 Re: Longest ride?
Scootover was asking about the longest ride, and since I have nothing to do but sit in front of the tube I thought I would go into more detail about my trip to Mexico. I'm not very good at putting my thought's into word's...sooo..here I go.
It was a Friday morning of July 26 or 25 of 2007 at 4:30 in the morning, still dark out. Me and my friend Alex got all our gear ready the day before. Did all we could to our bike's. Switched our tank's out for bigger motorcycle tank's that looked a bit silly but oh well that was the last thing on my mind. I was on my cruiser and Alex on my double suspension bike.
We both had back- pack's with food and water and cell phone's and other stuff. If you want detail of what we took I would be more then happy to tell you at a later time. I was pulling a trailer with fuel, water, tube's, pump, tools, ect.
We left from the west side of Tucson near Speedway and Silverbell south down Silverbell until it turned into Mission Rd. All the way down Mission to the town of Green Valley about 25 miles from Tucson. Took the frontage road from Green Valley along side I-19. Had to go on the highway on I-19 in a few place's. Only stopped at the rest stop between Green Valley and Nogalas.
Arrive in Nogalas,AZ so far about 61miles from Tucson. Got a bite to eat and topped off our fuel and water. Took Mariposa Rd. west of town that take's you to the truck crossing (Semi). It's much faster and avoid's the downtown crossing which is away's busy and much less traffic.
Coming to the border crossing got nurvous that we would not be allowed with our bike's across the border. Nobody thier...no stop sighn....no one to stop us....WELCOME TO MEXICO the sighn said.
Now in Nogalas, Mexico, don't know the name of the road but do know just stay on same road and it will take you right to Mexico highway 15D, that will go straight to Santa Ana. Look out for the driver's!!! They don't drive the same in Mexico like here in the State's.
Made it to 15D, allright we are really on our way now. Ooopppsss, forgot about "El 21" Mexico border checkpoint at kilometer 21. That's right have to fight the line's and get permission for us and our bike's. In line for about an hour making copies after copies of birth certificate, drivers licens, ect. Finally get to the window, a beautiful girl then tell's me "oh!, you dont need permission, you can go all the way to Guaymas before you need pemit's" Dang it!! Why is it everytime I come to Mexico they change something, apperently they changed it a few months ago and we did not have to stop.
As we are leaving El 21, red cross worker's holding out cans for donation. I stop and put five dollar's. I remember my Mom telling me when my Nana died my Mom had to ask for help from the red cross to help pay for the funeral. She said to alway's give to the Mexico red cross, I alway's do.
Still south on 15D, stopped alot along the way. One front flat tire and many, many, many close call's. Especially with the buse's, they drive like Idoit's!! There is no shoulder on the road not like here. Here you have the white line and usually a couple of feet off to the right of pavement. Not in Mexico, you have the white line and that's it! It's off-roading after that. There is no shoulder what's so ever. Lot's of little trails a good 20-30 feet from the road, had to use them many time's to avoid the crazy driver's.
Alot of little villages along the way that we stopped to rest and to slow down our heart beats. Kid's running in front of you, behind you chasing you on a major highway. Dog's oh my god the dog's that would chase after you. We saw pig's, duck's, goat's, horse's, cow's right on the highway.
The first town that I know the name of was Imuris, I know I have a cousin who live's thier. Going up and down dirt road's looking for something familer. Been so long everything is different. Saw the swiming pool my Mom used to swim in when she was a little girl but could not find my cousin's house so we gave up. Back to 15D
Now a good 102-109 mile's into our trip. A few miles outside Imuris saw a policia on the side of the highway having a chat with a few people. He whistled at us and waved for us to come over. I already knew what was going to happen. He said we could not ride on the side of the highway and he would not let us continue. But I really know what he wanted, I've been coming to Mexico my whole life and alway's run into these guy's espacially when they know you are from the north. He wanted me to pay the toll, to faten his wallet. I refused....It was a good ol stand-off. I refused to give him money that dirty cop! Took about 30-40 minutes till he gave up. He threatened to take our bike's but I still would not give in. I learned from my Mom how to deal with these guy's. He finally jumped in his cruiser and left, so we went on our way.
Still on 15D next town Magdalena de Kino....Yahooo more then half way thier. The town of Father Kino, Ahhh Magdalena, where you can get the best firecracker's for a couple of buck's. Some of my best childhood memories are from this town. But it has changed from when I was a kid. It is now a dangerous town full of coyote's and Mafia, drug cartels, Drug dealer's waiting for thier drug money to come back from the state's. Very, very crowded. I have a aunt here, I know where her house is, it's right by the police station if you even want to call them police.
Got to stop and say hello, hug's and kisse's from a bunch of people who I have to assume I'm related too. Shocked that we rode bicycle's all the way from Tucson. Kid's who I assume were cousin wanting to ride our bike's. I felt bad, I did not want them to, I was afraid of them doing damage to the bike's. Rested for a long time, we where tiered. Filled are belly's with some of the best food in the world. Getting yelled at for not visiting enough, being told of a nice girl they know for me, Hey!! hook me up!! Thiers nothing like a good hard working ranch girl. It's going to get dark soon, got to go.
Leaving Magdalena just a few block's from my aunt's house, some idiot tries to make a right turn at the intersection before we get thier....LOOK OUT!!! Too late, smack right in the passenger door. Damn!, I was afraid to look at my bike. I thought for sure I broke something. Got lucky no damage, the guy in the car stopped for a second, I guess just to see if I was okay, he waved, I waved back, then he drove off like it was nothing. Wow, need to pay more attention that was too close.
Just as we are leaving Magdalena, there is the red cross, we where just passing the red cross when I hear a awful yell, I look back. It's Alex, he got pinched between a car and the traffic light pole. Alex who speak's way better spanish then me is yelling god knows what at the driver. The driver yelling back, the driver is a idiot, forget about it you are okay let it go.
Leaving Magdelana now about 122 miles into our trip and the hardest part to come, only about a little more then 22 miles to go.
I know there is some step hills coming up, did not want to tell Alex he look's uncomfortable. Oh no! throttle cable broke, damn. Pull off the side of the highway to see what I can do. Pulled throttle off handle bars and striped about a foot of the shield off so I have something to grab. Now I'm sterring with one hand and the other pulling on the cable to operate the throttle, damn this is going to tuff.
Had to stop and walk the bike's up some of the hill's, to step for the motor's and to exhausted to pedal up. Ah, I see the radio tower for the only radio station. I know what this mean's Santa Ana just on the other side and it's all down hill from here, YEAH!!
Once in Santa Ana make a right, now on highway 2. Cross the railroad track's, cross the bridge. I'm all gitty with excitement I know once I cross the bridge about a half mile make a left onto a dirt road and I will be in Santa Ana Vieja, the village where my uncle's house is. I hope my sister made it fine with my truck and quad. All I could think about was pulling up to my uncle's yard and seeing thier face's, I know they are worried about us.
Now on the dirt road I keep looking in the distance come on, come on where's my truck. Yes, Yes!! there it is I did it I made it. I yell at Alex "There's my Tio's house, There's my Tio's house. Alex has a huge smile on his face.
Well, we made it, we where so proud of ourself's. A nice ice cold Tecate with lime and salt and telling everyone about our adventure. But that did not last long, I had a race to get ready for.
Sorry, I did not have a camera with me and dont have any pic's. My aunt did take some picture's but only of me racing my quad. The cool thing about the race was it went right in front of my uncle's house and my family watched me kick but right from the front yard.  |
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