North America 2007

Good report, I’m really enjoying it! Getting down to Mexico for a ride is a must! Way to go helping the guy out wit the barbed wire… gives us motorcycle folk a good name!

Looking forward to more!

I don't want to overstate what I did... I stopped to see what the problem was. Apparently he'd driven over a tangle of barbed wire and it wrapped itself around his drive shaft. It was a real mess. He had a machete which he was using to cut through the wire, one strand at a time. He had a long way to go.

We discussed removing the drive shaft, but it uses SAE bolts, and I was only carrying metric tools.

I didn't have any better tools along with me to help him, but I asked if he had enough water. His son(?) was with him, and I gave the boy an apple. It was hot out there. He returned the favor by giving me so much bread that I could barely fit it all in my top case.

So... when I say I stopped to help, I only mean I stopped to see if I could help. And there really wasn't much I could do. I wished them luck and continued on my way.

Jamie

Southward on.



These fellas insisted on giving me directions, although I wasn't lost. I think they were a bit surprised to see a gringo in those parts.



I went to Mexcaltitan, which looks like this if you were in a plane. It's an ancient island village, accessible only by ferry boat.





I ate spicy shrimp on the island, but there was little else to see. Just lots of crap to buy.



In Sayulita, I made camp. Again, paying $5 for a spot right on the beach.



The next day, I moved my tent out of the sun, under a palapa. My home for three nights. My longest stay in any one place the entire trip.



I met some folks from Guadalajara.



Watched people surf, and went swimming in the ocean, earning a deep sunburn.





Then a day touring Puerto Vallarta.







It was about this time that I calculated that I could go into Central America. The trouble was that I'd only been planning for this trip for a month or so, and had brought absolutely no information with me concerning Central America. I had maps and a guidebook for Mexico, but nothing for the countries south.

Jamie

Looks like your having an awesome time… Keep the reports coming!

Also, don’t down play the fact that at least you stopped and tried to help the guy who was tangled in the barbed wire… its good stuff!

nice.

Maybe I missed it, but your daily budget of $25 included gasoline??
(By my calculations, it would cost me about $1200 to ride 16k miles, just for gas.)

I love the simplicity of Mexican cuisine. I always enjoy the food down south. Never been on a bike yet...

Glad I stumbled on this one. Look forward to following it closely.

My budget included everything. I left the house with almost exactly $2000 cash, and came home with about $300 left ten weeks later. Paid cash for everything in the middle.

My bike averaged around 53 or 54 mpg on the ride. Gas varied from about $2.38/gal in Mexico to $5/gal in Belize, although most of my miles were in Mexico. I figure I spent about $750 on gas throughout.

Jamie

Really enjoying this report and am looking forward to the next post from Jamie.

I specifically like how succinct your descriptions are. Right to the point with just the right amount of pictures to support the story.

Very well done.

Really interested in Mexico trips. My first Copper Canyon trip coming up Mar 1. Also, have been considering a Strom (Wee or Vee) so appreciate the details regarding the bike too.

Nice.

Good job man!! Looking foward to the rest. Good Kharma with "the breadman".

Leaving Puerto Vallarta, I hugged the coast until I got to highway 80 at Barra de Navidad. Some things along the way.





I followed an abandoned road toward the coast and came upon a half-dozen gutted homes fronting a chaotic surf.







There wasn't another person in sight. Had it been evening, I'd have found the perfect campsite.



Instead, I found this free campsite later on just outside town.



The next day I headed inland, aiming in the general direction of Guadalajara, where I thought I could buy some books and maps for Central America.







I made it that night as far as Tequila, where I shimmied down a very steep cobbled track and found a gated, but accessible picnic area. Yet another great place to spend the night. No one will bother me here.





Dinner (like many evenings) consisted of poor-man's fish tacos: tunafish, tortillas, and water. This evening I even had a table to sit and eat.



More to come...

Really great, please keep them coming.

Magical. Speechless. Oh, do go on!

I’m enjoying this ride report so far. I wish I could travel/sleep this cheap

Nice report so far Jamie

not just your ability to avoid heavy twisting of the throttle, but I'd probably be spending about $2000 just in beer

I'm also locked on to this one. I know exactly what you mean by the replies make the ride report so special. They do take a lot of time don't they? Still.. there's nothing more rewarding after you get home then reliving the entire experience over and knowing what you're writing will benefit peoples hearts and minds when they read it as well. Keep up the good work and I can't wait for the next installment!

You can, you can.

Who says I wasn't?

Regarding the throttle, I drug my pegs (and luggage and skid plate) several times on this ride. Lots of opportunities for that. At the same time, the consequences of a screw-up loom large. Not only the inconvenience and pain of a crash, but my Mexican insurance would not have covered the loss of my bike.

As for beer, you're right. On $25/day, beer can be considered a luxury. Also, because I was camping most of the time, it necessarily meant that beer wasn't immediately available to me in the evenings. If I wanted a beer in the evening, it meant I'd have to plan ahead and buy it before nightfall (which I did on several occasions). In other cases when I stayed in a ho(s)tel--I got a room more often than I'm letting on--I occasionally did grab a beer or two over dinner.

If you watch carefully, you'll see a few well-placed empties scattered throughout the pics.

What is it they say? I get high on life.

Jamie