November 5-7, 2016
My friends took me to a very beautiful community of homes which, I assume is made up of mostly Americans and Canadians. It is on a beautiful beach that, because of the effort to get there, is virtually secluded. We drove 30 minutes from a paved road on what was little more than a jeep trail. If the road is improved, it will only be a matter of time before it is developed like Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, or the like.
If it hadn't been for no-see-um insect bites, it would be perfect. I think about 500 of them sucked my blood. Very itchy.
I got to watch this fellow climb a coconut tree and cut and lower about 100 coconuts to the ground. All from just one tree. I was told in 3 months, they would have to do it again. This particular tree has found a water source. My friend wonders if it is his leach field.
Then, with machetes, they hacked open about 15 of them and poured the milk into pitchers. With a bottle of dark rum to go with it, we drank a small pitcher's worth. I just wished he had mentioned that leach field first!
I must admit, it was hard to leave the beautiful place my friends have overlooking the ocean. While there, I did some motorcycle maintenance until drenched in sweat. Then rewarded myself with dips in their pool. I could do that forever. Their new cat was the friendliest, most inquisitive little guy. He made me miss my own cats.
After ceviche and several cervezas, it was time to hit the road again. I headed south towards Puerto Vallarta with a quick lunch stop in Sayulita. Sayulita looked like it could be fun, but I kept going. Didn't take any pictures there.
I got to Puerto Vallarta, which seemed very expensive to me. It took awhile to find a hotel in my budget. I finally did, but it was at the top end of what I wanted to pay. Also, the place was full of young kids that carried on around the pool at a high volume until late into the night. Now I sound like a curmudgeon. I guess it was just the sudden abrupt change from the peace and tranquility of the previous 3 nights. No, it's probably because I really am a curmudgeon...
Here is a chicken in a Walmart parking lot.
The ride the next day to Manzanillo and Colima was some beautiful riding. The road was twisty as it followed the coast, in and out of tunnels of trees, sometimes along cliffs and sometimes veering away from the coast. Then, nearing Manzanillo, the roads got straighter and boring.
I was approaching 4000 miles on the motorcycle and needed to get it serviced. In Manzaniilo, I came upon a Yamaha shop. I stopped in to see about service. They didn't appear to be that busy, but the service department was closed between 2&4 PM. That is the second time I have encountered that. Why can't they stay open and stagger their lunch breaks? Anyway, since it was just after 2, and because I didn't want to wait, I headed to Colima.
There, I looked for the Yamaha dealer. I got lost about 4 times. Finally, as I was stopped once again trying to follow Google maps, a guy stopped in front of me on a scooter, wearing a Yamaha logo on his back. I yelled for him as he was riding off. I asked him where the dealer was. He tried to tell me in Spanish but I couldn't understand. Finally, he said follow me and I did, right to the dealership. Turns out he worked there. What are the odds?
He introduced me to Miguel who I think is the owner or manager of Koki Moto. He speaks English, and I tell him that I am due for service. This appears to be a much busier dealership than in Manzaniilo, based on the number of vehicles in the service department. I soon realize they won't get to my motorcycle that day. But Miguel assures me they will keep my motorcycle inside and safe overnight and start on it first thing in the morning, and so I take a taxi to the Centro in Colima to get a hotel.
The next day, I get back there around 11 and the motorcycle has been serviced, and they are finishing cleaning it. Miguel says everything was in perfect condition, which makes me happy, because I don't know how extensive Yamaha dealerships are in Central America. I go to pay and Miguel says there is no charge! I try to argue, but he insists. The friendliness of the motorcycle community never ceases to amaze me. Thanks so much, Miguel for your generosity. It was a pleasure to meet you and please get in touch with me when you take your trip north to Alaska.
When I planned this trip, I anticipated Susan flying to meet me somewhere for a week or so. I just got dates from her and a destination. She is flying to Costa Rica on December 8 and I will meet her there. I looked at a map and a calendar, and figured that I had better pick up the pace in order to get to Costa Rica in time.
Mexico is very mountainous in areas. And roads wind up to the top of a mountain and then they wind down to the valley and then it repeats for the next mountain. The roads connect each little village and are slow going. So after studying a map, it became clear that the fastest way south was to go north. So I headed back to Guadalajara and to faster and straighter toll roads.
In Mexico, there doesn't seem to be a shortage of new road construction. A new road was being constructed way up high which meant new, long, and very high bridges across very steep valleys. The supporting towers were probably as tall as a 40-story building, maybe more.
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.
My friends took me to a very beautiful community of homes which, I assume is made up of mostly Americans and Canadians. It is on a beautiful beach that, because of the effort to get there, is virtually secluded. We drove 30 minutes from a paved road on what was little more than a jeep trail. If the road is improved, it will only be a matter of time before it is developed like Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, or the like.
If it hadn't been for no-see-um insect bites, it would be perfect. I think about 500 of them sucked my blood. Very itchy.
I got to watch this fellow climb a coconut tree and cut and lower about 100 coconuts to the ground. All from just one tree. I was told in 3 months, they would have to do it again. This particular tree has found a water source. My friend wonders if it is his leach field.
Then, with machetes, they hacked open about 15 of them and poured the milk into pitchers. With a bottle of dark rum to go with it, we drank a small pitcher's worth. I just wished he had mentioned that leach field first!
I must admit, it was hard to leave the beautiful place my friends have overlooking the ocean. While there, I did some motorcycle maintenance until drenched in sweat. Then rewarded myself with dips in their pool. I could do that forever. Their new cat was the friendliest, most inquisitive little guy. He made me miss my own cats.
After ceviche and several cervezas, it was time to hit the road again. I headed south towards Puerto Vallarta with a quick lunch stop in Sayulita. Sayulita looked like it could be fun, but I kept going. Didn't take any pictures there.
I got to Puerto Vallarta, which seemed very expensive to me. It took awhile to find a hotel in my budget. I finally did, but it was at the top end of what I wanted to pay. Also, the place was full of young kids that carried on around the pool at a high volume until late into the night. Now I sound like a curmudgeon. I guess it was just the sudden abrupt change from the peace and tranquility of the previous 3 nights. No, it's probably because I really am a curmudgeon...
Here is a chicken in a Walmart parking lot.
The ride the next day to Manzanillo and Colima was some beautiful riding. The road was twisty as it followed the coast, in and out of tunnels of trees, sometimes along cliffs and sometimes veering away from the coast. Then, nearing Manzanillo, the roads got straighter and boring.
I was approaching 4000 miles on the motorcycle and needed to get it serviced. In Manzaniilo, I came upon a Yamaha shop. I stopped in to see about service. They didn't appear to be that busy, but the service department was closed between 2&4 PM. That is the second time I have encountered that. Why can't they stay open and stagger their lunch breaks? Anyway, since it was just after 2, and because I didn't want to wait, I headed to Colima.
There, I looked for the Yamaha dealer. I got lost about 4 times. Finally, as I was stopped once again trying to follow Google maps, a guy stopped in front of me on a scooter, wearing a Yamaha logo on his back. I yelled for him as he was riding off. I asked him where the dealer was. He tried to tell me in Spanish but I couldn't understand. Finally, he said follow me and I did, right to the dealership. Turns out he worked there. What are the odds?
He introduced me to Miguel who I think is the owner or manager of Koki Moto. He speaks English, and I tell him that I am due for service. This appears to be a much busier dealership than in Manzaniilo, based on the number of vehicles in the service department. I soon realize they won't get to my motorcycle that day. But Miguel assures me they will keep my motorcycle inside and safe overnight and start on it first thing in the morning, and so I take a taxi to the Centro in Colima to get a hotel.
The next day, I get back there around 11 and the motorcycle has been serviced, and they are finishing cleaning it. Miguel says everything was in perfect condition, which makes me happy, because I don't know how extensive Yamaha dealerships are in Central America. I go to pay and Miguel says there is no charge! I try to argue, but he insists. The friendliness of the motorcycle community never ceases to amaze me. Thanks so much, Miguel for your generosity. It was a pleasure to meet you and please get in touch with me when you take your trip north to Alaska.
When I planned this trip, I anticipated Susan flying to meet me somewhere for a week or so. I just got dates from her and a destination. She is flying to Costa Rica on December 8 and I will meet her there. I looked at a map and a calendar, and figured that I had better pick up the pace in order to get to Costa Rica in time.
Mexico is very mountainous in areas. And roads wind up to the top of a mountain and then they wind down to the valley and then it repeats for the next mountain. The roads connect each little village and are slow going. So after studying a map, it became clear that the fastest way south was to go north. So I headed back to Guadalajara and to faster and straighter toll roads.
In Mexico, there doesn't seem to be a shortage of new road construction. A new road was being constructed way up high which meant new, long, and very high bridges across very steep valleys. The supporting towers were probably as tall as a 40-story building, maybe more.
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.
one of the thing i like about the travel blogs is that it makes you want to be there for even just a few moments you could read the discription anf feel as if you were there too and the beauty of the beaches striking and remarkable truly God's wonders.
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