My Mexican non-adventure.... adventure.... or something like that

[salcar]

Originally Posted by LaOutbackTrail

My list of mistakes......

So, what not to do. Don't forget to do your paper work. Don't listen to the guys that wave you through. Don't drive into Mexico without insurance. Don't forget to go to a casa de cambio to get your pesos. Dont trust Mexicans in Reynosa. DONT get off the main streets. Dont pull over for a federale unless he's pointing a gun at you.... DONT do the speed limit if the traffic is going faster than you. Don't pull out a wad of money infront of a bunch of poor people....

wow! i'm very surprise to see that you did so many basic mistakes. i thought you been preparing to ride all the way down to Panama for over a year Here is usefull ADV Thread on the basic of undertaking such a trip. good luck on your next trip into mexico. i still don't understand why you headed back home...

[LaOutbackTrail]

Originally Posted by salcar

wow! i'm very surprise to see that you did so many basic mistakes. i thought you been preparing to ride all the way down to Panama for over a year Here is usefull ADV Thread on the basic of undertaking such a trip. good luck on your next trip into mexico. i still don't understand why you headed back home...

Wasnt going for a year.... 6 weeks instead.

The last mistake listed up there.... I had to pay a toll to go across the puente internacional. And guess who was standing around trying to sell stuff?

I turned back because i blew my budget.... i planned to only camp or stay with locals..... i blew my budget for mexico paying for the repair and hotel room.... And the only reason why i was sticking so close to my budget is because I am buying my wife a bike so she can learn to ride....

But, now i am prepared to go across now... haha

[ChangoGS]

Sorry to hear your trip did not turn out as planned . Rain is not fun to ride in. At least you did not break down in the interior. Oh, speaking of camping. There are resort areas with camping in Mexico . However , its good that you did not
camp out in an area that those ZZZ Zeta gang are known to be.

Who was standing around trying to sell stuff?

Originally Posted by LaOutbackTrail

Wasnt going for a year.... 6 weeks instead.

The last mistake listed up there.... I had to pay a toll to go across the puente internacional. And guess who was standing around trying to sell stuff?

I turned back because i blew my budget.... i planned to only camp or stay with locals..... i blew my budget for mexico paying for the repair and hotel room.... And the only reason why i was sticking so close to my budget is because I am buying my wife a bike so she can learn to ride....

[LaOutbackTrail]

I spent my last night of the trip in Port Lavaca, Tx. I had a view of the bay from my room at the Motel 6.

By the way, let me just say that I actually enjoy Motel 6's. They are always clean, basic and cheap. What more do you need?

From Port Lavaca, I continued north until I hit Galveston. I didnt realize there was a toll on the south end of Galveston Island. I spent my last $2 cash crossing onto Galveston Island. But, it was better than being inland.

I got a kick out of the colorful houses.... millions... ****, billions of dollars worth of real estate along the Gulf coast's hurricane strike zone. I don't get it... but I've never lived on the coast before.


Apparently the United States... even Texas compared to Louisiana.... is more civilized than Mexico.

There were at least 10 signs saying that it is illegal to line skip. Up to $500 fine. Great..... I didnt need the fine.... so I decided to wait in the back of the line. I was the 5th to last one on.... and the last person off the ferry. I wheelied off to show my disliking to American laws about ferry boat line skipping.

Of the dozen or so ferries I have used in Louisiana, there are NO signs displayed showing the whining-ness of A/C'd motor vehicles. Heck, I'd never even gotten a honk as I would idle up to the front of the line. I do the same at railroad crossings.





Shortly after I got off the ferry... I stopped at the Outrigger Cafe (I think) and had a big ole shrimp stuffed potato. Tater was good but the shrimp were bad....

The sign that sums up my trip.... :trust:

[LaOutbackTrail]

Originally Posted by ChangoGS

Sorry to hear your trip did not turn out as planned . Rain is not fun to ride in. At least you did not break down in the interior. Oh, speaking of camping. There are resort areas with camping in Mexico . However , its good that you did not
camp out in an area that those ZZZ Zeta gang are known to be.

Who was standing around trying to sell stuff?

Well, I was headed to the Sierra Madres between Monterrey and Galeana. I was going to do some road side camping and there are a couple dedicated campgrounds up there too.

There were those folks that were trying to sell stuffed animals, candy, drinks, etc to the folks in line going across the border.

[LaOutbackTrail]

Shortly after lunch, I made it to probably the most adventurous part of my trip. Texas Hwy 87. As some of you guys know, the hwy has been closed since 1990 after decades of being repeatedly washed away by the sea. It is now a nice long, empty stretch that particularly challenges the motorcyclists. It is also recomended to not travel the route without 4wd as deep sand, rough areas, and debris can make travel difficult. It is fun none the less. In the 20+ miles of track, I passed only 1 vehicle...











I noticed this black area off to me left.... it was a small-ish area, non agricultural, and seemed isolated (no roads) My guess is that it was from a fire started from lightening. It caused a cool lookin desert-ish heat wave. This was mid afternoon in Texas....

[kpick]

[QUOTE=LaOutbackTrail]Since I turned back... I had to go through the border.... well, the line was long.... and after sitting there for 30 minutes or so, one of the illegal vendors selling stuff...[QUOTE=LaOutbackTrail]

What makes you think he's "Illegal"?



My friend, I don't think Mexico is for you.


Peace, Love & Open Roads..
KP

[Dirtysouth]

Too bad things didn't work out for you but atleast you made the best of it and got a few days away from the house, on a thumper to boot. More than a lot of guys out there.

[LaOutbackTrail]

[quote=kpick][quote=LaOutbackTrail]Since I turned back... I had to go through the border.... well, the line was long.... and after sitting there for 30 minutes or so, one of the illegal vendors selling stuff...

Originally Posted by LaOutbackTrail

What makes you think he's "Illegal"?



My friend, I don't think Mexico is for you.


Peace, Love & Open Roads..
KP

My friend, I dont believe you read that correctly... nor did you look at all of the pictures.... or maybe you cant read sideways...

No, I did not mean he was an illegal immigrant. I meant he was selling stuff illegally as per the sign.

[LaOutbackTrail]

Originally Posted by Dirtysouth

Too bad things didn't work out for you but atleast you made the best of it and got a few days away from the house, on a thumper to boot. More than a lot of guys out there.

no kidding.... 1600 miles on a XR650L isnt that fun... especially 70mph.

[tricepilot]

Well, I have to say, you made the best of a collection of problems. Very interesting technique with the Federale.

Next time, no matter where you cross into Mexico, know beforehand where the aduana is and what the best route out of town is. You can get that info at any coffee shop on the U.S. side. You can also get a map of the pueblo on the other side to back up your exit routing, and should also get some money changed, somewhere on the U.S. side.

With your import permit, tourist visa, mexico motorcycle insurance, medevac insurance, pesos, maps, spare key, gas, passport, water, sense of adventure and bike condition checked and re-checked, you'll be ready.

Most people I know spend minimal time in Mexican border towns. Once you make it into the interior, through the desert, and begin the elevations, it's pure heaven.

So don't be discouraged.

Initially, you did have a nice area of Mexico picked out. Go back with your sights on the hotel El Jardin in Galeana, you'll be smack in the middle of it all.

Bob

[daveg]

Wow.. That is wild about your trip. You'll do much better with your next mexico trip

I can only imagine how tough it is to try such a big trip on a really tight budget. I feel like I've been hemoraging cash for the last 3 weeks trying to get stuff together.

You get props in my book for the effort. I'm really impressed with your openness about your trip. Not only is it a learning experience for you, but I'm sure for others out there too.

dg

[LaOutbackTrail]

And for those of you who are reading this report, let me give you a little info about myself, the adventurer on this trip.



I'm 21 going on stupid. I am a senior at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, La. I've been riding since I was 11 or so, picked up my first dualsport, a KLR650 when I turned 18 and have been riding ever since. I have traveled to Costa Rica 4 times, Nicaragua, and brief trips--- read over nights--- in El Salvador and Honduras. I have studied the Geography of Latin America and have an overall interest in Mexico and Central America.

I did not take home any bad feelings for Mexico, only a stronger desire to succeed in my next trip down there. As for my plans going bad, I had planned to go through the Los Ebanos crossing, but was advised to go through at Pharr because it was easier.... Now I know exactly what to do. I know where the offices are. I know where the casas de cambios are, I know where to get my insurance.

It was a good experience, just not the one I wanted. You should give me credit for trying and making the correct decision for turning back to get things checked out before having a bearing failure in the bush somewhere. I'll be going again soon. This time with a plan and a thicker wallet.

[TripleTee]

Great report and pics - this is what epic trips are made of - mistakes, boo boos, figuring out what to do next and getting home in one piece. Bravo!

[LaOutbackTrail]

I got the chance to make a smart ass comment today.... a guy asked what I got to see in Mexico.... "Mexicans".... Of course I got that from Queintin Tarantino's From Dusk til Dawn....