some guidance.

At the end of the dirt we went east then south to Los Flores and on to El Naranjo. Though this road is marked as dirt on the map, it is now paved. It was an okay road, with a few twists and turns and some interesting mountains off in the distance.

We needed a break so we stopped at a little store near Los Flores and made a fun discovery. This little fellow (whatever he was) was friendly and liked to play. Milton played with him for about 10 minutes and even feed him a Topo Chico mineral water.

On the other hand, this fellow was in charge of store security and growled at me when I got too close to him. I retreated and let him be.

It was fairly late in the afternoon and the vaqueros were in for the day. They had their saddles hung in the saddle tree, ready for the next day.

Once the break was over we rode south to El Naranjo (The Orange) and then west to Ciudad Del Maiz (Corn City) for the night. We didn't make it before dark though. Milton knew a nice hotel in Maiz where we could hole up for the night. After a good dinner it was off to bed.

This was as far south as we rode. Tomorrow we were headed back north, with more new roads to explore.

 

[miltonotto]

Re: Day 3 continued

Once the break was over we rode south to El Naranjo (The Orange) and then west to Ciudad Del Maiz (Corn City) for the night. We didn't make it before dark though. Milton knew a nice hotel in Maiz where we could hole up for the night. After a good dinner it was off to bed.

This was as far south as we rode. Tomorrow we were headed back north, with more new roads to explore.

Actually we went to Tomasopo where I had a line on a hotel, arriving after dark we couldn't be too picky.
Rich wanted to stay in Cd de Maiz but I thought Tamasopo would be more interesting.

 

[Trail Boss]

Re: Day 3 continued

Actually we went to Tomasopo where I had a line on a hotel, arriving after dark we couldn't be too picky.

Doh! You would think I know where we stayed, but that isn't actually the case. Oh well, at least I remember the dirt roads we traveled.

 

[jridge]

Re: Day 3 continued

Actually we went to Tomasopo where I had a line on a hotel, arriving after dark we couldn't be too picky.
Rich wanted to stay in Cd de Maiz but I thought Tamasopo would be more interesting.

Hola Milton & Richard,
I checked my GPS and I have the tracks from the Cerro El Viejo mini-expedition that Milton and I did on Saturday. If someone can walk me through the process of uploading them I'll post them. Otherwise the next time I'm in Austin I'll just bring the GPS and you guys can transfer them.
Can't wait till the next trip...
Jimmy

 

[ScottBrownAdventurer]

Re: Day 3 continued

That there, Milton, is a Coatimundi (Coati for short). Thats the reddest one I have ever seen (well, you saw it) but the ones I've encountered have been dark brown/black with only a bit of red.

I'll share my Coati stories with you in person the next time we meet in Mexico.

 

[Trail Boss]

Day 4

Day 4 dawned with just a hint of rain in the air. Every afternoon the rain would show up and get us a little wet, but this morning the rain appeared to be making an early appearance. The clouds were heavy and low and I thought for sure we would get really wet today. It sprinkled a little on us as we walked the streets in search of breakfast.

Milton picked this juice joint for breakfast

Breakfast Torta of jamon y queso (i.e. ham and cheese sandwich)

We left Tamasopo and headed west and then north on twisty paved roads to Cuidad del Maiz (Corn City - see, I knew we went there at some point). Tamasopo is at altitude and we were riding in the clouds. A few miles later we dropped down, out of the clouds and fog, and into the sun.

From Maiz our goal was uncharted territory once again. We wanted to explore the dirt road leading to La Providencia.

The dirt road east of Ciudad del Maiz to La Providencia was our first goal for the day.

The Mexican version of a drive up window. This vaquero rode up, ordered a coke, and then rode off. Never even dismounted.

Navigation was easy all the way to La Memela, but finding the trail from there to La Providencia proved to be a bit of a challenge. We wandered around for quite a while, asked a number of people, including a couple of vaqueros, and finally found the right road.

Which way do we go? Looking for the trail to La Providencia was quite the adventure. We eventually figured out that the trail to the left was the right way to go.

Hey, Amigos, is this the road to La Providencia? Si, Senor, esta diez kilometros alli.
I submit this as my entry for the the quintessential MexTrek photograph (the essence of a thing in its purest and most concentrated form)

This was an excellent road! It wasn't all that long, but it made up for it with great desert riding. Highly recommended!

After a couple of hours of really fun riding, we ended up in Ciudad Tula. Time to eat. We made a new friend within 10 seconds of parking our bikes at the town square. Carlos, a young fellow who spoke perfect English, approached us and introduced himself. After a few minutes visiting with him he led us several blocks away to a nice little restaurant.

Milton makes friends wherever he goes.

Carlos led us to this little, out-of-the-way place for a late lunch/early supper.

Mother and daughter. Stella and her daughter (forgot her name) were running the joint. They spoke perfect English, having recently moved to Tula after 13 years of living in Florida.
I had a hamburger. They aren't the same in Mexico as in the States.

 

[miltonotto]

Re: Day 3 continued

Hola Milton & Richard,
I checked my GPS and I have the tracks from the Cerro El Viejo mini-expedition that Milton and I did on Saturday. If someone can walk me through the process of uploading them I'll post them. Otherwise the next time I'm in Austin I'll just bring the GPS and you guys can transfer them.
Jimmy

Jimmy. If you can get it into a .gpx file I'll be happy.
You could e-mail it to me and my Google Earth will open it.
PM sent.

 

[Tourmeister]

Awesome...

 

[miltonotto]

That there, Milton, is a Coatimundi (Coati for short). Thats the reddest one I have ever seen (well, you saw it) but the ones I've encountered have been dark brown/black with only a bit of red.

I'll share my Coati stories with you in person the next time we meet in Mexico.

Actually the proper name is Coati, and "coatimundi" is a misnomer. Member of the racoon family. Called tejón in Mexico, pizote solo in Costa Rica.

Coatis from the rainforest region have upper parts dark brown, shoulders or entire forequarters grizzled gray, tail dark brown, feet dark brown.

Animals from more arid habitats may be paler, tawny brown.

(from Neotropical Rainforest Mammals, A Field Guide by L.H. Emmons)

 

[ScottBrownAdventurer]

Actually the proper name is Coati, and "coatimundi" is a misnomer. Member of the racoon family. Called tejón in Mexico, pizote solo in Costa Rica.

Coatis from the rainforest region have upper parts dark brown, shoulders or entire forequarters grizzled gray, tail dark brown, feet dark brown.

Animals from more arid habitats may be paler, tawny brown.

(from Neotropical Rainforest Mammals, A Field Guide by L.H. Emmons)

Way to show me up Milton! Gah!

Well, someone needs to be fired at the zoo I worked for..... they had a big ol' expensive sign saying "Coatimundi". Its another common name.

 

[miltonotto]

Well, someone needs to be fired at the zoo I worked for..... they had a big ol' expensive sign saying "Coatimundi". Its another common name.

Interesting.
The Neotropical book doesn't mention the word coatimundi, just Coati. Wikipedia declares "coatimundi" a "misnomer". (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coati)
I, myself, would 've guessed coatimundi was the full name, as I've heard it more often and never heard coati. You're right, it is a common name.

I dunno......
Anyway, you said it was the reddest one you ever saw. Apparantly it's the dry desert climate where the red one's are found.

 

[ScottBrownAdventurer]

Interesting.
The Neotropical book doesn't mention the word coatimundi, just Coati. Wikipedia declares "coatimundi" a "misnomer". (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coati)
I, myself, would 've guessed coatimundi was the full name, as I've heard it more often and never heard coati. You're right, it is a common name.

I dunno......
Anyway, you said it was the reddest one you ever saw. Apparantly it's the dry desert climate where the red one's are found.

Yeah. We had the black ones at the zoo, then the wild ones I've encountered have been black also, but they were in Costa Rica. The coatis' range is well into south central Texas and even the Big Bend area.... but I am sure they are pretty uncommon.

 

[bpayne13]

All I can say about this year's MexTrek is that it was the most fun I have had on a motorcycle since I was a 17 year old kid racing motorcross with Roger Decoster, Torsten Hallman and company in Southern California back in the '70s on my 250 CZ and 400 Maico. Milton, Richard, and my KLR riding partners Sander and Ken were all just fabulous. So were all the other riders we met and rode with on this year's event. I can't wait to go back.

Sander, let me know if you want to plan a mini-MexTrek later this year. I'm in!

Richard, if you decide to do a longer MexTrek type adventure (7-10 days) please let me know. 4 days was not enough!

Bill Payne
San Antonio, TX
2008 KLR 650
2008 Husqvarna TE-510

 

[miltonotto]

the most fun I have had on a motorcycle since I was a 17 year old kid racing motorcross with Roger Decoster, Torsten Hallman and company in Southern California back in the '70s on my 250 CZ and 400 Maico. Bill Payne
San Antonio, TX
2008 KLR 650
2008 Husqvarna TE-510

Ahhh..... So that's why it seemed like you were always right on my butt?

 

[tjrockit]

I can't wait to go back.

Sander, let me know if you want to plan a mini-MexTrek later this year. I'm in!

Richard, if you decide to do a longer MexTrek type adventure (7-10 days) please let me know. 4 days was not enough!

I'd be interested in a mini trip also. Richard's Thanksgiving weekend won't work out for me so I've be kicking around the idea of doing something in the late summer or early fall.

 

[sanderjavant]

All I can say about this year's MexTrek is that it was the most fun I have had on a motorcycle since I was a 17 year old kid racing motorcross with Roger Decoster, Torsten Hallman and company in Southern California back in the '70s on my 250 CZ and 400 Maico. Milton, Richard, and my KLR riding partners Sander and Ken were all just fabulous. So were all the other riders we met and rode with on this year's event. I can't wait to go back.

Sander, let me know if you want to plan a mini-MexTrek later this year. I'm in!

Richard, if you decide to do a longer MexTrek type adventure (7-10 days) please let me know. 4 days was not enough!

Bill Payne
San Antonio, TX
2008 KLR 650
2008 Husqvarna TE-510

I'm ready, I did check Galeana weather and it's really warmed up, 108 today, otherwise I'd be ready to go next week.
http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/MXCA0358

How about late September or early October? I have to be home on Oct 5, otherwise I'm open around that time.

Sander

 

[Drumboy]

Dang, I was there last July 4th weekend and it wasn't too bad at elevation. It was 112 on the way back to the border, but not all too bad in and around Galeana, especially with our cooling vests.

 

[sanderjavant]

Dang, I was there last July 4th weekend and it wasn't too bad at elevation. It was 112 on the way back to the border, but not all too bad in and around Galeana, especially with our cooling vests.

The weather channel has 2 Galeana's.

This one is better- http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/MXNL0067

 

[robertodelagarza]

Hi All,

Very very nice pcitures guys... wish i could make it this time to hacienda santa engracia... that was my goal for mextrek this year, but i couldnt.

I´ll hope see ya next time!

Roberto

A few more along the road

Not long after leaving Pablo’s place, I grabbed my clutch lever and felt a pop as the clutch lever went slack. Did my clutch cable just snap? I had read a few reports on the internet of clutch cable issues with the TE610 so perhaps my bike was experiencing the same issue. I put the bike in neutral and slowed to a stop.

Upon examination I found that the clutch cable was not broken. The engine end of the cable had detached. It just hadn’t been installed correctly and the beating the bike was taking from all the rocks finally made it pop out. That was a relief because I could probably fix that. Riding 5 hours on this road without a clutch wasn’t something I was interested in doing at all.

I couldn’t get the cable end to install correctly, but I did get it mostly back together. Off we went. For a ½ mile and then it popped out again. I repeated the process a 2nd time but a short distance later it once again became detached. I repeated the process one more time and it held for several miles. I thought for sure it was good to go but, alas, off it popped yet again.

By this point we were up in the clouds, it was raining, and it was getting dark. We were losing light and I needed to get this clutch issue sorted out or we were going to be stuck on the mountain all night with no shelter from the rain. This time I decided to start bending metal to see if I could make a permanent fix. Sure enough, it worked. I got the cable end securely seated and it’s still holding today.

But now I had another problem. During all the bending, pulling, cursing, and general disgust something happened to the cable and all the slack was gone. The clutch cable was attached, but now the clutch was engaged and wouldn’t release. I had the slack adjuster on the handlebars completely in but still the clutch wouldn’t disengage. The bike wouldn’t move. I could start it up, put it in gear, release the clutch lever, but the clutch was still engaged so the bike wasn’t going anywhere. Milton and I looked and looked but couldn’t figure out what the issue was and where the system was binding up.

Then, something just popped and the cable went slack. Now I didn’t have a clutch at all. Completely demoralized, I told Milton I was done working on the bike and was just going to ride it off the mountain without a clutch. Once daylight, dry weather, and civilization converged I would try again to fix it.

I told Milton I couldn’t stop and if I did it would have to be on a downhill section or I wouldn’t be able to get the bike going again. With Milton leading, off we went. The STEEP, ROCKY, WET, NO TRACTION, 180º switchbacks were the worst but somehow I managed to make it through the next 5 hours without sliding off a 1000 foot cliff to my death.

Of course, during this time the views were the best of the entire day and I couldn’t stop and take pics. The “Pase del Muerto” (pass of death) was spectacular but I couldn’t stop. Darn it.

Remember that I mentioned Milton had ridden this road before but that it had been about 10 years since the last time? Well, he had taken some pictures the last time he was through here and had brought the pictures with him. During our trip he would periodically stop at a house or village and pass out the pics he had taken last time. It was a very cool thing to do and was well received by everyone.

There was a village (La Mesita I believe) along the way that he had several pictures of. When we stopped everyone in the village came running out to see what was up. It was like a show – the Milton show - had come to town and the folks were excited to see us. Every single person that came out shook hands with both Milton and I. It was just a natural display of courtesy and welcome that really caught my attention.

Saying hello to everyone in the small pueblo.

Milton passed out the pictures to the crowd and you wouldn’t believe how excited they got. The pics were passed around for everyone to enjoy. Then Milton got out his camera and got some pics of some of the same folks holding their pics from 10 years earlier. I took advantage of the opportunity to get some shots too. I’m not planning on riding this road again but I’m going to pass these pics on to the next person who does so they can give them to these folks.

The citizens of La Mesita

My clutch issues came to a head after leaving this village so I didn’t get any more photos this day. We finally exited the mountains and made it to civilization about 8 p.m., shortly before dark. Milton knew of a 300 year old hacienda hotel we could stay at. Hacienda Santa Engracia has been in the same family for something like 300 years and is just beautiful. We checked in, unloaded the bikes, and then enjoyed a terrific supper from their kitchen. During the upacking process they brought us a couple of frozen margaritas to help take the edge off.

Enjoying a margarita in our room, after a long day on the bikes

Hotel Hacienda Santa Engracia is 300 years old and has been owned by the same family the entire time.

 

[ScottBrownAdventurer]

Hi All,

Very very nice pcitures guys... wish i could make it this time to hacienda santa engracia... that was my goal for mextrek this year, but i couldnt.

I´ll hope see ya next time!

Roberto

Yeah, where is the Hacienda? Milton/Richard what is the approximate cost per night there? More pics of it?

 

[miltonotto]

Yeah, where is the Hacienda? Milton/Richard what is the approximate cost per night there? More pics of it?

The hacienda ain't cheap, though there are various classes of rooms to choose from.
Richard was so bummed by the bumpy ride and clutch problems that I treated him with the finest room they had, somewhere near $100.
When I showed the receptionist a photo of the heir of the hotel/ex-hacienda, taken some 10 yrs ago, she applied a 20% discount to the tariff.

Ex-Hda Snta Engracia
The coordinates are:
Lat 24° 1'20.99"N
Long 99°16'4.39"W

While googling Santa Engracia for photos I was directed to this site, quite a surprise, an early attempt at a personal web site that I'd forgotten about.
Google Image Result SntaEngracia