A Village Named Rayones With Endless Canyons

We all might think that would be nonsense to go out and ride, more even in the middle of this struggling moments, when things are going from relative calm to suddenly crazy chaos, then go back to semi-normal, and so on. And if oneself allows to get mentally caught into these tangle of events, then, would be down the drain all our ideals about riding to see places, meet people, and be able to listen to oneself into our helmet, those endless exhalations of expressions full of unintelligible words, caused by the stunning views.

Those views that can be seen at every turn of the road, and after every hill ahead.

And resolutely determined, I have chosen not to get drag and swallowed by the aforementioned going on situation, so once again I loaded the bike, and parted away with a strong goal for a good mental relaxation.

Behind our backs was fading away Reynosa. In mental snapshots I was still thinking about the news of the night before, a cartel fight that lasted more than 4 hours at Matamoros (as per media info). I shake my head and soon with the miles getting under, my mind was eager to see again those beautiful scratched mountains.

Behind me are coming three more riders; Andres, Pecas and Cory, wanting to ride the unknown road, wanting to see things we have seen before on media, but this time wanting to be right there, eating our own dust, looking at the clearest sky ever, smelling the morning dew.
Then we meet Señor Juan and go into his neat humble shack, up in the hill, and drink the coffee just brewed on the clay jar, eat scrambled eggs, eggs just picked from the hen’s nests.
We listen to him talking about his living, how he get some pesos from harvesting his walnut trees on one season, and other season selling avocados from his orchard.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>[/font]
He tell us about his family, 3 daughters and 6 sons, most of them adults already, spreaded in Monterrey, USA, and Rayones.

We finished a delicious breakfast and I ask for a glass of water, after drinking it, I ask him how they get their water, he tells me that is coming right from the stone hole where the ANCON Waterfall is born. Sweet !!.

Right out of the shack I can see a black hose leaking water, crossing from here to there, and he explains that the hose is attached right to the water coming out from the stone, some 200 meters up the mountain, and runs downhill to his place. More pure can&#8217;t be!!

So, how come we do not do this more often? Is only mere 200 miles from our home.
I think that, it is possible that the chaos is devouring us&#8230;.

And the RR pictures are proving how wrong I am of not to spend more time riding out there, even for a couple days.


thanks to Pecas for this pic! you rock men.



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We got lost, we got down (at last pata de perro went down ), we got hungry, we got scared, but we got plenty of hapiness.

Arte

Second place, heheheh

Arte,
This area is so rich with riding opportunities. I went last June and it was some of the best riding I've ever done. We stayed in Galeana, returning to the lovely plaza and comfortable hotel every day.
I was wondering how the mountain roads (terracerria) faired the hurricane last summer?
Thanks,
Jim

Damn ... that looks like fun!

Lately I ride a little worried about my KLR, since has become more oil eater that before. I need to carry along at least 1Lt for a trip of 600 miles. That has become a lot now, so I&#8217;m decided to do the 685 upgrade. I want to ride this bike for at least 7 more years.
So while we make our last stop before get up in the mountains and lose all type of communication (no phones, no nextel, no nada). I decide to check the oil level and is missing more than 0.5 L. after replenish it, I get couple more liters for just in case (what a pain..)

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But once cleared that minor problem, there we go.
Smelling the changing aroma of the vegetation as we are climbing up, is something so expected but also feels so new every time, that is like if we have never been thru here before.

Feeling how the air gets colder and the warm and sticky one gets behind, feeling how the thin cold air barely enter by my nostrils due to the speed, is something that I love to experiment every time I can. These moments are intense.
















Our main inflexion point would be the Village of Rayones NL, Founded back in 1700 under the name of San Miguel de Tasajal
Later in 1851, was renamed after the three brothers Ramon, Ignacio and Francisco Rayon, local characters who fought for national independence<o></o>[/font]

As a side note:
&#8220;One of the most important Mexican muralists along with Rivera, Orozco and Siqueiros was Pablo O'Higgins. American painter who lived in Mexico and brought much of his work to our country. It was here in Nuevo Leon, where he met Maria de la Fuente, a native of RAYONES, whom he married and lived the rest of his life. Both spent time in Rayones, instead he chose to rest forever. RAYONES still keeps the memory of the passing of Mr. Paul for his landscapes.&#8221;










Pecas in the background, smelling the PILON RIVER






Andres was having trouble with some slippery paved curves, so needs to catch his breath...





we found out that inside the mayor office is the only place you can get nextel signal



moutain of NOON (medio dia), this name is due that the mountain projects a vertical shadow during the morning and exactly at noon, the shadow is gone. And is a very exact clock indicator of the noon time for all the Rayones inhabitants



the 1700 origins church, did collapsed with "ALEX" storms



a tipical street



now is time to get our supplies for the night..







the grocery store owner was really nice and gave us few tips for the road, where to camp, what to see, what road take for our route (which we could not follow so precisely.. )





ok, lets move on...

this is the primary riding area (purple path). the return was done by other canyons.

We are fully loaded with fresh steaks ready for the grill, some snacks, and spiritual beverages.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
We do not carry any cookware at all, not even a small grid to place the steaks.<o></o>
But we do not want to camp too close from a civilized area, so we are expecting to find a good place and on the river bed. Sleeping with the noise of water running is always something very relaxing.<o></o>
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We ask for some directions and we get a couple tips to camp. Rrrrride!!!!<o></o>
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The Alex Hurricane destroyed almost the entire dirt road along the CASILLAS RIVER, but now is 90% restored.

So this part of the ride is along the Casillas River.













We asked for more directions to a lady on her truck, she did know where she was neither!
so we passed and asked other vehicle was there.

later at a water crossing, the same lady got behind us and at the time she headed to cross, got a flat tire, right besides me.

she looked at me and asked if was her truck or was my bike.

I'm sorry miss, but is yours.

she looked at us very worried, there were only kids on the truck, so we told her do not worry, we can replace the tire, do you have a spare?

happily she noded, and we proceeded to help her.

here are some pics of my compadre Andres and myself doing some tire changing right on an afluent of the Casillas river.








she go very happy and continue her journey.





in the mean time pilot was checkin the stream bed, since there were some potholes hiddend on other crossings, and some big slippery rocks not easily visibles (one of them would make me go down later).













new restored road













finally we find a place to camp.
but need to cross the river over this little woodlog bridge


crossed and looking back for pecas and pilot


the view ahead, almost there



there is, and there is the grill indicated by the locals.


but has no grid, so we need to take the one of the other grill that is no good spot.






there you go!!!



pilot eated our dust he was last on the line!
but soon i would be the one eating all's dust.



more later..

subscribed

What he said, good reading.

Good job on the ride report arte! Even looking at the pictures i still cant believe how blue the water was.

That's what riding is all about! Ride on man!! I would love to be that far up North to see all that!! Thanks for sharing <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>

I don't think I've ever heard a better description of an adventure! That's pure poetry, Arte.

Always fun, my friend, where are you? mission Bar?

I need to remember that phrase.

Not lately, but I'll get back there.

Came through Reynosa today, tried to get on the tollway to N. Progreso only to find that it was closed, drove to Rio Bravo and then took the side road to N. Progreso to discover that a small bridge was out.

Drove down a road next to a canal until I ran into some guys with a black pickup who told me that I didn't need to be there :eek1 , retraced my route back to Rio Bravo, drove down to near the Los Indios crossing, and then drove past the toll road barriers and finally made it safely to N. Progreso.

When the Border Patrol asked me where I had been and I told them they practically took my truck apart.

We will have to compare notes soon Amigo.

you're the bravest gringo I've met men!

Thanks Matteo, I just loved your RR about the SAC BEH'S, thank you for that, is on my wish list.

arte

You misspelled "dumbest"