Just wanted to mention the weather when we started on Thursday morning was in the mid to upper 30’s. It was sunny, but cold I wore my Gerbings all the way to the boarder and was very comfortable. Jaime left his Gerbings home, he keep putting on more clothes. We saw a little rain Saturday afternoon and Sunday it was scattered showers.
Monday April 9th the weather is overcast, but not raining. We left our motel for the boarder crossing from McAllen/Pharr, Texas to Reynosa, Mexico. Reynosa is a typical boarder town with little flavor and almost nothing in the way of historical interest. They charged $2 dollars to cross and directed us to where we could get our Tourist Card $20 dollars and vehicle permits $30 dollars. It started raining while we took care of the paper work. With a little local help we were soon on our way out of the city and on the highway heading south in a light rain (not enough rain to put rain gear on). After an hour or so of riding the weather cleared and the sun came out.
Our planned route below is from the book Motorcycle Journeys Through Northern Mexico, by Neal Davis.
A view from the side of the road as we climb in the mountains.
The highway descends with nice curves.
The author recommended a side trip for lunch at Hacienda Lago Guerrero, just before reaching Ciudad Victoria. After many miles of back roads we gave up. But, we did stop to get a few pics.
We ate lunch at our next gas stop. Gas stations were plentiful along the way. Premium gas was $9.50 pesos per liter ($3.25 dollars/gal). By the way the roads so far are mostly 1 ½ lanes wide. You drive in the ½ lane to the right to make for easy passing, even on the double yellow line. The speed limit on the highways is 100kph, but you get passed a lot if you maintain it by little cars with 6 passengers. In the villages and towns it’s posted from 20kph to 40kph and they have Topes (speed bumps) to enforce it. The topes came in many types, but the tall ones tried to ripe the skid plate off the LT until I learned to cross them. Also, at ever topes there were people selling things. We crossed many thousands of topes on our trip.
Our first night in Mexico would be at Ciudad Mante, a town with a population of over 100,000 people whose main industry is processing the sugar cane grown in the surrounding fields. We are about 205 miles from the boarder, but with the side trip we were closer to 300 miles for the day. The author recommended the Hotel Monterrey at $30 dollars; we paid closer to $45.
Our second day has us traveling to Poza Rica some 220 miles further south and closer to the Gulf coast. Sixty two miles into our sunny and warm ride we reached Ciudad Valles, a city of over 300,000. Valles itself is a commercial center which processes and transports the coffee, sugar, and oranges grown on nearby farms and plantations.
The route for the next 60 miles is single lane ride through rural Mexico. The Huastec Indian ruins, called either El Consuelo or Ruinas Tamuin, has an easy access from our route and the site is quite famous, however, the ruins at El Tajin are much more extensive and restored. This civilization peaked between 800 and 1200 C.E. The Huastec still exist today.
This hut was at the end of a gravel road off the highway at the entrance just before the parking area. It contained bathrooms.
The next village Jaime got direction to a little restaurant where we had to drive back a driveway to the rear of a building to an open courtyard. We parked in the shade as the temperature was in the mid 80’s. We entered a large screened pavilion which had lots of tables and chairs. I ordered Chicken Fajitas w/onions, bell peppers, refried beans and rice and 2 cold beers. The cost was $50pesos ($5 dollars) plus tip. As we were finishing lunch the waitress ask if her and her friends could get pictures of the bikes. We said sure. Next thing I see is each of the girls taking turns sitting on my bike and getting there picture taken.
We arrived in Poza Rica and got direction the the upscale Poza Rica Inn $75.
The hot tub and pool was a nice treat before dinner.
The lobby.
The pool bar at night.
The dining room stain glass wall, the pool was on the other side.
Jaime's breakfast and I had the breakfast of champions.
Today we leave Poza Rica to visit the El Tajin ruins 12km south of Poza Rica. As we arrived the Voladores were about to perform. During this ancient Nahua and Totonac ritual, five men climb to the top of a pole reaching a height of 100 feet. While one plays a drum and a reed-pipe on a tiny platform at the top, the other four “fly” to the ground, suspended on ropes. Each volador circles the pole 13 times before reaching the ground, making a total of 52 turns. This symbolizes the 52-year cycles of the Mesoamerican calendar. The central pole represents a vertical connection between the Earth, the heavens above, and the underworld below. The Totonac Voladores wear velvet panels decorated with sequins and beads. The headdresses are adorned with mirrors and plastic flowers.
El Tajin is the most extensively uncovered and restored Huastec site in Mexico. Although you can now visit a huge area, hundreds more pyramids and buildings are still covered by the thick jungle growth. It is believed the city peaked between 600 and 1200 C.E. and was an important religious center. It contains palaces, ball courts, houses, and temples. Its biggest attraction is the Pyramid of the Niches, which is seven stories tall and covered with carved sandstone panels depicting various rulers, as well as the god Quetzalcoatl.
The ball courts were used to play a game similar to soccer. The object of the game was to get a small, rubber- like ball through a hoop well above the players’ heads. Sometimes the game was played for life or death, but it is uncertain whether the winner or loser was sacrificed to the gods.
We had lunch at the El Tajin ruins and then headed to Veracruz 160 miles south. The route was a single lane with lots of traffic through the mountains and then to the coast. It cooled down from a high of 101 to the mid 80’s once we were near the water. We arrived in Veracruz near 6pm and found a hotel near the center of town. After dinner we walked around for a while and headed back to the hotel at dark.
Today the ride is mostly high-speed toll roads to Tlaxcala which is 214 miles toward Mexico City from Veracruz. A significant change in altitude along the route as we climbed out of the steamy coast and into the rain forest and mountains.
Upon arriving at Tlaxcala, an leaving the expressway we made our way to the center of town and the Plaza de la Constitucion, where we located our hotel for the night.
Tlaxcala has a population of just over 60,000 and is the capital city of the state of Tlaxcala. It derives its name from the Indian nation that was here when the Spanish landed. They were bitter enemies of the Aztec and soon allied with the Spanish, adding more than 10,000 men to their 500-man force. Today, Tlaxcala is one of the most interesting cities in Mexico. The Plaza de la Constitucion is particularly nice and surrounded by carefully-restored colonial buildings.
Today’s ride offers some magnificent mountain riding through Indian country. Our destination is the world-class Royal Spa near the city of Zimapan. 172 miles of switch backs and twisties.
The Royal Spa
Looking back at the entry gate tower.
The main lobby entry.
Lobby
Lobby looking at dining room entry.
The dining room.
Dave's Filet Migon.
Jaime's salad.
The courtyard.
Anouther view of courtyard.
Walkway around the courtyard to our room.
Pool
Spa entrance.
Spa pool.
Today we head to Ciudad Valles 168 miles of mountain twisties and switchbacks.
Our lunch stop.
The resturant had one table outside.
More mountain views.
Jaime checks his flat repair.
We turned in our vehicle permits and lined up for U.S. Customs.
3,663 miles to date--1723 miles in Mexico.