November 8-11
I left Colima for Guadalajara about noon and soon encountered rain for only the second time on the trip. Lessons learned from the first rain; keep wallet and electronics inside the waterproof liner.
I should have stopped in Guadalajara for the night, but that seemed like such a little amount of travel for the day, that I pushed on to Morelia. On the toll road it is only about 170 miles, so I thought I could get there before dark. But no, the rain returns and I am low on gas, and it is getting darker.
The problem with the toll roads is that exits and entrances are far apart, so that they don't have to have as many toll plazas. I passed a lot of towns and villages with gas stations and presumably hotels, but couldn't get to them. So, stubbornly, I pushed on. If it hadn't been 4 lane divided highway I wouldn't have done so, but in the rain, all I wanted was a dry hotel in Morelia. I made it OK, but another lesson learned; don't go too far if you start late in the day.
Well, if the ride from Guadalajara to Morelia was wet, the next day to Puebla was even worse. The elevation rose, and it got colder. It wasn't raining; just very overcast. Soon, the low hanging clouds became fog as I continued to climb. Visibility went to about 100 yards. That was if my helmet visor was clear, which it wasn't. In a car, you have windshield wipers. Not so on a motorcycle, you have your hand.
Random shots on a long dreary day
I remember riding through West Virginia in weather like that. I was on a motorcycle with a windshield. It got all fogged over, and then my open face helmet couldn't stop the moisture so it got on my glasses. First the outside, and then the inside of my glasses. At that point, I might have just as well smeared Vaseline all over my glasses-the effect would have been the same. This trip I bought a full-face helmet with a face shield. It is stopping the fog on the outside of the face shield, fortunately, but the fog was so thick I could have cut it with a knife.
If you have been out in that kind of fog, you know it's a bone-chilling cold. A few miles from Puebla, the low clouds were dropping, and it was starting to rain. At the first chance that I could get off the toll road, I inquired about the closest hotel. In what appeared to be a sparsely populated area from the toll road, it became apparent that it was a city with a lot of industry. The city was called Sahagún City. The internet says it was founded in 1952 for industry. There are several large international companies there. On a nondescript street, I arrived at a hotel that was modern and new. And the most expensive one I have stayed at yet. $66! I am glad that I took the room before asking the price, or I probably would have kept riding in the rain and the dark.
That area of Mexico is high in elevation. Mexico City and Puebla are both over 7000 feet above sea level. The mountains, which are all extinct volcanos are higher yet. The next day I rode to Veracruz, which is on the Gulf of Mexico. Most of the day was at altitude, so, cold and then a fairly quick drop to sea level. The warmer temperatures were a welcome break.
I left, headed to Tuxtla-Gutierrez, the capital of Chiapas. I have been here a couple of times before. Friends of ours that live in Monument, Russell and Charlotte, have been helping build churches in Mayan villages up in the mountains for years. In 2013, they and another friend, Stephen, started a Bible school for the mostly Mayan pastors. I have been there twice, and in June 2014, Susan and I helped build 2 houses for widows in the community.
It just happened that all three of them were flying back to Colorado the next day, and we were able to have dinner together in Tuxtla-Gutierrez. It was great seeing them. It is funny to come so far to see friends that live so close.
DO NOT MISS my next post from San Cristobal de las Casas and Palenque!
I left Colima for Guadalajara about noon and soon encountered rain for only the second time on the trip. Lessons learned from the first rain; keep wallet and electronics inside the waterproof liner.
I should have stopped in Guadalajara for the night, but that seemed like such a little amount of travel for the day, that I pushed on to Morelia. On the toll road it is only about 170 miles, so I thought I could get there before dark. But no, the rain returns and I am low on gas, and it is getting darker.
The problem with the toll roads is that exits and entrances are far apart, so that they don't have to have as many toll plazas. I passed a lot of towns and villages with gas stations and presumably hotels, but couldn't get to them. So, stubbornly, I pushed on. If it hadn't been 4 lane divided highway I wouldn't have done so, but in the rain, all I wanted was a dry hotel in Morelia. I made it OK, but another lesson learned; don't go too far if you start late in the day.
Well, if the ride from Guadalajara to Morelia was wet, the next day to Puebla was even worse. The elevation rose, and it got colder. It wasn't raining; just very overcast. Soon, the low hanging clouds became fog as I continued to climb. Visibility went to about 100 yards. That was if my helmet visor was clear, which it wasn't. In a car, you have windshield wipers. Not so on a motorcycle, you have your hand.
I remember riding through West Virginia in weather like that. I was on a motorcycle with a windshield. It got all fogged over, and then my open face helmet couldn't stop the moisture so it got on my glasses. First the outside, and then the inside of my glasses. At that point, I might have just as well smeared Vaseline all over my glasses-the effect would have been the same. This trip I bought a full-face helmet with a face shield. It is stopping the fog on the outside of the face shield, fortunately, but the fog was so thick I could have cut it with a knife.
If you have been out in that kind of fog, you know it's a bone-chilling cold. A few miles from Puebla, the low clouds were dropping, and it was starting to rain. At the first chance that I could get off the toll road, I inquired about the closest hotel. In what appeared to be a sparsely populated area from the toll road, it became apparent that it was a city with a lot of industry. The city was called Sahagún City. The internet says it was founded in 1952 for industry. There are several large international companies there. On a nondescript street, I arrived at a hotel that was modern and new. And the most expensive one I have stayed at yet. $66! I am glad that I took the room before asking the price, or I probably would have kept riding in the rain and the dark.
That area of Mexico is high in elevation. Mexico City and Puebla are both over 7000 feet above sea level. The mountains, which are all extinct volcanos are higher yet. The next day I rode to Veracruz, which is on the Gulf of Mexico. Most of the day was at altitude, so, cold and then a fairly quick drop to sea level. The warmer temperatures were a welcome break.
I left, headed to Tuxtla-Gutierrez, the capital of Chiapas. I have been here a couple of times before. Friends of ours that live in Monument, Russell and Charlotte, have been helping build churches in Mayan villages up in the mountains for years. In 2013, they and another friend, Stephen, started a Bible school for the mostly Mayan pastors. I have been there twice, and in June 2014, Susan and I helped build 2 houses for widows in the community.
It just happened that all three of them were flying back to Colorado the next day, and we were able to have dinner together in Tuxtla-Gutierrez. It was great seeing them. It is funny to come so far to see friends that live so close.
DO NOT MISS my next post from San Cristobal de las Casas and Palenque!
Stephen I am arriving in Costa Rica on 12/1 and coming back on 12/8...you're gonna have to kick it up another notch if you want to be there at three same time as me😯
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