Lobsters to Llamas, Maritimes to Argentina

[Kedgi]

Originally Posted by Hevy Kevy

Sounds like you're getting ready for a whole new chapter...Mexico and south. I always get pre-border "jitters" but it always seems to work out. All the best.

I too will admit to pre border jitters but after yesterday and faced with todays wind. I'm happy to hang out here. I need to do a couple things anyway before heading South. I am looking forward to the rest of my adventure. Stay tuned.

[Kedgi]

This is how Kedgi looks this morning. A little worn down after a fitful night's sleep. I have to get going this morning, find a more enjoyable place to stay. Can't even get motivated to do that yet. I'm sure a lot of that has to do with my current surroundings.

[dbmet]

Awww I should have told you the back way to Kingsville from Corpus. It's called Chapman Ranch Road. Sorry about that. Hope the weather gets better as its still windy here. Once when we were working in the Valley we saw a guy exit off the road a 100 ft in front of the exit ramp. Lol.

[Kedgi]

Originally Posted by dbmet

Awww I should have told you the back way to Kingsville from Corpus. It's called Chapman Ranch Road. Sorry about that. Hope the weather gets better as its still windy here. Once when we were working in the Valley we saw a guy exit off the road a 100 ft in front of the exit ramp. Lol.

I went for lunch today at a chain restaurant, I think it's called Logan's Roadhouse, or something like that. There was a young guy in there a waiter who saw my bike and was amazed that I had ridden down from Port A in that wind yesterday. He said he was having trouble around town on his 600 sportbike.. His manager was a wealth of information about northern Mexico

Today was just as bad if not worse, wind wise. They say the wind will end Sunday evening with an approaching cool front. All the locals say it's the first time it's been windy in months. Of Course!

This new motel, works for me! I looked around for a long while and found a much better motel in McAllen for the same price as the crappy one I stayed in last night. The crappy one was OK if you don't mind the smell and broken glass. I just knew it wasn't good value for the money. At least at this place there is something around you, you're not in an abandoned industrial park. The Hotel is actually quite nice and seems to be a favorite with visting Mexicans based on the licence plates in the parking lot.

Absolutely everything I need, the bank, a currency exchange, a photocopy shop and a mall are all nearby and I can walk to Logans and watch the Seahawks play the Jets tomorrow. Go Seahawks!

Had my first experience today with the "fluid style" of Mexican driving. There are lots of Mexican vehicles here in McAllen. I was fighting the wind, trying to figure out where I was going, and put my feet down and look left at the same time on an exit ramp when a Mexican Buick passes me on the single lane ramp. Nice!

[Kedgi]

Just as I was leaving the crappy motel to find a better place. I shot this little clip as the wind was beginning to pick up. This is in the shelter of the building and nothing like what you feel out in the open but it's still breezy

http://youtu.be/tnLdk53r5Jo

[Kedgi]

While I had my lunch yesterday I met two really nice guys who work at Logan's Roadhouse. Really made me feel welcome. It's so nice to have a chat when you been on the road by yourself for a long while. I had to wait until 3PM to check in. I watched College Football and enjoyed passing the time with these guys.

Silver



Victor

[Kedgi]

This little guy at the motel this morning liked my Moto

[Kedgi]

I ran around today doing all the administartive things I had to do.

I changed some Dollars into Pesos.

I bought Mexican motorcycle insurance

I cranked up the shock on my bike. Not an easy task because I left my 12mm socket and extension at home. Found if I put the bike on the center stand I could manage with the tools I had.

All the while it was 90 degrees and the wind was still blowing. I finally shot a decent video of the effect it was having

http://youtu.be/KCJ8-nux6v4


I met a new friend, Mel, while I was shooting the video. Had a great time passing the time of day with Mel, who is from Houston and Mazatlan, MX. I'm sure we'll keep in touch. We had an instant connection and talked about travel, Mexico, our careers, business. It was fun.

Here's Mel




By the time I was done running around doing what I had to do, I was a melted popsicle, so I went back to Logan's Roadhouse where I saw Josh, the sport biker who first noticed my bike over there yesterday.



I watched some football and drank a big beer to cool off




Then I came back to the hotel and saw this poor kitty who was crying and had a bad eye, but wouldn't let me get too close. He reminded me of our cat, Bob, at home.




Breaks my heart to see a poor guy like that that needs care and attention

Tomorrow the plan is to cross into Mexico and depending on how time goes ride to Linares, maybe further

[LethPhaos]

Good luck in Mexico! I'm along for the ride :)

[Kedgi]

Originally Posted by LethPhaos

Good luck in Mexico! I'm along for the ride :)

Thanks, glad to have you along.

[Kedgi]

I went to bed early last night, had a great sleep, got up at 6am, psyched to go, then I heard a scraping noise on the sidewalk outside my door. It was a big piece of plastic blowing down the sidewalk outside my door. Windy again, now out of the north.

I watched the news/weather yesterday, and all they talked about was the cold front coming down. Today they are forecasting gale force winds with gusts over 40 mph. I am disappointed. Between tires and wind I have been in Texas over a week. When you're riding time goes fast, when you waiting, not so much.

After my experience with the wind, and having to sit and wait it out, on my way down from Port A I don't want to have that happen right after crossing the border. I want to be able to make some miles when I go into Mexico. Tomorrow the forecast is for spotty showers but calm!!!! So, I'm waiting in McAllen another day.

Oh well, I have lot's of time to continue my ride, I have my admin tasks all done, I'm ready, I just want a good day to go. Doesn't make for very exciting reading I'm afraid, but it's the reality of my situation today.

[shirtman]

Originally Posted by Kedgi

I went to bed early last night, had a great sleep, got up at 6am, psyched to go, then I heard a scraping noise on the sidewalk outside my door. It was a big piece of plastic blowing down the sidewalk outside my door. Windy again, now out of the north.

I watched the news/weather yesterday, and all they talked about was the cold front coming down. Today they are forecasting gale force winds with gusts over 40 mph. I am disappointed. Between tires and wind I have been in Texas over a week. When you're riding time goes fast, when you waiting, not so much.

After my experience with the wind, and having to sit and wait it out, on my way down from Port A I don't want to have that happen right after crossing the border. I want to be able to make some miles when I go into Mexico. Tomorrow the forecast is for spotty showers but calm!!!! So, I'm waiting in McAllen another day.

Oh well, I have lot's of time to continue my ride, I have my admin tasks all done, I'm ready, I just want a good day to go. Doesn't make for very exciting reading I'm afraid, but it's the reality of my situation today.

Take it easy, another day doesn't hurt - we're following your trip from here in Iowa!

[Kedgi]

Originally Posted by shirtman

Take it easy, another day doesn't hurt - we're following your trip from here in Iowa!

Hey Shirtman

Nice to hear from you guys! Glad you're following along and you're right, it's all good, I can wait for better weather and take it easy. Getting a little anxious to move again but for no particular reason. This little motel, La Copa is a nice little spot. Everything I needed yesterday was in walking distance. The bank machine, The Casa Cambio (money exchange) a convenience store, I bought my Mexican motorcycle insurance online and the motel printed the policy out for me, and I had a good place to watch football. I find it hard to sit around and wait, by myself. I'd rather be moving. The weather is supposed to be nicer Tuesday and very good the rest of the week, so I'll make some tracks then. It's a journey and it will all work out.

[shirtman]

Originally Posted by Kedgi

Hey Shirtman

Nice to hear from you guys! Glad you're following along and you're right, it's all good, I can wait for better weather and take it easy. Getting a little anxious to move again but for no particular reason. This little motel, La Copa is a nice little spot. Everything I needed yesterday was in walking distance. The bank machine, The Casa Cambio (money exchange) a convenience store, I bought my Mexican motorcycle insurance online and the motel printed the policy out for me, and I had a good place to watch football. I find it hard to sit around and wait, by myself. I'd rather be moving. The weather is supposed to be nicer Tuesday and very good the rest of the week, so I'll make some tracks then. It's a journey and it will all work out.

[Kedgi]

It has been a long time since I left home. It will be a month, tomorrow. I never though tit would take this long to get to Mexico but with between electrics, which cost a couple days, tires which cost the better part of week and wind which delayed me a few days I still made it.

I'm glad I waited in McAllen yesterday. It was frigging windy again. And it even showered a bit.



Today it was a whole new day. It was overcast and cool but it was calm.

I headed out, not as early as I would have liked. I think it was the jitters but it seemed to take twice as long to get everything done this morning. It was 9:30 by the time I had breakfast, such as it was, coffee and juice, I really didn't feel like eating much. I stuffed my self with chicken nuggets the night before and I gave what was leftover to that poor little black cat. The night before I went to the store and got him a can of tuna. It was gone whenI checked and hour later. I wish I could really help the poor guy.


In any case I was a bit farther from the border than I though I was, what I tought would have been a 5 minute ride was really about 25 minutes.

I passed through the first inspection all they wanted was to know where I was going (when I said Argentina, I got the "you must be insane" look but it was all good. They were very professional and polite, one guy had a few words of English but not much. He wanted to know about my GPS. His partner said she wanted to go to Canada. I told her it was too cold. I thanked them, asked direction to Customs, asled if I could take their picture, they said "no" and I was on my way.

Here is the Customs Building when you cross at the Pharr TX, International Bridge. It is two buildings beyond the primary inspection down a left hand lane when you leave the primary inspection area.