Just wanted to thank everyone for their questions/comments/compliments.
It is awesome encouragement.
Thanks so much!
It is awesome encouragement.
Thanks so much!
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Dos Semanas En Mexico
- Thread starter SpiritAtBay
- Start date
More good stuff--nice detail shot on the door HANDles; I hadn't seen those before.
I didn't realize "gringas" referred to a food item; I thought it was a disparaging term as the female counterpart to "gringos".
Who knows what I will learn in your next post?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk
I didn't realize "gringas" referred to a food item; I thought it was a disparaging term as the female counterpart to "gringos".
Who knows what I will learn in your next post?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk
Tiny llama!!! Tiny llama!!!
Was I the only one amused by the hospital name on the wall at the hairpin? "For all your post-wall-meeting needs..." The caption about John on the other side sure helped throw my brain over the wall that way.
Thanks for going and sharing the story!
Was I the only one amused by the hospital name on the wall at the hairpin? "For all your post-wall-meeting needs..." The caption about John on the other side sure helped throw my brain over the wall that way.
Thanks for going and sharing the story!
Rode a mystery highway from Zimapan to Ixmaquilpan (sp). “Mystery” because we never saw a number posted on it or on our maps. But man, what a great ride!
We rarely pass up the chance to have some roadside grilled chicken
At this establishment, this little tyke seemed fascinated with the big foreign girl. His walker chair thing is tethered so he has a safe area to toddle around in. He got as close to me as he could but when I started talking to him--big tears!
The goal today is Grutas Tolantongo, a resort built around natural hot springs and a beautiful turquoise river. We read that once you turn off the main highway, the road to the resort is unpaved. We didn’t worry too much though because we assumed it would be maintained gravel, after all, day trippers from Mexico City and big tour buses make the trip…
To our surprise and pleasure the signs saying Pavement Ends 300m were lying. The pavement continued as we negotiated tight and steep switchbacks down the mountainside.
You can see the dirt road in this pic
Too soon though, we passed a road crew laying fresh cement and we found ourselves not on gravel but sandy mud. A few pretty slick sections and we are at the park entrance. Surprise! Inside the park is mud too! The parking lot is a morass, but we are waved through. A chain is lowered and we are ushered into an employee area. I’m confident this is more secure than the ‘general admittance’ parking lot. John is not so sure but we leave the bikes and go in search of the reception office.
Grutas Tolantongo lodging
Quickly we change and head for the spring fed pools.
We’d planned to stay two nights here but it rains most of the night and all I can think about is how much worse the muddy road is going to be after a night of rain. The rain also makes the park not nearly as much fun as it would be in nice weather. All the rain has turned the normally turquoise river into a muddy torrent. There are caves to explore but it hardly seems worth it to stay another day and risk not being able to leave if the rains continue.
Oh, there is also this: the park accepts cash only. We failed to plan for this. If we pay for another night, we will have NO pesos until we get to a good sized town.
Morning comes, the rain stops. We dawdle a bit giving the road as much time to drain as we can. But by 11am we are mounted up. No worries though, the mud is no worse than it was the day before. Getting through the parking lot was the worst of it.
We rarely pass up the chance to have some roadside grilled chicken
At this establishment, this little tyke seemed fascinated with the big foreign girl. His walker chair thing is tethered so he has a safe area to toddle around in. He got as close to me as he could but when I started talking to him--big tears!
The goal today is Grutas Tolantongo, a resort built around natural hot springs and a beautiful turquoise river. We read that once you turn off the main highway, the road to the resort is unpaved. We didn’t worry too much though because we assumed it would be maintained gravel, after all, day trippers from Mexico City and big tour buses make the trip…
To our surprise and pleasure the signs saying Pavement Ends 300m were lying. The pavement continued as we negotiated tight and steep switchbacks down the mountainside.
You can see the dirt road in this pic
Too soon though, we passed a road crew laying fresh cement and we found ourselves not on gravel but sandy mud. A few pretty slick sections and we are at the park entrance. Surprise! Inside the park is mud too! The parking lot is a morass, but we are waved through. A chain is lowered and we are ushered into an employee area. I’m confident this is more secure than the ‘general admittance’ parking lot. John is not so sure but we leave the bikes and go in search of the reception office.
Grutas Tolantongo lodging
Quickly we change and head for the spring fed pools.
We’d planned to stay two nights here but it rains most of the night and all I can think about is how much worse the muddy road is going to be after a night of rain. The rain also makes the park not nearly as much fun as it would be in nice weather. All the rain has turned the normally turquoise river into a muddy torrent. There are caves to explore but it hardly seems worth it to stay another day and risk not being able to leave if the rains continue.
Oh, there is also this: the park accepts cash only. We failed to plan for this. If we pay for another night, we will have NO pesos until we get to a good sized town.
Morning comes, the rain stops. We dawdle a bit giving the road as much time to drain as we can. But by 11am we are mounted up. No worries though, the mud is no worse than it was the day before. Getting through the parking lot was the worst of it.
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Anybody know more about the offset window in this church?
Yes
Your photo is of the often wondered about windows of the Parroquia San Juan Bautista de Zimapán. The Church of John the Baptist in Zimapán.
The large, odd looking windows constructed in the offset were geniously designed to cause the light from the outside to come together on a focused spot inside that church at the altar, in a gradual fashion. This occurs after the summer solstice.
A Hollywood style lighting effect, if you will.
tshelfer
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I'm a little bit in awe that somebody actually knew that.
Thanks, Trice. How interesting! Another reason to return-that would be cool to see.
Not so surprising when you remember the Mayan and Aztec peoples have a wealth of astrological knowledge.
Many colonial missions blend the two cultures—in religious life and you often see it in the artwork.
tshelfer
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True dat. I was referring, though, to Trice's knowledge of what seems such an obscure and ancient fact to me.
Oh! Ya! Me too! Bob is a never-ending fount of all things Mexico.
I did a search but not knowing the official name of the church, I didn’t get very far.
tshelfer
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I've learned never to underestimate what pre-industrial cultures could do, simply because they didn't have our modern tools. Reading Ken Follett's "Pillars of the Earth" many years ago was a real revelation about middle-age English building skills, using such fancy tools as hammers, chisels, and pieces of string and chalk.
Riding along here, excellent report - thanks.
Jotting down notes as we're thinking of heading that way next year.
Jotting down notes as we're thinking of heading that way next year.
3oct17
Rain nonstop all day. Fog too. Sometimes visibility is practically nil.
We made it out of Tolantongo before the rain began in earnest. Once it started, it never stopped. Average speed was below 30mph. All day.
One bright spot, my MSR boots were amazing. Despite getting repeatedly drenched with walls of water, my toes stayed dry. In fact, the boots never leaked even though they stayed wet for the majority of the entire trip.
Amazing how something completely out of our control can rule your outlook/emotions. If it weren’t for the rain, we’d be having an excellent time. Instead we are miserable and a little cross with one another.
The modest goal for today had been 190 miles to Aquisimon.
Once again our plan is tossed by the roadside. We barely made 70 miles before calling it quits and stopping at Tamazunchale.
Nice hotel, but the rather cheerless room did nothing to improve our mood.
Some pix taken enroute.
Look closer!
Always want to buy some plants when we pass through the Huasteca region
Lunch stop. Hey, blue skies and sunshine! It didn't last.
Rain nonstop all day. Fog too. Sometimes visibility is practically nil.
We made it out of Tolantongo before the rain began in earnest. Once it started, it never stopped. Average speed was below 30mph. All day.
One bright spot, my MSR boots were amazing. Despite getting repeatedly drenched with walls of water, my toes stayed dry. In fact, the boots never leaked even though they stayed wet for the majority of the entire trip.
Amazing how something completely out of our control can rule your outlook/emotions. If it weren’t for the rain, we’d be having an excellent time. Instead we are miserable and a little cross with one another.
The modest goal for today had been 190 miles to Aquisimon.
Once again our plan is tossed by the roadside. We barely made 70 miles before calling it quits and stopping at Tamazunchale.
Nice hotel, but the rather cheerless room did nothing to improve our mood.
Some pix taken enroute.
Look closer!
Always want to buy some plants when we pass through the Huasteca region
Lunch stop. Hey, blue skies and sunshine! It didn't last.
Riding along here, excellent report - thanks.
Jotting down notes as we're thinking of heading that way next year.
Thank you, Philip!
I don't suppose your lovely wife rides?
4oct17
Finally, a good day of riding! 290 miles, mostly dry. We use toll roads to make time and miles. Our spirits lift as the miles roll by.
We arrive at Matehuala late afternoon.
We are at the Hotel Maria-Esther just off the square . Cute hotel with secure parking and an interior courtyard for guests. I’d recommend this place to anyone passing through. Rooms were comfortable, the place has a good vibe and is kept up well.
After schlepping our stuff to the room, we went for a walk around the square looking for dinner. Settled on Los Favoritos restaurant where I had the best pico de gallo ever. Tasted like the tomatoes, the cilantro, the onions--everything had been in the garden 5 minutes ago. I ate it by the forkful like a salad.
We sat outside on the restaurant’s patio and watched traffic and pedestrians go by. It was a very pleasant evening. And John and I are simpatico once again.
Scenes from Matehuala
Check the far right of this banner
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She's learning but we would do this 2-up on the F800GS.
Just some random pix
Who you lookin' at?
Really good grilled chicken here. Afterward, a guy strolled by selling custard pies. They were sublime!
This lady really rocked that hat
Had to be family members that stopped by, Abuela fixed food for them without being asked or told what they wanted
I don't think I would ever tire of small town squares
This anthurium was larger than my hand
roots growing out of cracked pot held together with wire
The Mexican loose livestock sign engenders a little more respect, compared to ours, I think.
MX
US
Might be difficult to see, this appeared to be a religious procession. We saw several groups like this in the area.
Had lost an eye and had a bum foreleg, still a pup.
What had these two been in, you have to wonder
Although grilled chicken is our fave, we did eat other dishes as well
Who you lookin' at?
Really good grilled chicken here. Afterward, a guy strolled by selling custard pies. They were sublime!
This lady really rocked that hat
Had to be family members that stopped by, Abuela fixed food for them without being asked or told what they wanted
I don't think I would ever tire of small town squares
This anthurium was larger than my hand
roots growing out of cracked pot held together with wire
The Mexican loose livestock sign engenders a little more respect, compared to ours, I think.
MX
US
Might be difficult to see, this appeared to be a religious procession. We saw several groups like this in the area.
Had lost an eye and had a bum foreleg, still a pup.
What had these two been in, you have to wonder
Although grilled chicken is our fave, we did eat other dishes as well
Thanks, Kat!
Windmill
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Why do they paint the tree trunks white ? I noticed that in Mexico and South Texas.
The white is often calcium hydroxide (Cal) which does several things: protects new bark (especially fruit trees) from cracking and splitting, and protects against boring (as in, penetrating) pests. Some farmers do it for the aesthetic as well, believe it or not.
tshelfer
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[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8LZPH0GVZ8"]What Knockers! - YouTube[/ame] - Sorry, couldn't resist.
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Some things never leave your brain once they take up residence... This was my first thought as well and it has been probably 25 years or more since I last saw that movie
