• Welcome to the Two Wheeled Texans community! Feel free to hang out and lurk as long as you like. However, we would like to encourage you to register so that you can join the community and use the numerous features on the site. After registering, don't forget to post up an introduction!

Crashing Our Way Through Mexico - The Furious Five Draw First Blood

Time to update the signature then. ;)
yup i meant to do it earlier but my wife left to denver today for work until wednesday, and my 10 yr old boy and 9 month baby girl required my attention. I enjoyed visiting ur blog briefly. Read up on ur new drz and on visiting mt helens. Ive been there twice and hiked the summit last time.
 
Rich, we can probably find it from looking at the point log of your gps track and finding the stops.

Here's what I copied from the GPS: N24 31.162 W99 53.539

Stone%20igloo-XL.jpg
 
Last edited:
Wow did not know it was that close to Pablillo. I bet someone in that town could shed light on the structure.
You know.....wishful thinking here.....but Nuevo Leon is supposed to be the capitol of roasted goat, cabrito, however you want to call it....but the only place I've been where roasted goat is a specialty is El Mason Principal on the east side of Saltillo. I could live on this stuff alone with a cold Guyamas. Seriously ! Just hoping that brick pit is for roasting meat !

I'd be willing to bet, and I'll have crisp Pesos ready, if one of these ranchers would prepare us a couple of traditional roasted goats. If we could find a few Gentes will to do this I would regularly visit them and bring them useful gifts from Estados Unidos. Just throwin that out there......

Carry on with your story Richard, I've been hangin on all weekend ✌?
 
Last edited:
In our last episode, the Furious Five, having conquered the Arroyo of Despair and arrived mostly intact at the village of Milpillas for refreshments and merriment, are now ready for the 2nd half of the day's adventure. We saddled our steel horses and set out south for Aramberri.

Way back in 2007, 25 riders gathered in Galeana to conduct the initial recon for the first MexTrek. Our goal was to split into small groups and ride the different routes that would ultimately make it into the ride guide and form the basis for the MexTrek rally.

During that recon, Uncle and two other riders explored the route we were riding today. Upon returning to Galeana Uncle cursed at me for sending him on that route. He said stuff like, "if we crossed that dang (except he didn't say dang) river once, we crossed it 30 times", "I am never riding that again", and "You owe me beer. Lots of beer."

I've always wondered about this route. And today was the day I was going to find out exactly what was what.

Off we went.
P9030222-XL.jpg



"Hmmm...this seems okay."
P9030223-XL.jpg


P9040231-XL.jpg


Then we reached the river. And, sure enough, if we crossed it once, we crossed it 30 times.

But, truthfully, it wasn't a big deal. Maybe the water level was lower than when Uncle went through here 10 years ago. Or maybe it seemed easier because I was riding a bike that weighted less than half the one he was riding back then. Whatever the reason, the route was fine. I would do it again. Even on a big bike. As long as the water wasn't unreasonably high.

A few miles later we popped out on pavement and rode the remaining distance to Aramberri at a bit more than legal speeds.

Once in town we tried to check into the hotel but there was a short delay. Somebody bought some cold beer that we enjoyed while waiting for the room situation to be sorted out. Finally, after getting the rooms squared away, JT decided to go for a dip in the pool. However, a spiral staircase got in the way, resulting in a gash to his head. He still got in the pool, except now his reason for doing so was to wash the blood out of his eyes.
2017091316462269-F03A42CE-6E58-405F-B585-8A0987DA2CF2-XL.jpg


Luckily, in the immortal words of Monte Python, "It was only a flesh wound". Once Doug had stemmed the flow of blood and it we were sure JT was going to live, we set out in search of supper.

Aramberri is a sleepy little town that gets even quieter on Sunday evening. Just when it seemed like every eating place in town was closed, we located Pollo Asado Ortiz - i.e. Ortiz's Grilled Chicken.
2017091316462269-3555205B-9706-4D0C-83D8-9AA5974EA9CB-XL.jpg


We asked Pat (refer to Saturday Night Live for more info on Pat) if we could eat, but Pat said there was no food cooked.

"Well, can you cook some food for us? We don't mind waiting."
"Okay, but it will take an hour."
"That's fine. We will watch English tv dubbed in Spanish and drink beer while we wait."

Pat got busy grilling chicken and sausage for us.
2017091316462269-60E78B71-02FB-4ACA-A08F-421C2EF8AB3B-XL.jpg



Pat on (your) right, Zeke in the middle, and helper guy (sorry, I didn't get his name) on the left.
2017091316462269-1A49883B-65E1-42E0-8EF1-99BA6BB4722A-XL.jpg


The beer was cold, the chicken was good, and we were happy to have a hot meal.
2017091316462269-D7259A39-6696-4644-8165-4E3F56917B34-XL.jpg



With our bellies full, we wandered back to the hotel for a bit more beer (and tequila). Tired from the day's struggles, I called it an early night.
 
Last edited:
Pat got busy grilling chicken and sausage for us.
2017091316462269-60E78B71-02FB-4ACA-A08F-421C2EF8AB3B-XL.jpg



Pat on (your) right, Zeke in the middle, and helper guy (sorry, I didn't get his name) on the left.
2017091316462269-1A49883B-65E1-42E0-8EF1-99BA6BB4722A-XL.jpg


The beer was cold, the chicken was good, and we were happy to have a hot meal.
2017091316462269-D7259A39-6696-4644-8165-4E3F56917B34-XL.jpg



With our bellies full, we wandered back to the hotel for a bit more beer (and tequila). Tired from the day's struggles, I called it an early night.

DANG IT!!
 
The helper's name must have been Chris (just like Pat-not sure whats goin on there) BUT DANG they both can grill some orange chican and are mighty handy with their sausages. And the truth is there was no other eatery open, they were our last option but Ken and Doug winked their way into their kind hearts to reopen the grill for some 1 HR chican while the cervezas kept on coming while Rocky 2 was on the tube.

Following JT down that riverbed is top on my bucketlist memories that I really cant wait for a repeat one day soon in the near future.

Trailboss lead from behind taking great photos, documenting every angle, and making sure no one was left behind. Its a pleasure riding with Rich. The feeling I got of being enveloped in extraordinary scenery, fear of bottomless cliffsides, experiencing a true adventure and apart of a crack team of explorers, I would see the same in Rich's smile and thumbs up at every turn.

Cowboy Ken and his six shooter was always there to help out, make fun of your fall and put you back on the saddle of your mule. Thanks Ken, I will ride with you again every chance I get.

Doug and his mid fives (not a low, not a high five) made this Mex Adv a reality for me. Gracias mi hermano. Nor change of plans, nor flat tires, nor JT specials, nor thunderstorms, nor chican coops, nor slick switchbacks, nor muddy falls, nor oily pavement falls, nor missing turns, nor unsavory roach motels, kept Doug from delivering Zeke back to his wife and kids.

Those are some real Furious Four riders !!
 
Last edited:
Yes Sir, a Sincere thanks to all of you guys. One of the best trips in my memory. I learned alot...again...from everyone.

Seems like I always bring home some new gear changes, adjustments, buy a few new tools, change up my load, Consider getting a different bike....You learn from emulating other successful people.

These guys promised Epic and failed me not.

Nice people scare me. I love riding with adventurers that will never miss an opportunity to rib you, laugh at you, make fun of you, impose drinking penalties for screwing up....but promptly and willingly help you out of a jam and share tried and true experience to help you out. You can't buy that stuff at any price.

Thank you Richard for the very cool pictures and expert travel blog.

Estoy muy agradacido !
 
It's Monday - Labor Day back in the states but just another day in Mexico. Today, three of us (JT, Ken, and I) began heading back towards Texas. Doug and Zeke don't have to be back home until Tuesday.

But we weren't going to just ride pavement to the border - no, that would be too boring. We had time for some fun riding through the mountains first before making the trek east across the coastal plains to Mission.

With high spirits we headed north by northeast on a route that I had never ridden before. JT has ridden it and I've heard about it but before today hadn't had the opportunity. Here is our planned route from Aramberri to Linares via Mainero.
Monday.jpg



We had managed to avoid rain during this trip, however it had rained overnight and while it was not currently raining the trail was quite muddy. Not good. Within a few hundred yards our knobby tires were slicks and traction mostly vanished, with the expected bike drops and slow progress.
P9040234-X2.jpg


P9040235-X2.jpg



P9040236-X2.jpg



P9040237-X2.jpg



P9040238-X2.jpg



P9040239-X2.jpg



Things got sticky enough (pun intended) that we had to make a decision early on - keep riding or turn back. We were making painfully slow progress and more rain was threatening. If it rained on us, the mud would get 1000x worse. On the other hand, JT assured us that up ahead the dirt gave way to rock. While wet rocks can be quite slick, that is infinitely better than mud.

We all eyed each other - nobody wanted to be the one to say "let's turn back". I spoke up, "We can do. Let's keep going." So we did.

And it turned out that the mud we had already been through was the worst of it. The dirt soon turned to rock and the rain held off until we were out of the mountains.

Still, we dropped our bikes in the mud a few more times to appease the Rain Gods.
P9040240-X2.jpg



P9040241-X2.jpg



One more centimeter and that bikes is going over...

P9040242-X2.jpg



Yah, rocks.
P9040244-X2.jpg



P9040246-X2.jpg


An hour beyond the mud the road began to improve, a sure sign we were approaching civilization. The fun riding was nearly over.
P9040247-X2.jpg



In Mainero, we stopped at Aborrotes Don Beto again (we stopped here on Saturday on our way west to Camarones) for some refreshments and to admire Doug's hard won coat of mud.
P9040253-X2.jpg



From here we said goodbye to Doug and Zeke and JT, Ken and I rode pavement to Linares and on to Texas. On the freeway to Linares it rained on us harder than I've ever been rained on while on the bike. Our speeds dropped as visibility nearly disappeared. Sorry, no pics - my camera isn't that waterproof.

Luckily, after 30 minutes of rain, we found dry weather that persisted all the way back to Texas.

Final thoughts: It was a fine trip with good friends and fun riding. I was happy to fill in some significant holes in my personal Galeana area riding resume. If you have ever wanted to ride some of the abandoned roads we took during this trip, I recommend doing so as soon as you can. They will soon be overgrown and likely impassable.

Thanks for reading. :)
 
Last edited:
Great RR, Rich! Thanks for sharing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
All this is really getting me pumped up for next month.

Thanks for the great post and pics.
 
Awesome job Rich, and as soon as I get myself to a computer that will allow me to post my pics to this ride report, I will finish off me and Doug's final 2 days from Maniero back to Galeana then to Cadereyta via Arteaga, Los Lirios, Laguna de Sanchez, Cola de Caballo. Please be patient since this will be my first rodeo filling in a ride report. Thanks for watching: same twt station, same twt channel.
 
Thanks for pictures.Riding with You vicariously [emoji106]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
234110




Back to our first day on Saturday, Doug and I rode from the border to Galeana via Montemorelos and Rayones. We found this palapa up on a hill looking over the riverbed that is just past the long bridge near Rayones. So we detoured off the main paved road and up the side of the hill, riding past a small house below thinking they are probably the caretakers which they did turn out to be because within 5 mins, we were being asked what we doing. In the end after a nice chat, we could hangout there as long as we liked and with a future invite to camp under the palapa whenever we were back that way. The only requirement was that we bring the gentleman some cold beer.
234111


234112
 
Last edited:
Well guys ive confirmed with my mexican buddy that the mystery igloo is officially for making charcoal like the coke ovens. We should create our own scooby doo adv gang cuz we good at solvin mysteries.
 
Well guys ive confirmed with my mexican buddy that the mystery igloo is officially for making charcoal like the coke ovens. We should create our own scooby doo adv gang cuz we good at solvin mysteries.



[emoji106]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Pat on (your) right, Zeke in the middle, and helper guy (sorry, I didn't get his name) on the left.
2017091316462269-1A49883B-65E1-42E0-8EF1-99BA6BB4722A-XL.jpg


The beer was cold, the chicken was good, and we were happy to have a hot meal.


Nice ride report and great pictures as usual. I'm disappointed I won't be making it down there this year, but I'm pleased to say that I've already had the pleasure of a good chicken meal prepared by those folks. Maybe I can get together with a smaller crew and get some seconds next year.
 
Nice ride report and great pictures as usual. I'm disappointed I won't be making it down there this year, but I'm pleased to say that I've already had the pleasure of a good chicken meal prepared by those folks. Maybe I can get together with a smaller crew and get some seconds next year.

you still have 2 weeks to get there!
 
It is the amazing writing and photography skills highlighted in this thread that made me venture outside my bubble and head into Mexico for Mextrek #2. Thanks again for making me recall my father's German lullaby, probably the only song he ever sang to me...

I want to go a wandering,
along the mountain track.
And as I go I love to sing,
my knapsack on my back!
Val-deri,Val-dera,
Val-deri,
Val-dera-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha
Val-deri,Val-dera.
My knapsack on my back.
 
Peter u need to hit 12,221 ft high up potosi this month, the back way up and the front way down, u will fall for mexico all over again....
 
Back
Top