Nov 19th    NCG to Robert Flores Magon

          Stats: Distance 114km    Up: 381m  Down: 421m  Cost:154p

          We left the Bomberos around 9 am, I was a bit ad I would of liked to spend a few more days with these guys I had a good time trying to speak Spanish and teaching them new English words. But I knew Axel wouldn’t want to stay so I didn’t push the issue any further.

          The ride out of town was slow as I adjusted to my new bike weight, I am now carrying 10L of water along with my standard 3L so the bike is at its make weight so far, I hope it doesn’t get any heavier. While I was passing a garage some guys yelled something unrecognizable in Spanish so I waived and said Buenos dias and rode on to the gas station. Waiting in line to fill my small container the group form the garage pulled up in a black car and asked me over for a chat, I told them the I Hablo Espanol muy poco ( I speak little Spanish) undeterred they fired a barrage of question including the “were you come from” I said I came from Alaska on my bike they told me they had seen yesterday’s paper and told me they saw me on the cover, they asked where I was headed I told them Chihuahua then on south. They gave me the piece sign and I left to fill up my container. After we left the gas station the guys in the black car drove by and honked piece signs made with fingers held out the windows.

          We started the road to Chihuahua with the hope that the encounter with the guys was just that and not a prelude to a robbery down the road. At the light we made a right and looked at the road ahead a straight line off to the horizon. About a mile from the light we see the black car with the guys in it sitting on the side of the road with another car of guys, I move over and give them a wide berth, it looks like they were using jumper cables on the second car, but in my mind this is just a ruse to make us think that seeing them is not unusual. About 20min later the car passes honks and drive in the same direction we are headed, I’m now on robbery alert for the day, looking ahead at any and all cars parked along the road, which is few thank god.   

          It seems as if we climbed for over an hour not a steep climb but gradual enough that I would like it to end, end it did and a sweet downhill persisted for 20min until we came across a road block, not a police checkpoint but a few guys with guns and mirrored glasses searching a truck going the other direction. The slickest looking guy came over asked us were we are going and asked to take a picture with us, so we obliged as you do with heavily armed men and then left to ride the flat road ahead.

Today like most days Axel was in get there mode so the mood of the ride was solo in its feeling and I just tagged along behind listening to my tunes and checking out the scenery. Axel had estimated the distance to be 100km so 60mi give or a take a couple, I had explained to him that if we didn’t make it we would have to camp, he didn’t like the idea and I should of know it was going to be a long day. We came to a point in the road that the pay road started and the longer hillier free road cut right we took the more direct pay road it saved a lot of miles and had a nice shoulder with little traffic if you go the other way it is an OK road but heavy traffic and longer to get to the same place.

On we rode with the occasional break manifested by me to pee, Axel never seems to pee and then when he does it is a long affair, he told me before he gets in a mode and he doesn’t even like to stop to pee just ride, well his mode must have been like that every day because it was always the same. The miles adding up and the fatigue of the day setting in I realized the Km he had calculated were wrong when we passed 100k, the town on my GPS was still a long way off and the wind had come up slowing our progress even more. As the sun started to get closer to the Mtns I was looking for a camp spot but I could see Axel just pounding out the miles and on a couple of occasions I stopped to pee and he kept riding leaving me alone and vulnerable, you can’t help someone when you’re a ¼ mile away!!! I was not pleased by the lack of attention on his part to the not separating rule we agreed on and the fact that the Km's are adding up and the sun is getting closer to the ground.

With a half hour to spare we made it to town 114km or 73miles 13more than he had said, I was tired, my knees hurt and I was not happy about spending yet another night in a hotel which so far is about all we have done in Mexico the tent is dead weight at this point. We stopped at the first hotel and I use that term loosely it was 180p a night but the bikes could not be brought up to the room it was on the second floor. The second hotel and I can use the word here was 280p a night and we could take the bikes in the room. It is a nice hotel on the right side of the road about midway through town, directly across from the Lyon’s club.

After a shower we headed out to get some food the orange building on the left side of the road headed south is the place to eat good food at a fair price. Back at the hotel it was the same Axel said little and I did interweb stuff. Another day come and gone.

Nov 20th    Flores Magon to Gas Station to Chihuahua to Hotel to Sergio’s house.

Stats: Not all on Bike! 203km  Up: 980m Down: 960m  Cost: 300p

If the title of this section seems a bit confusing just read on it doesn’t get much better.

I had mentioned to Axel the night before I might cook food instead of eating at the restaurant, but in the morning I realized that the gas station had overfilled my gas can so I needed to dump some in order to use it, so I started to get ready to leave packing all my bags putting on my cycling clothes and packing up my bike, Axel hadn’t gotten his clothes on and when I asked when we where going to the restaurant he said he was going to walk and come back and pack. A waste of time in my book and it made me upset because he had watched as I got ready and hadn’t said a word about taking his time and not riding to the restaurant, usually he wants to get out ASAP. I told him to just hurry up as it was already 815 and we had a lot of miles to go, I wasn’t happy about the situation but I made the best of it and dumped some fuel out and made breakfast in the courtyard of the hotel, I was hoping to dump out the gas in a better place but had no choice.

Leaving I realized I had a slow leak in the front tire, due to the late start I opted to just air it up and continue instead of fixing it, I figured if we stopped for lunch (didn’t happen) I would fix it then. Luckily the toll road started at the intersection on the south side of town and we had a good road all day long, with little traffic and every expanding view of the Sierra Madre to our right and open range land on the left. Today’s ride was as yesterday Axel in front oblivious to me riding behind as I stopped he would continue on for a long distance until he finally decided he wanted to stop, not the safety I was hoping for. We approached the 75km mark were the pay station is for the toll road the gun toting officer waived us through….I wish I could take a picture of the guns these guy are carrying a 45 caliber or larger hand gun and across the shoulder hanging in the front a Sub-Machine gun, type I am not sure but it is huge and has a large magazine, some even have shot guns as well. They are not messing around….what a different world it is just over the border. Finally we stopped at the station and had some lunch tried to figure out what we were going to do and Axel and I discussed the situation. He asked if I was enjoying myself and I said yes I enjoy the scenery but I was not enjoying the riding alone I explained it to him like this……… …..This is like the worst cycling hell, when you’re a solo cyclist you look forward to meeting people so you can have someone to talk to and share experience, here I am with a partner  (I use the term loosely) and he is an introvert doesn’t like to hang with people and keeps to himself I think we said less than 30 words today between us talk about torture. He then told me he decided that in Chihuahua he is going to go his own way that our riding styles are too different and the trips were are on are different.

We still had a problem with what we were going to do about camping, so Axel went over to talk to the police and see about camping at the toll station or if the gas station was good idea. He came back said the guards would let us camp next to them but camping at the gas station was bad idea “only camp next to the police” they said they also mentioned that the gas station might have a hotel but were not sure if it was the closer or farther one. I was not in a good mood anymore so I let Axel make the decision as to what were are going to do, he of course chose riding the 10km to the gas station and the hotel.

Arriving at the gas station I could tell right away there was NO hotel here, we are no in a bit of trouble it is 3:45 and once again we are nowhere near a safe place to camp. I suggested we go back to the police and camp there or perhaps find a ride but if we take a ride it has to be all the way to Chihuahua City. I saw a truck pull in headed or direction so I asked Axel to ask about a ride. The passenger got out and bought beer while Axel asked about the ride, apparently he didn’t have to ask the guy offered a ride all the way to Zona Central in Chihuahua. Intro are made and the truck loaded with bikes and we are off at 135km an hour they speed down the highway, my thoughts are of being ejected from the vehicles bed and becoming another statistic in the life and death cycle of Mexico, zipping past trucks and other cars he uses both lanes sometimes, the truck pitches as we round corners and I hold my breath expecting the worst. Kilometers zip buy as we race to the city stopping a couple times to let the passenger pee, on one occasion the driver informs us that he is going to take his brother home first then take us into the Zona, I am now sure we are going to be robbed in a barrio far from where people care if you scream. The sun is just setting as we enter the city turn off the main road and weave our way through the streets of Chihuahua turn after turn only confuses the sense and it isn’t long before I can’t begin to remember were we came from. Finally we stop at a house they both get out and the driver says he will be back, 5 min later he is back and Axel jumps into the front seat while I remain in the back tom watch our gear. I am relieved that my fears are not realized as we zoom into the city and back on the road we came in on.

I notice as we speed along that signs for Zona Central come and go yet we never go that direction, as the truck races on the Zona never appears and then suddenly he pulls over and Axel gets out. He tells me that the guy refuses to take us to the Zona he says we will be killed or robbed as soon as we step out of the truck he wants to take us to a town further west and drop us off there. It is now dark I am not happy and this guy wont take us were he said he would, now he wants to take us to a town in the dark were god only knows what could happen. I tell Axel to have him take me to a hotel ASAP I want to stay in Chihuahua I have contact here and I said I would come buy, I had a plan and I was going to stick to it.

The truck speeds on into the night, the city becoming a dot slowly disappearing as we take more curves at break neck speed. In the distance come some lights and a sign for the Houston hotel he pulls over says this place is safe but pricey, at this moment I don’t care and pull my stuff from the truck and head over to the hotel. His idea of a safe hotel is a Sex hotel were pervs and cheater bring there lovers and ho’s to have sex so the prices are by the hour 210p every 2 hours or 480p for the night, its dark we have no choice and take the room, I am now more than un-happy I am pissed.

We pile our stuff in the room and Axel takes a shower, I go over to the front desk to see about a phone call to my Contact in the city. The very attractive girl attending the desk speaks No English and me Bad to worse Spanish so I pantomime what I need she gets the idea and I give her the number to call. I get a hold of Sergio my Warm Showers contact tell him a brief version of the hell the day has been and he without asking says “I know where you are, stay there I am coming to get you” I hang up and walk back to the room. Axel is out of the shower I tell him I am leaving and going back to the city, he protest for a minute then concedes it is the best thing. So I gather my stuff together Axel says he’s going out to get food we say goodbye wish each other safe travels and he leaves.

Twenty minutes later Sergio shows up with 2 friends and a truck and we load up and head back to the city and the safety of his house, I leave my worries and troubles of the past few days at the hotel and decide to make a new trip one that involves people interaction and easy riding.

I email Axel that night and express my sadness for the way things went down, he responds with an email that explains what the heck happened on his part….basically it is this.

His personality has a lot to do with it. It’s hard to ride with someone who at his core doesn’t like being around people for long periods of time. He explained that he rides to push himself he is less interested in the place, and he understands I ride to see things and am more interested in the places and people, he needs to be alone most of the time and I like to interact….

After all this what upsets me is he saw my site and I told him to take a look and if it was the type of riding he was into great lets hook up but he wasn’t completely honest about his intention he told me he tends to just ride without stopping much and if he was doing this to tell him and he would correct it he called it a problem of his and sounded like he wanted to correct it. He never said that needing sometime alone was actually riding alone every day and not saying but maybe 10 words the whole day reverting into yourself and ignoring others, he never said that he wanted to sleep in hotels all the time because he feels safer there than in the tent camped out, he never said that he thinks the common people whom I want to meet are to low class for him....this guy was not honest at all and it brought a dark raining cloud of despair into my otherwise fun trip.

Dec 16^th     

Catching a bus to Durango…..meeting Frida and Jorge.

My time in Chihuahua has come to an end. I am now in Durango staying with the lovely Frida and her cool husband Jorge. They are Warm Showers Hosts in the city proper and have a cool little pad right close to Zona Central; it is located in close proximity to all you need to see in Durango.

I was also able to catch up with Russ and Lorely whom I road with back in AK many months ago, they were just leaving Frida and Jorge’s and I was just arriving we had planned on meeting around this time many months ago and it worked out great. They are riding with a couple of Aussie Girls and we are all going to meet up again in about a week at Aguascaliente for Xmas. Then ride together for as long as they can stand me.

I wish I could say my time with Frida and Jorge was a real pleasant one, well it was mostly pleasant at least up to the point I got booted from the house at 9:30pm.

Let me explain; I awoke on Friday morning not feeling 100% but I wanted to go out and see the city so I assembled my bike and got ready to leave. Frida saw me off and said we would meet back at the house at 6pm so I had all day to sightsee. Around noon I was feeling pretty bad and knew then I was coming down with a cold so I found a place at a park to hangout and waited for the time to pass. At around 5:30 I went back to the house, Frida arrived about 40min later, I explained that I was not feeling well and I needed to lay down for a while. She was super kind; she made me tea gave me medicine and I went to bed. At 9:30 she wakes me up and asks how I am feeling I tell her not well , I just need a good night sleep and see how I feel in the morning. She then informs me that we have a problem; she wants to go to a party for Jorge’s friends and says she can’t leave me alone in the house. So I tell her I guess I go to a hotel, though I am a shocked that I am being asked to leave, (I mean I am sick and have been in bed for 3 hours) I don’t let her think I am , I don’t want to cause a fuss. So I pack all the while Frida says she is so sorry but Jorge won’t let anyone stay in the house by themselves and she has to respect that rule, it is the only way she is allowed to have guests. I get my stuff packed and head out with my bike load up and Frida says goodbye and I cycle off into the dark , in a city I don’t know to a hotel down the street.

The hotel is 170P a night about 16$and at first seems OK what I don’t realize is that the hotel is next to 4 bars and the music will blare until 3am all the while the rooms next to mine are being occupied by people having a great deal of sex, that and the hall light blaring through my see-through curtains, I did not sleep well or much when I did. I awoke the next morning or was I just still awake I can’t remember, packed my stuff and headed to the bus station to catch the next bus to Fresnillo and my friend Ramiro.

          Ramiro’s wife answerd the phone and I tried in  my bad Spanish to explain to her that I was in Fresnillo, she finally got the idea and told me to wait were I was she was coming to get me and Ramiro was on his way with a truck to take me to their house. I was not expecting all that I was actually looking for a hostal I mean I was a few days early and hate dropping in on people unannounced.  Ramiro’s wife showed up a little out of breath she had hurried to catch a bus so she could meet up with me in the park. Shortly after a Smiling Ramiro showed up and we loaded up the bike and off we went.

Ramiro and his wife are very kind. They took me in treated me like family and make sure I was comfortable. I stayed at their new house while they stayed at her mothers, just because the place is small and still under renovation. While I was there I met his friend Juan a joyful man that continually tried to stuff me with food and usually I would of eaten all of his offerings but being sick I didn’t have the appetite I usually do, so much good food I passed up….being sick sucks. Ramiro is an avid cyclist and has several really cool bikes like a Vicious cycles snow bike with 4.0 tyres, a Thorn expedition bike complete with the awesome Rohloff hub, a Salsa Fargo for his wife and a few I dint see. We talked about bikes and riding and his future tour of the Latin America. I am constantly amazed at the kindness of the Mexican people…..they are an example to the US…Just do what is right.

Sadly I left Rami’s house on Monday headed for Zacatecas and a long awaited meeting of old friends. I wasn’t feeling 100% so the miles got harder as I traveled, nothing steep in fact the only real hill Rami wouldn’t let me climb and had dropped me off at the top of so it was flat for a long time. Now there is a 22km hill into Zacatecas but it is 1% so you don’t notice it much, it only rears its ugly head as you hit town then its 6% for 3km until the top were you zip down the same grade. If your smart youll take the first pedestrian over pass and cross the 45 into the city proper. If you don’t you descend a ways then have to climb back up to make Zona Central. The idea is to make your way to the largest Cathedral in town then head behind it to road intersection ‘Primero de mayo y Callejon Mono Prieto’  turn left you are looking for the Hostal called Villa Colonia the number is (492) 922 19 80. It is the ONLY really good place to stay in town at 90p (7.20)  (as of dec 2010) a night it has the best view in the city. 

I made my way through the cobbled streets looking for the large church I was told that the Hostal had a view of it so it should be easy to find, well there are several large churches in Zac, I was a bit lost at first trying to make my way to the Zona central and I ended up climbing some very steep hills and winding my way through the city for a bit but in the end I made it to the Hostal and found my friends.

Villa Colonial is owned and operated by Ernesto. The Hostal is part of Hostelling international and can be found on their website. This Hostal is not like any I have stayed in it is well taken care of clean, cheap and fun. There are 3 floors to the Hostal, dorm rooms and private rooms the top floor has rooms at the back and a large veranda to sit on with the best view of the Cathedral in the city, as well as a commanding view of the rest of Zac. The rooms are cleaned every day by the staff and there is a full time maintenance man who keeps it all running smooth. The showers are HOT and clean. Ernesto makes sure you are enjoying yourself; he organizes parties and is very persuasive about getting you to come out for a pub crawl or a bit of social wandering. A bit of caution like anywhere keep your valuables close we had no problems but one person did (beware of the maintenance man) Ernesto made sure we understood that like anywhere shit happens.

I met up with my friends Russ and Lorely, met their friends Megan and Jewels and we all set out to get some food. Zacatecas is an old city dating back more than five hundred years the street are narrow and made of cobbled stone giving the place an old world look and feel, in a word the place is Lovely.  The center of town is dominated by a massive cathedral made of local stone built over a period of 30 years dating I am told to the 1600’s.

Zacatecas is a very nice place to stay but the group wanted to go to Aguascalientes for Xmas so on Thursday morning we packed our stuff loaded the bikes, said goodbye to Ernesto and headed down to the bakery for a snack, and a bit of mutiny. At the bakery feelings about staying were expressed. Most of the group was into staying all but one and she got persuaded to stay and in the end was very glad she did. Zacatecas is just too nice so we stayed for Xmas , we all got together for a big party on the veranda, even Jesse a friend of the group came up from Aguascalientes to join us for Xmas, he is also riding a large bike like mine, but perhaps maybe a bit heavier. Food and fun were served up; it was nice to be with friends on Xmas. Christmas came and went without much fuss and we made plans to leave on Sunday for Aguas.

Dec 26^th 2010  128km  

Sunday came too quickly and the morning dawned very cold and overcast the threat of rain lingering like a bad idea, just waiting to express its self.

All packed we stopped for a picture of the group before heading out. We weaved our way through town passing all the familiar places we had been over the last week, looking for the on ramp for the central calle leading out of town. Most of the time I would be grateful for a downhill but today I was praying for an uphill just so I could warm up; my leg warmers, arms and long fingered gloves could not stop the stinging cold and as we descended my hands became painful to the point of real discomfort.

The road to Aguascalientes is not a tough ride 128km goes buy quick as the terrain rolls along. The Couta has a great shoulder and the yucca trees come in a variety of shapes and sizes making the ride not boring at all, that and the 2 climbs you tackle on the way. Half away there is a town for food so don’t worry about stocking up on a bunch before you leave it just adds weight, in the park in town next to the road are several food stalls I ate there and had no ill effects so go for it, plus it’s cheap paid 20p for 3 gorditas and a 330ml coke.

Aguas is a spread out town and you’ll enter the city 12km before you actually  get to the center, a city home to over a million people it has everything you need and a lot of what you don’t need like traffic and smog. I made it to the Hostal in town called ‘Hostal Posada” it is close to the main plaza in Zona central. The owners as super cool and the places is large having room for bikes and gear without issue, plus it is almost all ground floor so no need to lug your stuff up and down stairs unless you take a private room. The cost as of 12-28-10 is 120p oper night for a dorm and 240p for a private room. Posada is close to everything you need to see in Aguas including food and museos.

I spent most of my time wondering around the Zona looking at Churches (there are several) and taking a tour of the Museo Nacional de la Muerte (national museum of the dead) it is the only museum for such things in Mexico and was quite fantastic. All things dedicated to the dead can be found here including ancient artifacts and modern interpretation of the afterlife some of which require a 9 level ascent to the underworld, yes I said ascent it is all so opposite in Mexico.

I have found a new favorite food…. Mexican hot-dogs, I know what you’re thinking; ‘what are you doing eating such things in Mexico especially with all the great food?’ Well they are not like at home first they are wrapped in Bacon grilled until a little crispy and then placed on a toasted bun, add fresh tomato, grilled unions, mayo, mustard, ketchup and of course jalapenos, they are fantastic and if you look around you can get 3 for 18p of about a $1.50 enough to make a complete meal, bread veg and meat……mmm….mmmm….GOOD. In fact I think I’ll stop writing and go get some…more later….!!