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Bad Choices Make Great Stories - The Rundown 2016

TexasPatrick - your pics make me realize how much I still want to see in that area - need to go back and find those caves! Your picture taking ability is impressive - those are some really beautiful pics.
 
Am I a bad person for laughing myself to tears watching the dog vs truck Video over and over.
 
TexasPatrick - your pics make me realize how much I still want to see in that area - need to go back and find those caves! Your picture taking ability is impressive - those are some really beautiful pics.

+1. I need a thorough re-examine of the whole scene.
 
Hola....thats all i got


Rich, thanks for putting on a good trip! I know it took a lot of work and effort from many here on the site and for a complete outsider, you guys are a good bunch of folks. I enjoyed the time riding the back country of Mexico and even more so, the BS'ing in the morning and evenings after the rides!!

I'll post up the pics I've got later. I just arrived back in FL from my Big Bend trip after Jalpan.

For you GS guys out there, here is the video i was talking about. Us guys over here in the PAR group have been sending this around every month or so when someone buys a new one.

Dutchman...Trice Pilot...heres to you guys....enjoy;-)

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ztsPIoI65A"]BMW R1200GS - YouTube[/ame]


https://youtu.be/_ztsPIoI65A
 
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Richard I had not heard about Chuck, thanks for letting us know. Chuck was a great guy, we went to Costa Rica together & Big Bend several times.

R.I.P. CeeBee
 
Richard I had not heard about Chuck, thanks for letting us know. Chuck was a great guy, we went to Costa Rica together & Big Bend several times.

R.I.P. CeeBee

Check the Prayer Request forum and there is a thread with more info.
 
Last of my photos from this trip. Already planning the next ride down! Thanks for the good time everyone!

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Breakfast in Xilitla. ****!!!

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Fender removal

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Jorge in Xilitla

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Sunrise

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Lots of photos of the slickest/muddiest road ever "Easy class 1....if it doesn't rain."

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Another sunrise

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Boats that took us up the river to the waterfall and cenote

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Kickstand safety switch repair

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This road man....

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101

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You gotta take photos of someone working on their bike, right?

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More waterfalls

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Jorge jumping in the real Puente de Dios

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Allan almost, and I mean allllmost landed in some dirty diapers. Mexico is wild...

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Bags were fine!

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Me following Jorge

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You know, just sitting in the middle of the road, smiling

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TWT

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Tumbleweeding away

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One of the many dangers of riding in mexico. This guy drove his herd of goats through the road. Next to the mule. By the dog. Around a near 90degree turn.

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Jorge after the slick road

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More dogs, in Tula

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Three Amigos

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Richard

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Sunset behind more mountains. I stopped taking these photos at some point. The cliff faces barely visible in this photo were huge

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101

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:)

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At least it wasn't thick. Look at the front wheel!

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:) x 2

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Cabana for rent

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Sunset

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Tula

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Mud on the muddiest road

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More sunrises

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Cave of Swallows. Can't wait to rappel to the bottom next time.
 
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Cave of Swallows. Can't wait to rappel to the bottom next time.

:tab Something about this cave calls to a part of me, making me want to explore it. At the same time, something about this cave screams at another part of me to run away for fear of some unknown monster lurking in the depths waiting to pounce... Perhaps those two are closely intertwined... :ponder:

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJfowXTXOfU"]Monty Python and the Holy Grail: black beast of Arrrggghhh - YouTube[/ame]
 
As suggested before the rundown, i installed 2 new tkc80's and a 8oz bottle of ride on tire sealant in each one. Afterwards, i decided to remove my 1/3 worn rear tire and save it for Galeana in october. During the process, i found a big thorn through the tire and the tube. The tire never lost air during the entire trip and 2 weeks afterward. I'm sold on using it now.
later taters,
 
As suggested before the rundown, i installed 2 new tkc80's and a 8oz bottle of ride on tire sealant in each one. Afterwards, i decided to remove my 1/3 worn rear tire and save it for Galeana in october. During the process, i found a big thorn through the tire and the tube. The tire never lost air during the entire trip and 2 weeks afterward. I'm sold on using it now.
later taters,


Nice!!!!!
 
I put it in all of my bikes even though I had no experience with it. I'm glad to hear that it worked for you.
 
Last of my photos from this trip. Already planning the next ride down! Thanks for the good time everyone!


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More dogs, in Tula

Is that an open meter socket between the doors ? Wonder if its hot :eek2:
 
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As suggested before the rundown, i installed 2 new tkc80's and a 8oz bottle of ride on tire sealant in each one. Afterwards, i decided to remove my 1/3 worn rear tire and save it for Galeana in october. During the process, i found a big thorn through the tire and the tube. The tire never lost air during the entire trip and 2 weeks afterward. I'm sold on using it now.
later taters,
good to hear I have it on both tires, and like I've mentioned before, supposedly all border patrol atvs have it and they claim the tires wear out without ever getting flats
 
What a great vacation and an excellent opportunity to spend time with my son. Not everything went as expected, we a had a couple day delay in Jalpan, but we saw 50% of the intended items my bucket list items, both places I've dreamed about (literally, at night, recurring) for a decade. #1: Las Posas. #2: A bullfight in Zacatecas. Here are some highlights.

Day 1 heading into Gleana:

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With Nevlec

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Already loving it!

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Along Highway 57 headed on the altiplano south towards Tula. Funny story for another day!

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Quiet little Tula at night.

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Day 2: More clouds in the mountains.

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Beautiful fields of sugar cane on the way to The Orange (El Naranga). Listo!

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Along the river, after drinking and eating at a sublime large palapa restaurant with fresh squeezed...when in rome!

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Pranks with the kids near Aquismon in a beautiful river valley.

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One of the 5 misions. One of 2 I visited.

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Why can't we be like trees when it comes to color? This is a lifetime embrace. Almost looks like hands holding on.

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Day 3: 2 up to bucket list #1:

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Las Posas. AMAZING!!!!!!!!

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Sunset headed back to Jalpan.

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Day 4: Rest and recovery! Halfway done!

Day 5: Repairs complete, and myself recovered from the Vinny's elixirs we peeled off from the rest of the official Rally and headed off West after noon Wednesday in search of Tricepilot and crew in San Miguel. Just take highway 120 to the fork in the road and head to Penamiller, says Bob.

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I have to say that highway 120 from Jalpan is likely the best road I have ever ridden. For a guy like me who takes 2-3 trips and year to ride, and has done maybe 250,000 miles on two wheels over 33 years, that must mean its a darn good road. Smooth, sweeping, and dodging in and out of micro climates from lush waterfall terrain and the east into hot dry dusty mountains into the plain. Truly spectacular. Only got one pic when it got hot and dusty.

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The small mission towns all are unique and the marketing...so cool.

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Traffic into San Miguel was horrendous, but we found Bob and crew at the hotel easily after asking a traffic cop for directions and chatting about 10 minutes about bikes. Nice hotel, Las Monhas. Great staff. Super secure parking.

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We had a wonderful dinner with friends at Tio Lopez and met, then hilariously danced at a club with, Kevin Hendrickson who is a few months into a RTW trip. San Miguel is beautiful. And very gringo-fied.

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Me and mi amigo Trice. We need more of this, buddy!!

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You can always tell by the clothes who came to Mexico single.

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Headed upstairs with the crew

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The rest of the night is a bit blurry for me.

Day 6: Sid gave me the play by play at La Gruta, a nice hot spring with pools and restaurants just a few miles north of San Miguel.

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We all come to Mexico to have fun, seek adventure, feel like a big kid again. I think I found the fountain of youth in San Miguel's La Gruta cave spring.

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Sid always finds a way to climb something.

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A late afternoon short ride to Guanajuato to find a hotel and have dinner at the famous Luna capped our day. A shot of the nice theater, Teatro Juarez, in the town center, El Jardin.

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Day 7,8,9: We walked, ate, and museumed our way around Guanajuato. Met up with friends of mine and my brothers from past vacations.

A bit of the view from the Pipila, hero of Guanajuato.

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One of the few streets that aren't pedestrian / moto only in GTO.

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This is a more common view, with one of thousands of fountains enduringly representing the wealth of the city through silver hundreds of years ago.

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Most roads are tunnels. Here is street above, tunnel below.

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A special VW event brought hundreds of cool cars to town and stacked the main walking street into the Jardin with 75+ years of VW history.

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We walked and walked. Took in the indoor market.

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Marveled at stonework and murals

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Ate and strolled the city till the wee hours

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And hung out with our friends. Sid, being single, chose his company wisely.

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Day 10, with the threat of horrible storms and advice that Houston was under 10 feet of water, we bullet trained north to Galeana, only taking a break under a bridge for a passing storm / much needed nap. Got to Galeana around 9 PM after showers and 60 degrees. Ate a great meal at the General de Casona ( he was open late for a big wig private dinner, but let us sit in the corner since we didn't speak spanish). Checking in I was again given the 20 questions about why I wanted 1 room for two men. I'd produced they laughed at father and son. Checking out I noticed MexTrek representing! And all the staff said to say Hello to Richard and be sure he comes back in October!

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Day 11: The last trek home. One last magical ride through the canyon to Linares

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And checking out our TVIP at the Anzualdas Bridge Office.

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Loading up in our little blue truck (Steve, thanks for getting it back to McAllen, it's yours to borrow again anytime), we registered 1646 miles in Mexico.

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Thanks to everyone who scouted, planned, prepared, and attended to make this central Mexico dream a reality. Of course, without having the opportunity to attend a bullfight in Zacatecas, I will have to go back again to knock #2 off my bucket list.
 
Ok, found a few notes i made.
Saturday
Mission to Tula. 347 miles. approx 40m of dirt (mostly mud).
Got to the pavement at almost dark. 1 flat for jeff.
Rode a while in the dark and pouring down rain to tula. got there at 10pm.
Sunday
Up a 5am. Left at 8:30 to jalpan. approx 200 miles total but 50 of dirt thru the mountains and desert back to pavement. 2 flats for jeff. Made it to jalpan about 6pm. Ended the day at 550 miles.
Monday
Rode 53 miles to Xilitla to see Las Pazos (the pools). Way cool!! Everyone must see it at least once. Then rode back to Jalpan for refreshments. The day ended at 658 miles so far.
Tuesday
Took the Taluca track. looked like a figure 8 thru the mountains. great ride and views. Ended the day at 759 miles.
Wednesday
Went west up to 8260ft and back. Much cooler and cool twisties. Ended the day at 825 miles.
Thursday
Rode west to find 2 waterfalls. only rode 45 miles but hiked about 5 to and from some very cool looking waterfalls. Ended the day at 870 miles.
Friday
Rode to Ciudad victoria. Ate a very good dead 1/2 chikin for lunch on the way.
ended the day at 1125 miles.
Saturday
Ran hwy to mission. Got to the border about noon. ended the day with 1345 miles.
Loaded up and headed home.
Got lots of pics but i havent figured out how to put them in the middle of the story.
Later taters,
 
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