I love Mexico!!

My Gosh! So it´s the good, the bad, and the ugly. So beginning with my departure from Mazatlan ... kind of confusing. Fortunately I´m a guy who´s not afraid to ask for directions. But gosh dern, I don´t speak much Spanish. Well it seemed that the man said that this was the way. Yep, I´m on the right road. Along the way to Villa Union there´s goats, a donkey, and a roster along side the road, all alive (I wish the rooster was dead- contrary to myth rooster call at all times of night and day- it´s truely mading. Villa Union is a nice town, beautiful plaza and church. I ate some food from a street stand, I don´t know what it is, except that it´s some sort of taco and it tastes great! That afternoon I begin heading towards Durango. Stop by a few beautiful small towns, talk with the local policia. Eat more food. Witness a 4 wheeler plunge off the cobblestone road, guy was okay. Construction worker gives me a cervasa. Good.

Day 2 from Mazatlan: Continue to climb into the mountains from the sea. Many open views and small towns seem to cling to the mountainside. Stop at a panadaria (bakery) and get some sweets. My legs are tired from climbing. Pass North of the Tropic of Cancer. I have some gorditas (kind of like small pitas with stuff inside). Deside not to attempt the feared Espinazo del Diablo in the fading light. Find the only camp spot off the road. It´s not great. Good.

Day 3: Continue climbing. Espinazo del Diablo no longer has 1,000 foot drops on each side. Exposed like the rest of the road. Oh my gosh!! Two and a half days of climbing. The pine trees are a welcome sight after the desert. Where my jacket for the first time in weeks. Reach what may be the summit, at least the sign said something, I have no idea what. The small outpost kind of reminds me of Leadville, Colorado. I miss that place. I begin going down a bit more frequently. My altimeter tops at 9, 223 feet. Coming from sea level that´s a brute of a climb. Hardest ever in fact. I´m tired and feeling the effects. Bad. I decend to near El Salto. Two guys in a pickup stop by the road and ask about my trip, one in English. A few minutes later I´m eating an excellent lunch (my second one). The place is like a resort camp, fishery, etc. I´m able to spend the night in a cabin, compliments of my new amigo Yoshijiro (Mexican with a Japenese name). That afternoon he, Hector, Edgar, and I cruze in the pickup to the local tunnel and rock formations. Haven´t gone this fast in weeks!! That night I call my Mom for the first time in 2 months (cheap phone service), meet an extended Mexican family, and eat an awesome meal. Spending time in their house talking with them thru Yoshijiro was one of the best hightlights of the trip. They are such a welcoming and friendly family. They offer to let me stay for as long as I like, yet I crave the chocolate chip cookies of America. I hope to visit them when I speak much better Spanish. They are so wonderful, like so many Mexicans I have met along the way. Muy bien.

Day 4: The morning is near freezing. I haven´t been this cold in months! Riding of El Salto there is construction. I´m covered in dust and dirt after a quarter mile of riding off pavement. So much for the nice shower. Bad. Ride to Durango. Spend the afternoon driving around Durango with Yoshijiro and his friend Alex. Even see a bicycle track. Stay the next day at his house eating, reading, resting, and watching tv. Good.

Day 6: Ride almost a hundred miles after good food and rest, plus the road is largely flat. That afternoon a dust storm sweeps thru. I decide to tempt fate and ride out of town. A weird sound appears. My front rack is broken. I ride into the headwind back to town. Of course the bicycle shop doesn´t have the rack I need. It´s a nightmare, I need help, and I don´t know how to communicate. Ugly. Finally a welder is located and he fixes the rack for about 4 dollars. Ride out of town and make awesome time with an incredible tailwind. Find a place to spend the night. Good.

Day 7: The next morning it´s raining. Less than an hour later my rack breaks again. I´m cold, wet, and broken. Ugly. I jimmyrig the rack with my spare wheel spokes. I add additional duck tape throughout the day. The rain stops and I once again make good time. I make my way thru the big city of Torreon with the help of a local cab driver. I ride about a hundred miles that day and spend the night in the nice town of San Pedr0. I splurge on a hotel room for 200 pecos (about 13 dollars). I shop, eat, shower and watch tv. Bad and Good.

Day 8: Ride thru the desert with a horse that has no name :0 (at least for a few hundred yards). Get water and a burrito from the only place along the ruta. They give me a free 40th anniversary t-shirt from the restaurant. Mexican-American stops and asks me¨"what´s up?" I haven´t heard the expression in a while I don´t know how to answer it. Find a nice place off the ruta to camp. Low mountains surrounding the dessert are incredible beautiful. PB and J for Dinner (I´m to lazy and tired to cook).

Half of Day 9: Reach the beautiful town of Cuantrociengas. Eat some great chicken. Should reach Eagle Pass, Texas in about 4 days. Still craving a chocolate chip cookie.

I LOVE Mexico!!!