The Big Big Trip Journal! If you want to make the man (or woman) upstairs laugh, just tell him your plans!

[HobbesOnTour]

Covid Interlude, Sunday, May 9, 2021, La Luna Ecovillage to Cholula 39km, Total KM 216
Min meters 2161, Max Meters 3362
Total Climb 52 Total Descent 1214
Min Temp 11 Max Temp 39
Ave Temp 26


It's better to be lucky than good!

After a miserable night on lumpy ground I rolled into my next campsite and it doesn't have a pool - it has two!!

It took a long time to get going this morning, not helped by having to carry all my gear across rocks and streams before finally assembling it all together. I hadn't even made coffee. I just wanted to be off. The tent was wet after all the rain and there'd be no sunshine on my spot for some hours so I packed it up wet.

To get out of the place I had to huff and puff and heave the bike up a mix of gravel and rocks. That workout worked a lot like coffee!

Once out of the park I was a little flummoxed - there were two roads where I was only expecting one!
More importantly, a man and two women were setting up a roadside restaurant, and even more important than that, they had coffee!
It's strange, I ate twice in the restaurant in the Ecovillage, the second time under protest because it was pishing rain. The experience was cold and sterile. I've eaten/drank in 4 of these little places up and down the past few days and they don't come within an asses roar of cold or sterile.
I had a delicious quesadilla with chicken, a cafe de ola from a pot sitting on some burning logs and a wonderful chat. I also got to find out which road to take!
Beside them, right outside "my" campground was a sign for a different campground just down the other road. It had the words "Camping Area"! I was tempted, I really was, to salvage something from my mountain experience. Then I remembered my flat sleeping mat.

Setting off, I was in great form again! But Lord! The road was not!
To be fair, this was a part of my figary - I knew I'd be offroading it for a while, all part of the adventure. It was rarely fun, often rough but damn was it beautiful! I couldn't take my eyes off the road in front of me, so I was missing the views. So I stopped a lot. What I wasn't missing was the birdsong. The Popo Sunday choir were out in force.
At first, I had this gravel/earth/sand/rocky/rooty road all to myself, but over time one pickup became two became three, as folks from down there came up here for their Sunday fun.
There were lots of waves and toots and general pleasantness - even when I was on the wrong side of the "road".

In one pick-up, I kid you not, mamá and papá in the cab and 4 kids in deckchairs in the bed of the truck! Another one I heard long before I saw them - The Mexican equivalent of the Von Trapps, the kids (about 8 of them) singing for all they're worth as they bounce upwards!

Tough cycling - great place!

The birds were singing to me!​

Later, I passed a long line of Mountainbikers struggling up. Most friendly, some superfriendly and a few that didn't see me at all. It was an interesting bit of perspective - locals, decent bikes, light bikes and they were struggling to make ground going up too!

After about 10km of this bouncing, bobbing and beaming I finally hit concrete again. I was flying!
And then I wasn't!
Topes! Speed bumps! New State (Puebla) new rules! Almost invisible and pointy!
After a while I had to pull in and let my brakes cool. I spied a shop that a) was open b) had 3 dogs and c) had a couple of benches to sit on.

It really is a dog's life!​

I got a cold drink and a pastry and was disappointed that not a one of the mutts woke up.
Then all of a sudden, as if on cue they went for me! I had just picked up my plastic wrapped pastry and now they wanted to give me attention!
Just then a motorcycling couple pulled up and he wanted a chat. While we talked the mongrel curs stole my choccie swiss roll type thing!!

Passing through a town. Hot!​

Rolling back downhill I was following the road towards Puebla. It seemed to improve after each little town (there were a few). On a figary, I stayed on the road when my gps and traffic jumped across to a bigger one. Other than the topes trying to kill, or at least seriously maim me, I was enjoying myself. The only negative experience was a man trying to lead a horse along the side of the road. The horse wasn't cooperating so the man gave it a belt. The horse spun around, sent the man flying and took off up the road heading for me. I swerved out of his way and was in no mood to offer any assistance to the man on the ground.
Thanks to this bit of a figary, I arrived into the town of Cholula away from the main roads and found myself wandering around some lovely little streets. This was more charming than I was expecting! Far more charming!
(On my walk I figured out which road I would have arrived on had I stuck to the plan. A busy dual carriageway that would have hidden all the beauty!)

My Camping Corner! ​

I-overlander has a trailer park listed around here so I went off to investigate not full of confidence. Hard to find, but once found? Wow!
There are showers blasting hot water, lovely grass for a tent, covered areas for shelter and cooking. And two fabulous dogs!
Feck Puebla! I'm home!
At first, I was put off by a big, closed gate and a guard dressed in Military fatigues. However, he could not have been friendlier and more welcoming if had tried.

There's a dog here that has to be seen to be believed! A giant, dark husky, built like an ox and those cold, dark islands in cold white pools of eyes that huskies tend to have. On arrival, he came over for a sniff. I was feeling a tad nervous. I put my hand out and he took fingers, palm and some of my wrist into his mouth - playing as some dogs do. Powerful jaws, huge teeth and as gentle as a mouse!

Camping and a dog???? Am I the luckiest fecker ever?​

First order of business is the wet tent - up and drying. Second order of business is the sleeping pad. Utilising a pool (not as easy as it sounds) I found the leak, or rather series of leaks. I marked them, left it to dry in the sun then was almost driven into the ground by a blasting hot shower!
After that, repair time and then a bit of relaxing. I even had a swim!
Once I was satisfied that my repairs were taking I set off into town.

Street art here is fantastic! ​

It's another dimension of México! Wider streets in better condition, a very European style plaza, very open. A park with no doggy section!!!! It was wonderful exploring on a Sunday when the world and its uncle is out and about. The whole time the sky became moodier, darker, angrier and once again, I saw no indication of people packing up or rushing off.
I, however, am not a local! I made it back to the campground just as some huuuuuge raindrops started to fall. There was a blast of rain, some lightning, far off thunder and now a light drizzle.

Someone made the sky very, very angry!! It can happen so fast, or there can be many false alarms!​

Tomorrow, I'll explore a little more and then roll into Puebla. I plan on staying a couple of days. It's a pretty famous place. If it's not to my liking I can always come back out here!

No shortage of Churches in this town!​

Chat? Yes Please!
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[HobbesOnTour]

Covid Interlude, Monday, May 10, 2021, Cholula to Puebla 19km, Total KM 253
Min meters 2108, Max Meters 2228
Total Climb 185 Total Descent 122
Min Temp 27 Max Temp 40
Ave Temp 34

I wasn't going to have far to go today, a dangerous situation for me!
I had slept very well, the sleeping pad held all its air! Unfortunately, it has now developed a rather large "bubble" on both sides immediately around the patch. Not sure what that says about the longevity.

I resisted the urge for an early morning dip - it was cool and I am the world's worst at immersing myself in cold water. Instead, I fired up my Trangia, pulled out my chair and passed a lovely hour just appreciating my luck.
The rain during the night needed to be dried off, helped by the rapidly rising temperature.
This was a place I had highlighted last year in Mazatlán as a potential place to store bike and gear for a trip into CDMX. It would have worked!

I mentioned the fabulous, monster husky yesterday….. Well here he is this morning, looking about as attack minded as I was going up between the volcanoes!

Slowly, very slowly, I packed up and hit the road.
Whoah! Busy!!!! I'm heading to Puebla, but in reality, I'm already there as the city has effectively consumed this town. I took my promised little tour around, but early morning busyness made it uncomfortable, so I climbed a steep hill and headed for the Cuota, thinking that was my best manner of getting to Puebla centre.
Whoah! Dumbass!!!
Crazy, speeding traffic! There was a shoulder, but it was narrow and the whole scene very unsettling. Instead, I went off hunting for another way, finding the libre. Crazy busy too, but a dedicated bike path! Sold!
Until it ran out! There were a few kms of "uh oh, how the hell did I get here?" until the quantity of traffic lights meant that traffic wasn't going much faster than me.
I even had time to chat to a very friendly taxi driver!

Well, I finally encountered an oso on my trip!​

I felt like I had travelled to another dimension. There were similarities to México, but distinct, European aspects too. For a start, streets were wide, straight and of pretty good surfaces with clear markings. For another, lingerie shops had slightly more provocative stock and ladies fashions were far less colourful! Such are the things I notice! In cycling terms, it was probably the most bike unfriendly place I've been in México. Without a bike lane I was invisible, drivers very impatient. Nearly had two collisions with impatient cars. See? Very European!

This, though? Very Mexican!​

I deliberately stayed of the main road to the centre, preferring the variety of the smaller streets. Activating a route to my AirBnB I immediately turned off it to go down here!

I couldn't resist the crazy!​

My AirBnB is away from the centre (up a bloody big hill!), near to the Exhibition centre, various museums and cable cars!!

The Pyramid contains the Planetarium (closed). On the windows are all kinds of interesting facts to do with space, constellations and rockets. It struck me as very kid focused​

I'd love to say that the location was strategically planned out, but it was chosen on a whim. Just as well - the museums and cable cars are all Covid Closed. But what views!

I checked in, did some laundry, showered, got a delicious sandwich in a local shop and wandered into town.

That's how to move chairs!​

The walk was fabulous! From up high to down low, through a park (different!) along straight streets heading for the Historic Centre.

Street Art close to my AirBnB​

I like a bit of teasing so I walked around the Zocalo (centre plaza) rather than approach it head on. Boarded up! Such a shame!

I meandered home, pulled off course by spires, stopping for a coffee and enjoying the view and watching the people.

Street Art. It's actually encouraged to express the cultural identity, history and heritage of the people and neighbourhoods. ​

At home, I pulled up my Lonely Planet Travel Guide. Puebla was indeed designed to be a European style city! My Spidey senses are calibrated!

Chat? Yes Please!
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[HobbesOnTour]

Puebla Tuesday, May 11, 2021

I had a dreadful night's tossing and turning with little sleep. The room, cool in the afternoon was stifling hot after dark.
My plan to be up early and see the sunrise over the city was in tatters. Oh well.
I took a meandering route into town and spent a pleasant hour or two away from the main touristy strip, instead wandering up and down and around the streets with lots of stores and stalls. Busy! Hectic!

Spot the compañeros!​

Since I get to see a lot of the world pass me by sitting on a park bench and since I tend towards lazy, I found a long park and plonked myself down in a seat.

There's one aspect of México which I find utterly charming - couples!
On my walk into town today I passed a few displaying all the signs of being in the first flushes of love, if not the first flushes of youth. A few seats down from me there's a young couple, mid teens I reckon, both masked, just nuzzling faces. Even now, well into a year of lockdown the vast majority of people are wearing masks, even when they prohibit the very things they'd like to do. I can well remember the raging hormones of my teenage years! Yet, these two have turned it into a kind of game - taking it in turns to tease each other.
Further down, on another bench, a man, probably on the wrong side of 50 (I can still say that!) is sitting on a bench, his lady friend lying along the bench, her head in his lap. They are chatting, smiling, talking, laughing, touching each other affectionately, taking a little time as the city busies by. Second, third, fourth chances, maybe, being seized.
At bus stops the same kinds of things can be seen as couples part for who knows how long. Long, tight hugs, arms entwining, whispers into ears. I find it all very sweet.

From the moment I pulled into Cholula there was a different vibe. That has continued here in Puebla, hardly surprising since it's pretty much one conurbation at this stage. The differences are physical as represented by straight streets, paved surfaces and the like, but there are other differences as well. Traffic moves much faster and with more aggression. There'll be no stepping out into the road for a quick photo here!
It's like a filter of some kind has been placed between me and my "image" of México. I see the same things….. but they're different in some way.

The usual juxtaposition between scenes exist, but seem more concentrated here. I can walk from a "market street" full of small stores selling all kinds of things to a "tourist" street and buy a full cowboy/girl outfit from boots, to jeans, shirts, jackets and of course hats! As a rule I hate clothes shopping, but if I ever went into one of these I may never get out!
Puebla has historically been a wealthy city and that is evident in modern buildings, new cars and fashion. This clashes all the more with the people who don't have these things.
Begging is more direct and intense than I've seen before. People sleeping rough are more numerous than I've seen elsewhere.

I thought I had located the Tourist office yesterday and was not that surprised that it was closed. Today, I found the real Tourist Office, got a city map and asked the friendly lady to highlight the open Museums. Not many as it turned out. The first one on her list was closed! So, I went into the Cathedral.

The Cathedral. Sombre outside, opulent inside​

If there was a competition for the most preserved and glamorous Cathedral, Puebla would probably win based on the fact that it hasn't been fire damaged like in CDMX. It is incredibly impressive. Incredibly richly decorated. Surprisingly, makes much less use of light than other Churches I have seen here. The backdrop to the main altar has to be seen to be believed.
I wandered and then sat down to try to soak it all up. The longer I sat and soaked the more my mood changed, from impressed and awestruck to uncomfortable. When I felt a smidgin of anger welling up I arose and walked out into the blazing sun.
I went to a different church to see what would happen, a church for nuns of the Immaculate conception (or as I translated from Spanish "Clean Conception"). Simpler than the Cathedral, but still opulent.
I haven't been inside a church here in a while and I'm a bit further along understanding the society and frankly, the extreme wealth used to raise these buildings and now to maintain them strikes me as grotesque. One or two I can appreciate the beauty, the workmanship but Puebla has 70 or 90 such churches. It's starting to look like some hideous competition where the top tier play against each other, but the poor feckers at the bottom do all the work and make all the sacrifices. In the case of religion and faith, willingly.

This street is amazing! The tree cover is so dense if feels like indoors​

Then I walked past The Museum of Living Things, a serpent, arachnid type museum in a building that was as far removed from the opulence of a church as could be found. It was open, I paid my small fee and had to wait for a guide.
Well, what an experience!! Given a choice of languages, I chose Spanish, saying from the get go that my vocabulary was not exactly full of appropriate words. I was terrified, amazed, terrified, amused, terrified and horrified as well as having several laugh out loud moments with my young guide! Have I mentioned terrified?
There were snakes, lizards, spiders, turtles, scorpions and cockroaches from México and elsewhere.
We quickly settled into a rhythm of whether an exhibit was native to México (or further south), if venomous and dangerous. I was really only interested in things that were likely to kill me!
Unlike many serpent houses that I have seen, many of these animals were on the move. It's a bit freaky seeing a large snake slide up the glass partition towards my hand as I lean on the case chatting away!
At one room we had to wait while a colleague was doing something with a rattlesnake. When we entered, the rattlesnake was annoyed - I know that because his tail was rattling! It was amazing! His head erect and ready to strike, his tail rattling and his tongue slithering in and out. I was captivated and horrified. Told he was angry because we were there, I pointed to the case next to him and asked why his friend seemed friendlier. The simple movement of my hand was enough to annoy this amigo so now there were two rattlesnakes ready to attack! I was horrified to hear even more rattles kicking in but couldn't see a source. My guide pointed to a curtain hanging from the table supporting the display cases - more snakes, behind a curtain and on the feckin' ground!!! My old Irish Dancing teacher would have been very proud of my newfound skill of keeping my feet off the ground for as long as possible! They're doing research on rattlesnakes so have extra! My skin was crawling! I had to get out of there!
The next room was spiders - a Black Widow (tiny) and a variety of tarantulas. On the way in there was a ginormous Tarantula Teddy bear type thingy to spook the guests! My skin crawling was adapting from snakes to spiders when I spotted a bit of tree branch on the floor half hidden by a tablecloth that looked, on first glance, like a snake!
I know I leapt Scooby-Doolike, there was probably some yodelling and then a lot of laughter as my guide saw the funny side! He swore blind that it wasn't a joke and I believed him, but I also noted he was in no hurry to remove the stick!
That was the most fun I think I've ever had in a museum! I didn't understand everything, but I got the gist of most of it. I asked questions and based on the answers I was making sense! We chatted about all kinds of things to do with my trip and I learned a few things - big snakes will eat smaller snakes, Australia is definitely the most dangerous place in the world and that the two most venomous spiders in México are tiny!
It probably wasn't my smartest move to ask for confirmation that killing any spider in my tent was a smart thing to do! He suggested just flicking them away!
I may well have nightmares tonight, but it was worth it!

The heavens had opened while I was inside the museum. I ducked into another church to wait the rain out. I really need to find a simple church soon!

When the rain stopped there was a lovely freshness in the air so it was far more pleasant to be out and about. I moseyed on home realising that while the rain is not constant, when it comes down, it really comes down!

A "covered" street off the Zolaco, utterly charming. On entering, "La Bamba" was being played on bells (I think the source was the clock) and I found it totally fitted. Half way down at a slow, curious pace I started to feel sorry for the people working there as the bells were moving into annoying territory. Having reached the end, I turned around and hotfooted it out if there before I succumbed to the madness of the bells! The Bells! The Bells! ​

I spied this beauty down a side street and went off to investigate! What a beautiful, attractive building! A cinema! I love cinemas. Correction, I used to love cinemas. I'm not a fan of modern multiplexes.
Having taken this photo I wandered across for a better look. Maybe I'd catch a movie! I'd love to know what it's like inside!
On closer inspection, the sign "Adults Only" caught my attention. The ticket office was plastered in signs encouraging hand washing and disinfection like that wasn't pretty obvious even without a pandemic! I didn't think an adult movie was going to enhance my Spanish too much so I shuffled off, very upset at what this fine old building had become.​

Mole (not the rodent, a sauce) is the taste of Puebla. I didn't find any restaurants that were calling me in to sample some. Oh, waiters were calling, but without conviction so I passed.
It's interesting, I haven't seen one "Mexican Restaurant" of the type that I've seen in Europe. One or two places in Mazatlán and CDMX came close catering for tourists.

I took a meandering way home as the sun fell and the city started to light up.

It is a pity that so many museums are closed. (I found one open with an exhibition of erotic art but, alone, during a Pandemic I didn't think it would help!). It seems that private ones are open, Government ones are closed. I chatted to a few guys outside the Cinco de Mayo Museum. One guy, especially, was really animated that he couldn't let me in. Me on a bike, passing through, only one chance. He tried to convince his colleagues to let me in, but it wasn't to be!
Cinco de Mayo (The Fifth of May) is a huge festival in the USA (and a bit in Puebla), not so much in México, at least not outside tourist areas. It celebrates a victory for the Méxicans against the French, when 2000 Mexicans repelled 6000 French - here in Puebla.
(What is generally omitted from the tale is the fact that the French were riven with "the runs". A few days later, with less fire in the bowels and more in the belly they returned and kicked Méxican ass!)


By the by, Méxican history (a bit like Irish) is incredibly hard to follow. To an English speaker, the Spanish and local names (of people and places) can be hard to absorb, making understanding and processing difficult. I'm trying to get a grip on it, but it is not easy!
Pre-Columbus is especially interesting. More than once in these parts (and further south), whole civilisations have just "disappeared", entire cities forgotten about and reclaimed by nature.
As an example of my own ignorance, I had never thought that "American Indians" may be related to Mexicans. Of course they were, before the Europeans came. I read something last week explaining that many of the native languages developed from the same root - Nahuatl still spoken in México today.
Similarly, while I knew the US had "acquired" land from México, I never realised just how much. From California to (but excluding) Florida, and relatively recently too (post 1847). Even today, the powerful neighbour has rights over water, for instance.
It's fascinating to me to take a point in history, draw a line on a map, say this is mine, that yours and pay no attention to what happened before that point. Fascinating and probably pretty dumb.

The Plaza, fenced off. This area has been taken over to highlight the "disappeared". ​

Chat? Yes Please!
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[HobbesOnTour]

Covid Interlude, Wednesday, May 12, 2021, Puebla to Tecamachalco 59km, Total KM 312
Min meters 2050, Max Meters 2349
Total Climb 212 Total Descent 323
Min Temp 19 Max Temp 36
Ave Temp 30



All that stuff about Puebla being different? Forget about that!

Something was knocking around in my head all day yesterday as I wandered around Puebla and that was the quality of the roads for my next section. Specifically, after rejecting the Cuota to Puebla because of the shoulder. So, getting home about 9:30 I pulled up Cycle.Travel for another look.
I wanted to go to Córdoba through some mountains using the Cuota, but on more careful examination the small shoulder (with rumble strip) wouldn't just be uncomfortable, it would be dangerous. More importantly, getting out would be close to a suicide mission as I'd have to use the same road in reverse while doing some extreme climbing. México's highest peak is there!
I'm sure it seems dumb to some, but I've only seen Cuotas either with a decent shoulder or none - none of this half a shoulder and a rumble strip. Different States, different standards!
I spent the next 5 hours trying to string something together by doing loops but nothing was working. Getting in was tough, getting out was the real problem.
I could have continued (down) to Veracruz (I'd love to visit) but it's peak humidity season and sea level. I'll either have to continue along the coast (and melt!) or cross back into the mountains - square one. With some reluctance I changed my plans.

Taking the side streets out of town and even there the street art is very impressive​

This really is a place of contrasts. My AirBnB was located in the hills above Puebla in a very comfortable neighbourhood. My route out was very different! This was the México I know - broken streets, ramshackle housing, dogs wandering around. I stayed off the main streets as much as possible and for a while ran parallel to the main road where I was heading. Talk about chalk and cheese! Quiet streets, broken surfaces, but minimal traffic. One block over - chaos! Well out of the city I rejoined the main road. Busy, certainly, but I have my space.

Away from the madness, I have to contend with the odd dog, street seller and a few potholes​

It wasn't the kind of road or cycling I had in mind when I thought I'd cycle the Americas, but it wasn't bad and needs must. Traffic lightened significantly after a turn off for the Cuota. Better again! In more open country a headwind picked up. Better and cooler! Then, unexpectedly, the road improved, I received a marked shoulder and there wasn't much more to improve!

No road markings, but more than enough space for me. Always something to watch out for, though!​

Things were very pleasant until San Hipólito Xochiltenango where I saw a lovely Church in a plaza and pulled off to investigate. I was approached by a man with the usual chat and he wanted a photo, then an interview. Then another. Then a video of the bike and an explanation of the gear. In blazing sun, demand after demand I was getting hot in all kinds of ways.
Eventually I said enough but he kept on filming as I wandered around looking for a way off the plaza.

The church that lured me in for an interrogation. It was really unpleasant, especially after I said I had had enough.​

A roadside restaurant soon picked up my mood!

Mole, a traditional dish from Puebla. I couldn't find "the right place" for me in Puebla, instead I found it the next day on the side of the road! It's the sauce that is important. Different versions have different colours and can have up to 100 ingredients - including chocolate! This one was fantastic with a little heat coming through. ​

The rest of the day was hot, although the wind was cooling. This area is famous for soil (pottery) and stone (quarries) so there was always plenty of residue to contend with, but interesting scenery and decent roads.

In one of the towns I passed through there was a "psychic diversion" for roadworks, one of those diversions where you just "know" where to go without the benefit of signs! Stopped, trying to get my bearings, a workman came over to make sure I wasn't lost

​

Then I got to my planned destination for the night, Tecamachalco, I headed for the Plaza (a grey square on Gizmo). This is the last town with hotels for a while, so with time to kill, I pulled up at the (roped off) Plaza. And waited. Sure enough, an old chap engaged me in conversation and when I asked for a hotel recommendation I got several. Now, whether his recommendations are suitable is neither here nor there, it's the conversation that counts!

One of the churches.....​

I wandered off, found one of his hotels, cheap and decent, (in fairness to the man, I saw two of his hotels and he covered all bases - the other was modern and trendy) checked in and went out for an agua fresca - flavoured water. Mine had lime, chia seeds and cucumber (with bits!). Delicious!

Another church​

Back to the hotel as the heavens opened, showered, posted, then out for a walk and explored. Away from the main road it's a pleasant place with lots of churches. I had to duck in for coffee for another downpour, then later, yet another downpour limited my food choice. The restaurant had to switch off all power as their connection on the pole outside was sparking regularly in the rain!

More street art. I'm really starting to enjoy this.​

Then, back to the hotel, poor wifi meant it took about 3 hours to upload photos and sleep!


Chat? Yes Please!
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[HobbesOnTour]

Covid Interlude, Thursday, May 13, 2021,Tecamachalco to Cañada Morelos 43km, Total KM 355
Min meters 2008, Max Meters 2376
Total Climb 410 Total Descent 182
Min Temp 14 Max Temp 22
Ave Temp 31

It was cold in the morning ! And the roads were wet! There was a lot of rain last night. I slept well, was awake early, packed and hit the road.
I took a wander on the quiet, peaceful backstreets before dropping down to the main road!
Chaos! With hectic morning traffic, a broken surface and lots of water hiding the potholes I had to be careful.

Today I was doing something a bit different, heading into the countryside.

Everything fresh and green in the morning!​

I waited until I was well out of town before stopping for a coffee. I'd had a bit of a headache the night before and it was still there hiding out in my skull. I'm also finding it hard to eat in the mornings so a coffee is important for nutrition.

Busy traffic quietened down and the landscape opened up with the definition of rolling hills to one side and a pretty big (highest peak in México) volcano on the other. This was more like it! I had blue skies, white cotton clouds, hills and a volcano - what more can a cyclist ask for?

Volcano!​

The temperature was slowly rising, as was the wind. It was strange, the sun was cooking me, but the air temperature was cool. When a large cloud passed in front of the sun I was on the verge of shivering.

I like cycling in the countryside. Traffic is more used to slow movers, people are friendlier. I got more waves and toots today than the last couple of weeks combined. The views are interesting, but it is important to pay attention to the road - there can be big holes!

At times the son shone on that hill, making it gold against the green terrain and grey sky. Nature's TikTok.​

At about 10:30 on the edge of a small town I pulled in for some food. Possibly the world's smiliest woman prepared me a type of taco with chorizo and cheese. A lot of the food can be similar in terms of ingredients, it's the accompaniments that are different. Tortillas of different sizes made from different grains can be cooked differently, giving different dishes. And names! Don't get it? Try telling a Frenchman that all bread is the same or an Italian pasta!

A young girl, no more than 12 or 13, there with her younger brother was not in the least bit shy in asking for a photo with the stranger. Happy to oblige.
Later, I asked the woman if they were her kids, getting a very definite "no". Her kids were minding the sheep!

One of my favourite shots​

While sitting there I witnessed two ass and carts going by, one motorbike towing another (an inner tube tied on to the handlebars, rope from that to the tower - very clever, I thought) and the damage these topes (speedbumps) can do. A well laden pick-up lost its front right suspension! There was no swearing, no kicking the truck or tope! just a part of a normal day.

Continuing on I was really glad that I had taken this road. Mex 150 that I had left in Tecamachalco was more direct, but this was more relaxed. I'll probably have more of Mex 150 later. In fact, I was enjoying it so much and inspired by the signt of the volcano that I started to wonder if I had given up on Cordoba too soon. My destination today was Tehuacán but an idea was floating around in my head.

Note the simple, homemade memorial. There are a lot of memorials along these roads, some elaborate, some a simple cross. Even in CDMX.​

That idea was relegated by the sight of angry clouds rolling in. I debated whether to pull in or race it (our trajectories were different) and opted for the excitement.

Somebody peed in the sky's cornflakes this morning.....and I was getting the blame! ​

At one stage I got to cross the Cuota
to Tehuacán (my next destination). Only two lanes, decent shoulder, but lots of truck traffic. Not pleasant for a bike.

After that they threw in some of those rolling hills to kick my ass! Up up up up up then down. Back up up up up up and eventually down. There were some nice views though, and on one hill a rigid truck hurtled downhill literally bouncing over and back across both lanes. I was pretty happy to have stopped at the side of the road for a rest!

I was arriving into Cañada* Morelos and the idea wasn't going away. The idea was to have a go for Cordoba anyway. Maybe some smaller roads. My experience today countered the "Cuota effect" around Puebla.
I turned off the main road and quickly landed up in the Plaza. What a delightful little place! I decided to put up here for the night, do a bit more research and decide tomorrow.

They do like their entrance signs! In this part of the country the road is paved. Previously the surfaces barely exist!​

First a place to stay! Google had nothing, I had seen nothing, so I went to a Government building and asked the friendly Police Lady with the most amazing smile! Even though covered with a facemask, the tips of her eyes tilted upwards! She didn't know, but one, then another colleague got called out and I was advised to go to a shop and ask there. I did, and the result is a brand spanking new room out the back. It took a while to get the Wifi working but the hot water is great!

I shaved, showered, powernapped and went for a wander. What a lovely little town. Everyone is so friendly!

Wandering didn't take long! This is not a big place! I was keeping my eyes open for some food and was delighted to spy a chicken place with two tables. I asked the pleasant lady if I coule eat there - of course - and had two of her daughters to wait on me!
First I had to remove schoolbooks from one table and then got scolded for sitting down before it was disinfected.
I had half a chicken, grilled over open coals, some rice, a few small potatoes, a simple salad and some tortillas and a lovely time with two young girls who were really trying!
I was in a seperate room, open to the street, the grill was on the footpath outside the next room. I could hear Mamá giving instructions, then one or other of the girls came in to follow them through.
When I asked to pay, the younger sister deferred to the elder who pointed out that I had enough cash in my other hand to pay when I handed over a 200 peso note. I did, but not enough for a tip.
When she brought my change and I returned half, telling her to share with her sister she darted back into the other room. I could hear the commotion inspired by a small tip.
A lovely dinner.

Despite threatening to spill for hours there had been nothing more than a few drops. I took another little wander and got back to my room just as the few drops turned into a steady deluge.

While waiting for the slow wifi to upload photos I threw on the tv to watch the news. From Veracruz to Michoacán (with CDMX) in the middle there have been terrible floods caused by unseasonably heavy rain!!

*Cañada Morelos has nothing to do with Canada. (Glen of Morelos). The ñ is not just an n!
A simple word like cono (cone) changes its meaning significantly when it becomes coño.
I learned this the embarrassing way at my friendly local bakery in CDMX. A cono is a delicious pastry, in a cone shape, filled with delicious custard. One evening I asked the friendly lady if she had a coño. Based on her reaction I went home and did some research. Coño correlates to an English four letter word also containing c and n.😊
(No nice bakery ladies were harmed in this story. They were used to me asking the names of the different pastries and practising. The next evening I pronounced it correctly and got a big smile!)

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[HobbesOnTour]

Covid Interlude, Friday, May 14, 2021, Cañada Morelos to Orizaba 60km, Total KM 415
Min meters 1224, Max Meters 2366
Total Climb 628 Total Descent 1493
Min Temp 12 Max Temp 30
Ave Temp 17


I like to think that there aren't too many things on the road that will freak me out on the bike. I like to think that I'm reasonably switched on to potential hazards.
Ha! Dumbass!
México is officially the craziest place to ride a bike!

I'm finding myself very tired these days. I guess I must be out of practice!
It rained all night but had stopped in the morning.
I packed up and loaded up the bike. The Hotel owner didn't trust me very much wanting to check the room before I left!
My first challenge of the day was coffee! There was no real place at the hotel to fire up the Trangia without getting wet and in a small town few options and none open.

Not exactly the most inspiring view to start the day!​

I had decided that I was going to head for Orizaba (just shy of Cordoba). This will most likely mean doubling back on myself. It's not like I'm in a rush anywhere!

I had the option of a back backroad shortcut - I took one look at the wet sand, puddles and muck and stuck with the road!

The morning was cool, which is fine by me, but there was a wind blowing that kept me cooler than I would have liked. Traffic was surprisingly light out of town and there were times when all I heard was the wind and the birds in the trees, or just the wind when there were no trees.

No trees, no birdsong​

Everywhere I looked there were hills near and far, their tops shrouded in mist. I had a gentle upwards gradient and a diagonal or head wind. Tough, but the landscape made up for it.
My calculations told me up for about 25km than all downhill! What could go wrong?

Well, for a start I had an unexpected long descent, buffeted by the wind. Then the ascent started in earnest a steady 4 or 5% climb. And I still hadn't my coffee!!!

I passed a couple of farmers out ploughing their fields in tiny, ancient Ford tractors. A friend of mine, a farmer, rails against modern tractors since gps and autopilot takes all the skill out of ploughing. No danger of these guys using gps! One had wired up a big speaker attached to a homemade roof for his tractor. Nothing for it but to pull in at a barrier, rest a while and enjoy some tunes!

The sky was dark and angry all day. A few drops threatened now and again but it stayed reasonably dry - but humid.

That changed the higher I got. Out of nowhere, it seemed, a very heavy misty fog descended (or more accurately I rode into it). I took it as a positive sign that I was getting near the top of my climb. I quickly decided that it wasn't so positive when the occasional car or pickup drove past with no lights, almost invisible until the last moment. I switched on every light I have!

Riding into a bit of mysterious fog​

I arrived at Puerto del Aire (Gate of the Air) where I hoped to finally have a coffee. No joy. There was a shop, but no coffee. I got chatting to a man who arrived up with empty beer bottles, exchanged them for a full litre and proceeded to drink it before getting back in his car! At about 11am!
A romantic name did not live up to expectations!

Unfortunately, this is also my introduction to the State of Veracruz and their poor roads! I put on my ex Dutch Army Goretex jacket with my bright orange HiViz vest and set off gingerly. Potholes, cracks, broken edges just added to the fun!

This reminded me just how lucky I have been so far. The Devil's Backbone, the Appalachians were good to me. ​

I'm sure there were fabulous views because I could sense the ground to my right falling steeply away but I could see nothing through the mist. Visibility was less than 50 meters, so to be safe, when I heard an engine I pulled in.

It was by doing this I came across one of the craziest things I have seen on the roads. I pulled in (to the right) as a pickup approached from behind. He went past me, on an incredibly tight hairpin bend - on the left!
Maniac!, I thought to myself. Hearing something coming up I stayed put. A car came around the bend…..on my side!!

What they do, for some of these hairpins (only some) is to swap lanes.
I had passed a very confusing collection of arrows on the road but could make neither heads nor tails out of them. I presumed it was some kind of practice or cockup. (There are all kinds of strange things on the roads).
Looking again, I could now see directional arrows around the bend, pointing the opposite direction of what I would expect to see!

There were about 4 or 5 of these "bends" and I freaked out on each and every one! That learned me!

C R A Z Y !! Not a mention anywhere that this might happen. I talked to a couple of Policemen in Orizaba about how confusing it was ​

Once the crazy descent was out of the way, things flattened out and I cycled through a series of long, little towns, each a bit chaotic and beautiful in its own way. Still no coffee! Gizmo showed me that they didn't extend beyond two or three parallel streets on either side. There were some random explosions of colourful gardens and regularly spaced sellers of Sunflowers. I love Sunflowers! These were in bunches up to twenty up to my shoulder in height.

The valley I was going to cycle through. Another day andI'm sure it would be beautiful​

Ciudad Mendoza was the first big town and had the first Oxxo I've seen since yesterday morning. Coffee!! 45km on the clock!

I sat for a while feeling the caffeine do its thing and set off again. In a moment of optimism I had removed my rainjacket - I hoped I wasn't tempting fate!

I wasn't! It threatened all day, but didn't rain. It was pretty much all gently downhill now through ever increasing towns until I was effectively in a conurbation, only the entrance and exit gates marking off the places.

Random splashes of colour brightened up the day​

Heavy traffic meant that I pulled in frequently, more out of an excess of precaution and a desire to see where I was rather than necessity.

I got lots of toots and waves. One older man in a VW beetle flagged me down for a chat. Friendly, but full on - rapid fire questions! He warned me not to be on the road at night, offered me a place to stay and was very welcoming and friendly.
Later, Cool Dude lowered his passenger window while driving along, slouched in his seat and texting on the phone - in heavy traffic! It wasn't the easiest conversation for me.
Pulled in to photograph a church across the road a Collectivo pulled in to block my view. Sitting on the lap of her father in the back of the bus, a little girl smiled and waved. Of course, I waved back, then leaned forward, twisted Mazi and he waved at her too! Well, such delight! She was bouncing up and down on her poor father's lap, jabbering and pointing. The poor man smiled and waved as the buss pulled away, hoping, no doubt, to not see us again!

Orizaba trees lit up at night​

I rolled through Orizaba to get a feel for the place and then went looking for food. I found a delightful place for locals, had a delicious Milanesa de Pollo, some rice and simple salad, then off to the AirBnB.
Since I was so near to the AirBnB I paid no attention to the fact that a pannier was hanging off, I just walked around the corner.

It's on an "interesting" street and I couldn't find it. A well dressed man stopped, pointed it out, called the host and left me bemused! It's cheap, not terribly cheerful, warm, but there's a fan!

I had a warm dribble (as opposed to a hot shower) and then looked at my pannier. Three of the four attachments holding the bar in place are gone!

I had checked all these before leaving CDMX. Not good!
I set about the repair, then packed up and went exploring!

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[HobbesOnTour]

Orizaba

A few of the towns I've passed through have the Pueblo Magico designation. Orizaba deserve theirs! This town has it all! And without selling its soul! A settlement before Spanish times it has a long history and due to its presence along the route to and from Veracruz it is well developed and wealthy, visible in the architecture.
Tourism is a big thing here and there are lots of tourists around but it is also real.

Sorrounded by mountains, ironically I couldn't see Mount Orizaba, a dormant volcano and Mexico's highest peak​

The old town is busy with all the usual things, none of this touristy nonsense thank you very much, while some of the buildings and parks are lit up beautifully and creatively at night.
I can walk past an elegant hotel, uniformed waiters serving drinks and coffees to people dressed to impress under an arched terrace, walk ten minutes and pass a series of bars, most with "Saloon style" swinging doors, music pumping and the occasional chap staggering outside.
I can walk past (another) big, glorious church up a bit, turn left and meet most of the working women in the town.

You want elegance? You got it! I was in the courtyard of that building and can't for the life of me recall what it is!😊​

However, as always, if you want to get a measure of a town, head for the park! And this one does not disappoint!
Not the biggest I've seen, but if ever there was a kid focused park this is it.
Long, long past what would have been my bedtime at that age the park is thronged with kids. There's a central area, concreted which is the centre for battery powered cars - these ones have lights! Mixed in with all these young drivers are a few (speed) rollerbladers, one or two bikers and one uber trendy twentysomething on an electric scooter. There should be rows when two cars collide but ne'er a one! Sitting watching the fun there's a huge bouncy complex (not a castle, a complex!) behind me, a carousel opposite me, a typical playground with slides and swings over there, and trampolines, different ones for different ages. Of course there's lots of seating for parents and just over there a series of refreshment huts with snacks, hot and cold drinks.
These are locals, not tourists.
Daytime Saturday is similar, but not as busy. Different areas are for different ages. Traffic is flowing around on all sides, inside is dreamworld!

There's an actual river through the town - with water!! I've crossed many bridges in this country, but precious few rivers!

There's a walk along the river and frankly, I could fill several posts with it! It is wonderful on so many levels.
First of all, of course, it is for kids so there is a kind of a zoo spread along the few kms. I'll come across some kind of pigs, then a little later a bird enclosure and come face to face with a Toucan.

From the river walk. There's a suspension bridge for crossing. There are also a few viewing platforms that we can climb up. I watched bemused as a woman forbade her son from going up. When I climbed up I understood why - no railing, no nothing to stop people falling down! ​

There are tigers, jaguars, pumas, rabbits, hares and a donkey all spread along the riverbank on both sides. There's also a couple of bird cages that allow us to walk around "in" the cage, some monkeys and even crocodiles - in the centre of town! Kids love it! Cameras unfortunately don't as they typically use fencing of a very small mesh and often two or three layers of it.
But I'm also walking through the town and seeing how people live and lived. It's fascinating!

Back in the centre and thinking it was all over (the zoo part was) I continued in the opposite direction until I ran out of path. What a treasure - El Paseo de Arte. Murals, of all types and styles painted on walls, on rocks and even on stairs. The sun was blasting me but there was so much to appreciate. Then walking back on the opposite bank, a different perspective.

Just one mural from this lovely walk. This one speaks to me because I'm always a teeny bit scared of what might nip my toe!​

This is México so there are regular places to sit and relax. One larger area seemed to be occupied by locals.
An absolutely fabulous experience!

Back in the centre again I grabbed a coffee from a stall and plonked down on a picnic table. Browsing through the almost 300 photos I had taken, I was approached by an older woman and her mother looking to share the table. Of course, lardass had plonked himself in the middle!
Delighted to share I had a lovely chat with the mother enjoying a beer mixed with chili powder (I tried one before - vile!).

There are cable cars that go up to a local vantage point but the queue was enormous. I have no problem travelling alone, eating alone, but the idea of standing alone in humid heat did not appeal to me (and again to get back down) so I set off exploring again.

This is from the door of an elegant building on the main road through the town. If I wasn't alone, had decent clothes and not on a budget what a fabulous place to pass a few hours (Bar and restaurant)​

This time I happened across a Wedding! I was walking past a church (it happens frequently) and spotted activity in the form of dressed up people so I halted. One chap, in plain clothes was all action, greeting, directing and disinfecting people. As well as a thermometer and hand gel, there was an airport scanner type frame that people passed through for a disinfectant spray.
I was watching for a good while without much activity, and was still unsure what type of ceremony it was.
Then the Bride pulled up in a regular saloon car decorated with floral bouquets to remove all doubt. There was a degree of confusion inspired by her arrival and then a delay as she tried to exit the car in her elaborate dress.
Traffic was well backed up but not a horn was heard. I liked that.
Out of the car she got her gel and spray treatment, (everybody but her was in a mask, a bridesmaid in a rich wine dress had a sequinned facemask to match!) acquired two young men, one in a blue suit, one black. I'm unsure of the tradition here, neither was old enough to be her father. (The altar was too far away for me to see what happened at the top of the church).
There was a pause while a late guest arrived, then two little boys dressed in beige linen pants, matching waistcoat and white cotton shirt with matching bowties (one had shades!) and a little girl in the same dress as the bridesmaid with matching handbag were organised to lead the Bride and her two men up the aisle.
There was an excitement that was tangible, added to by a gust of wind that blew her train all over the place! She took one last look behind her (a last glance of freedom?), beaming widely and set off up the aisle.
The church was quite full and more guests arrived after the ceremony started, upsetting the Covid man - he couldn't relax!

More "back door" views from the river. I love the lush garden!​

Just down the street from the Church there was a Quince Años party taking place, a rite of passage for girls of, well, 15 years of age!
I'd spotted the preparations the night before as some guys were carrying tables into a big building. I took a peek. Everything in white! White tables, white chairs, white decorations. I took it to be the setup of a wedding it was that elaborate. And big too! Seating, I reckoned, for about 200 people! (All this peeking was done in coordination with the in and out activity of the guys unloading the tables).
Now, Saturday in the early evening, after the wedding is over and regular mass is taking place, the Quince Años party for Miranda is taking place! "Achy Breaky Heart", in Spanish is being belted out by a band (there's a dj setup as well). Outside there are small groups of very well dressed young men looking nervous. I get random chances to peek in and I'd be nervous too! Lots of girls their age looking very elegant in fine dresses!
It was very much in contrast to a Quince Años celebration I came across in a park the city. That was a far more informal affair. (Of course, I know very little about these things and it's possible that there isxa birthday party and a Quince Años party.

There's always a mountain, rarely a traffic free street!​

I may not have gone up in some cablecars but I got to watch the excitement of a wedding and get a peek at Miranda's big day.

I was too intimidated to go into any of the bars. There was normally no way to see inside from outside unless I happened to be passing as a door swung open or closed. They sounded raucous early in the afternoon or later at night, seemed to have doormen (inside) and some seemed to have "friendly ladies" to lure menfolk in. Travelling alone and sticking out as I do in these parts I thought discretion was the better part of valour.

Orizaba, definitely a place worth visiting for kids….. of all ages!

The Park - it really was like another world​

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[HobbesOnTour]

Sorry! Please indulge me ..... More art from along the river!

Frida

One of the first murals.... The colours are so vibrant

Art reflecting.....

Some of Mother Nature's own art! Look how the fallen leaves add layers

All kinds of styles are represented....

See what I mean?

Even the stairs get done! I'm no artist but I spent ages looking at this (and another one) trying to figure out how someone goes about doing something like this. Amazing!

All styles!

The sun is the only coloured part!

A little bit of everything!

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[HobbesOnTour]

Covid Interlude, Sunday, May 16, 2021, Orizaba to God Knows Where 36km, Total KM 451
Min meters 1229, Max Meters 2111
Total Climb 1649 Total Descent 238
Min Temp 19 Max Temp 40
Ave Temp 27

Leaving Orizaba Part 1 (Yes! That's right! There are two feckin' parts!!!)

You want to leave Orizaba on a bike?
Don't! Do not. DO NOT!
At least not heading towards Puebla.

(I've since had a look on CGOAB and no-one has done what I've done (that I can find). One couple took my route to Orizaba (and were very freaked out by the lane crossing!) but they had the good sense to keep going into Veracruz!)

In fairness, Orizaba is a place for staying in, not leaving.

As figaries go, this was not one of my better ones. I may go figary-less for a while.

Spotting a pair of tourist police on bicycles on my perambulations I asked about using the Cuota to leave as opposed to the crazy lane changing road. I said that I'd be leaving early. "No problem" they answered.
To my way of thinking, the lack of a usable shoulder was only an issue with heavy traffic.
And I was right!

Arriving at the 4 lane split Cuota at about 7:30 the first thing I noticed was trucks - lots of them. For about 10km it was manageable and then it wasn't.

This was manageable, basically running parallel to my route into Orizaba which was one long conurbation​

The real issue, as I had feared, was the feckin' rumble strip making the shoulder all but unusable to me most of the time. That, coupled with lots of trucks meant that when two trucks were passing at the same time (a regular occurance) I had no space except for the rumble strip.
If there was a crash barrier the system was stop, hop off, lock the brakes and stand in front of the bike. I and all my worldly possessions were on one side of the white line, a huffing & puffing truck on the other.

The feckin' rumblestrip! Here it looks ok, but whoever was responsible for it was drunk because it weaved from white line to edge and back again. On the left, it was ok, on the right a little less so, but weaving over and back - that was no fun! Then the rain gulley - normally a PITA, today my saviour!​

At one of those "stops" I dislodged my mirror and didn't notice until it was too late.

At 15km I pulled into the first (and last) Oxxo for coffee. I retrieved my spare mirror from my pannier, chatted to a policeman (heavily armed, in a balaclava and his office had sandbags in front of the door - not flood defences!

Back on the road I endured probably my worst day's touring on a bike and probably the most sustained danger I've been in for quite a while.

The motorway actually splits twice, the route going uphill taking a very different route to the one going downhill. Have a look on Google Maps, Mex 150D from Orizaba to Puebla.

Look for the red truck, then look higher for the white one!​

It was all uphill (the couple of short descents didn't count because then I noticed the wind!) and I walked most of it for safety reasons. Every now and then I'd chastise myself for being too cautious and then the Walking Gods would deliver a sign in the form of a crazy overtake, a double trailered truck skidding on locked brakes or a wooden crate falling from a trailer and exploding all over the road. They use an innovative cooling method here for the transportation of fresh fruit or veg - they leave the back door open! I passed a pineapple, battered and squished and wanted to take a photo (unsafe at that time) - it's title would have been "Méxican Roadkill"!
When I say "walk" I mean walk and jog and stop. I'd rarely get more than 100 -150 meters without having to stop either due to a blockage, parallel trucks or just nowhere to go. The rain gulley beside the road, so often a pain in my ass was my saviour for much of the day. If clean of debris and flora I could use that to walk in. If not, on the road with all the stopping and starting.
Occasionally, a gulley under the road meant railings and even less of the minimal shoulder so that required a break in traffic and a run!

Setting off, the morning had looked so promising!​

At different times, traffic could bunch up. I might have 30 or 40 trucks rumbling past having been slowed by terrain or other trucks. Standing on the side of the road hanging on for dear life was ….. interesting!

Enough complaining! Look at that! A feckin' Volcano!! Mount Orizaba. Nothing like a Volcano to say "Adventure!"​

I wasn't worried about my legality on the road - more than enough police trucks had passed me. I had even passed a man walking on the rumblestrip on the "fast" lane! Then a Police pickup rolled slowly past me, slowed down more, let me pass on the inside, turned on their lights and kept the lane - all for me!
All of a sudden the two lanes were one…. And me!
That is a feeling!
I was powering on pure emotion. No horns, no aggression, just a steady stream of traffic lumbering past. It was fantastic…. Until I couldn't keep going. I held it as long as I could but seeing a bit of rough ground I pulled in, received lots of waves and grins from my escort and watched as the tailback slowly started to break up!

Layers of mountains​

Moving on, I caught another tail - a different police truck towing a pickup. When they pulled in I did too, to a very strange restaurant. I ate, drank a cold coke and set off again. On foot.

By now my gulley was overgrown and unusable and traffic seemed heavier so progress was very slow. I started thinking about the possibility of overnighting in the mountains, a very real possibility. The sun was blazing, Gizmo was reading 40 C and I was getting tired. On and on I went forever upwards barely noticing the dark clouds rolling in. A few big drops threatened now and again but never followed through.

Sometimes on tough days we have to look really hard for the beauty in life. Taking a breather in a rain gulley, big, fume-belching trucks rolling past me I saw these little guys working furiously​

Spying a shop (lucky!) I loaded up on water to give me the option to camp - there's no accommodation on this stretch.

Always look behind you!​

By 5 pm I knew I wasn't going to make it over the pass so I was scanning for options. I found a lovely field, but it was overlooked. Eventually, I found a farmer's road through his fields. There was a spot higher than the traffic on my road that would be invisible after dark. All I had to do was wait for darkness to fall. Out of sight of traffic I laid out on some grass and dozed.
Later, as dusk was falling I waited for a gap in traffic and hiked the bike to my spot. Tent on the ground waiting for poles I was punished for my cavalier attitude to the weather! With an almighty bang of thunder a ferocious storm began pelting me with huge raindrops while the sky was flashing with lightning! From 0 to 60 in one second. I got the tent up, gear in the porches and lay down inside.
What a treat! Fabulous! The sound of the rain hammering down, the sky lighting up at a frightening frequency and I had everything I needed within reach.

The view!​

This was a really tough, unpleasant and dangerous day. Entirely my own fault. Despite that, I smiled a lot. Sometimes all we can do is laugh!
I received no sign of aggression. Very few toots even though I tried to salute every driver that gave me space. Maybe the truckers weren't happy that I was there but they didn't show it.
Not today, not tomorrow, but someday I know, based on my experience, that I'll look back on today, not with pride, but a fair whack of satisfaction.

I remember at 8:30 switching off the kindle for sleep.

Chat? Yes Please!
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[HobbesOnTour]

Covid Interlude, Monday, May 17, 2021, The Side of the Road to Tehuacán 73km, Total KM 524
Total Climb 720 Total Descent 1200
*I messed up Gizmo - numbers are best guess

Leaving Orizaba Part 2

I woke up a few times during the night (the road was busy all night!) not knowing where I was. I'd figure it out and then drop back off to dreamland.
I was awake properly at 6 and pleased to hear no rain. In fact the wind was billowing so that was even better for the tent. I was quite refreshed given my location, bubbly sleeping pad and the fact that Veracruz is one of those "don't be doing anything silly" states.There was feck all light though! Up and packed, I found myself waiting again for the sun to rise to my height. There was no way I was taking to the road in the dark.

Dawn in an unknown location!​

It's an interesting paradox about the stealth camping bike tourist. We go from wanting to be as visible as possible to invisible and back again!

The view!​

As soon as the sun cleared the mountaintops I was off!
Walking again! It wasn't too bad! I made reasonably quick progress (by my new standards!) and after about 10km was rewarded with a surprise restaurant! Food! Better again unexpected food! I ate and rested. Then rested some more.
The good news was that I had about 3 km more to the pass then downhill! The next town was Esperanza - Hope! It had a Love Motel. A day on a bed sounded real good!

About 5km in I passed close to a village. This is their cemetery

And their church!​

I met a crew carrying out road repairs, moving from one pothole to the next. The process was that the truck stopped, two lads jumped out, the bossman dropped a bag of tarmac onto the road that got hacked open with shovels. The tarmac was dumped in and around the pothole, (the bag thrown to the wind!), it was patted down with feet and shovels. Then the truck was directed to reverse over it a couple of times, everyone back on the truck and off to the next one!
The Bossman was all chat and when they moved on I walked in front of the (poor) fella whose job it was to wave a flag at traffic to stay out of the lane - again, I had a lane to myself! I cheekily did this all the way to the top, waved my thanks and roared into a sweeping descent.

4 km downhill!!!! WooHooo!​

I roared! I bellowed! There was no song appropriate for the emotion - just a manly, "I made it" bellow!
It felt so damn good!
I still had to stop occasionally for overtaking trucks, but that was fine. Near the toll booths the traffic was piled up for at least 2km - I just sailed past! It was interesting to see all the trucks massed together - a busy road.
I nearly missed my turn, but was able to hike across to my turnoff. Thank the Touring Gods! Anymore time on that Cuota and I'd have gone mad!
In the "wrong" direction I spied the familiar Oxxo logo and tore up the road! Coffee!!!!
I sat in the cool shop, savouring my coffee more than 7 hours after I had set off. (No coffee this morning - I was saving water).
I felt like a bazillion dollars! The last two days were feckin' hard. But all was good in my world!

Feck the Love Motel, says I, whipped up Osmand and decided on Tehuacán, 50 odd km further down the road. There were a couple of Love Motels on route if I wanted a fallback, or even the Hotel in Cañada Morelos, but frankly the guy in the hotel had acted so suspicious of me I was in no rush to return. I did think about turning off, though, for more chicken!

View from near the top!​

I took off in a completely different landscape - drier, browner and into a headwind. I didn't care! This was cycling! I was moving! There were hills, sure, but they were short and conquerable, and the headwind just kept me cool - Gizmo was reading 40C! A general downward trajectory did help, in fairness!

At first I was on a quiet, secondary road but at Cañada Morelos I turned back on to Mex 150 to cover a shortish stretch that I had done on the way to Orizaba. Mex 150 was a bit busier and a couple of trucks were a bit impatient.

The open road! ​

About 10km from Tehuacán I could hear thunder, then forked lightning in front of me - in a blue sky! Wow! A light show too! I spied an Oxxo, pulled in for coffee and got called over by two cops as I sat in the shade. Uh oh!
Was I alright? I'm travelling by bici??? From the US???? I'm going where??? My adoration society fell flat on its face when with no warning they took off after a car waving their salutations and telling me to take care! Never a dull moment!

As it turned out, maybe stopping for that coffee wasn't the smartest move I made. As I was flying towards town I was enjoying the lightning still flashing in the blue sky (at one point two forks crossed in front of me. "X marks the spot", thought I, taking it as a good omen.
Ha! Dumbass!

Before the storm.... Open country!​

As always on the edge of a big town the traffic system went a bit crazy. I had plotted a route to one of the cheapest hotels that I could find, reviews mentioned hot water and I needed some! Osmand had plotted a route from the Oxxo and as I turned off the main road I breathed a sigh of relief as it should be quiet streets from now on. In 30 seconds two things happened - one a massive bang of thunder signalled the start of rain and two I went over a tope and my rear pannier jumped to hang by a thread. Literally. The only thing holding it was the strap from my rack bag (two panniers and rack bag are connected). The rail was fine, exactly where it was supposed to be - on my rack. It was the bag that was in the wrong place!

I really didn't have much time to worry. I pulled up under a balcony as the rain started deluging and surveyed the scene. 2.8 km to go, no reservation and no way to attach the pannier. I had no idea when the rain might stop and that led to yet another poor decision - I put on my rainjacket, hung the spare pannier off my handlebars and went for a walk.

Some people might describe it as a swim!

In all fairness, it was a glorious experience! It wasn't cold, in fact, the rain was very pleasant, refreshing and invigourating as it soaked me through and through. God knows I could have done with a wash!
Corners were tricky because there may be a drain there and no guarantee it was covered. It was amazing to me how quickly the streets filled with water and rivers started flowing! I tried taking several photos but a wet phone and wet fingers do not cooperate! The water was quickly up to my ankles and then higher and flowing like a river. Outflows from roofs poured down too, but after a while I stopped noticing!
Oh, in all the chaos of trying to get a loaded bike with one pannier hanging off a handlebar up onto a footpath during a deluge I got my flag caught in a tree branch and snapped it in half! All I could do was laugh!

The only deluge photo I have. This is an overflow pipe from a roof just pouring out across the path! Normally they stick out from the roof. ​

A sodden mess arrived at the hotel. Efficient, yes, cheap, yes but not a single comment about me, bike or my dilapidated state!
(To give an idea how cheap, this hotel doesn't provide toilet paper!)

It's funny. I've taken trips before to hotels and research has been quite detailed. These days hot water is the top priority! Location, probably secondary and then some wifi.

I got everything up to the room, fired up the shower, waited a while and had a glorious hot shower washing everything in there with me!

Fresh, dry clothes and I was ready to explore! I'm not far from the centre but it's getting dark and I need food!

Within an hour of the end of the rain the excess water was gone! Yes, puddles and potholes, but the rivers? Disappeared underground.

This is a strange little town. For one thing, there are a lot of streets that run diagonally - they are really messing with my sense of direction!

I didn't get to see a lot, just some food and a coffee.

In the interests of coming clean, I am carrying a spare 32 tooth cassette and chain. In CDMX when I got the bike serviced, he put on a 28 tooth cassette. I wasn't bothered at the time - cassettes were 10 a penny and I'd have expected to replace it anyway. Not when I was getting ready to leave were they ten a penny! No 7 or 8 speed cassettes to be found! I finally found one on Amazon (ironically after using English words rather than Spanish). Given the scarcity of cassettes I've left the 28 tooth on.
Not anymore! It's coming off!
Tomorrow will be a belt and braces pannier repair, new cassette, new chain and new rear gear cable - I can feel the tension increasing as a sign it's due to go. I'd replaced the front derailleur cable before I left.
I can re-index gears, it just takes me a while! That job may well be my day!

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098/

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Tehuacán. Tuesday, May 18, 2021​

Don't be asking me too much about Tehuacán! I didn't see a lot of it!

I was walking out the door just before 9 am to get to a hardware store for some nuts, bolts and washers for my panniers. Enough plastic! Steel is real!
The first two weren't open yet, the third a big warehouse type place.
Not the kind of place I can browse and pick up what I need, a place where you ask for things.
A lady served me, not saying a word. I had brought a spare nut and bolt that I had and explained I needed the same a little shorter and narrower. I had the rail from the pannier to test size.

I am loving these ads! Bright and useful! ​

I got sorted relatively quickly, got a ticket, was directed to a small cubicle to pay a mystery person screened by tinted glass. (This is common, even in the likes of a bakery. A lot of stores have an armed guard!)
I grabbed a coffee and headed, I thought for home. Diagonal streets confused me, so I took the long way home!

This monument was in the hotel grounds. Religious ornaments are not unusual in businesses, I was amused to see a wooden cross, fresh flowers and a lit candle in the reception area of a motel! What made this unusual, is that at night it is lit up and a medley of tunes are played as if from an 80's game console - robotic and tinny. All night long!​

I got the pannier back into a working state, then wandered out for food. Side by side, I bought some chicken and potatoes from the grill, then a liter of fresh OJ from a girl with the most beautiful smile - mouth and eyes. I stayed chatting with her for ages it was so pleasant.
Then back to the hotel, ate and picked up the rear wheel for a trip to the bike shop.
It was a repair only place, not much more than a corridor running from front to back with the most amazing collection of frames of all ages, shapes, sizes and degree of preservation piled up along walls, hanging on walls and ceilings and stacked higgeldy piggedly on an old table.

I saw this building and I thought... "Nice door"​

I explained that I needed the cassette off, no problem, and a gear cable, no problem. I offered him the old cassette which he gratefully accepted. 10 pesos he charged me - about 50 cents. Then back for the hard part.
Actually, it went better than expected!
With a repaired pannier and more mountain friendly gearing on the bike I went off wandering.

I didn't go too far, I was feeling very tired. I found the church and the little Plaza, sat for a while and watched as a toddler, barely able to stand up straight ran gleefully through a flock of pigeons. So much fun!

This is the door

Heading home, the heavens opened so I ducked into the first taco place with seats to eat and wait the rain out.

This is an example of what was painted on the ceiling above the door!​

At home, I decided to review my route to Oaxaca. There were two options, Cuota or Libre, with the Libre being my preferred. There's a problem on the Libre - a longish climbing section with no services.
But the Cuota has long sections with no services too, although not as extreme, and likely will have less shade.

And more!​

I researched a third way, really going out of my way, but that had longish supply issues too!

These trees seem to be popular in these parts. They bring a wonderful, vivid life to wherever they stand.​

Oh feck it! Time for bed. I'll make my mind up in the morning!

The whole porch area was painted! It was fantastic! At first the Policeman was pleased to see someone so interested, then a bit perturbed. I'm pretty sure by the time I left he breathed a sigh of relief and removed his finger of the trigger!​

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098/

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Covid Interlude, Wednesday, May 19, 2021, Tehuacán to Teotitlán de Flores Magón 66km, Total KM 590
Min meters 877, Max Meters 1640
Total Climb 498 Total Descent 1151
Min Temp 20 Max Temp 47
Ave Temp 30

I was awake at 6, but with all the fustering I did last night looking at routes I had to pack everything from scratch. That can take a while!

Packed up, I set off sticking to quiet streets until I was diverted off course by roadworks. Spying a 24/7 (this region's answer to Oxxo) I pulled in for a coffee - better & cheaper! Then I joined the madness that was the morning traffic.

Over my coffee I had a think and decided on the Libre. It may mean roughing it for a night or two.

I had spotted a man labouring up a hill with a shopping trolley, fully loaded with oranges and a citrus press mounted to the trolley! I've never seen this before, but then I saw another and another! Spying yet another outside an Oxxo I pulled in, parked up, ordered a ½ liter of juice and popped in to buy water.
Felipa was a few feet away on the path selling jewellery and had to come and talk. And talk! A delightful lady! No way was she letting me pay for the juice! I argued. No. Just no.
She wanted to know all about me, where I had been, where I was going. No problem being direct - "How do you live?", "I sold everything".
I introduced her to Mazi, more delight. Photos! Facebook.
There on a busy, narrow junction with people going hither and tither, a little snapshot of México's attitude to strangers.

Felipa. The two men stayed quiet in her presence! Hell, we all did!​

It was with regret that I had to roll on. Getting out of town was surprisingly easy - they even laid on a decent cycle path!

Look across the rubble - you'll see where it continues! It's actually a very good path and safely seperated from traffic with kerbs. Except for this one section!​

Then it was back to the open road! There are mountains in every direction I look, blue, hazy, indistinct but very, very real.

There were a few villages along the way, and a road wide enough for three lanes - the third lane being bi-directional! Nature was enclosing though with maize right to the edge of the road.

They may be small towns, but they really announce themselves! ​

Then I hit what I have not been looking forward to - a Covid checkpoint. The flag waver asked me to pull over, the next guy was an opportunistic vendor, seizing his chance to sell snacks to the stopped drivers, the next guy was in Police uniform asking where I was going.
No problem! He just wanted me to wash my hands in gel - we laughed at my cycling gloves and my fingers getting gelled was enough.
Then he started asking about my trip, personally, not professionally, and his colleagues up the road hollered down telling him to offer me some water!
I've heard of foreigners being turned around at these, of bribes being necessary, so it was pleasing to get one under my belt in such a positive fashion.

That was my introduction to Oaxaca - my newest Mexican state!

Hazy, blue mountains calling me.... ​

I rose out of one of these towns, the road widened and before me the land was spreading out in invitation, so I did what I do - I pulled up! Time for a photo and to water a bush.

While resting, a chap walking a bike approached me for a chat. It turns out he had a puncture so i offered to help. Telly Savalas had a mullet in comparison to how bald this MTB tyre was! I could put two fingers through it and wiggle! On getting the tube out, there was a 7-8cm tear along the seam. No normal patch was going to work!
I have a length of tube patch material which I've never used before. I found it, cut it to (over)size and glued it on.
It held!
I booted his tyre with some spare inner tube that I had and had to explain a couple of times that this was only a temporary fix. He seemed to think all was as good as new!
This was his front wheel - his back wheel was so buckled it wouldn't spin a revolution without being forced!

He told me his name (I forgot!) and referred to me constantly as "guero", or blondie. Guero this, or guero that. This is common here, people call it out often as I cycle past. I'm told it's a friendly term (but like all things that can depend on context) but I've never felt it in a negative way. And there's no denying my hair colour! Of course, the opposite is "negrito", most certainly not the "N" word. There was consternation in these parts when a South American footballer from Manchester United used the term in a tweet and was criticised (and fined) for it. Here, it's a friendly term, a basic recognition of a fact.
Here I'm Guero, and that sits fine with me.

My School is my second home, but home is my first school. I really liked that.​

Hitting the road again, it was getting hot. Hazy hot! Blue mountains everywhere hiding in the haze.

I stopped at one town for some food, Mole with turkey, served by a woman who will never feature in any "how to be hospitable" videos. But the food was delicious! Cats though! Grrrrrr! I hate cats! Especially when they paw my leg looking for food!

A river!! An actual rio with water!!! Time to whip out my water filter!​

It was perfect riding - changing, interesting scenery, decent road, minimal traffic.
Then I started climbing. Gizmo reading 39C. Hard, but doable.
At the town near the top I rewarded myself with an ice-cream. A bit more climbing and I was in the desert! Cacti everywhere!

A real day of contrasting colours and landscapes, but always with mountains looming over me!​

Pulled in to take a photo, a Police car pulled up - uh oh! Nah, just wanted to make sure I was ok!
I started a gentle descent through land burnt brown and dry. It looked wonderful and so different from only a few km back the road.
Soon I was back in the land of Maize again! Green everywhere!

A dried out river bed (soon to be seasonally filled) and look at that country!!​

While gently rolling down, the pleasant breeze calming the worst effects of the sun I faced a concerning conundrum that I haven't had before - I went to sing and nothing came out! I couldn't think of a song! Normally, I can't get them out of my head - today nada!

Small little towns offered a short break out of the sun. I'm finding the heat manageable, the bright sun less so. Too long and I can feel a headache coming on or a little lightheadedness. On the basis that prevention is better than the cure I'm happy to stop and relax. For perspective, Gizmo got stuck on 39C for a long time, then rose to 46. And I could feel every one of those degrees on me!

It was a very interesting day. "Up high", in reality not that high, there was scrub and lots and lots of cacti - great for letting me know I'm in México! "Down low" there were irrigated fields of maize and more greenery.

Rolling in to Teotitlán de Flores Magón I decided that this was far enough for today. I knew there was at least one hotel here. Closed! But IOverlander showed another. A very pleasant girl checked me in - to the top floor! - and promised lots of water for a shower. It may be a pain in the ass to drag everything up two flights of stairs, but the view?
(This hotel had toilet paper, but no toilet seat!)

Once gear was in I went searching for liquids! I found an orange juicer and bought a liter, a liter of cold water (the water on the bike could cook pasta!) and returned to my room and rehydrated. I may even have dozed a bit.

Then up, shower and as I was about to explore the heavens opened and the nightly deluge began! Back to the bed.
When the worst was over I ate at a restaurant close by. It's going to be an early one!

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098/

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Covid Interlude, Thursday, May 20, 2021, Teotitlán de Flores Magón to San Juan Bautista Cuicatlán 56km, Total KM 646
Min meters 543, Max Meters 1015
Total Climb 794 Total Descent 1165
Min Temp 20 Max Temp 52
Ave Temp 28


"I'll head for the mountains", says I. "It'll be cooler", says I.
Ha! Dumbass!

This is what heat looks like!​

When I got back to the hotel the wifi had stopped, so with no distractions (and no updates here) I read my book until sleep drew me away.

Awake at 6, I really wasn't feeling it. I felt very sluggish, but got up, had a shower, packed and realised it was still dark! I got my stuff downstairs, picked up a coffee and lazed around until it was well bright enough to head off. For some reason I'm not eating in the mornings but figured I'd pick up something on the way.

Is it real or is it just fantasy? Sometimes it's hard to tell what is real. Cycling up the feckin' things soon sorts that out!​

I'm still heading generally downwards, but I'll be paying for that shortly! There were a few climbs, tending towards steep and short, but long, gentle descents. In front of me the mountains are various shades of blue. On either side mountains are closer, browner and filled with scrub snd a great variety of cacti.

The first town, surprisingly, had no food stands so I was glad to pull in to a lovely little place at the next one. Eggs and chorizo with a little bowl of fire! There are so many types of salsa that I've learned to sample first! It may seem strange (it did to me!) but there is something desirable about a little heat with your breakfast!

I love this type of landscape! Tough, hard, surprisingly alive and a place to let the inner child roam free!​

There is something to be said about the toilets in these places! Here, there's a sign up with complicated instructions as to where the toilet is! (Down a side street). Typically, they are very basic - a toilet seat is an unbelievable luxury as is a light! Usually there is no running water or at least no visible method of flushing - to the uninitiated!
Us seasoned travellers look for a bucket, normally outside. There should be a tap close by! That's how we flush!
Today, I watched a gentleman take his bucket to a sink outside the restaurant, but the bucket wouldn't fit under the tap. I watched him getting frustrated, looking for an alternative until the bossman came over and solved the problem. He placed the bucket under the sink (there was no waste pipe), turned on the tap and the water flowed down the drain into the bucket!
Everything can be an adventure here!

The land could be dry and arid or lush and green, but there was always a feckin' mountain!​

From then on it was getting hotter, up to a sustained 46C. There was precious little shade. I was passing through Cañon Alas Verdes - a canyon!
I'd climb a little in oppressive heat then descend in wonderful coolness of the wind. Rinse and repeat. The road surface was less than desirable and made all the more interesting by regular rockfalls.

But…..
It was magnificent!

It was amazing to me to see how much life this muddy, seasonal river brings​

I had an idea that this area was pretty, but I had no idea just how pretty! To top it off, I had it pretty much to myself! There was precious little traffic (although Murphy's law was in force - it was amazing how many times two passing vehicles ocurred in my vicinity!) and I could pretty much stop at will.
I know I'm far, far away from the American west but this countryside brings so much reading to vivid life!
There were times today, especially when rolling downhill I was 10 years old, astride a horse and chasing outlaws! Trust me, that's fun!

I stopped regularly and often to take a photo or two, but really just to soak it all up. Sometimes I left the bike and wandered up and down the road. A couple of times there was a series of tight, extended s-bends and my view changed from curve to curve.

Magical!

That's my road! Feck me if that isn't saying "adventure" in every language!​

Unfortunately, the problem with such an approach is sun! I really started to feel the effects of too much sun but there was precious little shade available. Spying minimal shade under a tree I pulled up and passed a pleasant half hour doing nothing much. I've bought some electrolyte powders and add them to water when it's so warm it's unpleasant to drink, so I mixed up a couple of liters and sipped the time away.
Poor Roccado was left in the sun and when I started again Gizmo was up to 52! Try sitting on a saddle in those temperatures! It's been a while since anyone told me I had a hot ass, but I can definitively state that after letting Roccado sunbathe my ass was hotter than ever!

As at the start of the canyon I crossed a muddy, brown river and immediately noticed a change - the country became greener and there was a definite dampness in the air.

Early morning, cool shade and lots of green​

I think I would have travelled through similar country on the Cuota and while I would have had a shoulder (on a two lane road) I imagine there must have been more traffic, especially trucks, and I would have been cut off from the country. On the smaller roads I am right in it! And that suits me. (The Cuota follows a different route).

I rolled down to a tiny town and pulled in for a cold drink. From now on I'm running short of accommodation options…. and descents! In a while it's all uphill all the way to Oaxaca city. Methinks I'll pull in down the road and make use of the last decent hotel I know of.

After crossing the river near the end the country came to life again​

I did just that. The hotel is interesting. My room, for example has elaborate mouldings on the ceiling, very elegant, but the bed has seen a lot of gymnastic activity and is sunken and dilspidated. The wall is stained and in need of paint for what looks like a decade!
There's an interesting feature in every room, a wooden framed hole in the wall (internal to external) with a rotating, wooden ¾ cyclinder inside. It's the right height to take a bottle of booze, presumably for discreet service!
The thought of a bottle of booze horrifies me! Jeez but I'm boring!

It'll seem silly, but this was a great place to lay an ambush for outlaws!​

I took a wander up town before the daily storm. There's not really much to the town, but I am always struck by how lively these places are. Last night after the downpour the town was hopping!
The hotel wifi was down (and wouldn't stretch to my room anyway) so I tried an internet café and paid for the privilege of uploading my thoughts. Oh, how I miss CDMX with reasonably decent and free wifi in nearly all the parks!

I'm shtumped about tomorrow. Not only are my usual sources showing no accommodation options, the maps are showing feck all towns! I've seen enough places, normally motels, along the road that don't show up on the likes of Google Maps, but they were always around towns that, at least, Google does show!

Blue Mountains! There's a vagueness to them that is so alluring ​

There's 80-90 km of road to the next town, 2100 meters of climbing and few, if any, places to eat and drink.
There is one place about 10km down the road that I may be able to camp at. 10km! That'll be a short day!
After that it's in to the unknown! With blue skies and bright sun any water I have anywhere will heat up. If it's like today with minimal shade I'll cook, never mind the water! It really is a case of throwing myself at the mercy of this country!

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098/

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Covid Interlude, Friday, May 21, 2021, San Juan Bautista Cuicatlán to San Francisco Telixtlahuaca, 83km, Total KM 729
Min meters 589, Max Meters 2315
Total Climb 2429 Total Descent 1047
Min Temp 13 Max Temp 46
Ave Temp 29

I think I wrote a few days ago that when I imagined riding in the Americas I hadn't thought much about that day's roads. Well, today was the kind of day I'd imagined.
I got my ass well and truly kicked but I had a dumb smile plastered to my face for most of the day.

I slept surprisingly well and awoke refreshed a little after 4 am. I think the bed may have retained "happy thoughts" from its previous customers and passed some on to me as I slept!
Knowing me, if I went back to sleep I'd be groggier later, so I got up and brewed a pot of coffee. I was definitely tempted to hit the road and make the most of the coolness, but the road surface is very poor and I saw enough rockfalls to convince me that I'd need maximum visibility. I got ready and hit the road as soon as I deemed it bright enough.

You never know what you're going to meet on the Méxican roads and today was no different. Mudslides were Friday's challenge, great swathes of mud (and rocks) on the road. And packs of dogs, more alert in the cool of morning. I have been getting dog chases again, but I speak "Mexican dog" now and while they bark, they don't bite.

I find that there's often a point at the start of the day's ride that offers a choice and the decision taken will echo through the day.
On a day like today where the sun is going to play a big part the choice arrives in the cool morning with the first photo opportunity. Stop and take the shot or gain as much distance in the cool?

Take the shot! So cool, fresh and mysterious! Even those mountains look benign!​

It was in my mind to consider staying over at a possible camping spot about 10 km down the road and just soak up the scenery. When I got there I realised that was just putting off the inevitable so I continued on. What better way to soak up scenery than by cycling through it?

The first "Comedor", or eating place, I came across was closed so I pulled up at a little store for some muffins and coke. There's another place to eat down the road, another shop and that's about it. Oh, and 2100 meters to climb!

Setting off again I was carrying 3,5 liters of water in two large bottles, 3 liters in my camelbak on my back and 75cl in the squeezy bottle on my handlebars. I knew I'd need more especially as I was anticipating a spot of wild camping.

I took out my iPod and plugged in the little speaker I bought last year. I haven't used either in months so it was great to listen to old friends. Purely listening! There was little breath or energy for such flipparies as singing!

Crossing a muddy, dirty river. It is amazing (to me) the life it brought to the valley​

I enjoyed the early departure, the coolness, the hazy blue mountains and relatively quickly I came to the last little village for quite a while. The shop was closed. As was the Comedor (eating place).
Uh oh! I had been counting on those!
Thankfully, I found another small store selling everything from motorbike helmets to 4wd tyres and cookies. Initially I got excited when one of the girls working there said they had food. She pointed to tins on the shelves. Her younger sister piped up and offered tortillas and cheese! Sold!
I had some goats cheese and tortillas, terribly dry on its own, but nutritious. She even made me a Nescafe coffee! Very nice girls, they were doing some online studying (schools are opening up soon).
I'd already drank over 2 liters of water, in the cool, so I replenished. One of the girls told me that there were no more shops! (The hotel folks told me no hotels, either!).

There was more green today than yesterday, more birds and lots of life. Neither alone nor lonely!​

I started to realise that this was going to be like my desert crossing - only uphill. Up my sleeve I had the backup plan of just turning around - I'd freewheel back to my startpoint!

I crossed a muddy, brown river, looking bigger than yesterday (another heavy storm last night) and it looked like my road was going to be following the river for a while - just higher.

The climbing had really started, the sun had risen and I was not feeling well. My head started to throb. Seeing a tree offering some shade I pulled up. The higher the sun goes, the less shade. No point in pushing myself, there'd be no shade at all later. I took the same attitude to water. I drank as I needed not trying to ration.

I passed where Google said there was a Comedor, nada. The next, according to Osmand was at 36 km. In the meantime I reached a viewing point so pulled up the same time as a car (family) and a pickup (two men).
Sitting on the wall, one of the men came over with two mangoes for me! He barely spoke, just said here you go and went back to his friend. I have no idea how to eat a mango! That's when I discovered I'd left my knife in the little shop. Dumbass!

On top of the world!! (Only I wasn't! There still was a fair whack to go. In typical Mexican style, loads of rubbish had been dumped over the wall. ​

It was sitting on the wall that I gained a bit of perspective. A pretty large beetle had made a ball of gravel and sand and was busy pushing it somewhere. It must have been two or three times his size but he kept at it. I could see no obvious place where he was headed and couldn't hang around to find out.

Setting off again, I was a bit unsettled when a car slowed down, speeded up, slowed down then pulled in ahead of me. A guy got out and handed me a liter of water. I was refusing no water today! He just said something like you might need that and returned to his car. I tried to engage him in conversation but he wasn't interested. I pointed to the view and commented how beautiful it was. He just shrugged. Just a kind gesture.

Every now and then a reminder of just where I am! ​

Coming up on 35km I was starting to feel a little apprehensive for two reasons. If there was no place for food/drink I'd have a problem and the second was that I had seen no possible locations for a wild camp. None, not a one! It was far too early to consider camping, but I like to get a "feel" for the countryside. One side of the road rose steeply, the other fell away.
Riding past a few houses I was over the moon to spot a restaurant! Food! Rest! Shade!
I wasn't that hungry, but I had eggs and chorizo and lots of liquids. I filled up all my waters again, Another 4 liters gone and set off again. I had gone 36km and had about another 30 to go to the next restaurant on a map. At about 8 or 9 kph excluding breaks that was another 3 hours, optimistically. But after that, (almost all) downhill to the next town.

I didn't push myself, I stopped regularly for breaks and drinks but rarely in shade. Again, I found myself getting a little lightheaded, taking longer to process what I was seeing than usual. When I did find a bit of shade I pulled in and sipped.

Because the road twisted over and back I'd sometimes get a light breeze. Oh! So beautiful!

Looking at the climbing profile on Gizmo I was over the worst for steepness and making good progress on getting to the top. The other side was more gentle, mainly downhill and should mean some camping options, if not, a run to a town and hotel was looking possible.

Of course, by focusing on the high point it meant that it took for ever to reach! However, I did start to notice possible spots for a camp and noted them on Gizmo, a handy feature. I also started to feel nauseous. I put it down to all the water consumed.

Way, way, way over there that's "my" road! The really good thing about a day like today for me is that it's next nigh to impossible to get lost!​

That's all the technical, riding stuff out of the way. But what was it actually like? How did it feel?
It felt feckin' fabulous! Passing through red rock that had been blasted to let the road through, steep reddish cliffs soaring upwards on one side, dizzying ravines plunging down on the other covered in trees and green scrub and always, in every direction, more mountains, the close ones full of detail the further ones a blue mystery.
Occasionally I could see my road ahead above me stretching to God knows where, and sometimes I got to look at where I'd come from, "my" road getting smaller, thinner and fainter in the distance.
Except for the very high, dry parts I had animal company, birds singing, chirping and some that just screeched like an alarm. Beside the road there was often hefty rustling in bushes suggesting something big, perhaps not the most comforting sound after my snake & reptile museum visit! I shared the road with many, many lizards who scrambled for cover.
It was never boring, no matter how slow I was going or how long I sat in whatever shade I could find. Around every curve it seemed, there was some variation.
Unlike the climb out of Orizaba, I had very little to worry about, I could be entirely in the moment and let my imagination roam free. Freedom!

A road through a hill, soaring one side, straight down if I don't take the bend (guardrail? What's that?)​

Over the top, a gentle descent began, sweeping me through slightly different country. The trees, some of them orange, growing in the hills reminded me of the Appalachians.

I was watching the sky because rain is inevitable every day but while some angry clouds gathered, they stayed out of my way.

Anyone see a spot for a tent?​

Now I really started to believe I could make town. I started thinking of a hot shower, proper food. I imagined a cold beer! My first in a couple of weeks, well deserved! I developed a vivid image of a golden glass, condensation forming and slowly trickling down the outside. I could feel the coldness, the wetness when my hand enclosed the glass…...

Ha Dumbass!

Two more climbs! The second nearly killed me. I had legs of jelly. I got off and walked. The sun was going down but I figured once I was over the last hill I could fly down. To keep myself focused, I thought about what I encountered this morning - dogs and mudslides and sure enough, I had them on the way down!
Soon it was pitch black but my headlight showed me enough to keep me safe. In fact, it was better than quite a few vehicles coming towards me!

What do you do? Dark clouds are rolling around, the sun is sinking, there's still a bit of climbing and you're heading into a strange town in a strange country on the other side of the world? You stop and take the shot. You take a moment to appreciate just how good it feels, how battered but how alive you are.​

Of course, the entrance to every Mexican town requires care and this one was no different. Heavy rain here had left mud and filled potholes. Packs of dogs appeared confused by a bike with a light so only went for me when I had passed. It was like they said to each other "Feck me! That thing behind the light is a bike! After him!!!"

Gizmo led me right through the busy town (Friday night) and to the hotel. The lady smiled when she offered me the choice of a ground floor or upstairs room knowing full well my response and told me to wheel the bike right in to the room. After 14* hours on the bike (and not a drop of rain!) I did just that!

*Gizmo breaks that down as 8 hours riding time, 6 hours "paused".

There's no earthly reason I should have enjoyed the day as much as I did. Incredibly slow progress in sustained heat and sun, occasional bouts of being unwell, disappointment of non-existent stores, hard, hard physical effort, but this was different country, beautiful in its own way, firing my imagination, filling in images to scenes read long ago.
Small acts of kindness from random strangers when all the advice is just "No!". There was little traffic so at times I felt so alone, just an explorer, pitting himself against nature - and coming out the other side.
I arrived exhausted, but elated.

Just a reminder for those interested, there are more pictures on Strava

https://www.strava.com/athletes/22850894

and Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/HobbesOnTour

And I think you can look at an album of photos from the last few days on Google
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ncKTDdszP1yMBXhP9

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098/

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Covid Interlude, Saturday, May 22, 2021, San Francisco Telixtlahuaca to San Agustín Etla, 68km, Total KM 797
Min meters 1641, Max Meters 1751
Total Climb 524 Total Descent 550
Min Temp 23 Max Temp 40
Ave Temp 35

Street art across from my hotel​

Oh, it was planned so well! A lie in, a hop, skip and a jump down the road to a campground on the outskirts of Oaxaca. An afternoon lazing in the sun, basking in the glory of my recent achievements.
You can see where this is going, right?

Look at that for the perfect day for the road!

​

My hotel last night was ….. interesting! The (sliding) door that separated the bathroom from the bedroom didn't work, unless falling on top of me counted as working!
Most of the bedroom floor got soaked with shower water which washed a couple of big ugly bugs from under my bed.
I had conquered 2400 meters of climbing - Godzilla could have been under the bed and I couldn't care less!

I was writing up yesterday's notes and noticed the time - 11:53! Time for sleep. I switched off the light and had the wonderful feeling of Sleep weighing down on me and taking me away.

For Sleep, it was clearly a one night thing because I woke up at 6 on the dot! My lie in!! Ruined!! Nothing for it but to get up. I grabbed a coffee and wrote up a few notes, debating staying or going. I decided to go, but slowly. My body was sore and reminding me of my efforts yesterday.
I still felt like a bazillion dollars, though!

I packed up, ventured off for more electrolyte powders and got ready for the massive journey of about 25km! I couldn't be bothered going back to explore the town having passed through most of it last night. I just wanted to relax and town was busy!

I set off unbreakfasted, planning on something further down the road. After 2.6 km a restaurant called me in and I enjoyed a fabulous breakfast, adding more and more heat with each bite. Unlimited coffee meant I sat a while.

I set off again in brilliant sunshine aiming for a 3pm arrival. Lots of time to relax! The road was busy, but very decent - baby smooth new tarmac for a long time (balanced out with sections of rough stuff) but the sun was shining, hills all around me, mountains comfortably far away. All was good in my world. I climbed, I descended, I grinned.

The campground is glorious, if a little pricey, but I was made welcome and can pitch my tent under cover - a boon in the rainy season.

Heading to the campground with a song in my heart!​

It was while checking in I realised I was missing something! My camelbak!! At the restaurant, 2.6 km from the start!!!! Normally it lives in my rackbag, but since it still contained water I strapped it on me when I set off.

DUMBASS!!!!

To add insult to injury, the last thing I'd done was send a text to the guy who gave it to me, thanking him again!! Oh irony, you are an evil mistress!
Nothing for it but to dump my gear and head back!

I took off like a rocket! It's amazing how light the bike feels! I pulled in for a cold drink and ice-cream and had a chat with myself. I could whinge the whole way (and back!), my default position, or I could have some fun! I opted for fun!

It was great! Zipping along the flat at close to 30kph, flying down the many hills, even going up was fun! I took a tope at full speed - amazing fun - but I won't be doing that again!

I got to see everything again, from a different angle. Sometimes after driving I can't remember parts of my journey, that rarely happens on the bike. Little landmarks told me how far I had to go.

Pulling up at the restaurant, my waiter spotted me and told me he had my backpack! I was so relieved! I gabbled on that it was for water and important to me. I was told to take a seat and in a moment my camelbak was beside me and a cold glass of lemon water in front of me. He would not accept money for the drink.

I relaxed a little bit, then set off again! Dark clouds to my left were bringing rain but I made such progress I missed them. I raced clouds…. And I won! Close to the campground I pulled in for some food and only then realised how tired I was.

Back to the campsite, tent up, cold shower (certainly not the plan!) and I took over an extra large picnic table to make coffee. It's weird. I've made coffee in the porch of my tent, but give me an extra large picnic table and I can fill it!

I've booked an odd little AirBnB for Oaxaca for a few days to look around and figure out where to next.

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098/