Jump to Other Countries:  Mexico

Day 1: Monday, September 15, 2014

Today is the start of my trip that has no known end date; kind of a scary thought. I pulled out of the driveway of my parent’s home at 8am with my Mom and Dad sending me off. It was a strange feeling and it didn’t help seeing the tears run down my Mom’s face. I was riding alone roads that I have driven my whole life; so familiar yet feeling so strange. On more than one occasion I thought of turning around thinking to myself “What the hell are you thinking that you are doing?”

The feeling wore off the further and further Olympia was in my rearview mirror. It was very cold this morning on the ride to Portland on I-5. Since I am heading south to the tropics I really don’t have much in the way of warm clothes.

First stop, the Triumph dealership in Beaverton, Oregon. I got there right on schedule at 10:30am. The mechanic installed the heated handle grips that were not in stock when I originally bought the bike.   I also got a replacement SCALA Rider (communications headset) that broke just the night before which had thrown me into a panic. I left Triumph all set to go and by then it had warmed up.

Once to the east of Portland I got out of the city traffic and the road turned into nice winding country road and I started feeling really good. I was still in familiar territory as my destination for the day was Bend, Oregon where I have been many times before. By the time I got to Bend daylight was fading and I need to start looking for a place to settle in for the night. Just south of Bend starts the Descutes National Forest and about 20 minutes on it really was getting dark. I found a dirt road turnoff from the main highway and ventured as deep into the woods as I was brave enough to go. I am still not very confident in my riding abilities and the dirt road scared me. In addition, I was a little scared to just hang my hammock between a couple trees in the middle of a forest.

This was my first attempt at hanging my hammock and I had to do it in the dark with just the light from my bike’s headlight. Thirty minutes later I was comfortably tucked into my sleeping bag and tried to sleep.

Ready to leave on the journey of a lifetime.

Day 2: Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Well I did not sleep well. Turns out I was really cold. I got up and thought within 30 minutes I’d be on my bike riding south. As it turns out it took me over 1 ½ hours to repack everything and get going. My first thought was that I better get much better at packing or this is going to be a big part of everyday of my foreseeable future. I stopped by a coffee shop in Sun River for some breakfast and to wash my face and hands in the bathroom sink. Sun River is very special to me since I used to go there each year with my family when my kids were young. As I pulled back onto the highway I thought that this is the last truly familiar place I will see in many, many months.

Today’s destination was Reno. I had a reservation for the Hyatt Place in Reno so I could get a shower and to sleep in a nice bed. So from Sun River I headed southeast through Central Oregon and northeastern California. The desert roads were beautiful and the warmer weather was much appreciated.   Being a rather mountainous region the roads were also fun with a lot of nice curves. I pulled into Reno before dark and got checked into my hotel. I was getting to realize very quickly that unloading and loading my bike each day was going to be a grueling but unavoidable part of my everyday life.

Day 3: Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Today’s destination was Great Basin National Park where I hoped to find a campground to stay the night. Not far out of Reno I cut off of the Interstate and heading a bit south to pick up State Route 50 which took me pretty much due east to Great Basin. At Fallon I stopped for a Coke Zero and a short pit stop and boy am I glad I did.

I didn’t know it at the time but east of Fallon there is nothing for 300 miles. It is a true desert and it is deserted. It was an amazing ride as the road stretched out in front of me at times as far as the eye can see. Never having had the chance to see just how fast my new bike could go today was the perfect opportunity to test it out. On one particular long, straight stretch I pulled out the stops and got up to 170 kph when the handlebars started to wobble back and forth. I have never experienced this before so immediately slowed and the wobbling went away. Whew, safe again.

I was getting pretty tired with really nowhere to stop when I came across what looked like a rest area and so it was. But it was also a point of interest. I had no clue of this but the location was at the spot where the famed Pony Express had a transfer station. It was pretty cool looking out at the sprawling desert from that spot and imagining what was happening there 150 years prior.

Another 100 miles down the road I came to a rest area and was again in need of a water and butt break so I stopped. I had not seen any vehicle in either direction for at least a half hour but as I pulled off the road I saw a guy standing there next to his motorcycle. As it turns out he had ridden a motorcycle all through Central and South America 4 or 5 years ago. He proceeded to tell me how dangerous it could be and what to be careful of. OMG. Not what I wanted to hear on my third day on the road. I choose to chalk it up to him sensationalizing his trip and will press forward.

I pulled into the campground at Great Basin a little before dark. Being a weekday it was not at all crowded and I settled into a nice camping spot. It was dark by the time I got all set up and thus made my dinner by flashlight. It was a warm and pleasant night.

Day 4: Thursday, September 18, 2014

I got a late start today as it still takes me over 1 ½ hours to pack my bags and load my bike. The morning started off cool but it quickly turned hot. By the time I got to Zion National Park it was a sweltering 35 degrees. I guess it is still peak season as I could not find any camping spots inside the park or outside the park on the west side.

Thus I rode all the way through the park and out the east side. I had just been in Zion 2 months prior as I was driving from Atlanta to Olympia and had stayed at a campground just 1 mile outside the park that was nice so I thought I’d give it a try. Sure enough they had space so I set up camp there. By this time it was too late to go back into the park and explore so I just relaxed for the rest of the evening.

Day 5: Friday, September 19, 2014

I got up early today as I wanted to get into the park and do a long hike and still have time to ride as far as Page, Arizona. As I would be heading east from Zion to get to Page it actually worked out well that I stayed the night east of the park. I took all my bags to the campground’s office and they were kind enough to let me store my bags there. That way I could ride into the park and leave my motorcycle there without worrying about my bags getting stolen.

I rode into the park, found a place to leave my bike and then took the shuttle to the northern most part of Zion where I got off. That is where The Narrows hike begins. A few months prior when I was here with my friend Roy we tried to do this hike but we started at the wrong end of the hike and didn’t get to see the best parts of it. How stupid, right? So in order to set things right today I did the hike from within the park which is much more spectacular than seeing it from the other end.

Indeed the hike was amazing. A lot of the hike involves actually walking in the river. It really can’t be avoided as it runs through a very narrow canyon which of course is the attraction. The cool water was so refreshing under the hot sun. The scenery was awe inspiring. I was so glad to get to do this but was disappointed that Roy was not along this go around.

After the hike it was back to the campground where I took a shower, got cleaned up, loaded up the bike again and was off to Page, Arizona. I got to Page with just an hour of daylight remaining. Being a Friday night (I guess) the place was full up. I couldn’t find a vacancy at any hotel. My only option was to cross back into Utah and try the Lake Powell Campground; a 15 minute return trip. I got there to find that there was a spot available but there were no trees to hang my hammock from. I ended up having to tie it between to power polls. Oh well. Whatever works, right?

Being very hungry and having spotted a really crowded BBQ joint in the heart of Page after getting setup I got back on my bike and went back into Page for dinner. It was worth the extra roundtrip. The food was great and I met several people at my shared table with whom to chat. It was the first meal that I had shared with other people since leaving Olympia.

Day 6: Saturday, September 20, 2014

I was up early today so I could get packed and on the road early today. My first stop was Antelope Canyon just a little bit east of Page. I had seen pictures of this natural wonder and just had to see it with my own eyes. Sure enough it was amazing. I am so glad I did this despite the fact that it is pricy.

After the tour of Antelope Canyon I was off for Phoenix. As I approached Flagstaff I was faced with the chance of rain for the first time on my journey. Thunderstorms were hanging right over the city and I was not sure I’d be able to avoid them. I did avoid them altogether but it could have been much worse. Only a couple of miles after it started to rain I was able to find an exit and a fast food joint to eat lunch at and let the weather pass. An hour later I was on the road again with food in my stomach and a full tank of gas.

The thundershowers really cooled the temperature down to the point that I actually was feeling cold. That however did not last long as the road continued downhill and towards Phoenix. It wasn’t long before the temperature had reached 37 degrees; the hottest temperatures I have experienced to date. I was really looking forward to getting to Phoenix as I was going to the house of my dear friend Joel Soderburg to spend the night.

When I got to Joel’s house he and his wife kindly welcomed me into their home and we enjoyed the evening together. They would be the last (existing) friends I would be seeing for many, many months and the moment was not lost on me. Tomorrow I’ll be crossing into Mexico and the real adventure begins.

Day 7: Sunday, September 21, 2014

Today I said my goodbyes to the Soderburg’s. They gave me a heartfelt sendoff and I could see them waving at me in my rearview mirror. That meant a lot to me. After a quick stop at a nearby REI to pick up a few things I was on the freeway heading through Phoenix and out into the desert heading to Mexico. The day was uneventful.

When I got to Nogales I ended up making a wrong turn and I found myself staring at a huge wall with a bunch of armed police or military around. I didn’t really understand what I was looking at at first. I guess I really didn’t think there was actually a huge wall separating the US and Mexico. I was pointed in the right direction and quickly found myself at the border crossing. The crossing was easy and the contrast from one side of the wall to the other was big.

I was now in Mexico and it felt like the point of no return. I didn’t have any difficulty finding a reasonably priced hotel. After unloading my bike, taking a shower, and resting a bit I ventured out of the hotel and found a sidewalk taco stand and had my fill of tacos before calling it a day.

Jump to Other Countries:  U.S.A.

Day 8: Monday, September 22, 2014

I was in a hurry to get out of Nogales this morning and head south. I had no idea how far I would get today but I knew I had a lot of ground to cover. I was nervous. I was now in Mexico and had no idea what to expect. The road was long, boring, and hot for the first 400 kilometers and then I got into some foothills and the road became very curvy but good. Of course my pace slowed significantly and the next 150 kilometers took much longer.

There was very little in the way of civilization on this 150 kilometer stretch of road. So with very little traffic and great curves along with beautiful scenery the ride was spectacular and fun. As dark was approaching I came to a small town called Yecora. I pulled into the gas station, filled up, and found a place to stay of which there was only one in town. The room was very, very basic. The sign at the entrance said there was also a restaurant but it appears that it closed several years ago.

I really needed some food though and not finding any restaurants around I got on my bike and went back out to the main road and the gas station hoping to find something, anything. That is when I found two motorcycles pulling up with a husband and wife team on each. After introducing ourselves and getting what we needed to survive the night I showed them the way to the hotel. They got their rooms and after talking a bit we called it a night.

One couple, Tom & Tracy Richardson are from England and the other couple Lindsay & Marian Thomson are from British Columbia. The 2 couples had met several years prior in Alaska while on motorcycle trips there. They have remained close friends and are now on an around-the-world journey together. How incredible is that. My first night out of the US and in the middle of nowhere and I meet 2 couples doing the same thing I am.

Day 9: Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Today I got up and got ready to go as usual. As I was loading up my bike my new friends the Richardson’s and Thomson’s were also loading up their bikes. We were going in the same direction and had the same destination in mind but we did not intend to ride together. As I left we said we might meet up in Creel that night and have dinner.

Creel was only 270 kilometers away but it promised to be a full day’s ride. The curves from the day before only intensified. The road was littered with rocks, mud, tree branches, and other debris from what must have been a huge rain storm only a few days before. In early afternoon I took a short detour from the main road to visit Cascada Basaseachic National Park. The scenery was amazing, the road was fun to ride, and the views of the waterfall and surrounding canyon allowed me to appreciate the wonders of nature. After leaving Cascada Basaseachic National Park it started to rain and rain hard. There was really nowhere to stop so I just sucked it up and rode the last 4 hours getting soaked and cold. This also posed quite a riding challenge for a novice rider like myself.

By the end of the day I was exhausted both mentally and physically. Pulling into Creel I stopped at the first place I could find which turned out to be a cheap but pretty nice and quaint place. I immediately got my wet clothes off and tried to give them even a chance to get dry by tomorrow.

After an hour’s rest I walked down the main street until I came across the nicest hotel I could find. I went into the restaurant and sure enough there were my new friends just starting dinner. I sat down and joined them for a good meal and fun conversation. We traded contact information and promised to keep in touch even though they were going to get ahead of me as I am going to be stopping in Zacatecas, Mexico for 3 weeks to study Spanish.

Day 10: Wednesday, September 24, 2014

This morning the rain had stopped but some of my riding gear was still wet from yesterday. My riding boots in particular were very wet and a bit smelly. Yuk. But I didn’t have any choice but to put the gear on and ride. With this and a relatively short ride planned for the day I did not get going until late morning.

Today’s ride took me through the famous Copper Canyon. The first 80 kilometers were again a continuation of very curvy roads. I can’t believe how there can be 400 kilometers of nonstop windy roads but this route I have taken the past 3 days is just that. It was not uncommon to come around a corner only to find livestock standing or lying in the road.   The scenery today was once again spectacular.  The last 100 kilometers of today’s road was fairly straight so it looks like the fun, windy roads are now behind me. I did not escape the rain entirely today but it was not nearly as bad as yesterday.

Day 11: Thursday, September 25, 2014

Today’s goal was Durango in the State of Durango. It was a 600 km trip but on the map it looked very doable. The first 200 km getting to Parral was nice ride with one exception. At one point I came around a corner and saw in front of me going in my direction a truck full of armed men in black uniforms and even black masks over their faces and helmets. I braked quickly hoping I had not been spotted as the truck went around a bend and out of sight. The truck was going pretty slow though so I had to slow way down to try and stay out of their sight. After doing this for about 15 minutes the road straightened out and I was now in full view of the men so if I was a bit scared before I was now unquestionably scared. We entered a town right away and the truck slowed even more to the point where I had no choice but to pass them. It turns out that it was the national police or military but it was the first time seeing that and they really do look scary.

After Parral it was supposed to be easy; highway 45 all the way to Durango, a straight shot for 400 kilometers. But just out of Parral it started to rain hard and then the road construction started. I had no idea when it started just how bad it was going to be. There was one hundred kilometers of nonstop construction. The main highway was for the most part closed and they just bulldozed a path to the side in the dirt to keep traffic flowing. This meant a lot of stopping for places with one way traffic only and going on and off the highway which required driving down an embankment on one end and up the embankment at the other end in about 1 kilometer stretches. It got more and more difficult as time passed due to the continued rain but it was manageable. I was fast getting beyond novice rider status.

Once through the construction I breathed a big sigh of relief having survived such an ordeal without dropping my bike and thinking I still had a chance to make Durango before nightfall. One hundred kilometers more down the road and smack! Another road closer with a dirt road bulldozed to the side as a diversion. This time it did not look like a construction zone however. There was literally no one around. Also I had not seen a car in either direction for at least 20 minutes. Having successfully navigated the detours earlier in the day I thought not much of it as I pulled onto this detour.

But immediately I noticed something was very different. But I could not pinpoint what it was. After about 100 meters it was getting very hard to keep the bike steady. Another 100 meters and all hope was gone. My speed was very slow as there was no traction and then the bike fishtailed and went over along with me. This was not dirt. This was clay. Wet clay from hours of rain. I was panicked. What was I going to do? There were no people around and it was impossible for me to pick up my bike by myself and it was getting late in the day.

Day 12: Friday, September 26, 2014

I slept in late today. I really needed it after yesterday. I checked on my bike again and in the daylight I could see that I didn’t get it very clean last night. So I spent another 45 minutes this morning cleaning the bike more. There was no pressurized water so it was hard to do a good job. Once I got going it was an easy ride to Durango.

Upon arriving in Durango I realized that it is the first time I’ve been in a big city since leaving Phoenix. Of course city driving in Mexico is much different than that in the US. I was also introduced to the “tope” (speed bumps). I have heard about these topes in Mexico and dread them. They seem to be everywhere.

I had a hotel picked out but no reservation so I found my hotel and got settled in. Today I finally arrived at my destination well before dark. I explored the area and very close to my hotel was a street taco vendor. It looked popular so that is where I had my dinner.

Days 14~35: Saturday, Sept. 27, 2014~Sunday, Oct. 19, 2014

During my stay in Zacatecas I became familiar with the city and took a lot of pictures. I would like to thank my wonderful host family for their kindness and hospitality during my stay. In addition, my Spanish teachers at Fenix Language Institute were great and I really appreciate all they did for me.

I took a few side trips during my stay as well. One was to La Quemada which is an important archaeological site in this area and another was to the Triumph dealership in Aguascalientes for repairs on my bike that were required after my fall in the clay on day 10. It was also great to get the bike pressure washed there as it was so, so necessary.