Days 11-21
Day 11: Willcox to Douglas, AZ – 127 kms
Flat with a mild headwind. Today i finished highway 191! What a beautiful ride it´s been to here. I was accompanied by the almost constant presence of desert hawks today. They´d fly with me for awhile, then peel off, to be replaced by another.... Arrived in Douglas and found a camp outside of town.
Day 12: Day off in Douglas. I needed to work on "the noodle" and generally prepare for my entrance into Mexico. Found a bike shop that let me use their shop for free. Nice folks. Crossed the border in the PM and found a room.... Easy crossing as the guards on the Mexican side were all interested in my trip.
Day 13: Agua Prieta to Nacozari – 135 kms
The road today looked a lot like Hwy 191. 2 lane with no shoulder. The good news is that there was very little traffic. Passed through a pueblo named Fronteras that was founded in 1650! It´s all hot, low Sonoran desert here, where the people are simple and kind. Everyone wants to know where I´m from and where I´m going, although few know where Costa Rica is or even Colorado, for that matter.
Day 14: Nacozari to 10 kms south of Moctezuma (founded 1644!), 87 kms
The desert is very lush here, passed through a section that was heavily wooded with live oaks. The terrain is starting to roll as I approach the foot of the Sierra Madre. Passed through a nice, clean pueblo named Los Hoyos. Not a speck of garbage! Found an awesome campsite in pure desrt. Nice sunset!
Day 15: Moctezuma to Divisaderos to Tepache to Sahauripa, 101 kms
Wow, what a day! Monster climb into the lower Sierra Madre today. Incredible paved road with almost no traffic! No more than 12 cars all day long! Half of them were at either end of today´s ride. Super beautiful desert, lush. Sonoran desert at it´s finest. Desert palms, ocotillo, sahauro, mesquite, live oaks and other vegetation unknown to me. Met Jorge Rivera on the road and he invited me to stay in his hotel, which is where I wound up staying. Nice people in this pueblo. Martin, who sold me beers and told me about crossing the border illegally, the women in the restaurant, the people on the street...
Day 16: Sahauripa to Guismopa, 63 kms
Slept deep, started late. Felt tired, so I didn´t push hard today. The desert here is broken with lots of canyons and arroyos. I cringe every time there´s a descent as I know it will be followed by a climb out the other side. Oh no, my light is beginning to fail! Where´re the spare batteries?
Day 17: Guismopa to Yecora, 83 kms
Today was the hardest day so far! Began in the lower Sonoran desert, maybe less than 1,000 ft elevation. Finished at above 6,000, in the pines. Came over a pass that makes Coal Bank look like freakin´baby food!!! Must have been over 9,000 ft. Feels like home here, big pines, some aspen, oak and cedar. It smells great! Fresh air and really clear skies. I think I´m below the industrial and auto induced smoggy air here. Nice and cool. thank god for the restaurant Las Palmitas. 8km from the top of the climb, they saved my ass as I was running out of food and water... Made it to Yecora and got a room at the Hotel Yecora. They charged me 250 pesos or $25 which I think is "el precio gringo." More expensive than it should have been.... Met Katarina (Kathy) here. The first person I´ve met in Mexico that speaks some english. She fed me and washed my clothes. I think she likes me! Also met Mingo and Francisco, who live in Parral.
Day 18: Yecora to Yepachic, 96 kms.
Incredibly beautiful ride! Continued lack of traffic. Arrived late in Yepachic, determined to camp to make up for yesterday´s expenditures. Bought supplies and bolted to look for a camp spot before dark. Found one, only to be dogged by minutes of indecision. Felt uncomforable, surrounded by haciendas and a canyon on one side. My intuition told me to repack and move on, so I turned on my lights and boogied. Found a better camp, but I still felt uncomfortable, so I didn´t try to have a campfire, or even cook as I didn't want to be discovered. Downed a couple bags of Papas fritas and crashed. Heard voices through the night and awoke to find I was a 100 meters from a popular party spot.... Dreamt heavily, slept soundly and awoke hungry. Packed up and rode to find a good spot to cook breakfast...
Day 19: Yepachic to Basaseachic, 45 kms.
Rode for a few kms ´till I found a private spot to cook breakfast and recharge my batteries. Also, needed to dry out my bag as the dew was heavy the night before. Re-started at 11 AM for Basaseachi which is famous for it´s waterfall, the 3rd highest in the world! From my breakfast spot, I climbed for 22 kms!! Awesome country and the roads are a cyclist´s dream. Very curvy and undulating with spectacular vistas in every direction. Traffic is sparse, and so are the pueblos which means I need to carry a lot of water and food. Heavy, but necessary. Arrived at the falls and made camp. Walked down to check out the falls and was impressed. What a freakin´ huge hole in the ground!! The canyon was equally as impressive as the falls themselves. Met Patricio, the tourist guide, who promised to treat me to a beer later. He came to camp, without beer, and asked for money to go buy a couple for us to share around the campfire. I gave him a 100 pesos ($10)and expected change, but he returned with 100 pesos worth of beer!
Day 20: Basaseachi to 50 km north of San Juanito, 60km.
Saw Patricio this AM and took his pic. Today, I expected maybe 30 km of dirt, but found out en route that the entire 100 kms was "pura tierra." So, I stopped next to an idyllic little clear stream and changed to my fat tires. A couple of horses were my witnesses. Proceeded to climb and descend till nearly dark, where I set up camp high on the mountain. All day I climbed mountains and descended into valleys so scenic, I can´t describe them adequately with words. Occasional campesinos in very rustic and simple houses made of logs, adobe, rock, mud. I´m real impressed with the efficiency of the people. You never see a vehicle that isn´t loaded heavily with something or other.
Day 21: Above Huavachi to San Juanito to Creel, 75 km.
Another 40 km of dirt. Met Raymond, a road worker, who stopped me and showed me a pic of another cyclist who had passed this way a few weeks ago. He took my pic and asked for a gift. I gave him my stainless steel plate, which I´ve been wanting to unload as it was heavy and I wasn´t using it, anyway. It changed back to pavement near San Juanito and on the road to Creel, I saw the Trek trailler heading north. I wanted to make Creel sooner, to hook up with Travis Brown, who was here for a Trek product launch. Met a gringo here, Mark, who recommended the hotel Posada, which is where I´m staying for 2 nights. I need a day off the bike, badly, as I´m tired as hell. Also, I need to work on the noodle and wash my clothes again....The folks at the Posada are awesome. Amalia, Pedro and their son, Mario. Oh, how could I forget, I met the most beautiful girl I´ve seen yet in Mexico. Her green eyes melted me on the spot!
Flat with a mild headwind. Today i finished highway 191! What a beautiful ride it´s been to here. I was accompanied by the almost constant presence of desert hawks today. They´d fly with me for awhile, then peel off, to be replaced by another.... Arrived in Douglas and found a camp outside of town.
Day 12: Day off in Douglas. I needed to work on "the noodle" and generally prepare for my entrance into Mexico. Found a bike shop that let me use their shop for free. Nice folks. Crossed the border in the PM and found a room.... Easy crossing as the guards on the Mexican side were all interested in my trip.
Day 13: Agua Prieta to Nacozari – 135 kms
The road today looked a lot like Hwy 191. 2 lane with no shoulder. The good news is that there was very little traffic. Passed through a pueblo named Fronteras that was founded in 1650! It´s all hot, low Sonoran desert here, where the people are simple and kind. Everyone wants to know where I´m from and where I´m going, although few know where Costa Rica is or even Colorado, for that matter.
Day 14: Nacozari to 10 kms south of Moctezuma (founded 1644!), 87 kms
The desert is very lush here, passed through a section that was heavily wooded with live oaks. The terrain is starting to roll as I approach the foot of the Sierra Madre. Passed through a nice, clean pueblo named Los Hoyos. Not a speck of garbage! Found an awesome campsite in pure desrt. Nice sunset!
Day 15: Moctezuma to Divisaderos to Tepache to Sahauripa, 101 kms
Wow, what a day! Monster climb into the lower Sierra Madre today. Incredible paved road with almost no traffic! No more than 12 cars all day long! Half of them were at either end of today´s ride. Super beautiful desert, lush. Sonoran desert at it´s finest. Desert palms, ocotillo, sahauro, mesquite, live oaks and other vegetation unknown to me. Met Jorge Rivera on the road and he invited me to stay in his hotel, which is where I wound up staying. Nice people in this pueblo. Martin, who sold me beers and told me about crossing the border illegally, the women in the restaurant, the people on the street...
Day 16: Sahauripa to Guismopa, 63 kms
Slept deep, started late. Felt tired, so I didn´t push hard today. The desert here is broken with lots of canyons and arroyos. I cringe every time there´s a descent as I know it will be followed by a climb out the other side. Oh no, my light is beginning to fail! Where´re the spare batteries?
Day 17: Guismopa to Yecora, 83 kms
Today was the hardest day so far! Began in the lower Sonoran desert, maybe less than 1,000 ft elevation. Finished at above 6,000, in the pines. Came over a pass that makes Coal Bank look like freakin´baby food!!! Must have been over 9,000 ft. Feels like home here, big pines, some aspen, oak and cedar. It smells great! Fresh air and really clear skies. I think I´m below the industrial and auto induced smoggy air here. Nice and cool. thank god for the restaurant Las Palmitas. 8km from the top of the climb, they saved my ass as I was running out of food and water... Made it to Yecora and got a room at the Hotel Yecora. They charged me 250 pesos or $25 which I think is "el precio gringo." More expensive than it should have been.... Met Katarina (Kathy) here. The first person I´ve met in Mexico that speaks some english. She fed me and washed my clothes. I think she likes me! Also met Mingo and Francisco, who live in Parral.
Day 18: Yecora to Yepachic, 96 kms.
Incredibly beautiful ride! Continued lack of traffic. Arrived late in Yepachic, determined to camp to make up for yesterday´s expenditures. Bought supplies and bolted to look for a camp spot before dark. Found one, only to be dogged by minutes of indecision. Felt uncomforable, surrounded by haciendas and a canyon on one side. My intuition told me to repack and move on, so I turned on my lights and boogied. Found a better camp, but I still felt uncomfortable, so I didn´t try to have a campfire, or even cook as I didn't want to be discovered. Downed a couple bags of Papas fritas and crashed. Heard voices through the night and awoke to find I was a 100 meters from a popular party spot.... Dreamt heavily, slept soundly and awoke hungry. Packed up and rode to find a good spot to cook breakfast...
Day 19: Yepachic to Basaseachic, 45 kms.
Rode for a few kms ´till I found a private spot to cook breakfast and recharge my batteries. Also, needed to dry out my bag as the dew was heavy the night before. Re-started at 11 AM for Basaseachi which is famous for it´s waterfall, the 3rd highest in the world! From my breakfast spot, I climbed for 22 kms!! Awesome country and the roads are a cyclist´s dream. Very curvy and undulating with spectacular vistas in every direction. Traffic is sparse, and so are the pueblos which means I need to carry a lot of water and food. Heavy, but necessary. Arrived at the falls and made camp. Walked down to check out the falls and was impressed. What a freakin´ huge hole in the ground!! The canyon was equally as impressive as the falls themselves. Met Patricio, the tourist guide, who promised to treat me to a beer later. He came to camp, without beer, and asked for money to go buy a couple for us to share around the campfire. I gave him a 100 pesos ($10)and expected change, but he returned with 100 pesos worth of beer!
Day 20: Basaseachi to 50 km north of San Juanito, 60km.
Saw Patricio this AM and took his pic. Today, I expected maybe 30 km of dirt, but found out en route that the entire 100 kms was "pura tierra." So, I stopped next to an idyllic little clear stream and changed to my fat tires. A couple of horses were my witnesses. Proceeded to climb and descend till nearly dark, where I set up camp high on the mountain. All day I climbed mountains and descended into valleys so scenic, I can´t describe them adequately with words. Occasional campesinos in very rustic and simple houses made of logs, adobe, rock, mud. I´m real impressed with the efficiency of the people. You never see a vehicle that isn´t loaded heavily with something or other.
Day 21: Above Huavachi to San Juanito to Creel, 75 km.
Another 40 km of dirt. Met Raymond, a road worker, who stopped me and showed me a pic of another cyclist who had passed this way a few weeks ago. He took my pic and asked for a gift. I gave him my stainless steel plate, which I´ve been wanting to unload as it was heavy and I wasn´t using it, anyway. It changed back to pavement near San Juanito and on the road to Creel, I saw the Trek trailler heading north. I wanted to make Creel sooner, to hook up with Travis Brown, who was here for a Trek product launch. Met a gringo here, Mark, who recommended the hotel Posada, which is where I´m staying for 2 nights. I need a day off the bike, badly, as I´m tired as hell. Also, I need to work on the noodle and wash my clothes again....The folks at the Posada are awesome. Amalia, Pedro and their son, Mario. Oh, how could I forget, I met the most beautiful girl I´ve seen yet in Mexico. Her green eyes melted me on the spot!
posted by Bicycle Bob at
6:00 PM
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