USA, Mexico and beyond...

Leaving Key WestLeaving Key West, we motored back along US1, stopping fro a delicious fish sandwich at Porky’s by the sea at Key Largo, we rode along at a slow pace, enjoying our thin roadway with blue water on either side until we came across the John Pennicamp national park, where Jacquie had found a place for us to snorkel on continental USA’s largest reef.

As I lay in bed on, Sunday morning, nursing my burnt lip, aching bones and blackened eyes, the realisation of the sheer immensity of what we had taken on hit me like a ton of bricks.
Picking up our road Glide in Tampa

After a great ride along the dead straight, and, as it turned out, very aptly named “Alligator Alley”, we arrived back in VeniceAfter a great ride along the dead straight, and, as it turned out, very aptly named “Alligator Alley”, we arrived back in Venice to rest, recoup and re-organise after our trial run while we waited for the insurance papers and the new GPS system to arrive.

TEXAS
Texas is big! One of the first things we saw after crossing the state line was a road sign, bearing the news, “El Paso 857miles”TEXAS
Texas is big! One of the first things we saw after crossing the state line was a road sign, bearing the news, “El Paso 857miles”

We had really wanted to get to New Orleans that night, but what with our unexpected and elongated trip to the USS Alabama, and a good 100 or more miles before New Orleans, we decided instead to cut an early break, and rode down to Biloxi to find a place to stop for the night. Biloxi, was, for want of a better word, bollocks.

Christmas was drawing near, so we decided to spend it here in Big Bend with our new friendsChristmas was drawing near, so we decided to spend it here in Big Bend with our new friends. We hung around the ranch, rode around on the bike, took Chris’ Cadillac out for a little spin, and spent time with Voni and Paul.

Once again we set about finding ingenious ways of drying our damp clothes in our motel roomOnce again we set about finding ingenious ways of drying our damp clothes in our motel room, got down to uploading our photos and carrying on our ritual of going through the photos of the day, deleting, straightening and fixing, separating the good from the bad, looking through the map, to see how far we had come, and how far we had to go, and checking the weather forecast before collapsing on the bed in preparation for the day ahead.

San Antonio, also known as the gateway to the West, was to be out last city for a while.SAN ANTONIO

We rode on for some 45 minutes or so before we turned left at a junction and were presented with Bandera.
We simply had to stop here. We hadn’t expected this. Bandera was like a real “Western” town.We were ecstatic about finally travelling off the interstate, and as we rode further west away from San Antonio, the road became less and less congested, and more and more twisty. At last!

The following day was no better. 33 degrees, foggy and really quite depressing..The following day was no better. 33 degrees, foggy and really quite depressing, but nonetheless, it was time to go, we needed to get on the road and put down some miles. We decided that there would be no point in riding the roads that everyone had raved about as we wouldn’t be able to appreciate it in the cold and with very low visibility.

The directions gave us some clue as to how sparsely populated and undeveloped Big Bend was....The directions gave us some clue as to how sparsely populated and undeveloped Big Bend was. Paul told us to clock 52.5 miles south of the railroad at Alpine, and look for a house on the left, and sure enough after 52.5 miles, and after passing maybe three buildings, we came across the Adobe, standing alone.

TO MEXICO
A couple of days before we we due to head south for the final break for the border, I went on the internet to check once more what papers we would need to enter into Mexico with the bike. I found no more info than I already knew, but I did come across a post from a couple of Aussie’s who were looking for a riding partner to ride through Mexico with.TO MEXICO

The next day we were picked up again by Voni and Paul, driven over to Ara’s camp, and treated to some of Ara’s amazing “Campfire stew”, before we all headed off to the “Swimming Hole
Ara's dining room in Big Bend

La Paz was only a couple of hours ride from San CarlosLa Paz was only a couple of hours ride from San Carlos, so we had a lazy lie in , followed by a leisurely breakfast before hitting the road. La Paz, the main city of Baja, came into view after an uneventful journey along the MX1. First we hit the topes, then the traffic lights, the first we had seen in Mexico, then the traffic strted to pile up. We negotiated our way through the cars, trucks and busses and headed down towards the sea.

I think Aussie Dan got itchy feet first, but after a few days we were ready to move on.
I had a friend in Todos Santos, and artist community about an hour from La Paz on the west coast of the Peninsula, and we made a beeline for there.I think Aussie Dan got itchy feet first, but after a few days we were ready to move on.

We really had to tear ourselves away from Mazatlan, our first proper Mexican town, but what lay ahead eased the pain of our departure.
We decided that our next destination would be Durango, the Mexican cowboy capital. One of the deciding factors in this choice was the road that would take us there.We really had to tear ourselves away from Mazatlan, our first proper Mexican town, but what lay ahead eased the pain of our departure.

We took the loan bike for a spin to La Paz to catch the last night of Carnival, Mardi Gras, and were greeted by some familiar faces back at the Pension California We took the loan bike for a spin to La Paz to catch the last night of Carnival, Mardi Gras, and were greeted by some familiar faces back at the Pension California when we checked back in for the night. We unloaded the bike once more, parked the bike up inside the inner courtyard of the Pension, and headed out to the Malencon to catch the Carnival Parade.

Unhappy as I was about a 14-hour ferry crossing, the time went quickly and we arrived at Mazatlan around 8 in the morning.Unhappy as I was about a 14-hour ferry crossing, the time went quickly and we arrived at Mazatlan around 8 in the morning. We rode off the ferry and after a quick reconnoitre of the locale, rode up to the Hotel Mexico, one of Andrea’s recommendations, where we checked in, changed clothes, parked the bike, and were out.

We arrived in Cabo Pulmo, and our spirits were instantly raised. The town was one road, which ran along the shore, with a dive shop, a bakery, a restaurant or two and a handful of small hotelsWe arrived in Cabo Pulmo, and our spirits were instantly raised. The town was one road, which ran along the shore, with a dive shop, a bakery, a restaurant or two and a handful of small hotels. It was lovely and unspoilt.

Our next stop was Durango, another beautiful Cathedral and Plaza, another bustling market, but without the vivacity of MazatlanOur next stop was Durango, another beautiful Cathedral and Plaza, another bustling market, but without the vivacity of Mazatlan. I was eager to move on, as was Jacquie, so we stayed one night before hitting the road once more for Zacatecas.