14-Nov-2009

We left Huejutla for another 150 miles of winding roads in the mountains. We found out that yellow roads on the map means, potholes, some gravel, and many, many more speed bumps. Still good fun but by the end we are both ready for some interstate. That kind of riding proves that the bikes are tougher than the riders. I did have a minor problem with the bike now. My low beam bulb is burnt out, I don't know how many people I pissed off for bright lighting them by the time we got to Veracruz, but I am sure it was more than a few. The yellow roads also mean that tourists don't really ever get there. We were more than mildly interesting to some of the people we encountered. In one town, Benito Juarez, we busted through a road that was closed for construction, didn't see the sign, and came into the town square. Those people looked at us like we had just stepped off the mother ship from Mars. I guess we better get use to that, the more third world and remote we get, the more likely that reaction, I guess. We stopped for lunch a little roadside place and had everyone in town coming by to look at us. One teenager could speak English, the rest were just entertained by our presence. When one giggly girl asked if Nick was my Dad, I figured out she was flirting with me. They all watched us get ready to go and waved goodbye. Very cool.

We got to the ocean, actually the Gulf of Mexico, this afternoon. That felt like a big milestone. I'm over 2400 miles into this trip now. It seems unreal to me that I have only been gone 1 week. We have seen so much and had such a great time riding the bikes in this country.

Veracruz is a big city on the coast and very old. It was a Spanish port in the 1500's. We are going to try to ride around some of this city tomorrow. We spent the rest of the evening, and into the morning, hanging out in the Central Square. There were a huge number of people there and they didn't really thin out till about 2AM. We met some locals that could speak english and had a good time visiting them. I don't think they ever really believed our story and what we were doing.

What I haven't seen since I have been in Mexico. Taco Time, Taco Bell, Walmart, McDonalds, Starbucks, airplanes, other touring motorcycles(not one), Mexican brown rice(is that an American thing?), sombrero's, white women, black women, police(anywhere,except the cities. Although I did have to pay one off in Papantla, poor fella, needed lunch). What I miss on the above list. Mostly the women, yeah, thats about it.

On a sad note. And on Friday the 13th. Lucky Charlie, still living up to his name, has gone missing. We suspect that he saw some cute senorita and jumped off the bike. He is probably living with some nice Mexican family and drinking Mexican beer and tequila. Anyway that's what we hope LC is up to. I'll keep his glue spot on the bike in his honor. Hasta luego, Charlie, vivar la vida loca.

I think the problem with viewing the previous pics is solved. And thanks all for the suggestions to fix my email. All is well now.