Mexico

Ola mes amigos, como esta! Buenos días!

So it was a bus trip to Vera Cruz on the East coast of Mexico. The border crossing did not go exactly smoothly - I had booked a bus from Brownsville all the way to Vera Cruz as I didn’t want to have to find my way to the bus terminus in Matamoros. I thought that it was standard procedure for immigration on the US side to board the bus or for the passengers to have to get off and ‘declare’ themselves - for example I had to submit a stapled document in my passport to US immigration upon leaving. But no, the bus sailed through the US side and we were then supposed to go through immigration on the Mexico side. So I had to leave the bus, assemble my bike and kit again and walk back across the Rio Grande to the US side to submit the 'exit' document to prove that I was leaving the US -(otherwise they would have perhaps come ‘looking for me’), walk back across to the Mexican side and then go through the immigration procedure there.

First mistake on the Mexican side was to say that I was in transit to Belize. I should have just said that I was a tourist in Mexico and then going on to Belize. As a transit visitor, you are only given 30 days, but on a tourist entry they will give you 180 days, but for the tourist entry you have to provide evidence of tourist bookings ie. hotel reservations etc. which of course as a ‘camping cyclist’ I had none - just the bus ticket to Vera Cruz. Although Vera Cruz is nearly half way down the country anyway, I wanted to cut inland to visit a Tipi Retreat Centre and Maker about an hour south of Mexico City, near a small mountain village called Tepoztlan, so didn’t think that I would make it back and out of the country in the 30 days. Anyway, after much discussion (and fortunately the Immigration Officer could speak good English!) he decided to give me the 180 days tourist visa. 

So then it was a taxi to the bus station in Matamoros (so dismantle the bike again to get it into the taxi!) and I am sure he ripped me off with the fare.....but c’est la vie. Fortunately, there was a long wait for the bus as it was only scheduled to leave after lunch, so started to brush up on my Spanish from my kindle and check out the Lonely Planet that I had downloaded for Central America. But simple things like going for a pee were a problem especially at a bus station - I could lock the bike but couldn't lock each and every bag to the bike so was a little worried - hold it in until you get on the bus....ahhhhhh! 

Onto the bus, with all the gear no prob and didn’t have to take the wheels off the bike (although when I did get to the other end I found that they loaded other peoples suitcases onto the bike and directly over the rear derailleur so I did wonder if I would ever have any gears again!!!!) But all good when I got it up and running. A pretty uneventful journey except to say that I don’t know how we finally got to our destination - the driving is pretty hairy - overtaking on blind rises in the face of oncoming traffic, but somehow we missed!!! - most of it was done at night anyway, but didn’t get much sleep at all. My ankles and feet had started to swell badly in Brownsville with fluid (don’t really know why - perhaps it was a combination of the heat, lots of fluid or not enough so the kidneys out of synch a bit, coupled with no riding for two days), but after 17 hours on the bus, they looked  as though I had stung by a swarm of bees! Get cycling boy...and quickly.

Day One. Monday June 26th (can't believe we are half way through the year already) - Mexico. Right, find my way out of Vera Cruz - out with the Spanish for directions, and off we go. Now there are three major types of roads in Mexico - Federal Roads, Highways and Autopistas. The Autopistas are toll roads - no bikes allowed, the highways and Federal roads ok for bikes. I realised that the most direct route that I had been planning into central Mexico was on the Autopista, so had to change that very smartly. So a fairly long detour, but was all excited and energised about cycling through a new country. All good as the km started falling behind. Stopped for lunch at a roadside restaurant (well I think it was a restaurant - it had a sign up!) and negotiated a meal - spicy tortillas - very tasty although I don’t do spicy so it was glugged down with a large coke. Out with the Spanish and managed a fair conversation. But when I went to pay they wouldn’t charge me - I was so touched.....which lead me to thinking that maybe it wasn’t a restaurant at all!!! Oh well, I left some change on the table. So with a mouth on fire but feeling so humbled, onto the bike again and started climbing......and climbing.......and climbing. Went through some rain but carried on as it was warm enough and seven hours after getting on the bike with darkness enveloping, thought it was time to try and find somewhere to put the head down for the night after climbing for about three hours!!! I had seen a sign for a hotel, but it was just getting too dark and I had had enough so found shelter for the night....an abandoned garage.   

8 hours on the bike and 112km covered.

When I awoke the next day and hopped on the bike, 8 minutes away was the hotel, oh well - but another night free.

As I was drinking my tea (of course!), a Hummingbird flew into the garage - strange as there were no flowers or 'sweetness' there (apart from me - hardly after the previous day!!!), hovered for about 15 secs and then flew out. Thank you Hummingbird!

And then a further few kilometres into Huatusco I realised just how high I had been climbing the day before.

But what a beautiful sight.

So onward and upward to the stars! Really pretty countryside and the people so friendly - I really felt quite safe.

Day two: 5hrs 39mins 80kms. Ankles looking a little more human! Fortunately lots of water around - bottled from the shops - 'agua potable'! Another abandoned 'warehouse' as 'home' for the night with the pigeons, but still had to put up the inner of the tent because of the mozzies.

Day Three: 5hrs - 85km. By day three the hills had taken their toll and I was absolutely scribbled....shattered...history! There was nothing in the legs and the spirit had flown......flown to I don't know where - perhaps to where I was going to put the swimming pool at home in Zimbabwe, or in the arms of a beautiful woman...although I would have had to sleep for a week before anything would have happened!!!! I really had to start digging deep to continue and there was one mountain pass that I just could not get up - it was far too steep and long, even with my new gearing. I reckon I would have battled to get up even if I didn't have a load - I have done two summers cycling in the French Alps and am a fairly strong cyclist, but I have never seen roads as steep as this. I got a lift to the top and ate humble pie!!  But it certainly made me wonder about the Andes if I get there - I may have to loose some weight....from the bike...I am sure that I am as light as I can be now!!! It would be interesting to check my % body fat!! So with a little help from my friends got the top.....(and a little further, but don't tell anyone) and some good info on an easier route to where I was going. Again, an abandoned building site for R and R for the night.

Still put the tent up for the mozzies! Was awoken at 3.30am with heart pounding and a spot light shining into the tent - oh boy here we go!!! Federales - actually thank goodness it was the Federales and not somebody else - well if it was someone else there wouldn't have been a spot light I suppose!! A night in jail? Actually, again in a mixture of Spanish and English, (although at 3.30am and still half asleep every word of Spanish had escaped me momentarily!) I managed to convince them that I was a 'tourist' and heading for Puebla the next day. Ok they said....phew, back to sleep.

Day Four: 5hrs 49mins - 100km. Again feeling completely shattered, with my quads screaming with every pedal (well why don't you rest, you idiot!!!) it was onwards through Puebla - a huge city and thankfully there was a by pass of sorts, although at some stages out of the blue there was sign saying 'no bicycles' so one has to negotiate one's way around on other roads, and again crossing the off ramps is a major mission in judgement control. But I finally got out of Puebla amid a rain storm and filthy dirty from the passing vehicles, having lost a water bottle and my camel bak water container off the back of my pannier bags, but it was Motel night. I just couldn't envision pitching my tent that night. But for the equivalent of $15 a bed and a hot shower, it was worth it.

And another beautiful sight upon awaking...... a lovely town called Atlixco - very much a tourist town, judging by the stalls by the side of the road.

Day Five: I thought I could make it....and I did...just as darkness was settling in and again it was a hotel for the night...and again being a tourist town in the mountains, a bit expensive. 7 hrs 38mins - distance 142km. The last climb was a big one and had to push the bike about 200 meters on one section, but made it to destination...well not quite...just another 12km to the Retreat Centre today.

So just off now to the Retreat Centre - if they have an internet connection there will continue. Speak soon, take care all!

Adios!

  

Packing

I decided to change my packing arrangement to make things more convenient. Whereas before I had things strapped to the individual rear panniers, I bought a slightly larger day pack into which I could put  both my sleeping bag and then strap the tent onto the side, and place the pack longways over both panniers. This has made things much more user friendly in terms of not having so many 'other things' to strap onto the panniers bags. It also has created much more balance to the load - the bike feeling much more stable - the guitalele just straps to the top of the pack.

The new day pack will be more suitable to one or more days back packing should I choose, as being slightly larger I can put more inside. Roll on Patagonia!

Another thing I was finding annoying was the lunch stops. Before, I had all my food and cooker in the rear pannier bags, which meant I had to unpack the 'strap ons' to get to the food, which was a pain in the butt. I have transferred all the food and the cooker to the front panniers which have very easy access during the day without having to unpack anything on the back.  

On The Road Again

I bade Austin a very fond farewell on Saturday June 16th and headed south again. Was hoping for an early start but realized that the cycle shop had not put my cycle computer sensor back on the new wheels so I had to wait until they opened at 9am to go and get it fitted - can’t go anywhere without the cycle computer!!! As it happened I never would have got away earlier as it took an age to get everything packed away again - I have changed my packing configuration, which seems to be working much more efficiently More later re the packing.

The wheels look and feel great and the gearing is much smoother. I met a guy that builds bikes and he said they were a good touring wheel so that set my heart at ease - but they were way over budget - I had budgeted for a new set of wheels but these were very expensive - nonetheless, it had to be done and I now have peace of mind. I will just have to wild camp for 70 days and they will be paid for!!!!!! Also had a new rear cassette put on 11-34 which will help with the hills.

It was also a very fond farewell to Eric and Bridget where I stayed in Austin for 9 days with Banjo and Shane the two dogs. Thank you so much guys and dogs for a wonderful stay and for helping out so much - really appreciated and good luck with everything.

I have met some truly wonderful people on this leg - not that I haven’t met truly wonderful people on any other leg. I was cycling out of Austin on probably the most terrible road and a young couple passed me and waved - a km later they had pulled off the road and waved me down - they had previously done some bike touring and had used that same road out of Austin and really sympathised with me - we had a long chat, but it was special to meet them - all the best you guys and why you don’t you come ‘down’ and join me in Patagonia over Christmas?

First night in Luling. 78km. I had taken a wrong turn in Luling looking for a camp site....or rather not taken a turn when I should have, and cycled over the San Marcos River with what looked like a lovely picnic site on its bank with people swimming in the river and generally having a good time. Good enough for me. All the revelers had left by 9 pm so ready for bed when the police showed up.....but all was good...he was just locking up the gate at the road to the picnic site and was quite happy for me to stay the night. Night one - wild camping!

Night two - Cuero. 80km. Dark rain clouds above so a camp site for night two, and didn’t quite get the tent up in time, so some things got a little damp. However, the rain in this area is more brief downpours, than set in for days, and in a very short space of time the sun was out, it was sweltering hot again and very humid, so everything got dry nice and quickly....and an early start the next day with a most beautiful sunrise to welcome the day.

It has been incredibly hot cycling these first three days and hence the decision to get up early and get most of the cycling in before lunch - the afternoons are the hottest, there has been plenty of water but the body can only absorb so much fluid. It can loose up to 4 litres of fluid an hour but can only absorb up to 2 litres an hour so there is bound to be some dehydration on a 4 to 5 hour ride - the key of course is to keep rehydrating when one has stopped for the day......but because of the heat one will continue to lose fluid even off the bike. Some nights in the tent, the camping mat is wet with sweat even during sleep, so one has to be very careful to get enough fluid.

Night three - Refugio via Goliad - one of the most fought after places in Texas with its nine flags representing the various ‘nations‘ that have controlled the region of South Texas over the years: The Spanish, French, First Republic of Texas, Mexican, Second Republic of Texas, First Independence Flag, Republic of Texas, Confederate States Flag and the United States Flag. Again loads of history here and I cycled away to the country music of Willie Nelson on my Ipod - I could almost see the mounted cavalry disappearing into the haze.

 And then there was the re- adornment of General Zaragoza - I don’t know the history but I guess they thought it was time to clean up his act!!!

But the next day I was in serious humour and wondered whether I should pop into my namesake village.

But on second thoughts, better leave it this time........

And heaven only knows what goes on here...........I laughed for miles.........

Against my better judgement, I decided to detour into Corpus Christie - I wanted to get a glimpse of the 'Gulf Coast' and there were plenty of 'camping flags' on my map, so I thought I would easily find camping. But again 'bloody' RV sites with no tent camping. Only one option - go into and through Corpus Christie and see what comes up on the other side. Well, getting into the city was no problem..apart from the wind, but getting out was a serious adventure as basically there is only one way out across the river without having to go about 40 miles around...and on a bike, no thank you. As it was, there had been a serious head wind coming into Corpus Christie - cycled for an hour an half at 7mph...going nowhere really quickly. Wind turbines - a cyclist's worst nightmare - well I suppose it depends on which direction you are going and which way the wind is blowing!!!!!

So there was only way out - over the bridge...and there was no shoulder to cycle, a serious incline and a really serious wind. I was halfway up and a police car thankfully came up behind me - he wanted me to hold onto his car and tow me up, but I have done this before and it is seriously dangerous not to mention with a full load on the bike. Anyway, I wish I was able to film it because he sat behind me, put all his flashing lights on and gave me a personal escort over the bridge. Thanks Cop!!!

But I did have a chance to check out the USS Lexington in Corpus Christie before dicing with death on the bridge!!!

Again, another age getting out of the city at rush hour - quite nerve racking and it was good to finally get out into the country...but of course no camping sites on the horizon, so I guessed it would be the first night by the side of the road. So, at 8 pm with light fading, it was a knock on a farmers door to ask if I could pitch my tent somewhere...........

Pitched the tent on the side of the barn, but a great breakfast in the barn and just beat a morning rain shower. But nonetheless an amazing Texan sunset.

So onward towards Brownsville, and I was sitting outside a Wendy's eatery having a milkshake (which I may add I have become very partial to after 3 to 4 hours of cycling in this heat...as well as smoothies!!!!), and JD Garza pulled up, we got talking and he bought me meal - wonderful generousTexan hospitality - JD you are a gentleman - thank you so much! It got me all the way to Riviera where another gesture of kindness gave me another 'free' night with an offer to sleep in an empty Fireworks caravan. A bit of a sauna, but dry...almost. Thanks Mr. Saenz - another good man. 

And then coming through San Benito, I just couldn't resist stopping into a Harley Davidson shop - what amazing bikes - entry level $8000 up to $30 000. No prob.

Forget about a Harley Cycle, what about a Hoppy Cycle!!!!

Now in Brownsville and have been down to the Bus terminus and get a bus through to Vera Cruz for $80...so will probably do that tomorrow or Sunday.

I will do another blog re my change of packing on the bike, so will leave you with a Texan Longhorn.

Speak soon - take care all and good to catch up.      

Equipment

Check out the Equipment page for a final equipment list and short video (Scroll down to the bottom of the page). Thanks Jeff!
Getting itchy feet again - eager to get going.....a few more days now.
See you in Paradise!
Hoppy

Wheel Building

Ok, we're getting somewhere with the wheel building. Pretty much everybody is out of the Mavic A719 rims even some of the private custom wheel builders. I have found some online from various outlets but not knowing enough about the specs myself I am not confident ordering them online.

Anyway, the bike shop has ordered me the following: DTSwiss TK 540 Rims 36 spokes - these are supposedly comparable to the Mavic A719 and they are specifically touring wheels, and I have read some of the reviews which seem good. So I'll go for it and see what transpires. I am going to do both wheels so that at least I have peace of mind that both are new. The hubs are going to be Shimano SLX HB M665 and the rear hub is 135mm - I originally had a 130mm hub on the rear which works but is apparently not as ideal as the 135mm. The 130mm hub is more for road racing apparently, while the 135mm is for mountain biking and touring. This is all a big learning curve for me, and is all very interesting. I have never taken any bike mechanic courses or product learning - I tend to just do the riding!!! We are going to use DT Double Butted spokes with brass nipples! Fingers crossed that all will be good....cycling through the Atacama Desert or the jungles of Bolivia! Mind you by the time I get here I may have had to replace the rims again anyway!

The wheels should be ready by the weekend, so it will be on the road again.

I am a little concerned about cycling through Northern Mexico. Apparently it is a bit of a war zone with the drug cartels. When my Nephew Devon mentioned to me the dangers of Mexico before I even started, I told him I was committed to the trip 'come what may'. Well I am not so sure. I have been researching taking a bus from the border at Brownsville through to Southern Mexico, perhaps Veracruz, and then take up the cycle trip from there. I think discretion is the better part of valour in this case, but it certainly would have been nice to be able to say I did the whole trip 'self propelled' as it were. We will see.

Otherwise, Austin is still great but very hot!! It will be a case of getting up very early in the morning to get the miles in before the heat of the day as I move further and further South - mind you, an air conditioned bus through Mexico doesn't sound too bad.

Austin

Somehow I feel that a mini milestone has been reached by arriving in Austin. Austin was certainly a fixed destination in terms of all the great things I had heard about it and also because I had decided to get my wheels rebuilt here, as again I had heard that there was loads of really good cycle shops.
I had somehow put a lot of pressure on myself to get to Austin and now that I am here I feel that that pressure has been lifted and the rest of the journey can run its course. I arrived in Austin on Thursday, having had a day off the previous day, with a good 130km the day before that! Got a little bit of heat stroke the day after the 130km so I was glad for the day's break before the 55km into Austin.

And Austin really rocks! What a fantastic city. Really pretty and with a great relaxed yet cosmopolitan vibe...and again everyone so friendly. It is big enough to have everything but small enough to get around fairly easily. And really anything goes here - it has it all, with smiles all round. It is the home of Texas University so has a young trendy feel about it.

Affordable accommodation was again a problem as I am sure it will be in any big city with many of the camping grounds being for RV's only, and the other camp sites being quite far out of town. To cap it all this weekend there was a motor bike rally so pretty much all available accommodation was taken up with 'the bikers!' But I found a great spot on "Airbnb' an internet site that people can advertise their homes for short or long stays. Eric and Bridget rent out a space in their garden for people to put up their tent, or Eric can supply a tent. He very kindly gave me a special offer for four days while I got the wheels sorted, and they are such great people with their two lovely dogs. So it is working out really well.

Well, except for the wheels. I sourced a really good bike shop and was amazed to hear that they could not find me the rims I wanted and they would have to order them direct from the dealers which would take 10 days....and then they would still have to build them. Anyway, I asked them to check out the rims and if they were alright to go ahead and rebuild the existing ones with new spokes. However, the message did not quite get to the bike mechanic and he went ahead and put on the new spokes and when I went to pick the bike up he reported that the rims were pretty useless......so I was a bit annoyed that he went ahead and put the spokes on....so, not good enough I said, find me some good rims and redo!!! And so we wait, with a bit of disappointment - but Austin is a great place to wait. I went to Barton Springs yesterday almost in downtown Austin - ice cold crystal clear water welling up from the ground, and relaxed in the waters - great for the legs!!!

And also visited the most amazing whole food shop - as big as a supermarket with everything you can think of under the sun - all organic and natural....well........! I could move to Austin just for that shop!!!!

Austin is apparently one of the few cities that is actually expanding in spite of the recession - there is a lot of major road building and construction going on, which in one sense I suppose is a good sign.

Very apt, I thought.

Still very hot days though - around 100F which is about 35C, and mosquitoes that can carry you away!!!! Got to have central heating here.

Texas

Had a good break in Natchez and set off through Louisiana. I was a little wary of ‘being on the open road’ after the quietness of the Natchez Trace, but I needn’t have worried......in Louisiana at any rate. There was a large shoulder on the road and the traffic was generally very considerate. I had had misconceptions of Louisiana - or rather perhaps I didn’t have any expectations at all, but I was more than pleasantly surprised. It was really beautiful cycling though all the farm land and State Parks and there was a certain wildness and 'untamed-ness' about it. There seemed to be a more laid back feeling and the people were very friendly...once again!

After the day’s break I was rearing to go and put in a good 115km on the first day, but after five hours on the bike I had had enough. I passed an RV park at the Outpost, but wanted to get that little bit further ahead towards Alexandria, so pushed on. After 15 minutes of course, regretting my decision as I was running out of energy fast and no sign of another camp site on the horizon!

But as luck would have it - camping 2.4miles....but off the main drag. I am always in two minds of taking these ‘off the drag’ detours - one never knows how much 'off the drag' they really are. Anyway at last, Sutton’s RV park........ RV hook ups only!!

No space for tents - Boo Hoo! Sutton’s RV Park is run by 84 year old Mrs. Sutton who wasn’t in when I arrived but her Manager Joe was there, and he very kindly found me a spot on the grass to pitch my tent for the night. When Mrs. Sutton arrived she allowed me to camp for free, gave me a ice cold coke and Joe and his wife Debbie invited me to their home on site for dinner. Macaroni and Cheese and Pork chops never tasted so good - what amazing southern hospitality, and what fantastic people. It is people like this that make a trip of this sort worth while and instills in one very fond memories. Thank you so much Joe and Debbie - your friendliness and hospitality will be remembered for ever. 

Joe and Debbie had done a trip up to Alaska in their motor home and we went through all their photos - I wanted to skip South America and head straight to Alaska!!!!! All in good time. It also happened that the detour took me through Alexandria much quicker and the two bridges and road works were no problem, Joe. Thanks.

Onward at the crack of dawn the next day for another 104km, trying to get to the Texan State line, but again didn’t quite make it. I hit Leesville hoping for a camp site - nothing. Push on and trust that something will come up. Pulled into a gas station where a sign on the door said ‘do not enter without trousers or shirt!‘ Thankfully I still had my kit on - no cycling in the nude yet!!! - and inside was the most beautiful young girl I had seen in long while who made me wish I was 25 years younger. She said that there was a RV park a little down the road...so with a longing glance over my shoulder (yeah right!!) onward again. Found a lovely little RV park where again the owner let me pitch my tent for free.

A late start the next day - there was a really heavy dew during the night and I really don’t like packing up a sopping tent. But onward to Texas - somehow I was really looking forward to getting to Texas - a bit of a mile stone or something, or maybe the last state before Mexico.

Made it to Woodville after another 100km - a small but really pretty little town, but again no camp site. Pulled into a RV park at 7pm only to be told no tents...and no luck this time. I was again running on empty at this stage but about 1km down the road was a picnic area which was home for the night. Not another person around and found a lovely spot under the pine trees.

These beautiful flowers were everywhere on the side of the road and butterflies all over the place too. I have to say that the roads are not quite as good in Texas as the other States I have been through and sometimes no shoulder...and the traffic is a little more aggressive here as well. The Texans are on a mission!

Got a reasonable start the next day with the prospect of pulling into the first Indian Reservation along the trip. Needed water anyway as there was none at the picnic site, but it was a real climb up to the Indian village, and I hadn't managed to replace the carbohydrates from the previous days' ride. They had a camp site there so went to check it out. Really nice along side a beautiful lake (Tom Big Bee Lake), and met a guy at reception (Indian) who said they were having a PoWow Sat and Sun so after the three hard days in the saddle I decided to stay for the night and recharge the batteries. However, the Powow was quite a few miles down the road and didn’t make it on the bike, but had a good days rest none the same.

Set off early the next day hoping for a good long day......and boy did I get it!! I could not find any camp sites that would take tents; well, one but they wanted to charge me $25.00 which I thought was too expensive just to put up a tent - all the other sites I came across were RV sites only. So I pushed on...and on....and on......and with the light fading made it into Navasota - a total journey of 172 km, 9 hrs and a sore arse!!! But some lovely sites along the way. 

As it happened, the $25.00 did not seem unreasonable as after a day like that it was motel time, so stayed in a Super 8 for $60, but had a good bed and a nice long bath!!! Ahhhhh! But you know, there is something amazing to experience if one but just opens one's eyes.....and one's heart. There, after a truly epic and monumental day was this...............absolute beauty of this awesome planet.

The days have been really hot - about 35 Degrees C. I don't really notice it on the bike because of the breeze and there has been a serious head wind for the last two days, but when I stop, it just pours off - hydration is a serious issue, but thankfully there has been lots of water on route......but few camp sites!!!!!!


The next scheduled camp site was only about another hour’s cycle from Navasota so an easy day today of just over an hour and then tomorrow will head for Austin - there is another camp site about 30 miles from Austin, but it will be another good day in the saddle. In Austin I hope to find a good cycle store to check out the wheels and rebuild if necessary and give the bike a once over.