On Mexican Time

Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends​

We're so glad you could attend
Come inside! Come inside!
There behind a glass is a real blade of grass
be careful as you pass.
Move along! Move along!

Come inside, the show's about to start
guaranteed to blow your head apart
Rest assured you'll get your money's worth
The greatest show in Heaven, Hell or Earth.
You've got to see the show, it's a dynamo.
You've got to see the show, it's rock and roll ....

Right before your eyes we pull laughter from the skies
And he laughs until he cries then he dies then he dies
Come inside the shows about to start
Guaranteed to blow your head apart

You gotta see the show
It's a dynamo
You gotta see the show
It's rock and roll


Soon the Gypsy Queen in a glaze of Vaseline
Will perform on guillotine
What a scene! What a scene!
Next upon the stand will you please extend a hand
to Alexander's Ragtime Band
Roll up! Roll up! Roll up!
See the show!​

​

​

- Emerson, Lake & Palmer​

Cheers to all of my inmate friends as the weather in many parts of the U.S. and elsewhere turns to cold...time for a warm and endearing tale from south of the border, my favorite place to ride a motorcycle....Mexico


Your host for this saga is myself, Tricepilot, from Cibolo Texas, which is just northeast of San Antonio city center









​

My steed for this ride is the venerable Honda Mini Trail 70



Actually, I only mention that bike because it was supposed to be my first ride when I was a kid growing up in Redding, Connecticut. I went to the Honda dealer in Danbury every week to drool over it, and convinced my dad how bad I wanted one. To prove it wasn't a passing fancy, he had me cut a trail through the woods behind our house. Just when that was completed, the Connecticut Light & Power Co. went on strike, and the man across the street was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident. Poof, there was never any mini bike meant for me.

College and 27 years in the Air Force, along with a wife and four kids, meant that my first motored ride would have to come much later on....



So here above is the ride I've taken three times now into the heart of Mexico. The R1200GSA is for me the ultimate travel bike, as it takes me comfortably from San Antonio to McAllen, El Paso and Arizona, as well as down into the Barrancas and flying over topes. For me, just the perfect ride.

Who is that above taking a pic of my bike? Why its Shoganai of course. That pic was taken in August when Gwen was on the outbound leg of the 100CCC. I have to pay props to her, as it was her story and her ride report that gave me the idea of what to do with the time off between the military and finding something else to do post Air Force. So I started reading trip reports here and was really captured by what Lone Rider, Gustavo, Dtop1 and Gaspipe were writing about Mexico. So for Bob, G-Man, Dan and Bruce, to you as well.

So I'm sitting here in Cibolo looking at advrider, and I find out that a certain other famous advrider is sitting in the hospital in town. I figure one can't let a fellow advrider hang by himself in the ER, so I make my way over to the hospital...



Of course this is the Don himself, the paratrooping motociclista from Argentina, Alejo G.

Now, Alejo and I became fast friends, and I have learned a ton about motorcycle travel and life in general from him. We've been on some great pedal powered rides in downtown San Antonio, and have blasted up River Road in nearby New Braunfels.

So I'm talking to Alejo about Mexico. He is a guide for Motodiscovery and last month was going to work the El Diablo tour, which leaves out of Nogales and meanders for about 12 days down along the Sea of Cortez before cutting up through the Espinazo del Diablo and into the mountains and the canyon region. I had been planning my own solo/small group ride when this opportunity came up, and when Alejo says something is a good idea, it almost always is, and so I threw my hat into the ring and joined the tour. What a blast it turned out to be, with some interesting drama thrown in.

So, with Thanksgiving behind and Christmas ahead, and the weather outside getting a little colder each day, let me entertain you with a tale of charming Mexico.


Step inside.....

We'll go to Mazatlan and visit with Glen Heggstad a.k.a. The Striking Viking





Well learn a little Spanish

NO REBASE CON RAYA CONTINUA​

Meet some very pretty people



Check out some interestng food :dg



We'll take seven motorcycles into Mexico and watch one motor destruct and another bike slide into a highway post...



We'll spend twelve days under crisp, warm blue skies, including the apex of the Espinazo del Diablo...

And check out the Barrancas...​

We'll ride with the Great Don Alejo...​

And meet Pancho Villa himself: ​

And trust me, there's much, much more ​

Come and see the show!

Bob :jose ​

​

Great intro!!!! Thanks for the appetizer... now let's get to the main course!!

Ah, GB, the main course is almost ready to be served, but first a little "soup"....if someone can decipher the following Mexican highway sign:

Usually seen before every poblado:



Or an easy sign...Mexico wants you to ride here....



And has anyone figured out...

NO REBASE CON RAYA CONTINUA​

Hello Rebecca, Hello Skinny

The vision was to get to Mexico somehow in the late fall, after the rains and before the snow in the high elevations. Plus, I had not been to the western slope of Mexico.



This is going to be the flow of the trip



So it was time to pull out of my little hooch in Cibolo, which is perfectly situated near I-35 from Austin, and I-10 between Houston and El Paso:




If any of you inmates finds yourselves on your way through here to Mexico, give me a PM.

Recently, Mrs. Tricepilot and I hosted Jay from Chicago, on his way back from the Jammin with Jay tour of Mexico:





Check out Jay's ride report here:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=268571



So I left the house on a Sunday morning in late October...


First order of business was to grab some coffee at the Tiger Tote:




And head for the meet up point in Nogales AZ, with an overnight stop in El Paso. Time to finish the coffee and get on I-10 westbound, all across the Great State of Texas!

Ensey! Hope Oklahoma isn't freezing you up right now!

I put the IPOD on a book on tape (the story of Google) and some Pimsleur spanish lessons, and hit the road.



On Sunday night, I pull into El Paso, with a place to Stay at Fort Bliss

to all of the men and women who are are or who have served at Fort Bliss!

Fort Bliss is located right next to the international airport, so it was easy to find. The place is home to the center for air defense artillery.

This means lots and lots of missiles, among other things...

No, these are not mounted on the bike (I wish):



Missiles...I have no idea....



Heavy Metal:



The Cobra:



The Patriot:



So I get a good night's rest in the Fort Bliss in, and wake up on Monday morning. My task is to get to Nogales by five.

Monday morning in El Paso:



I got the moto ready and packed...



And then hit the road for Arizona!

¡Si Señor! You win a free lunch from me on San Antonio's Riverwalk.

Do you know what

NO REBASE CON RAYA CONTINUA

means for bonus points??

Alejo is not eligible to answer. Neither is Gustavo, Bob H. Dan or Bruce.

Bob :jose

Tech Tip:

Spanish characters on a windows keyboard. Use your number pad.

Hall's - I had forgotten the name!!





ALL HAIL GASPIPE!!!!!!!!!

All Mexico travelers should listen to Gaspipe, one of the great Kings of Mexico. His knowledge is deep and vast!

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56568

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=174813

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=101880

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=209147

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=120886

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=62859

And these are just the start of his ride report postings on Mexico alone!!!!!

:slurp :slurp
A place at the table in San Antonio, Sir.

Marco

¡Si Señor!

You win lunch from me on San Antonio's Riverwalk!

But you seem like you have inside information. For extra credit, try this on

NO DEJE PIEDRAS SOBRE EL PAVIMENTO

AND, give the REASON for this sign......

Try to decipher it before someone else does.....

Bob :jose

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Queen of Advrider is in the house!

My privilege and honor to meet, talk to, and ride with the One who started it all for me, my amazing motorcycling adventures:




Even my new friend Lobby likes Gwen's on-road salute in San Antonio:



And a dream to ride alongside Gwen in August:



To Gwen, Steve, and John!