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The Adventure Begins... Tejas A La Tierra

Subscribed! :popcorn: Thanks for taking us along on your incredible adventure.

Jalapa trivia: In the late 1920's large numbers of dilapidated cars were shipped from port cities like New Orleans to Jalapa to be scrapped or rebuilt - hence the term "Jalopy" :trust:
 
Subscribed! :popcorn: Thanks for taking us along on your incredible adventure.

Jalapa trivia: In the late 1920's large numbers of dilapidated cars were shipped from port cities like New Orleans to Jalapa to be scrapped or rebuilt - hence the term "Jalopy" :trust:

Interesting. I saw on the visitor map that there was a car museum. I'm a big fan of cars, but didn't think that it would be worth the visit. Maybe I missed out.
 
I traveled to Puebla after spending a few days in Xalapa. This is what the sky looked like when I arrived. The photo is unedited.
Puebla%2Bcatedral.jpg


The ride to Puebla was straight, then mountainous, then foggy, then rainy. I don't like to ride in the rain, much less fog, so I took a break at a roadside stand and ate a jamon y queso pastre (ham and cheese pastry) that under normal circumstances I wouldn't touch. I asked the señorita to nuke it in a microwave in the hope that it would kill any bacteria. I said a little prayer putting God to the test that he would protect me and my stomach from all that was bad. He seemed to be protecting me from my own foolishness. I rode on and on... then the weather cleared up. It ended up being a beautiful sunny day and about 80 degrees. As I neared the city my spirits were lifted by the sun and my clothes had been blown dry by the warm air.

Puebla is definitely not off the beaten path, but it is significant to the founding of Mexico and has some amazing historical sites and architecture. I thought that I should check it out.

I arrived into Puebla at about 6pm and pulled up to one of the first hotels that I could find that appeared to have a parking garage. The hotel was only about two blocks from the zocolo (central plaza) and main shopping area.

I really didn't do much during the first night other than walk around the plaza and have a big naranjada (orangeade) and a cemeta (Mexican hamburger).

I went back to the hotel, watched a little Mexican tv and fell asleep.

Over the following days I did the following...

Arrival http://www.theadventurebegins.tv/2011/10/puebla.html
Puebla%2Bcatedral2.jpg

City Tour http://www.theadventurebegins.tv/2011/10/puebla-tour-of-city.html
Puebla%2Bdancer.jpg

Detailed Look http://www.theadventurebegins.tv/2011/10/puebla-detailed-look.html
32.jpg

History Lesson http://www.theadventurebegins.tv/2011/10/pueblaa-detailed-look-at-history.html
Puebla%2Bsenoritas.jpg

Senoritas http://www.theadventurebegins.tv/2011/10/senoritas-of-puebla.html

I'm sure some of you guys will skip straight to the post about the senoritas, but I hope you look at the other stuff too. :D
 
Someone has to do the tough work! Looks like you're up to the task. :cool2:
It's great riding along with you thru this forum. And thanks for the history lessons.
 
Interesting. I saw on the visitor map that there was a car museum. I'm a big fan of cars, but didn't think that it would be worth the visit. Maybe I missed out.

Subscribed. Thanks for spending the time to write up.
I hope to see you in Ecuador. I'll be there the first two weeks of December. You probably wont be there until next spring. I'll keep up w/ your blog and see if I can show you around my favorite areas.
 
The Adventure Begins... It happened...An Accident

First, let me say that I'm okay.

Now, here's the story...

It was Saturday morning. After spending a few wonderful days in Puebla I was planning to visit a small town about 20KM from Puebla called Cholula. I had made contact with a Peace Corps Volunteer named Jan that had agreed to be interviewed for my media project.

I packed up my things and headed out from the hotel. I had a map that would lead me to the site. I was traveling down the road following traffic. The bus in front of me suddenly decided to move from the right lane, the lane that we were in, to the left lane. I quickly found out why. In the middle of the road was a taxi at a complete stop. I tried to slow down then swerve to miss it. I was able to avoid a direct hit, but I clipped my lower leg on the bumper.

The bike and I went down.

Thankfully, the traffic behind me stopped.

My first reaction... I was pissed. Why was this taxi stopped in the middle of the road. My second reaction... I humbled myself. I realized that I was in Mexico and needed to collect myself and assess the situation. I've lived in and traveled through many countries before. When doing so, I'm always aware that I'm just a visitor and must play by their rules/laws. I knew that I'd have some explaining to do. I quickly realized that I needed to move my bike and get off the road. Before this could even happened there were two traffic police officers on the spot. They told me not to move the bike, they wanted to take some pictures. And, they asked me if I was okay.

Oh yeah, I think that the adrenaline was pumping through me. I hadn't even really stopped to make sure that I was okay. I walked to the side of the road and did a quick body check. Everything seemed to be okay, except that I had some scrapes on my leg and it felt a little numb. I could walk okay. I've always had a pretty high tolerance for pain though. I was riding ATGATT (All The Gear All The Time). A motorcycle acronym that means helmet, jacket, pants, boots and gloves all designed for motorcycle riding. All the gear held up and wasn't even scraped. After a few minutes and a complete body check I felt like I was okay to sort out the mess.

The police had already taken their photos and had picked up Emi, my bike, and moved her to the sidewalk. The taxi driver was out of his car and had looked at the damage to his car. The police officer asked me for my drivers license and insurance. I had both. I provided him the International Driving Permit that I had purchased from AAA in the states because it contains translations in Spanish. I provided him a copy of my Mexican insurance that I bought online from www.mexisurance.com and underwritten by Qualitas. As soon as the officer realized that I had my paperwork in order he was quite helpful. He pointed to the Qualitas logo and said "no problema". I was thankful that I had purchased it and that it was from a reputable and known company. I'd heard that auto insurance was not required in Mexico, but if you do have an accident and you don't have it, you might spend some time in a Mexican jail for a few days.

The police officer filled out some forms. I started talking to the taxi driver. He pointed out two spots that he felt I damaged. I wasn't going to admit to anything, but I was pretty sure that one of the spots was from a previous accident and not caused by me. Anyways, the officer said that we could all go to his office and work this out with the insurance. It would take about 45 minutes. My first thought was, I don't really want to go to a police office. My second thought was, I want to take care of this as soon as possible and get going. I overheard the taxi driver say something about "en effectivo" to the officer. "En effectivo" translates to "in cash". The officer turned to me and said that we could either go to his office or this could be handled "en effectivo". I said, "Cuanto seria (How much)?" The taxi driver said, "Quenientos Pesos (Five hundred pesos)." I did a quick calculation and 500 pesos is about 40 US dollars. I said, give me a minute and let me see. I didn't really need a minute. I knew that I wanted to settle this now and in cash. I walked away a little distance and searched through my wallet to find the cash. I returned and said, "esta bien (okay)".

The police said okay, then we will not need all your paperwork. He gave it back to me. He did ask me to sign their report and write on the report that I agreed to pay the sum of 500 pesos for the damage that I caused. I signed. I handed over the money. And the taxi driver looked like he had just won the lottery.

The police officers asked me where I was going. I told him. He said that he would show me the way. I was a little skeptical, but hey, I'm a law obeying non-citizen. He drove a little distance then pulled over to the side. He got out of this car and then gave me some directions. The last thing that he said was, "Bienvenidos a Mejico (Welcome to Mexico)". I actually found some humor in it and laughed to myself. Yes, welcome to Mexico... the adventure begins...for real, now.

So, I did make it to Cholula. Emi seems to be fine, barely a scratch on her. Me, I'm a little banged up. I decided to take a few days to allow my leg to recover.
Puebla%2Baccident1.jpg

Puebla%2Baccident%2B2.jpg

Day 1 in Cholula - found hotel, bought water, bought Dominos pizza, layed on couch with leg elevated. I contacted Jan the Peace Corps Volunteer and let her know that the interview probably wouldn't be happening right away.
Day 2 in Cholula - ate day old leftover pizza, watched tv, caught up on blog, read ADVRider posts, sent emails, checked Facebook, layed on couch with leg elevated.
Day 3 in Cholula - went outside of hotel, walked around plaza, ate a decent meal, layed on couch with leg elevated. Rescheduled appointment with Jan the Peace Corps Volunteer.
Day 4 in Cholula - watched tv, watched YouTube, ate a good meal of pazole.
Day 5 in Cholula - rest and recovery, writing post.

After reflecting on this experience I've come to a few conclusions.
1. God was watching out for me. Yes, I'm a believer. And, I believe that he saved me. The accident could have turned out much worse. I could have hit the car directly. I could have hit the street much harder. I could have been hit by the traffic behind me. I could have injured my leg much worse. I've had a number of people praying for me back home and I believe that prayer works. God is amazing. He has a plan for my life. For some reason, He kept me alive to live out that plan. If you're a none believer, that's fine. But if you knew the God that I know, you'd know that he is pretty awesome.

2. I made a few judgement errors. I was in a bit of hurry to make an appointment, when I should have been taking my time. However, I wasn't speeding. I was navigating with a map, when I should have studied the map more thoroughly ahead of time to familiarize myself with the route. I had a space cushion, but could have created a larger cushion. What typically causes an accident is a series of events. I believe that these were the series of events that led up to the accident. Hopefully I've learned my lesson, I'll be mindful of these series of events and prevent them from happening again.
Puebla%2Baccident4.jpg

3. ATGATT! I ride with All The Gear All The Time protection designed for motorcycle riding. The Gaerne G Adventure boots were the last item that I purchased before I left on my trip. I believe that they saved my leg from a much more serious injury. The Olympia jacket and pants held up well. They didn't even have any scrapes on them. Also, I'm using soft luggage on my bike, a Giant Loop Great Basin Bag. The bag made contact with the ground, but barely had a scrape. I think that it may have even prevented damage to Emi. Good stuff.

4. The locals were great. The two police officers were very professional. First, they asked me if I was okay. They helped me move my bike. They helped facilitate the settlement. And they even provided me directions. I'm wondering if they will share those photos with me. I didn't take any. They'd be great to add to the blog. There was a bystander that stopped and asked if I needed a translator. There was a shop keeper that came out and made sure that the police were being helpful. I must say, that even the taxi driver was pretty understanding. Thanks, good people of Puebla, Mexico!

5. Up until now, everything had gone smoothly. The boarder crossing was easy. The towns and sites were fantastic. The rides were amazing. The lodging was great. I'd been taking some chances with some food, but even that wasn't causing any problems. I've always told myself and others that trips that go according to plan are rarely memorable. When I've taken an organized trip like a cruise, I usually can't even remember what I did the week after it is over. No, adventure is unpredictable, sometimes dangerous, sometimes bad things happen... but it's always memorable... and worth it. You just have to work your way through it... and live to tell the tale.

Now I'm taking a little time to relax, recover and reflect. My leg is better, but not totally healed. I do have health insurance so I may have my leg checked out if it isn't better in another day.

I just wanted to let ya'll know that I'm okay... and that the adventure will continue.

If you have any thoughts, post me a comment or send me an Email.
 
Glad to hear the accident was not worst... and I think your conclusions are good teachable experiences.
Hope all continues well and you heal soon.
 
Glad you are ok. The road is calling you...
 
Re: The Adventure Begins... It happened...An Accident

Now I'm taking a little time to relax, recover and reflect. My leg is better, but not totally healed. I do have health insurance from www.worldnomads.com so I may have my leg checked out if it isn't better in another day.

Email.

Just FYI, unless World Nomads changed their policy in the last few years, it would be worth reading the fine print in the policy. In 2006, the standard coverage excluded motorcycle riding over 125 cc. Hope I'm wrong.

Keep posting and have a great trip.
 
Re: The Adventure Begins... It happened...An Accident

Just FYI, unless World Nomads changed their policy in the last few years, it would be worth reading the fine print in the policy. In 2006, the standard coverage excluded motorcycle riding over 125 cc. Hope I'm wrong.

Keep posting and have a great trip.

Hi Andy,

Thanks for the comment. I read through my policy and it seems to include motorcycle riding as long as one has a valid license and an international driving permit. I did not see any exclusion for cc. I hope that I'm right.

Troy
 
Tip of the hat to you for a series of smart decisions and the proper mental attitude for travel south of the border.

Good gear, proper insurance, but most of all you appear to be traveling with the ideal mental attitude and outlook.

In Mexico, law is based upon the Napoleonic Code (de facto presumption of guilt), which means when things turn upside down, all parties are considered guilty and can be detained until the innocent are sorted out. Having at least Mexico-specific liability insurance (full coverage optional) is not required by their law but is the only wise decision.

Lesser known is that by purchasing this insurance, some companies provide free trip interruption insurance, which means extraction coverage to a repair shop for the bike and, if necessary, plane tickets home for the rider if further riding is not possible. And best news of all, coverage is not specific to motorcycle related incidents.

As much as I am against mordidas (bribes), I think your decision to pay in cash was a wise one. I would have drawn the line at an outrageous sum, but at 13.25 pesos to the dollar (as of today), your 500 pesos was the equivalent of 37.50 US. Cheap, given the situation.

Sorry about the leg, but a valuable travel story.
 
Glad to hear that you're OK!

Similar thing almost happened to me a few years ago...me and a buddy were going from Batopilas to Durango and ran out of light. We were trailing a bus going around 70 on a straight road in the middle of nowhere when all of a sudden it veered into the left lane. We followed and saw the two black cows in the middle of the road that would have definitely ruined our evening...
 
Re: The Adventure Begins... Oaxaca

Oaxaca%2Bride.jpg

From Puebla I decided to visit Oaxaca. There's an autopista (toll highway) that goes from city to city. Once I got on the autopista it was about 5 hours of smooth straight riding. The weather was cooperating as well. It was a beautiful day - sunny, cool, blue sky with light clouds. It was a perfect day to get back on my bike for a long ride.
Oaxaca%2Bride4.jpg

The scenery didn't change much until about an hour before I reached Oaxaca.
Oaxaca%2Bride6.jpg

I took a break to admire the scenery.
Oaxaca%2Bride10.jpg

Some hills
Oaxaca%2Bride8.jpg

Some winding roads.
Oaxaca%2Bride9.jpg

A nice ride overall.

I arrived in Oaxaca and decided to stay at the Hotel Alcala in the center of town. Here are some links to the stories.

Over the next few days I explored the city and some of the surrounding area.
Oaxaca City Tour
Oaxaca and Artesania
San Bartolo Coyotepec and Barro Negro
 
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Way cool trip! Thanks taking us along.

"No, adventure is unpredictable, sometimes dangerous, sometimes bad things happen... but it's always memorable... and worth it. You just have to work your way through it... and live to tell the tale."

Nicely stated, Troy.

Be safe, have fun. :rider:
 
Here's a short 3 minute video documenting my motorcycle ride from the interior of Mexico, Oaxaca, to the Pacific coast, Puerto Escondido. It was beautiful day that was mostly sunny and a few clouds. It seemed like I traveled through a number of ecological zones such as highlands, pine forrest, cloud forrest, desert, jungle and coastal plains. Hopefully it provides a feel for the journey.
Crossing the Sierra Madre Mountains to the Pacific Coast.

More stories at the links below.
Puerto Escondido and Fishing
A Ride Along the Pacific Coast
PuertoEscondido3.jpg
 
Re: The Adventure Begins... Dangerous Curves

25.jpg

On my first day in San Cristobal de Las Casas, I came across this.

I honestly didn't know what to think or say or do. But I thought that some of you guys that are into fashion might have some critiques.
 
Thanks for the videos ; nice editing . I'm glad you are having a food time and being safe. I hope the crazy weather doesn't get in your way. You are living the dream !
 
Here's a short 3 minute video documenting my motorcycle ride from the interior of Mexico, Oaxaca, to the Pacific coast, Puerto Escondido. It was beautiful day that was mostly sunny and a few clouds. It seemed like I traveled through a number of ecological zones such as highlands, pine forrest, cloud forrest, desert, jungle and coastal plains. Hopefully it provides a feel for the journey.
Crossing the Sierra Madre Mountains to the Pacific Coast.

I did that road the other way about 5 years ago, but I don't have any video, thanks for the memories. I did see this on that road:

87513538_axtkb-L.jpg
 
Don't Stop Now. As long as we have been in here reading your posts, the Rangers are winning. :lol2: I can't watch! :duck:

We really have been enjoying the trip. Nice fresh fish dinner! :eat: We had a geography lesson the other night. We have been tracking your progress on Google Maps. Looking forward to more "Adventure by Troy". Sam
 
Don't Stop Now. As long as we have been in here reading your posts, the Rangers are winning. :lol2: I can't watch! :duck:

We really have been enjoying the trip. Nice fresh fish dinner! :eat: We had a geography lesson the other night. We have been tracking your progress on Google Maps. Looking forward to more "Adventure by Troy". Sam

+1
 
Re: The Adventure Begins... Dangerous Curves

25.jpg

On my first day in San Cristobal de Las Casas, I came across this.

I honestly didn't know what to think or say or do. But I thought that some of you guys that are into fashion might have some critiques.

26.jpg


OK, no one really took the bait. Here's the full image. Still, I don't know what to think.
 
First thing came to my mind was "Baby's got back"......just saying? Seriously, the sculpture looks more true-to-life than all the mannequins I have seen in the states......
:clap:
 
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