We finally make it to Xilitla OR Scars are tattoos with better stories

[fugarwe]

Is this thing on?

[cwc]

Originally Posted by fugarwe

Is this thing on?

All will be revealed in due course.

[cwc]

Editors Note: We had a little hiatus as Wanderc2c and I got busy with other commitments. As those in business for themselves will know, sometimes you have to make choices. Linda has chosen to put food on the table so I’ll just carry on without her and she can add stuff if she gets time.


Door of the day



Dean Sez:

We left Cadereyta Mantes under bright blue skies this morning and headed on the country roads toward San Miguel Allende. We passed through wide agricultural valleys with huge green house operations covering from ten to sixty plus acres all under glass or plastic. We saw a huge Pilgrims Pride chicken or turkey operation. In S M Allende we met a Canadian from Ontario on his way to the tip of South America, and Clive lead us over to meet his friend from Georgia, Art Boone, who moved to Mexico about 6 years ago and said it was the best decision of his whole life. He and his wife Carol had a very pleasant house and courtyard. Across the street Art had a real nice shop built where he rebuilt motorcycles.


Art (artbone on adv) in his shop



Clive from Ontario


After a couple hour visit we left town and stopped at a La Burger, an overpriced trendy place, with nothing to rave about as far as the hamburgers or fries.
We then continued on to the town of Delores Hidalgo, and checked into the Anber Hotel where Charlie, the doctors, and I stayed several years ago. Touring Mexican Colonial Cities 2010

Not too many miles today, but for the most part an enjoyable day.



The route I picked for today was pleasant for the most part, but a bit strange. The road was OK, but in a couple of towns after Zamorano it turned to nasty potholed dirt. At the edge of town the road became paved again and I was able to forestall a mutiny among the dirt challenged contingent. If the people in those towns had voted for the right political party maybe they would have a better road now.

Once we were settled into Dolores Hidalgo we spent some time wandering around town and buying supplies, mostly food, before supper.


Day 7 Track

Day 7 Elevation

[Diggerled]

FNG now following. Xilitla in the title box caught my eye.

[cwc]

Guanajuato door


Dean Sez:

Yesterday we arrived in Guanajuato. The morning ride to Guanajuato was enjoyable through valleys and up over 8,500 feet in elevation mountain passes. The ride was less than an hour and a half from Delores Hildalgo. Charlie and Betty went to scout the central zone of town for a hotel, a tourist info man helped them locate Hotel mineral de Rayas with underground parking for the bikes. At $41 U.S. a room for two that seemed reasonable as we can walk most any place in the city center. The rest of us relaxed by the Catholic Church with the gold alter till Charlie and Betty came back lead us to the hotel.


Dean relaxing


Our Hotel


Betty and I went downtown to look at some hotels. We managed to end up right in front of one of the hotels we were looking for just as an older gentlemen showed up to see if we needed help finding lodging. We did. He was in some way connected with the local turista bureau and went with us to check the hotel. It turned out there was no secure parking for 8 bikes. All the while we were dealing with a police officer that wanted us to move from the no parking zone. Our friend just blew him off and told us to meet him two blocks away where we looked at a second motel which also couldn’t accommodate us. On the third try we ended up at the Hotel Mineral de Rayas. Our friend refused compensation for his service so we thanked him and went to get the group.

Dean again:

The afternoon was spent wandering the city center and finding some food, which abounds with street vendors, side walk cafes, and tiny 4 stool take out places, and the large food court pavilion where every booth is hawking you over to try their fare. It was probably the pork sandwich I bought there…

Dean stopped in mid sentence here. He may at that point have been suffering from an affliction of the intestinal kind. The kind where you are afraid you are going to die, then you are afraid you won’t. He took some meds and the problem eventually went away. Dean doesn't complain often, so if he says he's feeling bad, he's REALLY feeling bad.

We basically toured around town for a day and a half.

Bob and Susan saw:

Susan ditches her stitches







ADA ramp




Betty Saw:











Day 8 Track


Day 8 Elevation

[acejones]

Guanajuato is one of the nicest cities in Mexico. Good food, nice scenery, and nice people. Its just a little difficult to navigate on a bike or driving a car.

[cwc]

No time for dogs or doors today. We are on the road.

We took our leave of GTO early to enjoy the chill as we headed for Dolores Hidalgo again and then on to San Luís de la Paz, Victoria and Santa Catarina. It was cloudy, but the rain held off til later.

In Santa Catarina I took a likely looking road, but it didn’t seem right after a bit. Fortunately we came to a scenic intersection where I stopped so the others could admire the scenery.



As they were looking around I got directions from a local and soon we were back on the right road.


The road was pretty nice with entertaining curves, good scenery and little traffic and soon enough we arrived in Peñamiller where we planned to have lunch.

There is probably some really neat place in Peñamiller to eat but we didn’t see it. However on the way out going toward Rt. 120 we found a friendly little roadside café.Those who thought they spoke Spanish ordered from the menu, others wandered into the kitchen and pointed at pots and used hand signs. I think some were surprised at what arrived, but everybody ate what was set before them and it was good.


The sanitario was downstairs and those that used it got to see what was left of the chivo being served upstairs.




After lunch one of the neighbors came by and our chief shopper got a deal.


After lunch we got on Rt. 120 again. This is a great road. Unfortunately it rained off and on much of the way to Jalpan.

In Jalpan we stayed here as recommended by Sjoerd B.


Tomorrow we head North.



Day 10 Track

Day 10 Elevation

[cwc]

Google maps showed a road from Arroyo Seca (just north of Jalpan) up to Rayon so we decided to try it. It was a pretty decent but narrow paved road and there was some construction that was sloppy mud. In my mirror I saw Susan about half sideways in that mud, but she saved it. I think others had a similar experience.


We arrived at Hwy. 85 around lunch time and found this high end eatery right at the intersection.




Gorditas were the order of the day.



After lunch we just followed Hwy. 85 to Cd. Victoria and the Sjoerd B. recommended Hotel Continental. It was pretty basic for a big city, but the parking was pretty secure and it had turned cool and was looking like rain so we stayed.

Our neighbors at the hotel recommended a taco stand about a block up the street and the lady in reception said it was safe on the street until at least 10 p.m. so we went.



The food was good and families and couples came and went as we ate. We were included in conversations and generally had a good time.

Tomorrow is our last day in Mexico.

Day 11 Track


Day 11 Elevation

[slowoldguy]

I liked the road from Arroyo Seco to Rayon, too. Really liked the little canyon midway. Pinhuan?

[cwc]

Originally Posted by slowoldguy

I liked the road from Arroyo Seco to Rayon, too. Really liked the little canyon midway. Pinhuan?

I remember being surprised by that being there. I think it is Pinihuán and it is about 10 miles south of Rayon.

[slowoldguy]

You are right. I left out an i. D'uh. And apparently don't know where the accent mark is either. But.....I have a pic!!




It don't have to be big to be grand. ;)


And yeah. Sue's slippery road was well noted on our maps. Enjoying the report!!

[cwc]

Originally Posted by slowoldguy

You are right. I left out an i. D'uh. And apparently don't know where the accent mark is either. But.....I have a pic!!

It don't have to be big to be grand. ;)

And yeah. Sue's slippery road was well noted on our maps. Enjoying the report!!

Nice shot of it there. I remembered it as being bigger, but memory is a tricky thing.

The strange characters are here http://www.codetoad.com/html/text/ascii_characters.asp I find it easiest to just hold down the Alt key and type the three numbers.

What maps were you using? I use the Guia Roji and in the GPS E32, but I really wouldn't want to bet my life on either of them. I think there is an app that will let me load Google Maps into my 7" tablet which would be nice.

[slowoldguy]

I had the Guia Roji Carretera and state maps and they were useless. We also had a GPS with Bicimapas and one with Cartografia E32. But ... we relied in the country on the old Mexican INEGI topographical maps available online. Country roads don't change much. The INEGI are useless in the urban areas and don't have any of the new toll roads. But we spent all our time in the country. Worked great for dirt roads and secondary roads.

I will pm you some more Canon pics. Don't want to take over your thread.

[cwc]

Our last day in Mexico was here. We just loaded up and headed north the way we came.

The four that went to Pharr did find out how to get to the Pharr crossing without driving through the south part of Reynosa and that was much better than the way we came down on the first day.


Bob decided Susan’s license plate was too hard for the Border Patrol to read.


I want to thank the group for coming along. Everybody contributed to the success of the trip and there wasn’t a pendejo in the lot. Well, maybe one, but he’s doing the report so won’t be mentioned.

Special thanks go to Dean for driving most of the way home when I was either coming down with something or suffering from post-trip depression. You couldn’t find a better guy to travel with.