Finding the Mainland

Our bikes are always safe when parked for a sleepover.  Usually right outside our room and in a closed gated area.  This is the place we stayed when we drove off the ferry from La Paz.  We had no gasoline and were ready for a rest.  

Parking in the courtyard outside our room.

 We left for the nearest Pemex the next morning and drove through beautiful orchards and fields of crops.  The community of Las Moches is vibrant and busy after the laid back experiences we had in Baja.  We drove onto the toll highways called Autopiste and made excellent time as we headed south toward San Blas.  We stopped at a roadside place for a bite to eat and couldn't make out the menu at all.   Ten miners from Las Moches pulled up and noticed our predicament.  One burley looking fellow explained that in this part of Mexico, fish was eaten fresh, not cooked.  So he ordered a delicious seafood cocktail for us that was chock full of shrimp, octopus, scallops and other tasty bits.  We are so fortunate to have these kind people all along the way helping us out.

Jacaranda tree.  One of the many colourful sights.

We were constantly on the alert for banditos and highwaymen as we drove along the way.   Such was the advice of so many concerned well wishers in the northern part of the continent.  We were soon to discover the the true bandits were the men and women working for the government who were collecting the tolls on the autopiste.  Two vehicles double the toll that we pay and 25 pesos each soon became 91 each and then 108P each.  We soon realized that our daily budget was being used up simply by driving along these wonderful multilane highways.  We soon decided to join the unwashed masses on the auto libre and spend time reflecting on our fortunate position rather than racing through it.

These altars are found beside the highways all over Mexico.

We drove along through twisting hilly countryside, further away from modern conveniences like restaurants and gas stations.   We don't find the inconvenience of self-serve along the way but sometimes have to lend a hand holding the funnel or tube. 

Half a bucketful of fuel-100 pesos.

Rest stops are as varied as the needs  that bring them about.  Sometimes the need for shade, a bite to eat or a number of other reasons provide opportunity to meet local merchants.  On one occasion, we stopped beside a seven year old boy who sold chopped up watermelon in a plastic beer glass with a small plastic fork for 5 pesos.  We unfolded the little tripod chairs we fasten to the side of Camilla's seat, sat in the shade and crunched and munched on sweet, wet deliciousness.

A fragrant and shady place to rest along the way.

This photo was taken between Zihuatanejo and Altamirano.  The road was steep and twisty, full of switch-backs and was really slow going.  We reached the top of the mountain three hours and 120 kms later.  The principle refreshment offered upon achieving the summit... Mezcal of all things.  It did not inspire confidence in the ability of the drivers we encountered during the descent heading north and east.  The desert is severe here but provided nourishment for numerous creatures that hung out on the side of or the middle of the road.  Goats, sheep, donkeys, a horse, a pig, dogs, lizards, spiders, snakes, and others I'm sure I didn't notice played chicken or scurried off to the side of the road as we roared or crept by, depending on the topography.

One of the less artistic monuments found along the way although the tiny bit of shade was appreciated.

You might imagine barriers being built between the road and the great expanses of nothing but thin air leading to the canyons far below but you might be wrong.  Some gaps in the stone embankments suggest that the barrier might not prevent breaches.  These sights preclude the need for police with radar guns.  Common sense causes the reduced speeds we travel at rather than the fear of receiving speeding tickets.

Somewhere between aldente and medium rare.

Alison and Jarmo provide the entertainment at their home in Tepotzlan.

The moment I realize I have not lost all my travel documents.

 

 

 

 

Tepozteco-The pyramid above Tepotzlan.

These beasts make their home in the forests around Tepotzlan.