Tricepilot's México: Off-Road Through the Sierra Madre From Durango to Mazatlán

This photo has a lot of meaning for me

End of the dirt where it meets 40 libre

These are 100% my Mexican hermanos who, by moto and ATV, traversed some wild terrain in the Sierra Madre with me and SR. This photo is framed and in my house.

This was the 4th year of the Ruta ATV Durango - Mazatlán, and some of these guys no doubt had done some of the first 3 years.

It was here I said goodbye to the dirt and hello to the libre run to Maz on the flat portion of the Espinazo del Diablo

It was about to get dark, and I was totally exhausted, and past my limit

I've been on this road a lot on the GSA, but never rode it feeling like if there was a bed on the side of the road, I would get in it and not get out of it until the next day at dinner. I was spent.

SR decided to run the last bit of dirt with Miguel and Alex, but those guys decided to hang back as staff and look after stragglers, so SR did the last dirt part, the riverbed, on his own. Stud that he is.

I am SO GLAD that we split up here, for if I went with SR, he would not have got into Maz until midnight also.

Being the better rider, he got into Maz not too long after dark. But after dark it was.

Back to the photo.

I will cherish this pic in that I really love Mexico, and the Mexican people.

To have been on the trail with them is a memory I will have for a lifetime.

There aren't too many things you will be talking about 30 years from now, for me, this is one of them.

Not sure if SR has any trail pics left, but for me, I'll be posting "on the beach" at Mazatlán", or end-of-the-ride jubilation photos next

I rode the rest of the way into Maz on my own, and found Hotel El Cid from memory.

The feeling I had on that part of the venture I will always feel in my bones but will never be able to put into words.

I never thought I would do this ride

I didn't think I was worthy of it

It became my favorite time in Mexico

Made friends for a lifetime

Learned that never say it's too late to ride dirt

Go your own pace

Rejoice in discovering that your biggest obstacle is your mind

There are amazing things waiting to be discovered around every corner

Respect your mentors

Small pleasures, like a wood fire in a Sierra Madre cabin, are worth millions

Pay attention to how your bike is set up

Be prepared

Go for it, you aren't getting any younger

Surprise yourself.

You can do it.

Now, on to the beach at Mazatlán

Thank you Salma, for covering the cost of the Hotel Gobernador

L to R

SR

Alex

Miguel

Schizzman

Me

To my left, Jim aka "Going South"

Jim gave us a great reception in Maz, picked us up at the El Cid (the end point rally hotel) and took us for drinks to the Hotel Freeman

Pacific Ocean

Sea of Cortez

Mazatlán

End of the Ruta 40 Matamoros - Mazatlán highway

Finito de Ruta ATV 2013

.....Whatever you wish to call it

jajajaja Gracias Paul

Well, I'm a ripe 56, and determined to go out like Jimi Heselden.



Oooops! Not politically correct! Sorry!

Well - first of all, its Salma, not Selma. Selma is a town in Texas right next to my town! Salma is a Mexican woman of Lesbian, er, I mean, Lebanese descent who happens to be the hottest (IMHO) actor from Mexico who is also married to French Bajillionaire (15 Billion, to be close) François-Henri Pinault. That's 7.5 Billion per boob, if you do the math He dated supermodel Linda Evangelista before Hayek, but decided to "Go Big or Go Home", so to speak Sorry!

But for inquiring, you get the matcing Hayek bikini pic

So tough that she's worth 15 Billion

At today's exchange rate, that's a lot of pesos!

For the whole trip to Mexico, I had been planning a celebratory dinner at La Costa Marinera in Mazatlán

Grilled lobster
Grilled Shrimp in mojo de ajo

You can keep the other stuff on the plate



My dinner guests were SR, Schizzman, Miguel, Alex, and Jim (Going South)

Want to buy a mask after dinner? This guy will sell you one



Stuffed, like the lobsters!



A roadmap for the return trip to Durango, painted on a wall near the restaurant. Lot's of ADV trekkers have been to Daniel's in Copala.

Hey! What's this next to the El Cid in Mazatlán? An enduro track?

Must explore!







Only in Mexico - nobody cares you're out there, no admission fee, no supervision, no waivers to sign.

Even a hot air balloon made a landing right there next to the enduro track