First Days in Mexico

Driving from Scottsdale to the border of Mexico was not the most exciting ride I´ve had.  The entire route was through barren desert, and the only noteworthy site was a huge quarry about 20 miles from the border.  After reading more about border crossings, I decided to cross at Douglas, rather than Nogales.  Crossing the border was not nearly as intimidating as I thought it would be.  The Douglas border post is small, with only two roads going in each direction.  If I were heading 20 miles or less into Mexico I could have simply driven right through, but since I´m heading a bit further into Mexico, I had to import both myself and the bike.  Following signs for the temporary importation office, I pulled off under a shaded parking lot, where a man began cleaning my panniers before I had even taken my helmet off.  After saying, ¨No gracias,¨ I made my way into the office, where I was greeted by a surprisingly friendly border official, who directed me to the different desks in the office.  About two seconds into our one-way conversation, I realized that learning Spanish has to be a top priority.  Even without understanding 98% of what he said, I was in and out of the office in less than twenty minutes. 

So here we go!  From what I´ve heard and read, there´s an out-of-control drug war on the Mexican side of the border.  I figured that if I kept my eyes on the mirrors to look for a tail, and lay on the throttle for the first 70 miles or so, I may just survive the first day!  Driving through Agua Prieta, the Mexican border town, I was rather disappointed, but disappointed in a good way.  No cars pulled out of their strategic roadside position and followed me out of town, and I didn´t witness any gun battles; let alone drive through one.  Instead, I was greeted with waves, smiles, and a few curious stares.  Agua Prieta is a small town and I was out of town and back in the desert in less than ten minutes.  Heading South on Hwy 17, there wasn´t much to see.  I passed a couple road construction sites, where I was also greeted with waves, but aside from that; nothing.  The sky was becoming dark to my west, with the occasional bolt of lightning causing me to take a quick glance to the right.  I had no idea how long it would take me to reach a town that had a hotel, so I sped it up a bit.  Hwy 17, which is nothing more than a two-lane road, meandered through some hills and occasionally passed through small towns that didn´t warrant a stop.  The storm crept closer with each passing minute, but seemed to be keeping its distance.  As I arrived in the town of Moctezuma, there was a small, five-room hotel, located on the edge of town, where I decided to call it a day.  The nine-hour day had taken its toll, and there was no reason to push on to the next town that may not have accommodation.  The hotel owners were very friendly and taught me a few words of Spanish.  Dinner was pan-fried chicken and refried beans, and I called it a night not long after the last bite.  I knew I had a long day ahead of me.

I woke early and had the bike packed and on the road by 8am.  I was heading to Creel, a town near Copper Canyon.  Looking at my map, there were two ways I could get there.  The first was a southerly route where I would eventually head due east to Creel.  The second, and the route I went with, started off heading east, then Southeast, and then the road ended; giving me a chance to fill in the gap with some creative navigation.  The road heading east was gorgeous.  It passed through everything from desert, mountains, and fertile river valleys.  I think one of the great things about motorcycle travel is how the smells and temperature changes add so much to the experience.  As I entered the first river valley, I was instantly bombarded with humidity and the smell of grass on a hot day after an evening´s rain.  It´s not that the humidity or smell of vegetation is in and of itself spectacular, but it gives you a sense of being; that you are actually there and apart of the world around you.  I think alot of that is lost in the comfort of an air-conditioned car.  Winding up through the mountains, I reached my southeasterly turnoff.  It was a dirt road, and a brief conversation with a construction crew confirmed that it was the road I thought it was.  About three miles down the road, a huge smile came across my face, accompanied with the realizations that I was actually in Mexico, that this was really happening, and how awesome this whole adventure is! 

 

The road meandered through desolation, but the cattle guards in the road let me know that someone lived in the area.  The road passed through two unremarkable and small towns, and brought me to an unmarked fork on the outside of the second.  Neither road was on my map or on my GPS.  So I went with my gut instinct and took the road toward the right. I followed it for several miles to a barbed wire fence and a locked gate.  Serves me right for following my gut instinct!  So I retraced my way back to the fork to give the other road a try.  Thankfully, that one brought me to the town of Nacori Chico, just like I had hoped.  My fuel was running low, and it definitely wasn´t enough to cross the Sierra Madres with.  So I pulled over and spoke with five men who were working on a busted radiator in their truck.  After first offering me a beer, they pointed me to ¨La casa de gasolina¨.  Not a gas station, but a gas house.  A family has plastic barrels of gasoline stored at their house, which they transfer to jugs and funnel into your tank.  Very cool!  I´ve definitely never seen anything like this before!  With my tank full, I sought out a road that would lead me through the mountains to a road on the other side, which I could pick up and head south on. 

This was the gap in my original plan that I had to fill.  Was there even a road that did that?  My own exploration lead me down several dead ends.  Nothing is marked or named, and the roads certainly don´t show up on my map or on my GPS, (which is acting as nothing more than expensive compass).  I took several roads that after a couple miles would lead to a dump, a gate, or just end.  Wandering on the outskirts of town, I came to a fork and this one came complete with signs.  Unfortunately neither town was on my map or GPS. Grrrr.  So I went with the opposite of my gut instinct and was wrong again.  Backtracking again, I went with the other route and it started to look promising.  It was trafficked alot, heading due east, and straight into the mountains.  I did it!  I found the road to Chuhuichupa!  Before the smile had left my face, I rolled up to an open gate with a ¨Private Property¨ sign staring back at me.  But this had to be the route!  I went through the gate and followed the road for about a quarter mile.  As I rounded a turn with two horses in the road, a sizeable house appeared, and I knew that anyone there would most definitely see me ride by.  The house was actually too big and nice for comfort, especially since this is the heart of Mexico's marijuana crop.  I turned around and made my way back to the town. I asked a local man if he knew the road to Chuhuichupa, and he said yes and quickly added that it was really dangerous.  During the day I should be OK, but at night it is very bad.  I was unconvinced that the road he was directing me to was different from the one I had just been on, and I strongly doubted there were two roads going to the same place.  It was nearing 3pm, and there was another storm coming from the east. I thought about the situation and decided that taking a dirt (soon to be mud) road, through the heart of drug country, by myself, all while testing the enforcement of Mexico´s trespassing laws, was more of a recipe for disaster than for success.  Defeated, but content with my decision, I made my way back to Moctezuma, where I had started and where I spent the previous night.  I was disappointed that 10 hours of riding hadn´t gotten me anywhere, but I had a lot of fun and wouldn´t change a thing.

 

My second attempt at getting to Creel was even more exciting, and in hindsight, I wish I had the discretion I had the day before.  The first half of the day was uneventful, with my ride taking me along the Mexican version of the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Eventually a storm forced me to pull over and have a coffee and eat some enchiladas.  The waitress confirmed that the road I wanted to take to San Jaunito existed, and that it would take me about an hour and half to get there.  Eventually the rain slowed and the lightning passed and I decided to have a go at it.  It was around 4:30pm and I could easily make it to San Juanito by dark; maybe even Creel!  I stepped outside and the sky over the mountains was still ominously dark.  I asked the waitress how much a room in the hotel attached to the restaurant was, and she quoted me $25, which is what I had paid the last two nights, and which was also over budget.  I knew I could find a place in Creel for $10.  So being cheap, I decided to have a go at the road through the mountains. 

As I pulled onto the dirt/mud/stone/gravel road, a sign indicated that San Juanito was 87km away.  Huh, that seems kind of far. Oh well, I can make it!  The road began it´s meandering climb through the Sierra Madres.  The condition of the road slowed my pace down considerably.  About 20 miles into the pass, round two of the storm hit.  My visibility dropped down to nearly nothing.  At highway speeds, rain blows off of your visor, but at 10 to 20mph, it clings there until two drops team up and slide off.  It was getting dark quick, although I couldn´t tell if it was dark from the storm or from the sun setting.  I soon realized that I was in the exact situation I had turned back to avoid the day before, but I decided to press on today.  Around the 30 mile mark, or the halfway point, I even had myself a little worried.  I definitely was not going to make it in an hour and a half, and this was not where I wanted to be when the sun set.  The rain finally let up, and I picked up the pace, taking full advantage of the straight-aways.  What the hell am I doing here?  I´m such a ____ idiot!  The sun was officially down, and I was clinging to the last bit of light that made it down through the clouds and trees.  A few pickup trucks had passed me from the opposite direction, but now that it was dark, I held my breath each time I saw headlights ahead.  I thought to myself, Everyone has adamently insisted that I don´t ride at night.  So now that it´s dark, how long after dark does all the bad stuff happen, and how?  Do they run you off the road, set up road blocks, stop in front of you and jump out guns blazing?  Oh, and What the ___ am I doing here?

Soon three vehicles were coming from ahead.  I hadn´t seen three vehicles together since I´d been in Mexico.  This wasn´t looking good.  I went back and forth between having my tinted helmet visor up and down, in an attempt to see the vehicles approching without having my eyes filled with bugs or the stinging rain.  Closer they came.  My mind was racing at whatever speed is fast for a mind to work at, and as the first truck passed, I felt my body tense-up as I waited for muzzle-flashes to come from the windows.  The three vehicles passed without as much as a honk, and I let out a huge sigh of relief!  Obviously, this wasn´t the best place to be, but were my fears a little unfounded and was my mind taking things too far?  I decided to debate that later, and focus on getting down the road as fast as possible.  Unbelievably, I hit pavement!  Fresh stuff too!  Grading equipment lined the road, and I opened the throttle up, looking only for cattle in the road.  Arriving safely in San Juanito, I realized that there was definitely not a hotel in town, so I continued 30 more kilometers to Creel.  Phew, I actually made it!  I found a hostel in town and just as I had thought, it was only $10.  I just saved myself 15 bucks! 

As I entered the hostel, a Mexican family vacationing in Creel greeted me and the father looked at me with a hint of shock on his face.  He spoke English well and wasted no time telling me that I was a very lucky man and that being out on the road that late in the evening was not a good idea.  Like everyone else, he reiterated the risks of traveling at night in this region and insisted that they not be taken lightly.  I guess my fears weren't unfounded.  Ok, I need a beer!

Comments

[Lynn]

Hi Jeff,
You just gave your mom a few gray hairs, but don't stop writing. The details are amazing and I love reading every update. What a TRIP!!!! I miss you.
Ride safely & stay healthy.
I love you,
Mom

[David V]

Hey Jeff,
I work with Kali at genomas and have traveled a decent amount in Latin American so she gave me this website and told me to make some recommendations. I read your post about the boarder crossing, I have to say I'm really jealous, I've always dreamed of doing something like what you're doing. Anyway, here are the suggestions I have. In mexico I would try to go through Oaxaca and San Cristobal de las Casas for some real authentic Mexico that is still safe and has some tourism. I would go straight through the middle of Costa Rica (mountains instead of coast), avoiding highway 1. Check out Arenal and San Ramon. In Colombia you HAVE to go to Cartagena, it's one of the coolest and most beatiful cities i've ever been to, and it's the safest city in Colombia. Other than that I'd be sure to stick on major roads between major cities cause it's dangerous to drive less-traveled roads in Colombia, that's where people get kidnapped (you probably already knew that but Kali told me to remind you). After that, I only really know about Argentina. On the west side definitely check out Salta and Bariloche, they are both really beautiful and fun places, especially Bariloche. If you have time you should really make it to Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro...both AMAZING places, the two most fun cities I've ever been to. Go to a Boca Juniors soccer game if you make it to Buenos Aires, you wont regret it. If you dont make it there, you can't leave South America without going to a soccer game. Sit in the "popular" section...cheapest tickets but by far the most energy, just dont bring anything valuable (i got a camera stolen at a soccer game). Anyway, I should probably get back to work. I'm very jealous of this trip you're making so I'll check out the posts and would be happy to try and answer some questions if you have any. My dad lived in Panama, Colombia, Costa Rica, Paraguay and Argentina so I could relay questions to him and could probably come up with some more good recommendations. Good luck man, enjoy yourself.
-David

[DavidV]

Also, you should definitely drive up to the crater of Volcan Irazu near San Jose in Costa Rica. It's a gorgeous drive and it would be even better on a bike.

[Aunt Judy]

Hi Jeff,
We are so happy that your trip is turning out to be the adventure of a lifetime. Okay, okay, I was wrong (first time ever, promise) to be so afraid for you. You've obviously done your homework and are being careful. Stay safe and if the accounting thing doesn't seem thrilling to you, you should definitely look into writing. Your humor is delightful and your sense of voice pulls readers right in. Keep us posted.
Love,
Aunt Judy et al.

[Dave]

Hey Jeff, Sounds like your having a great time! Being scared is a good thing, it makes you appreciate your accomplishments... Everything is starting to come together here in Colorado. Departure date is November 1st, see you soon viva la motocicleta!

[Jerry Wingen]

Hi Jeff: I am still following your adventure with great interest. WOW!
I hope you will continue to have the energy and the time to up-date your Web-site. It appears as though a lot of people are traveling on your "written words"

[Little Sis]

hey big bro. Miss you!! Sounds like your having quite the adventure. (I'm jealous. We both know mom would never approve of me doing this trip.) Stay safe and keep writing. You always have me on the edge of my seat. Miss you and love you!

Chelsea

[Mike]

Hey Jeff, hope the trip is going well, your adventures so far seem to be working out! drop me an e-mail if you have a free minute, and enjoy your first couple weeks in Mexico. Me and Mich are still planning a Latin American getaway in the winter, so keep us posted about where you'll be (I suppose we could take some time out of our honeymoon to meet up with you for a quick cup of coffee). Take care, glad you're having fun!
Mike

[Jeff Walls]

hey jeff! that was some hairy shite! the path your taking is the right one and keep it throttled, you'll get more adventure! can't wait to keep reading.

-jeff
cincinnati, oh