Tuesday, Mar 18, 2008
Zimapan to the Hotel Rancho Viejo, approx 430 miles, 17 hours!
Why approximate? Cause my speedo cable ate it today. When we removed the clutch cable, uhhh, guess that was yesterday, there was a zip-tie joining the clutch and speedometer cables. I cut the zip-tie off and then completely forgot about it. Well, it was there for a reason and today somehow the speedo cable got in a bind, and is now toast. Other than that, the 'Hornet keeps on puttin' along. Motor is sound, no leaks and clutch cable is holding. Good ole Hornet. She's a real beast.
Had a great hotel room in Zimapan. Two rooms, nicely furnished, original 40's furniture it looked like, huge tiled bath, great old fashioned style place currently being renovated. $25.
There was a carnival in town, with rides and such, set up right in the town square, in front of the church, and so last night was hoppin'. I was so starved, not having eaten all day, (didn't want to waste the daylight) I went around to all the sidewalk stands and had one of everything. Tacos, pizza and hamburgers. They make their 'burgers here with ham added on top of the meat paddy. The town has a wild west feel, some buildings look right out of a spaghetti western. Like I said, it was hoppin'. Everybody having a grand time. Loud music, jivin' dj on loud speaker. Whoopin' and screams from the rides.
I was told it would take 4.5 hours to travel the 100 miles to Tamachunchale. Well it took me 5.5 hours. The first 43 miles, to Jacala, is the most spectacular I thought. Cardon cactus giving way to pine trees, cool air, spectacular scenery. I didn't like the strech between Jacala and Chapulhuacan as much, though it was pretty amazing, mountainous, the road is an engineering marvel, constantly twisting and banking. Great motorcycle road, I'm thinking it may be better than Hwy 120 from Jalpan to Bernal, but then it is soooo long. From Chapulhuacan to Tamachunchale the road descends into the valleys, lush vegetation, hot. Tamachunchale, with its exotic name, ain't much to look at. It ain't in the mountains, its at the bottom of the mountains, hot and mind numbing traffic. Coming south the traffic was backed up for a mile.
The road actually straightens out from Tamachunchale to Ciudad Valles, but this welcome development is tempered by the fact that there are now speed bumps spaced every 4-5 kilometers along the way, making slow going. HOT HOT HOT. Orange country. Piles of oranges everywhere. Fresh, cold O.J. at $1 a liter. Yumm. And HOT. Really Hot.
The people are different here. Shorter, more slender, darker. Huastec Indians. Thatched roofed houses, first I've seen. This is what's called the Huasteca.
I'm in familiar territory now. In Ciudad Valles (3:15 pm, traffic) I stop (feel the heat) at my favorite place, the Bonanza Restaurant, where they had a buffet waiting for me. I was hot, dirty, and burnt. I must've looked a sight 'cause the waiter immediately handed me a glass of cold Tamarindo water, without my asking. I drank about 6 of 'em, cleaned up, ate all the food on my plate. Topped off with dessert and coffee. This is a great place, open 24/7, just good eats. Popular with the locals.
Well, in Valles I reflect I am now only 700 miles from Austin, it's 4:30 pm and I'm out of pesos. Don't know if I'm up for this but off I go. The road is straight, true, and fast to Mante, minimal traffic and no speed bumps. Round houses with thatched roofs. This is the Gulf coastal plain. Then crossing over the cane fields of Xicotenatle, there is a raging dust storm. Turns the mountains a dull grey, turns the sky a yellowish beige. The low sun a dull golden area of the sky. Dull grey filter over everything. Is that smoke? No, it dirt... The wind is outrageous. When I stop I fear it will blow my bike over. Ahh well, what's a trip to Mexico without a dust storm?
New Hwy 81(?) connecting Tampico and Victoria. Dark outside of Victoria, I push on, fight to stay awake. Good road, nominal traffic, I have to stop multiple times to either nap or jump around. Finally find a good place to stop with some trucks, park my bike by one of those little crosses on the side of the road, this one has a fence around it, and collapse in the tall soft grass and fall asleep in full riding gear. 40 minutes of unconsciousness later, I'm rejuvenated! Ahh, what's a trip to Mexico without sleeping in a ditch somewhere? Suddenly it gets colder around San Fernando. Stopped at my very first army check point, they want to review my bags. These army guys crack me up. I have all of Mexico to my back and they ask where am I going? Uhhh, Texas? Where does it look like I'm going, Jack?
12:30 am, Hotel Rancho Viejo, Km marker 202, north of San Fernando. $35, free internet, credit card accepted. Stratigically located, this is the same place Clayton and I have stayed a couple of times, a good value. Sore butt tonight.
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