Lobsters to Llamas, Maritimes to Argentina

[Kedgi]

It is time to start the ride report. I'm almost ready to go. It all started last year when we were talking about "dream" rides as we crossed the Trans Labrador.
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=766142

I said my dream ride was to go from my place in Shediac, NB to Argentina

I had never ridden my KLR all that far so I did a test trip, Key West to Shediac

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=780191


Then I mentioned the dream trip to my wonderful wife, Angele



And she said "Why don't you go?"

Wow! Talk about a question that shifted a dream into reality.

[Kedgi]

Here's the route. Nothing high tech about this trip, yarn on an atlas!

[EvilClown]

Originally Posted by Kedgi

Here's the route. Nothing high tech about this trip, yarn on an atlas!

In.

[Kedgi]

Originally Posted by EvilClown

In.

Welcome!

[Rensen]

Nice one!

[Kedgi]

I would like to update you and send pictures today after one of the best motorcycle rides I ever had, frustrated bt internet problems. Seems to be connected but not well.

I am alive and well and living in Chapulhuacan, HGO, Mexico

If I could use one word to describe today's ride it would be awesome, twisty, steep, fragrant, tropical, and fantastic, or yeah and FUN!

More when I can...

Stay tuned

Kedgi

[Kedgi]

Originally Posted by Rensen

Nice one!

Thanks!

[Kedgi]

I have got to write a few paragraphs just to tell you about today. Pictures will have to follow later.

I was glad to leave Ciudad Mante. It's kind of an industrial town based of Sugar Cane and other tropical fruit that grows there. The ride for there to Ciudad valle was OK but nothing stands out in my mind compared to later in the day.

I rode into Ciudad Valle. What a nice town, clean as a whistle with a broad main street, lots of Royal Palms, broad sidewalks and cafes on the sidewalks. I saw some bikes parked at the curb and I was ready for a break so I stopped. Turns out the bikes were pizza delivery bikes and I was in front of a pizza cafe.

I snapped a few pictures of the Main Street and a guy in a Taxi Office, named Jesse started fooling around with me saying "take my picture, can i be in your picture?" there was some thing differnet about this guy I couldn't quite put my finger on......Oh, Yeah! I could understand him! He was speaking English. Jesse was awesome. He said as long as I has in town, his house was my house. if I wanted a bed, shower, something to eat, just let him know. How cool is that? Jesse had lived in New Orleans for four years and spoke excellent English. We only talked a few minutes but it was great.

I stuffed myself with Hawaiian Pizza at the pizza shop. First time I had something I really wanted to eat in afew days. It was awesome. A ten inch Pizza, a coke and tip was less than 8 bucks and there was noi way I could eat it all. And it was at an open air cafe on the Main Street in a clean tropical town. Jesse told me everyone in town is Happy because they are happy to live there. That reminds me of Port Aransas, TX Next time I'll order a smaller pizza they pack them full here.

I rode on on one of the most excellent rides ever following route 85. Passed though nice towns and rougher looking towns, rode by rivers over streams, by mountains up mountains down mountains, twists turns valleys, tropical fruit stands every where big shade trees, trucks hauling fruit, sugar cane, cattle and horses awesome. The road twisted and turned so much I was getting seasick at one point.

I almost launched myself into outer space on an unmarked tope I was so busy looking at a dog scratching himself...got to remember to ride the bike.

At three pm I was in Chapulhuacan which is a small village, high in the mountains and I saw the most stunning view I've seen all day. I stopped. i found the Hotel Don Maurco.. It seems like it could be brand spanking new. Less than 20 bucks for a room, with a balcony about 100 feet off the ground because the hotel is built on a cliff. An absolutely outstanding view that rivals the White Mountains or the Blueridge Mountains and this place is immaculate! My room would be hundreds of dollars in the mountains in Canada or the USA. Absolutely unbelievable.

I'll post the pictures when I get better internet

[mrleblan]

I'm happy to see the ride is getting better. Did you know that the pyramids at Teotihuacan are only 320m from Chapulhuacan. Happy trails, wish I was along.

[Kedgi]

Originally Posted by mrleblan

I'm happy to see the ride is getting better. Did you know that the pyramids at Teotihuacan are only 320m from Chapulhuacan. Happy trails, wish I was along.

I didn't know I was that close. Thanks for pointing that out. I had only really sort of thought of seeing Chichen Itza but I will look into that. Internet is so slow here Google maps wont load. I have paper maps though. I finally got maps to load and those ruins are just down Ruta 85 from me, just south of where I was planning on stopping for the night anyway. If figure, based on yesterday, 250kms is a long way on this road following buses and big trucks with jake brakes on.

Cool, Thanks again for the tip. I'm gonna check that out!

I must admit I was pretty lame planning any sight seeing. For me, just planning the ride was enough of a problem. I have a guide book but I haven't looked at it. I am really happy to just ride, but I would hate to ride right by something really cool and not know it was so close. Thanks

[Kedgi]

I made it to Pachuca today. I took a lot of pictures along the way. Cool in the mountains this morning. Awesome road. Twists and turns don't describe it. I was attacked at one point by about ten dogs at once, with a few pitbulls mixed it. Little bastards had an ambush set up in a 2nd gear turn. They came at me all at once from both sides. I faked I was going to kick them and they all lost a stride which was enough to keep them from running in front of me and knocking me down. Scary!

I rode from the mountains down into the Desert and the sun finally came out and it was warm It felt great! First time I've been warm since I hit Mexico. I started out again today, winter liner in my coat and heated grips on. I finished my evening to night wearing my down filled coat around Pachuca. Cool here tonight. It's a wonderful town. Carzy riding in here tonight in rush hour traffic. My GPS led me right to the Hotel Noriega as recommended in Sjoerd Bakker's book. Thanks again Sjoerd. Secure parking good room right by the town square, affordable. Nice old hotel with a helpful staff.

I have been having computer problems, had difficulty getting on line last night and again tonight and kept getting a stupid message that say connected with no internet access or connected with limited internet access which means no internet access. It happen last night and tonight which convinced me the problem was with my computer. I changed settings turned off Microsoft Essentials, played around for 2 and a half hours tonight what all that means is your not close enough to the router. The computer works fine in the lobby. That's where I am now at 11pm.

I wont write much more tonight but here are a lot of pictures.


























Clean as a whistle



The view from the balcony





From my balcony again







Neighbour's place down below the hotel






This is where I had breakfast this morning






Breakfast, Cafe con leche and cookies and was it ever good!

[Kedgi]

Sorry, My computer problems have me a bit srewed up and some of these pictures should have been posted earlier, but my readers are all smart people, and I'm sure they will be able to follow along


Lunch in Ciudad Valle where I met Jesse who offer me his home before I rode some more and spent the night in the mountains







Less than $8 with the coke!




Jesse, in Ciudad Valle who was so generous




My waitress

She was very nice and struggled to get me what I wanted in spite of my lack of Spanish






Ciudad Valle's beautiful Main Street





(Im listening to beautiful Mexican Trumpets outside the hotel as I post this. tonight....Awesome!

[Kedgi]

I rode out of the mountains into the Desert

Saw some Mexican road hazards along the way. (Didn't have time to snap a picture of the dogs that attacked me but these guys stood still)




This church seemed to be almost in the middle of nowhere




Lots of epic views like this










Stopped for a coke here. I don't like Coke all that much, I mean I like it but I wouldn't drink so many at home, but it's easy to order





Road miles and miles of road like this





Arrived in the desert after crossing the mountains
























Met these two nice girls at the OXXO in Atocan, Charlene, on the right wanted to know about my bike, my trip, and spoke excellent English, I'm sorry but I never got her friends name. What a pleasant unexpected encounter after a long ride! I get so used to not being able to talk to anyone, It's great when I can

[Kedgi]

Tonight I'm in beautiful Old Town Pachuca in a wonderful old hotel for 300 pesos or about 22 bucks





The lobby at Hotel Noriega






I saw a hummingbird in the Atrium


A look around town














Supper at KFC, what a screw up trying to order a Big Crunch but I got it and it was good. They bore with me.
















Proof that mine's not the biggest bike in town














New Bikes all 200 cc and under







I went to the market












Police bikes are Honda Harley knock offs




The cops were great, when i told them what i was doing here, they thought I was nuts! ( I think, we had a language thing going) The officer in the helmet couldn't believe he understood me correctly so he asked his buddy who spoke better English and he confirmed what I said.Canada to Argentina on my moto alone. They looked at each other in wide eyed amazement!




Now you're up to date and I'm off to bed it's 12:30 and tommorrow is another day

Stay tuned and thanks for reading

kedgi

[Hevy Kevy]

Just fantastic following you on this adv. There is nothing more one can do for himself than be brave enough to remove yourself from everything that is familiar and comfortable. That is when you really find out who you are. Hence, I think, my own passion for solo travel, be it paddling, backpacking or adv riding. Can't wait to do a big dog ride like this......coming soon to a continent near you.!