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Showing posts from June, 2017

Mexico, a route overview update

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Mexico - South to North A quick snapshot of a few of the town signs. I did 10k km over 3 months through this country, with a route overview map shown below.

First (wild) flat tyre experience, in the Baja Desert

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It was never going to happen somewhere less hostile was it? Well, actually the first time it did - in a little Peruvian town, and that was an easy fix, as is normally in any town in the world. But here? So im 70km north of La Paz in the desert proper, like cacti and rocky ground and views for miles. Bike starts feeling funny, and I'm thinking  'No - surely not, here? Really? Like - how even?' But yes, it was true - having pulled over n checked rear (isnt it always the rear?). 'Hmmm, how we gonna deal with this?' *assesses options A - flag a pick-up ute down (its kinda lonely out here) B - change it here in the hot desert sun in a sandy lay-by C - use my phone's GPSer to locate the nearest SOMEWHERE, go there, change tyre, maybe have help. C quickly prevailed and the nearest somewhere was  a restaurant 2km further up.  Lucky me. So rode with a wobbling wibbling bike a further 2km and long story now short. . 

Copper Canyon - Barrancas del Cobre - the long trip via pavement

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Every time I enter a new state in Mexico, I think 'this is it, I've found my favourite state', and Chihuahua was no exception. The Copper Canyon is somewhat out of the way, however the riding around 85% of the route shown below has been fantastic with huge vistas, pretty decent pavement, beautiful twisties and a remote cowboy culture that really does make you feel as if you're in the wild west. My fully paved route was 2,095km in total and is described briefly as follows: Day 1 Mazatlan to Durango, 250km.. Day 2 Durango to Cross roads, 240km.. Day 3 Cross roads (el Ciento Veinte) to Hidalgo de Parral, 170km.. Day 4 Parral to Batopilas (canyon base), 350km.. Day 5 Batopilas to Creel, 140km.. Day 6 Creel roundtrip to Barrancas del Cobra\Divisidero, 90km.. Day 7 Creel to (Basasiachi falls) Yecora, 280km.. Day 8 Yecora to Alamos, 330km.. Day 9 Rest day in Alamos.. Day 10 Alamos to Topalabampo, 245km (for the La Paz ferry).. The route is highlighted by the r