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andyc740
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Though I've ridden to a number of bike rallies in Mexico over the past few years, I wanted to make one where members of CMA Mexico would also be able to attend. Most of them live in central areas of Mexico. The rallies we've been attending in northern Mexico are out of their range. The mid-June rally in San Luis Potosi, Mexico seemed to be a good compromise; within our range of a long weekend's travel, close enough to CMA members in Mexico that they'd also be able to get to the rally. When I let them know we were planning on coming, several members said they'd also be able to make it, Jorge and Yancy from Guadalajara and Angel from Mixquiahuala (near Tula and Pachuca).
Due to work, etc., only Dale (Goldfish) would be able to ride along and he wouldn't be able to break off from work until Thursday afternoon. Since San Luis is 570 miles from Corpus Christi, this would have to be a trip without much sightseeing along the way.
Dale and I hit the border about 5:00 P.M. Thursday at the Pharr-Rio Bravo International Bridge (our usual crossing point) and went to renewing our paperwork. Though I had all the papers, the Aduana (Mexican customs) guys came up with a new snag, since I had renewed the plates on the Guzzi at HEB (our local supermarket), the receipt had their name on top instead of mine. The Aduana agent said if I paid a "multa ligera" ("quick or light fine", read: bribe) he would sort things out for me. I asked, "How much?" $50US was the response. I said, "How about $20?" "$30 would be OK." "How about $20?" After a bit more discussion, we agreed on $20US. I was fuming all weekend about that.
Once we had our paperwork, we were on our way south, hit the new bypass around Reynosa, went through the customs checkpoint just south of where it hits the highway and wound up at the intersection with Highway 101 about 8:00, our usual stopping point for our Thursday afternoon departures.
The Hotel Rancho Viejo, at the intersection, is cheap, has hard beds, and a high cockroach population but also has great security and a restaurant next door, which is open until 10:00 these days.
There've been Federales bivouacked at the hotel for the past several years. The number rises and falls, but there seemed to be about 100 there this time. We appreciate the guards they keep posted at the hotel entrance. There was also a new apparatus at the checkpoint on the highway that looked like an industrial-sized X-ray scanner. The Federales were pulling over trucks and buses and checking papers.
We were up about 5:30 in the morning and on our way by 6:30. The convenience store wasn't open, so we rode on down the highway, stopping for gas and coffee about 30 miles before getting to Ciudad Victoria. At Ciudad Victoria, we cut through the new pass in the mountains and headed on towards Tula and San Luis. The road climbs steadily through the mountains for about 60 miles of nice sweepers, steeply enough that there were times it seemed like we were descending, though the GPS said we were still climbing. Up on the central plateau, the elevation is about 6,000 ft. and consists entirely of high desert, except one town, Jaumave, which sported some trees.
We saw an interesting bike when we stopped at a truck stop near Tula to get an early lunch and top off the gas tanks. Looks like a good one to have in Mexico.
Then it was on again. Just past Tula, we rode through another checkpoint (they waved us on), then took the cuota for San Luis. After worming our way through construction and traffic on the SLP periferico (the loop), we hit the hotel about 1:45. Not too bad.
Due to work, etc., only Dale (Goldfish) would be able to ride along and he wouldn't be able to break off from work until Thursday afternoon. Since San Luis is 570 miles from Corpus Christi, this would have to be a trip without much sightseeing along the way.
Dale and I hit the border about 5:00 P.M. Thursday at the Pharr-Rio Bravo International Bridge (our usual crossing point) and went to renewing our paperwork. Though I had all the papers, the Aduana (Mexican customs) guys came up with a new snag, since I had renewed the plates on the Guzzi at HEB (our local supermarket), the receipt had their name on top instead of mine. The Aduana agent said if I paid a "multa ligera" ("quick or light fine", read: bribe) he would sort things out for me. I asked, "How much?" $50US was the response. I said, "How about $20?" "$30 would be OK." "How about $20?" After a bit more discussion, we agreed on $20US. I was fuming all weekend about that.
Once we had our paperwork, we were on our way south, hit the new bypass around Reynosa, went through the customs checkpoint just south of where it hits the highway and wound up at the intersection with Highway 101 about 8:00, our usual stopping point for our Thursday afternoon departures.
The Hotel Rancho Viejo, at the intersection, is cheap, has hard beds, and a high cockroach population but also has great security and a restaurant next door, which is open until 10:00 these days.
There've been Federales bivouacked at the hotel for the past several years. The number rises and falls, but there seemed to be about 100 there this time. We appreciate the guards they keep posted at the hotel entrance. There was also a new apparatus at the checkpoint on the highway that looked like an industrial-sized X-ray scanner. The Federales were pulling over trucks and buses and checking papers.
We were up about 5:30 in the morning and on our way by 6:30. The convenience store wasn't open, so we rode on down the highway, stopping for gas and coffee about 30 miles before getting to Ciudad Victoria. At Ciudad Victoria, we cut through the new pass in the mountains and headed on towards Tula and San Luis. The road climbs steadily through the mountains for about 60 miles of nice sweepers, steeply enough that there were times it seemed like we were descending, though the GPS said we were still climbing. Up on the central plateau, the elevation is about 6,000 ft. and consists entirely of high desert, except one town, Jaumave, which sported some trees.
We saw an interesting bike when we stopped at a truck stop near Tula to get an early lunch and top off the gas tanks. Looks like a good one to have in Mexico.
Then it was on again. Just past Tula, we rode through another checkpoint (they waved us on), then took the cuota for San Luis. After worming our way through construction and traffic on the SLP periferico (the loop), we hit the hotel about 1:45. Not too bad.
!