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2017 MexTrek #6, Oct 26th to 29th 2017

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Sounds like your describing Richard's Portrero Redondo route. The dirt starts off Hwy 20 at Puerto Genovevo, runs through Portreo Redondo, to La Trinidad and then out to Allende. Gina, Ken, Ivan and I rode it last year.

I can not find anything from La Trinidad to La Cebolla, but I am still looking...

Yes, that's it in reverse.
 
I really need to unpack my stuff from Texas and take another read through the guidebook, LOL. I'm taking a car trip to Guanajuato the second half of June and will probably check out the falls and river caving type stuff

://m.viator.com/tour/monterrey/cumbres-de-monterrey-national-park-canyoneering-adventure/0-5885MTYGRU/info.htm?***=1

Twt friend went last month, ive been wanting to do the same, and some locals we stayed with near trinidad once told us they could hike us to chipitin from their village, danny and i will probably make a run back there before mektrek, will keep u posted, that place we stayed had cabins, beer and a helipad.
 
From first post - You must obtain a TVIP, a temporary vehicle import permit, to take your 1 bike into Mexico.

A buddy and I were planning on driving to Galeana in my truck with two KTMs (690 & 500).

But I was told last weekend that it's one vehicle per person - is that what you mean by "1 bike"? Last time I was there I know one or two guys in the group each brought their bike down in a truck.
 
But I was told last weekend that it's one vehicle per person - is that what you mean by "1 bike"? Last time I was there I know one or two guys in the group each brought their bike down in a truck.
I believe you can take your truck and trailer with bikes on it or also truck and no trailer with bikes on your truck and the whole setup will be under one vehicle permit, however to use your bikes on paved roads for sure and even some unpaved roads will put you at risk if the worst happens and you get into an auto accident with someone and they call the cops you go to jail unless you have lots of $$$$$$ thousands maybe to bribem
 
From first post - You must obtain a TVIP, a temporary vehicle import permit, to take your 1 bike into Mexico.

You are probably thinking of JT and Gina who took one truck, one bike, but they had two people so two permits. They also brought home a mexican dog so there are ways to get around things.

A buddy and I were planning on driving to Galeana in my truck with two KTMs (690 & 500).

But I was told last weekend that it's one vehicle per person - is that what you mean by "1 bike"? Last time I was there I know one or two guys in the group each brought their bike down in a truck.

There are others better versed on this topic than me, but from what I can read in forums you can get a tvip for a truck, a non street legal dirt bike, and if needed a trailer. But technically you can't ride that bike on the street in that scenario. To be clear, you cannot get a tvip for a street legal bike and a truck at the same time so your plan won't work.

Why not ride from the border? That is half the fun. We run a relaxed pace.
 
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I believe you can take your truck and trailer with bikes on it or also truck and no trailer with bikes on your truck and the whole setup will be under one vehicle permit, however to use your bikes on paved roads for sure and even some unpaved roads will put you at risk if the worst happens and you get into an auto accident with someone and they call the cops you go to jail unless you have lots of $$$$$$ thousands maybe to bribem

I guess I should have specified - can I do it legally? :lol2:

The consensus seems to be one TVIP. So I guess we'll be riding - group B.
 
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That looks awesome!!!! But at $244 USD I think there is probably a better way to see this "The Mexican Way", aka $15, LOL.
yup thats why i havent done their tours but they have good info on their websites n if u call them as well, ohh just to wake everyone up abit, we just had a shootout between rival dealers in rio bravo (from where most of my family is from) not too far from reynosa, my wife went last week to her aunt's funeral and it was the current gossip that the locals had all the bodies laid out in a row on the street, dont panic guys but its the norm in border towns down here, we just try to not get got up as an innocent bystander, and where we cross is relatively safe thou danny crossed a couple weeks ago thru anzalduas and there were semi trucks on fire blocking streets, dont be a afraid but these things are what make you coming to Mexico a crazy gringo looking for adventure.
 
Zeke, the violence is real, and involves mainly gang members and police. But, as this article shows, innocents get caught up in the violence. 1 of 10 was a passerby, and 2 of the 10 happened to have an auto accident with cartel members.

http://www.breitbart.com/texas/2017/04/18/graphic-cartel-violence-kills-10-near-texas-border/

And the burning trucks and buildings in Reynosa are talked about here:

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mexico-violence-idUSKBN17O0MQ

This is why we use the Anzualdas crossing. It bypasses all but an outlying western portion of Reynosa. Rio bravo is 15 miles to the East.
 
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Zeke, the violence is real, and involves mainly gang members and police. But, as this article shows, innocents get caught up in the violence. 1 of 10 was a passerby, and 2 of the 10 happened to have an auto accident with cartel members.

http://www.breitbart.com/texas/2017/04/18/graphic-cartel-violence-kills-10-near-texas-border/

And the burning trucks and buildings in Reynosa are talked about here:

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mexico-violence-idUSKBN17O0MQ

This is why we use the Anzualdas crossing. It bypasses all but an outlying western portion of Reynosa. Rio bravo is 15 miles to the East.
cool thanks for confirming the gossip peter, and gossip spreads fast down here and that's how we get most of our news because im glad you found those articles but really its a low % of what actually happens gets put in the news since lots of reporters are threatened and too scared to report everything, but yeah we rarely actually get our news from tv etc, its word of mouth that travels faster and social media from friends and family to their friends and family. BUT don't let this get some riders nervous, we will manage mektrek like many times before, we ride the safest routes and safest times of the day, and whatever risk assessment one makes, its definitely worth the rewards. once you hit the mountains, the criminal activity nervousness fades away. And the most important thing to remember is if anything happens, always respond with "my name is Peter Shaddock"
 
We have 62 registered and paid and roughly 80 total saying they want to go at this point. Looks like for the first time Mextrek could see double digits...

These guys have registered, but not yet paid!!

63. Greg Br Skibiscuit
64. Danny B Bam1551
65. Denny Humanrace
66. David He VincentCade1969
67. Fernando S Fernando
68. Jeremey L. JRLasater
69. Richard L. RichLasater
70. Peter G Exphiveoh
71 - 79. Kenny A / Ed 8 riders from NC
 
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Shadman, do you think it's practical to head to Real de Catorce during this trip without extending the time past the 26th thru 29th? Do you think it best to spend the night there or can it be done enjoyably in a day?
 
Hello fellas! Just read through Trail Boss' excellent guide, I'm ready to get this trip going! I need some advice from the brain trust here - I'm taking delivery of a Ducati Desert Sled (hopefully this week!). It comes with tubes, and from the early reviews it looks like getting the tire off the rim is a real **** in case of a flat. I have considered getting a tubeless conversion done so that I'm not trying to get tires off the rim and can just plug a hole if I get a flat. What do you guys think? I've only ever tried spooning tires off for my kx65, so my experience in removing tires is pretty low.
 
And Bam ! Just like that my wife said ok.....go figure ? :ponder: Who knows..... I'm in !


Copb8. R14 is not a day ride from Galeana. Trust me.....you'll want to spend some time there. Give yourself a couple days ??
 
In & paid. Our group from NC will most likely cross the border on Monday, the 23rd and take the longer scenic route to Galeana arriving prob Wednesday evening. Stay in Galeana until Sunday and then make our way via the winding, scenic route to Real de Catorce for Dia de los Muertos. Probably leave Real on Friday, the 3rd and head for home. Looking forward to seeing everyone again.
 
Just a heads up.
When I crossed the border this past Saturday, May 27th, the Reynosa immigration office was only issuing 6 month visas... That meant about $30 for my personal visa, about $70 for my bike (about $100 total, non refundable), plus the standard $400 refundable deposit.
I had been planning on obtaining a 6 month permit so I was not inconvinced. However, if you are planning on a (cheap) one week permit, they were not issuing those.

Good luck, and see you all in October!
-fang
 
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Shadman, do you think it's practical to head to Real de Catorce during this trip without extending the time past the 26th thru 29th? Do you think it best to spend the night there or can it be done enjoyably in a day?

One man's opinion: You can ride the approx. 120 miles to Real de Catorce from Galeana in a few hours (3 or so). So, technically, I think you could go there and back in a day. However, it wouldn't afford you much time to do anything else in Real, such as tour the mines, tour the smelt, walk the town, take in the sights, or enjoy the atmosphere.

My suggestion is to make it an overnight trip. Maybe ride there on Friday, stay overnight, and back to Galeana on Saturday. I suggest taking the tunnel in (main road into Real) and then taking the old road, over the mountains to the west, out.

If you want some extra adventure, leave early Friday morning, ride to General Zaragoza and take the dirt road from there that runs southwest to Doctor Arroyo (the first half of the General Zaragoza route in the MexTrek guide). From there, run pavement to Real.

On Saturday, if you again want a little extra adventure, take the old road west out of Real, back track to the dirt road towards General Zaragoza, then go north on dirt to La Escondida (the second half of the General Zaragoza route). From there it is pavement back to Galeana.
 
I'm not sure if it can happen this trip but I really want to go to Real de Catorce soon. Depending on my work schedule maybe I could extend this trip.

I'm very nervous about hitting the west road but it's also the single biggest attraction for me wanting to go there. From a safety perspective would you say it's easier to go up the road or down it?
 
I'm very nervous about hitting the west road but it's also the single biggest attraction for me wanting to go there. From a safety perspective would you say it's easier to go up the road or down it?

I think up would be a little easier.

Only one short section of the road is steep. The surface is rock, reasonably maintained, and not difficult, just a bit steep. I went down it on my XR650L with no issues. The rest of the road is typical class 1 & 2 shelf road and not particularly difficult.
 
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