November 2-4, 2016
After visiting 3 cemeteries, and a day and a half, I had seen enough. I left for Tequila. I rode halfway around the lake on the east side, then picked up the libre, Hwy 15 towards Guadalajara, Mexico's second largest city. The ride was very nice, through some twisties, but then onto the cuota into Guadalajara.
The toll roads are generally pretty good, but they are expensive. From Patzcuaro to Tequila, I spent about $200 MXN. And about 1/3 of that was free road. Granted, that's only about $11 USD, but imagine what it must be for cars.
I guess that I don't mind the amount so much, but it gets annoying to have to stop every so often, raise the visor, put the bike in neutral, take off a glove, unzip and dig in my pocket, pull out my wallet or change from my pocket or both, pay, wait for change if it isn't exact, put the wallet and/or change back in my wallet, try to zip up my pocket while fumbling with another receipt, put the glove back on, put the bike back in gear, look in the rearview mirror to see if I am holding anyone up behind me, pull forward, merge into traffic, double-check to make sure my wallet is secure, lower the visor, and re-pass the trucks with double semi-trailers that I had just passed but somehow got in front of me at the Caseta de Cobro, and, repeat. I wish I had a center console on my right with a handful of change. Oh, and air conditioning...
There is a ring road around Guadalajara, a periferico, but I was told by people in Patzcuaro that it was in rough condition, and to go straight through Guadalajara. So that's what I did, during afternoon rush hour. Didn't stop once. Soon enough, I was through, and on my way to Tequila. I had found and booked a room on Expedia, and when I arrived, mine was the only vehicle in the gated courtyard. It was the same when I left. Very nice place too. About $24, and right near the main square. Surprised they weren't busier. La Rienda Mision Hotel, I believe. If you're going that way, I can recommend it.
The next day, I took a tour of the Cuervo tequila distillery. The start of the tour, the girl said to the full room, those of you who want the tour in English, go with Eduardo, and the rest wait here. I was the only one, so I had a private tour.
The tour was very interesting and enlightening. Some of the highlights for me, were that it takes about 10 years for the agave plant to mature. I am not a farmer, but imagine a payday once every 10 years. I suppose one would have a certain amount ready every year, but still, that ties up one's farmland for a very long time. Agave must be a pretty good cash crop.
The agave is not a cactus, but is more closely related to asparagus. The harvesting is all done by hand. Once the leaves are removed, the harvested plant, I think they called it a pina, ready for making tequila, can weigh about 80 lbs.
Blue agave by-products include twine, and a papyrus-type paper, made from the fibers in the leaves. The pina itself, is roasted for several hours, converting the starch to sugars. The result is a very sweet core, not unlike sugar cane. I was given a sample of the plant at this stage, and it is surprisingly tasty. Some manufacturers are now making agave syrup at this stage. It is supposed to be a low glycemic sweetener in place of sugar, and the like.
The cooked agave is shredded and pressed to extract the juices. It is pressed up to four times. Then, the fermenting process takes about 5 days, and then the juice is distilled.
By law, it must be distilled twice, I believe. The end result is about 110 proof tequila. I sampled this, and it is just as they said-at this stage it is the original firewater. Harsh. Perfect for slamming shots of tequila. If you're 20 something...
But a lot of it is then aged in charred oak barrels. Barrels that must be imported from the United States or France, because oak doesn't grow well in Mexico, I was told.
I was given an aged sample right from a barrel, and it had lost that harshness and was surprisingly smooth. Little bits of charcoal floating in it for authenticity. I guess when I was younger, I was drinking it wrong. The better stuff can, and should be sipped.
Following the tour, I had a private tasting of some of Cuervo's products.
Tequila samples that had aged various lengths of time. I suppose in all, I was given about 12 oz. or so of tequila. If I hadn't been riding right after that, I may have drank them all. But I was responsible, just tasting each one, and finishing only their top shelf offering. Aged the longest time, and made from the first pressing of the piña. Eduardo said one shot of that would cost $80 in New York, $25 in Las Vegas, and even $8 in Tequila. So yes, I drank that one.
It really is for sipping and experiencing the taste. For shots, mixed drinks, (but what do I know) use the cheap stuff. Because regardless of the aging time or lack thereof, alcohol is still alcohol.
I gained a newfound respect for tequila as a sipping spirit. I still prefer beer, but if a good aged tequila is offered to me, I probably won't say no in the future.
I left Tequila after a lunch and some time had passed from my tasting. My next stop was a place between Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta, right on the ocean. The road, Hwy 200 and 68D, was a blast. Soon after I left Chapalilla going west, there was a long line of cars and buses stopped for road construction. I quickly went around them to the front of the line and stopped by the flagman. He spoke fairly good English and we talked about my bike, my trip, and his time in the States. I find that a lot. Men who have been in the States and who can speak fairly good English. I haven't asked their status or why they are here; best left unanswered. The wait was only for a short period for line striping. The truck was working its way down the hill in our lane against traffic. That was the reason for the delay. As soon as he saw the paint truck, he let me go, as I could easily get past it regardless of traffic coming in the opposite direction. The end result was I had a head start over the line of traffic and didn't have to follow along behind the line of cars, buses, and trucks going up the hill. So, other than the vehicles coming at me, I had a wonderful, twisty road to myself, both in front of me, and behind me.
The road closed in tighter and tighter with vegetation so that at times it was like riding through a tunnel of green. It was very beautiful. And as I dropped in elevation to the coast, it got hotter. But through the shade from the trees and with every vent in my jacket and helmet opened, and my jacket halfway unzipped, it was a very pleasant ride.
I arrived in this little village in plenty of time to get cervezas and watch, no, experience the sunset over the sea.
I am typing this at night with absolutely no other sounds other than the waves. A very small village without the usual noises I have come to expect--belching trucks, extremely load music, roosters, cows, and the like. Very tranquil.
After visiting 3 cemeteries, and a day and a half, I had seen enough. I left for Tequila. I rode halfway around the lake on the east side, then picked up the libre, Hwy 15 towards Guadalajara, Mexico's second largest city. The ride was very nice, through some twisties, but then onto the cuota into Guadalajara.
The toll roads are generally pretty good, but they are expensive. From Patzcuaro to Tequila, I spent about $200 MXN. And about 1/3 of that was free road. Granted, that's only about $11 USD, but imagine what it must be for cars.
I guess that I don't mind the amount so much, but it gets annoying to have to stop every so often, raise the visor, put the bike in neutral, take off a glove, unzip and dig in my pocket, pull out my wallet or change from my pocket or both, pay, wait for change if it isn't exact, put the wallet and/or change back in my wallet, try to zip up my pocket while fumbling with another receipt, put the glove back on, put the bike back in gear, look in the rearview mirror to see if I am holding anyone up behind me, pull forward, merge into traffic, double-check to make sure my wallet is secure, lower the visor, and re-pass the trucks with double semi-trailers that I had just passed but somehow got in front of me at the Caseta de Cobro, and, repeat. I wish I had a center console on my right with a handful of change. Oh, and air conditioning...
There is a ring road around Guadalajara, a periferico, but I was told by people in Patzcuaro that it was in rough condition, and to go straight through Guadalajara. So that's what I did, during afternoon rush hour. Didn't stop once. Soon enough, I was through, and on my way to Tequila. I had found and booked a room on Expedia, and when I arrived, mine was the only vehicle in the gated courtyard. It was the same when I left. Very nice place too. About $24, and right near the main square. Surprised they weren't busier. La Rienda Mision Hotel, I believe. If you're going that way, I can recommend it.
The next day, I took a tour of the Cuervo tequila distillery. The start of the tour, the girl said to the full room, those of you who want the tour in English, go with Eduardo, and the rest wait here. I was the only one, so I had a private tour.
The tour was very interesting and enlightening. Some of the highlights for me, were that it takes about 10 years for the agave plant to mature. I am not a farmer, but imagine a payday once every 10 years. I suppose one would have a certain amount ready every year, but still, that ties up one's farmland for a very long time. Agave must be a pretty good cash crop.
The agave is not a cactus, but is more closely related to asparagus. The harvesting is all done by hand. Once the leaves are removed, the harvested plant, I think they called it a pina, ready for making tequila, can weigh about 80 lbs.
Blue agave by-products include twine, and a papyrus-type paper, made from the fibers in the leaves. The pina itself, is roasted for several hours, converting the starch to sugars. The result is a very sweet core, not unlike sugar cane. I was given a sample of the plant at this stage, and it is surprisingly tasty. Some manufacturers are now making agave syrup at this stage. It is supposed to be a low glycemic sweetener in place of sugar, and the like.
The cooked agave is shredded and pressed to extract the juices. It is pressed up to four times. Then, the fermenting process takes about 5 days, and then the juice is distilled.
But a lot of it is then aged in charred oak barrels. Barrels that must be imported from the United States or France, because oak doesn't grow well in Mexico, I was told.
I was given an aged sample right from a barrel, and it had lost that harshness and was surprisingly smooth. Little bits of charcoal floating in it for authenticity. I guess when I was younger, I was drinking it wrong. The better stuff can, and should be sipped.
Following the tour, I had a private tasting of some of Cuervo's products.
It really is for sipping and experiencing the taste. For shots, mixed drinks, (but what do I know) use the cheap stuff. Because regardless of the aging time or lack thereof, alcohol is still alcohol.
I gained a newfound respect for tequila as a sipping spirit. I still prefer beer, but if a good aged tequila is offered to me, I probably won't say no in the future.
I left Tequila after a lunch and some time had passed from my tasting. My next stop was a place between Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta, right on the ocean. The road, Hwy 200 and 68D, was a blast. Soon after I left Chapalilla going west, there was a long line of cars and buses stopped for road construction. I quickly went around them to the front of the line and stopped by the flagman. He spoke fairly good English and we talked about my bike, my trip, and his time in the States. I find that a lot. Men who have been in the States and who can speak fairly good English. I haven't asked their status or why they are here; best left unanswered. The wait was only for a short period for line striping. The truck was working its way down the hill in our lane against traffic. That was the reason for the delay. As soon as he saw the paint truck, he let me go, as I could easily get past it regardless of traffic coming in the opposite direction. The end result was I had a head start over the line of traffic and didn't have to follow along behind the line of cars, buses, and trucks going up the hill. So, other than the vehicles coming at me, I had a wonderful, twisty road to myself, both in front of me, and behind me.
The road closed in tighter and tighter with vegetation so that at times it was like riding through a tunnel of green. It was very beautiful. And as I dropped in elevation to the coast, it got hotter. But through the shade from the trees and with every vent in my jacket and helmet opened, and my jacket halfway unzipped, it was a very pleasant ride.
I arrived in this little village in plenty of time to get cervezas and watch, no, experience the sunset over the sea.
Your description of your day is so dreamy but my concern is why were you roaming in three different cemeteries wasn't it weird and scary?
ReplyDelete