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Mexico

Apparently the picture I posted did not show up... Why does this need to be so darned difficult? I post photos at other forums easily.
 
2,400 miles, now in Chetumal, Q. Roo Mexico. It's hot here but thankfully the hotel has an ice cold AC in our room. The roads in the Yucatan are flat, featureless and straight - which makes for less stress, wear and tear on the bike and the 110 pounds of stuff we haul with us. My biggest concern is always the huge (54 liter) top case... why does Kawasaki limit weight on the rear carrier to 10 pounds? We must have 40 pounds. We've done this six times so far and the Givi keeps on holding on...
We get a lot of comments on our Maine license plate and the bike. It's a huge bike by Mexico standards. Mexican guys love speed and this old technology motorcycle catches their eye.
We are within a few miles of Belize... I hate to risk bureaucratic purgatory by crossing into Belize just to say we did it, so we won't.
 
who knows if the last photo I posted will make this forum... We rode from Chetumal to Villahermosa, past signs warning about monkeys on the road, past signs for Belize and Guatemala. 360 miles yesterday, which doesn't sound too impressive but here and at my age it's a full day with bumpy roads, police/army checkpoints, and the topes that slow traffic to a crawl. 
[urlhttps://photos.app.goo.gl/H7RaScZjBrBLiK7B9][/url]
 
The night picture was a taxi protest in Valladolid last week... must have been at least 100 cabs parked blocking roads. Today there was a woman/girl protest against violence planned nationwide. Some protests we like... like the rainy day on a toll road - it would have been tough getting my wallet out with all the rain gear. Approaching the toll booth all lanes had red xs, signifying the lane was closed. A protestor waved me through, gratis. Other protests like one in Chiapas years ago blocked the road - the only road for hours. We gave up and retreated. I did get to witness a semi tractor trailer backing up for miles at 30 mph... I know because I was behind him on the bike.
 
Hey Bill
When you're in the album, click or tap on the "i" that is encircled.  It will bring up the spot where you can add info for each pic.  Great pics!
 
I'm old.......but I might get really old and need some help.  Trying to keep karma happy! ;D  It's good to feel needed as well. :)  Come on now I want to see more pics! :beerchug:
 
No photos this post... We're in Morelia in Michoacan... Yesterday we had a 360 mile ride from Cordoba up a really fun twisty Arco North, two gas stations were out of gas, just rolled into the third and the bike stalled (out of gas).. Soon afterwards I did the check on the tipover bar bolts... both top ones were loose. Today I replaced both left and right top bolts and nuts in the hotel parking lot... Took two hours using only the factory tools replacing both missing nuts. The shim I placed in the left side, as directions explained had been beaten into almost a foil. Those darned front tipover bars have made this reliable bike into one that needs constant checking and too much wrenching. I do most of my own wrenching and those darned tipover bar top front mounts are really annoying.
Traffic here in Morelia is intense! Riding to the hotel yesterday was a real experience....
 
While in Morelia we made the decision to bug out of Mexico due to the worsening Corona virus news. The traffic in Morelia is the most aggressive and intense I've encountered ...ever. We left early to avoid the worst of the traffic and were out of the city by 8:30am. The first day we rode about 200 miles to San Luis Potosi. The Holiday Inn Express we usually stay at seemed to be not very busy although it did get busier by morning. I had to sign a waiver that we were in good health before checking in. Next morning we were out in heavy traffic by 7:30am and rode 280 miles to Saltillo. Just south of Saltillo there's a mountain range that highway 57 dissects. It's a divided four lane highway but still challenging. Mexican drivers are normally very disciplined about using mirrors - they usually turn on the left turn signal before they pull into the passing lane and wait for a break in traffic. Going downhill, passing lines of trucks creeping along with Jake brakes I was about to pass the last truck in line - on came his signal but he didn't wait and pulled out in front of me. I did brake fairly well but wound up too far to the left and the bike dropped off the 6" pavement of the travel lane and into a 24" wide channel with a Jersey barrier on the left. I didn't want to try climbing back up the 6" lip so we came to an awkward stop with the bike's tip over bars protecting our legs and the left saddlebag. This was probably the closest call I've ever had on a motorcycle. The wife got a little abrasion on her left knee and I a small one on my left elbow. The bike was still ride-able so I cautiously climbed out of the trench and continued on. For all the crabbing I've done about these bars they really saved not just the bike but our legs as well.
In Saltillo a kind hotel employee spoke with us - he was the last person I have shaken hands with and that was over two weeks ago.
Next morning we left Saltillo well before dawn and rode the 180 miles to the border in Laredo. We hit a top speed for the trip at 103 mph but mostly cruised at 90mph - not sure what we would find. Even in pre-pandemic days there can be a huge line of traffic waiting for US Customs. We waited about an hour which was not too bad.
Loaded the bike onto the trailer at the storage yard in Laredo and drove north sleeping in the car in Texarkana for a few hours. Traffic was a little lighter due to pandemic fears. There still was a lot of truck traffic. The tow vehicle - a 2019 Equinox Red Line was great - Many times during the ride I made positive comments to the wife about this car with the tiny motor that produced 253 HP coupled to a nine (9) speed automatic. It pulled the 1,500 pound trailer (car is rated to tow 3,500 pounds) effortlessly with very little transmission hunting. West of Nashville the car lost power and created a huge amount of smoke out the exhaust when I tried to start it. A wrecker came and towed the car with the trailer attached to a Chevrolet dealer in ****son. They were great, had to wait for an injector and then again for a complex 4 vacuum line assembly but back on the road in 4 days while the United States went deeper into crisis. That was tough, waiting and wondering if state lines would be closed or gasoline would become the next hoarded commodity. The check engine light came on after 20 minutes of driving - a partially clogged catalytic converter the dealer in ****son had forewarned me about. We did get back home (Maine) Friday afternoon and are learning to hunker down. It's not easy.
The trip to Mexico was a success in that we finally reached Cancun - a hoped for destination for most of the past 6 motorcycle trips in Mexico. Either 100 degree heat or rear tire failures kept us from reaching Cancun until this time when we had good Michelin tires and cooler weather. We rode just over 4,300 miles staying for one or two nights at each hotel. Our longest one day ride was 400 miles - which is a lot for a day in Mexico at our ages (67 & 62). Had we not wisely bugged out the next two weeks would have been laying around pools in Mazatlan where nice men in white uniforms bring us cold Pacifico beers at appropriate intervals. Those normally busy pools, streets and beaches are all but deserted now as I check by webcam.
Hopefully as Farmer Fran mumbled on the movie The Waterboy we'll live to play another day. Thanks for reading this (sorry for the length) and stay healthy!
 
That was a fantastic trip that you went on Bill!! Thank you so much for sharing your experiences and pictures/videos! A small group of friends and I may tackle Baja this year in the late fall.  :) Should be fun! Thanks again!

:motonoises:  :motonoises:  :great:
 
Quintana Roo is gorgeous. Wendy and I were just down tehre scuba diving at the reef. Next time we go we are going to Xplor park. We haven't been to Tulum yet either. Our two prior trips we went to Chicken Itza, swam in a cenote, ate Ceviche on the beach at Campeche, drank in Merida, and flew over to Mexico city to go ride bicycles in Chipotec Park. We rent cars and bicycles but mcy's sound good too!. We enjoy the whole Yucatan peninsula. We stay in teh big fancy Haciendas. These are the mansions/estates. They are ancient castles that are updated with full service. We get our own waiter and a bell on the table to summon him. Truly white linen service at its finest.

We do not rent Land Rovers or Teslas in Mexico. We just get regular cars. Trying not to stand out. I suppose if we did have a rolls royce or the like we could be held for ransom. So long as we blend in as common tourists that should never happen. So yes, a motorcycle seems plenty safe. The dangerous parts are the west coast, Baja side. Acapulco is dangerous. But the Yucatan, what a gem. If you fly into Cancun go to the only place that has real Cuban Cigars: La Casa del Habano Cancun.

When you rent a car don't let them sell you all the nonsense insurance. If they do then dispute it on your card when you return. It's the upsell....

Love Mexico, will go back again when the travel restrictions lighten up...
 
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