Top_Speed1
Panama Canal Crosser
Get rid of that Voodoo doll! You'll have warmth and sunshine galore.
You may have noticed that I didn't make a post last night.
That's because this trip lived up to Don's original name big time yesterday.
We left Galeana after breakfast. We decided that since we didn't have pix from the night before we re-created the mud run.
And, yeeha, the mud bit Jim.
From Galeana we headed south on paved roads towards the waterfalls Cascada del Salto. Finally, no rain, but it was chilly. Unseasonably chilly. In fact, the main road between Mexico City and Puebla was closed due to SNOW.
Later you will see pix with snow on top of the mountains.
Here is our rest stop about 1/2 of the way to the waterfalls.
We went to these waterfalls last trip also and they are still as beautiful. Enjoy.
OK, now this trip is going to get interesting. Don had asked for some serious dirt riding and MotoDiscovery was about to deliver. We took a small dirt road out of town that proceeded up the mountain to the south of town.
The road got progressively rougher and rougher. With the previous rain, there were lots of mud holes. Here's some shots up.
At the top of mountain, there was a small village. This is at more than 9000' high and it was drizzling and quite cold.
Attack Turkeys !
Right after this village the road turned into a washed out rock garden. I was feeling in WAY over my head. We stopped to talk to a local, who's news was not re-assuring.
After discussing the correct directions, we went on. The next mile or so was very hairy. No one dared stop for a picture in this section. But eventually everyone made it through with only minor bike naps.
Thankfully, the mountain road decended into a valley which actually dropped more bikes because of the mud, wasn't as scary as the rocky steep decents.
A pix of the snow on top of the mountain.
We dropped out of the high valley down to the desert floor, the "Alta Plano".
https://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg65/bbolesaz/2015Huasteca/IMG_0231.jpg
https://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg65/bbolesaz/2015Huasteca/IMG_0232.jpg
When we finally got back to pavement, the guide Beto, got his foot stuck in the peg and dropped the bike. He had been clean in the dirt.
Bump....There's obviously a curse on that thing.Dammit Don made another new friend. BTW, Dammit Don is not real popular with Mexico riders right now
Throw it in the next creek you cross and I bet things will dry out for you.
Be sure to yell hell merry as you sling it....
Hi all, a much better day today than yesterday. Unfortunately, we couldn't talk Russel into staying with the group, so he and my roomate Ken headed for the border early today. Between the rain, not having good rain gear and getting run into yesterday, he had enough.
Last night it rained all night and our cabin leaked. We had a really good breakfast after I took a tepid at best shower.
Our plan was to do a 60 mile dirt road to our next stop. We checked with locals who said it would be OK. 4 of the bikes in the group declined to do the dirt and followed the chase truck to the next stop.
Our group of 5 bikes, with me, Barry, Darrell, Chris and the ride leader Beto turned off onto the dirt. The road started out very good. Very wet, but good traction. But as we got to a hillier section, the wet spots at the base of the hills in the road got wetter and wetter. And muddier and muddier.
At one point, I looked behind, and didn't see Darrell or Barry. Turns out Darrel had a slip in the mud and fell over. After they picked up, we continued for maybe another mile and came to 2 monster mud holes in the road depressions. I duck walked my lowered F800 through while Chris, who being from Georgia and an excellent mud rider, rode through. Darrel slipped again. Time for a re-think.
I talked to a local rancher who came out to see what all the fuss was about. His spanish was very hard for me to understand, but I did get that the road was much worse ahead, and no cars or trucks were getting through. He pointed to my bike and said No Puede, which means "you can't"
I duck walked my bike back out and Chris rode Darrell's bike to the last dry spot. We all decided that retreat was in order and headed back to the highway.
BTW, I didn't shoot a single picture today, which is why you will have to count on others for the photo evidence.
Once we got back on the highway, the rain was light and the road through the mountains was fabulous. Fast fun sweeping corners in and out of canyons and up and over mountains. A really great ride.
Tonight we are staying at a lovely resort (with heat and hot water, YEA). We suspect that the road up into the Cielo Biosphere will be too wet and impassable tomorrow, so we will likely all take tourist truck rides up there. I would like to rent a quad, but we are not sure on that.
Until tomorrow.
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