Friday, January 1, 2010
12/21 Zihuatenejo to Bloomfield, IN
Breakfast with Ron, then coffee and internet near the hotel. I downloaded a few podcasts for the trip, said goodbye to Basil & Alix, 170p taxi ride to the airport, on time departure to Houston. Slow transit thru customs in Houston due to long lines and distance from International terminal to domesti. I arrived at the gate exactly at departure time. The good news was a half hour mechanical delay and I am off to Indy on my intended flight. The bad news is one of my bags did not make it on the plane. The suitcase, not the bike. It was delivered to my door the next morning. Hey, there is some snow here in Indiana and in a few days I will be driving to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where there is more snow and likely to be very cold.
Panko has the right idea, do this ride in December, stay in Mexico over Christmas, do another ride in January.
FYI, after returning home I calculated the all inclusive cost of this trip, including airfare: approx. $125/day.
Panko has the right idea, do this ride in December, stay in Mexico over Christmas, do another ride in January.
FYI, after returning home I calculated the all inclusive cost of this trip, including airfare: approx. $125/day.
12/20 Two days after the Ride
Last full day on Zihuatenejo. Sharyn and Kathleen are off to the airport after Sharyn realized she was leaving today and not tomorrow. Planned to shop today, but it looks like many shops ar closed on Domingo(Sunday). Packed bike and suitcase. Had my last mexican meal, pork tacos, visited the celebration in the square complete with Michael Jackson impersonator, mostly traditional dancing and music.
No bike issues on this ride other than one or two minor shifter adjustments. I finished two books on this trip and started a third. That's alot of reading for me. It takes people more or less time to tune into the relaxed vacation mode as well as the very relaxed Mexican mode of life. Some people are ready from the start, it takes me four or five days, some people never seem to relax completely.
Coffee and Internet is more available each time I come to Mexico, this is my fourth trip. Cell phones work in most places but are expensive to use even with discount plans. Lower cost choices are phone cards or Skype. After a few days I did get Skype to work and it seemed very good.
No bike issues on this ride other than one or two minor shifter adjustments. I finished two books on this trip and started a third. That's alot of reading for me. It takes people more or less time to tune into the relaxed vacation mode as well as the very relaxed Mexican mode of life. Some people are ready from the start, it takes me four or five days, some people never seem to relax completely.
Coffee and Internet is more available each time I come to Mexico, this is my fourth trip. Cell phones work in most places but are expensive to use even with discount plans. Lower cost choices are phone cards or Skype. After a few days I did get Skype to work and it seemed very good.
12/19 The day after the ride
Several of us went for a boat outing to a remote beach with Cesar, the boat owner. Alejandro came with all the fixings for ceviche. Cesar speared several fish for ceviche round two. We snorkeled in almost perfect conditions, lots of fish and coral, too bad my camera died at Punta Perula. Later dinner with Ron and Sharyn at Tres Amigos that had USDA beef, just for Ron. A small happening on the square, music and couples at a time dancing, more like clogging. one at a time. A drink or two at a gringo bar next to our hotel with gringo musicians.
12/18 Lazaro Cardenas to Zihuatenejo 108km
Overcast, hot, 108km, lunch in ? Bike path through Ixtapa with a couple steep but short climbs. On the shortest but steepest, a couple riders balked me so I had to stop and walk a bit. But...I made it four years ago with worse gearing and heavier panniers. Alejandro rode out to meet us halfway, he is a friend of Basil & Alix and has a bike shop in Zihuatenejo. Steve & Dave rode ahead since Dave had the earliest departure from Zihua and Dave's friend Joyce was waiting for him at the Hotel Casa Aurora. 300p per night, everything except hot water. Last dinner together at a restaurant on the bay. A few gringos around, no cruise ships, few Mexican tourists. We are told this will change alot as it gets closer to and after Christmas. Local Christmas celebrations occur nightly on the Zihua square which is also on the bay.
Total km = 776 (482 mi.)
On bike average = 13mph (most days)
Days with significantly more uphill than down = -1mph
" " " " downhill than up = +1mph
In my experience, these are typical numbers for loaded touring.
Total km = 776 (482 mi.)
On bike average = 13mph (most days)
Days with significantly more uphill than down = -1mph
" " " " downhill than up = +1mph
In my experience, these are typical numbers for loaded touring.
12/17 Playa Nexpa to Lazaro Cardenas 84km
Great accomodations here in Playa Nexpa. Planned an early breakfast due to long ride and few places to stop, but the breakfast arrived on mexican time, when it was ready, about 1 hour late. Rolling hills then flat after lunch at Playa Azul along a nice new beach highway with minimal traffic. Very hot. 84km. Lazarro Cardenas is an industrial town. Nice hotel but had to negotiate alot of traffic getting into the city. Walked around very large Christmas market which seems to be ramping up now that the Virgin of Guadalupe celebration is over. Drinks and dinner with Sharyn, Dave, Steve, Kathleen. Strolling musicians talked us into a song for 30p, then a second, then offered 3 for 100p, new math? Had to run them off, but their musical abilities were very good, at least according to the guitar players in the group.
12/16 Maruata to Playa Nexpa 96km
Glad to be out of Maruata. Great views, 4500 ft of climbing, 96km. A couple rest stops along the way with great overlooks of the coast and beaches. A couple km of cobblestone entering the village. At Nexpa, nice beach, many surfers, quality beach huts, good food, nearby internet. Shared a building with Ron for 250p each.
12/14 La Placita to Maruata 55km & 12/15 Rest day in Maruata
Warm, hilly, only 25km to beach stop for food, swimming and sun. I snorkeled but did not see any fish. Hilly and sunny to Maruata, total 55km. Great views along the way. New regional hospital in the tiny village of
Maruata. Most primitive overnight stop yet, but a real experience as well. Palapas with thatched roofs, no plumbing in rooms, 300p. Wandered the great beaches and rock formations. A bit of tequila before dinner since tomorrow is a rest day. Owners wife just had 5th child a couple days ago, so food was prepared by daughter. Good fresh seafood, a bit overcooked. Gregorio is the proud papa and somewhat lazy proprietor, oldest son Ruholio gets the 'call' for most things. Grandparents live next door. Even outdoor plumbing is very primitive, first place on this trip that provides mosquito nets, some grumbling since we are staying two nights.
On the rest day a small group of us hired a fisherman via Gregorio to take us to a remote beach. Dragging the boat across the sand and into the water took quite a bit of effort by several fisherman and bikers while Gregorio looked on. Many interesting water birds. On the way to the beach we boated through a tunnel and stopped at a rocky formation where we could snorkel from the boat. Warm clear, rocky, waves and many fish. At the beach we snorkeled and saw alot more fish. Basil attempted to catch dinner with his rubber powered spear. After the boat outing we went in search of lunch and internet and settled for snacks at the small store. There we met two bikers who had obviously been on the road for awhile. They were a young couple from Quebec who started in Feb., down the east coast of USA across the south, into Mexico and down to Panama and the other nearby countries. Now they were going up the west coast and back across Canada to Quebec. 16,000km (10,000mi) so far. Camping and accepting the generosity of locals was their standard overnight accommodations. In the evening we were back at Gregorios place for dinner, where a second tequila tasting event had starting due to the difficulty of tomorrows ride?!? I did not participate but somehow was seen to be the motivating force. Still not sure how that happened.
Maruata. Most primitive overnight stop yet, but a real experience as well. Palapas with thatched roofs, no plumbing in rooms, 300p. Wandered the great beaches and rock formations. A bit of tequila before dinner since tomorrow is a rest day. Owners wife just had 5th child a couple days ago, so food was prepared by daughter. Good fresh seafood, a bit overcooked. Gregorio is the proud papa and somewhat lazy proprietor, oldest son Ruholio gets the 'call' for most things. Grandparents live next door. Even outdoor plumbing is very primitive, first place on this trip that provides mosquito nets, some grumbling since we are staying two nights.
On the rest day a small group of us hired a fisherman via Gregorio to take us to a remote beach. Dragging the boat across the sand and into the water took quite a bit of effort by several fisherman and bikers while Gregorio looked on. Many interesting water birds. On the way to the beach we boated through a tunnel and stopped at a rocky formation where we could snorkel from the boat. Warm clear, rocky, waves and many fish. At the beach we snorkeled and saw alot more fish. Basil attempted to catch dinner with his rubber powered spear. After the boat outing we went in search of lunch and internet and settled for snacks at the small store. There we met two bikers who had obviously been on the road for awhile. They were a young couple from Quebec who started in Feb., down the east coast of USA across the south, into Mexico and down to Panama and the other nearby countries. Now they were going up the west coast and back across Canada to Quebec. 16,000km (10,000mi) so far. Camping and accepting the generosity of locals was their standard overnight accommodations. In the evening we were back at Gregorios place for dinner, where a second tequila tasting event had starting due to the difficulty of tomorrows ride?!? I did not participate but somehow was seen to be the motivating force. Still not sure how that happened.
12/13 Tecoman to La Placita 64km
Flat, cool in the AM, first stop at Playa Sento Tecko at 44km. Nice beach and palapa restaurant, huge waves, no swimming today. After a couple hours on the beach, we are off to the biggest climb remaining in the tour. We are met at the top by Humberto on his bike. After awhile at the top with a great view, we are off to Humberto's Hotel Reyes, my room is 220p ($17), doubles are 260p ($10 each), fan, TV, windows without screens, one faucet water. Dogs, puppies, chickens, roosters, geese and geckos are free. Very warm, upper 80s, 64km today. Dinner on the plaza from a street vendor, the enchilladas de pollo were very good. About half the group went for pizza?!? in this tiny town, which they reported as also good.
Breakfast choices are usually eggs prepared in a variety of ways or quesadillas or fruit or pancakes. Coffee is almost always Sanka. I had granola cereal before riding. Alot of seafood is available along the coast for minimal cost. In general the food is not too spicy, unless you order it that way. To be safe, only drink and brush teeth with bottled water, avoid things like lettuce which could be washed in tap water, but anything cooked or pealed is OK. Oh yes, I did have a couple minor occurances of Motezumas revenge. It must not have been too bad since I don't exactly remember where. Handled by a couple PeptoBismol tablets.
Breakfast choices are usually eggs prepared in a variety of ways or quesadillas or fruit or pancakes. Coffee is almost always Sanka. I had granola cereal before riding. Alot of seafood is available along the coast for minimal cost. In general the food is not too spicy, unless you order it that way. To be safe, only drink and brush teeth with bottled water, avoid things like lettuce which could be washed in tap water, but anything cooked or pealed is OK. Oh yes, I did have a couple minor occurances of Motezumas revenge. It must not have been too bad since I don't exactly remember where. Handled by a couple PeptoBismol tablets.
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