snyper316 Posted March 14, 2017 Share #101 Posted March 14, 2017 It does go crazy every so often. The first time my wife and I went to Puerta Vallarta I bought $300 worth of pesos before we left, and I ended up with $100,000 Pesos My money guy said something was going to happen to the Peso, but he wasn't sure what. Right after that they printed the Neuvo Peso, and the old stuff was wall paper. Luckily we got back home before it happened, and pasted what we had left in a scrap book. I still think the printed Peso is one of the prettiest monies anywhere. You know my Uncle Bob lives in Mexico with his wife, I have a half mexican cousin named Roberto... But I have never seen a Peso.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Air Ready Auto Posted March 14, 2017 Share #102 Posted March 14, 2017 You know my Uncle Bob lives in Mexico with his wife, I have a half mexican cousin named Roberto... But I have never seen a Peso.... My wife is Mexican. I've never been to Mexico or seen a Peso... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condor Posted March 14, 2017 Share #103 Posted March 14, 2017 You know my Uncle Bob lives in Mexico with his wife, I have a half mexican cousin named Roberto... But I have never seen a Peso.... My wife is Mexican. I've never been to Mexico or seen a Peso... ¿Por Que No? http://www.focusonmexico.com/uploadedImages/Mexico_Topics/All_things_Financial/Banking_and_Money_in_Mexico/mexican-currency.jpg?n=5564 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Air Ready Auto Posted March 15, 2017 Share #104 Posted March 15, 2017 ¿Por Que No? http://www.focusonmexico.com/uploadedImages/Mexico_Topics/All_things_Financial/Banking_and_Money_in_Mexico/mexican-currency.jpg?n=5564 Por pue yo gringo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snyper316 Posted March 15, 2017 Share #105 Posted March 15, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condor Posted March 15, 2017 Share #106 Posted March 15, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Air Ready Auto Posted March 16, 2017 Share #107 Posted March 16, 2017 That was supposed to say "Por Que soy gringo" but I was tired and it came out wrong. Anywho, l'm a northern white boy and I got my traveling in while in the service. My wife talks about one day taking me to Zacatecas but that is reserved for after the kids are out. We both like it here in the great white north. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condor Posted March 16, 2017 Share #108 Posted March 16, 2017 That was supposed to say "Por Que soy gringo" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRider Posted March 16, 2017 Share #109 Posted March 16, 2017 We both like it here in the great white north. There's just something wrong with you guys. RR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyinfool Posted March 16, 2017 Share #110 Posted March 16, 2017 There's just something wrong with you guys. RR Must be the same thing that is wrong with you and I since we are all almost neighbors, I also like SNOW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfman Posted March 17, 2017 Author Share #111 Posted March 17, 2017 Day 21 - Canyon del Sumidero to Palenque I am slowly but surely decorating my steed's topcase. This is the only tru sign of a man's affection towards his motorcycle. Mexican roads are hard on the bike. Blown fork seals, leaking water pump seal, leaking gas tank petcock, broken odometer, broken front blinker, ever worsening exhaust leak from hitting topes, hydraulic clutch system acting up and finaly one of the two latches on my top case has broken off. If the last latch breaks, I will have to duct-tape it shut. [/url] Alarm system works flawlessly however. First thing I did leaving the hotel was to go check out that road that goes above the canyon. Apart from the occasional tour bus, it's a fairly nice road. The view is worth the trip. It is nice and somewhat cool up here but down below in Tuxtla, it's very hot and humid. Best not to drop my helmet here. It could be a long way down to retrieve it. There is an observatory project in the state's plans. It sure would be a nice addition. I ride back down to town, cross the bridge into Chiapa del Corzo and I pull into the boat tour's parking lot. Turns out some have come from farther than I have. I take a photo of this overlanding rig from Germany. I stand in line, buy overpriced water bottles and hop on a tour boat to enter the canyon (now flooded due to a dam being built) First stop is to watch this sleepy Alligator. The canyon offers safe havens for all kinds of species. The massive canyon walls protect them from humans and other predators. Here are some vultures. The sights are quite nice on this tour. Yes it is touristy but I recommend it if you want to apreciate the true beauty of this canyon. Don't you just hate these guys waving huge ipads around in the air to take photos? I was secretly hoping he would drop it in the water. Sometimes the boat tilts in such a way that I can get a good shot free of tourists. If you look closely, you can spot monkeys up the the trees. I would also see these guys later on my ride riding around in the area close to Guatemala. Hard to wrap my head around the fact that I was riding in snow and less than three weeks later, I can spot monkeys on the side of the road. Before this trip, I had never been South of Miami. It is my first experience riding in this type of climate and I have to be honest, I don't like it. The tour boat stopped at some kind of shrine. This tree looking thing is made by water deposits as it is filtering its way through the bedrock from above. We are headed to the end of the navigable waters here. In this heat, it sure feels nice to be on the water and to get a little bit of fresh water splashing onto us to cool us down. At this point we turn around and we ride back out. I recommend this boat ride to anyone traveling thru the area. The beauty of the canyon is better observed from the water. Ok someone kill him please. I will pay you in Canadian Dollars After the boat ride I headed back on 190 to reach 199. I stopped and thinking I had left my DSLR camera somewhere, I emptied all of the contents of my cases. Only to notice that the camera was under a shirt in my topcase. The heat and humidity is starting to get to me. I am becoming tired and cranky from the heat but from a motorcycling point of view this is a nice ride. Ten degrees cooler or on a bike that allows the breeze to come in it would have been a sweet ride. A problem I had in this stretch of road was that there were not any gas stations. Not having a working fuel gauge or a working odometer made this leg of the ride a little stressful. 199 was more remote than the roads I had been on for the last few days. There was a lot less traffic on these roads and I guess that was both good and bad. In some areas, the vegetation would encroach a little onto your riding space. These are more hills than mountains like back in Oaxaca. Good curves but less elevation changes and more humidity. Now was this photo taken in 2016 or in 1986? I am approaching Palenque. But before I get to Palenque, I stop at the Cascadas de Agua Azul No swimwear and getting close to losing daylight I spend a total of 5 minutes here. Just enough time to take a photo or two then I leave. The falls and the whole area is simply gorgeous. I ride into Palenque as night falls. I'll be blunt: I absolutely hate Palenque. The place is crawling with snotty backpackers. I am a sweaty, dirty, weird broke biker on an old funky motorcycle wearing a black jacket and jeans. In a sea of college kids in cargo shorts and bikinis, I stick out like a sore thumb and although many here speak English, I find it impossible to have an intelligent conversation. All of the hotels in Palenque are overpriced and/or have no vacancies. I settle for this place, Yaxkin Hostel. I pay extra for a private room with AC. After a shower I head to the bar upstairs and I chat with the only local in the place while downing a couple of beers. Then I head to my air-conditioned room for a good night's sleep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snyper316 Posted March 17, 2017 Share #112 Posted March 17, 2017 I would have jumped in at the falls swimwear or not!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condor Posted March 17, 2017 Share #113 Posted March 17, 2017 I would have jumped in at the falls swimwear or not!!! Thinking the same thing.. http://cast-aways.com/CONDORPICS/santacheeks.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragonslayer Posted March 17, 2017 Share #114 Posted March 17, 2017 Thinking the same thing.. http://cast-aways.com/CONDORPICS/santacheeks.gif OH NO, now I will have that visual stuck in my head all day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowpuc Posted March 17, 2017 Share #115 Posted March 17, 2017 WOWZY WOW WOW WOW = once again TOTALLY awesome read JF!!:thumbsup: Thank you for sharing again!!:thumbsup: Couldnt help but notice the Vee Dub in the wrong lane???? On a corner?? Or,, do those folks south of the border drive on the opposite side of the road .. Loved those breath taking Canyon Shots!!! And brother = look at those STICKERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:dancefool::dancefool::dancefool::clap2::clap2: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfman Posted April 4, 2017 Author Share #116 Posted April 4, 2017 Day 22 - Palenque to Cancun I leave the hotel and head to the ruins. It's very hot again today. The place is packed. The parking lot is completely full and cars have taken to parking on the side of the roads leading to the park. I look at the ticket line and the wait seems to be well over an hour. I decided to forgo the ruins. There's just too many people and I can't see it being worth the wait, at least not in this heat and in this crowd. Free of charge, there is a nature walk you can do there so I opt for that rather than the ruins. This tree is quite huge (see helmet set at its base for size) Nice little cascade there. After that 30 minute walk in the jungle(I guess it qualifies as a jungle?) I am completely drenched in sweat from head to toes. I am not dressed for this type of activity and I havent experienced this kind of heat and humidity in years. The only solution is to head back on the road: This is 186 Leading to Campeche. This below I am pretty certain is a highway crossing for monkeys. I did see a dead monkey on the side of the road a few miles further down 186 but I was riding in a tightly packed group of cars traveling at high speed(cant tell because the speedometer is out but I guesstimate 150kmh.) Needless to say I did not want to pull over for a shot of the dead money because there might then be two dead primates there. I Turned left at Escarcega to head North to Champoton to reach the Gulf Coast. I rode along the coast for a few dozen miles then I got on 180 to make my way to Cancun. I rode all day and at around 10pm, yes with a day and a half to spare, I made it! I have arrived at my final destination. Time to check into a beachside grand hotel and sip Pina Coladas until I pass out from the sugar high! I pull into a fast food restaurant with wi-fi to find a hotel. Is this Mexico?!? Cancun is an evil, evil place! I cant afford these prices! Massive sticker shock here. I call a few places and everything below 150$ a night is completely booked. It's time to pull out the guerilla camping tactics. With the help of Google Maps, I spot these two unbuilt dirt roads leading to the beach about 10 kilometers south of Cancun. I ride over to this first spot. The info on Google maps is dated and this whole area is now completely built into a gated resort. I luck out with this location however. Off the main road, there is an gate but there is no one manning it and it is open. I slowly ride through the gate and I then veer to the right to reach this dirt road leading to a small sea-side resort. I quietly setup camp on the side of the road there. The lights from the small resort remind me that I am close the property. Well that is sugar coating it... I am on private property so I have be discreet here. No noises, no campfires, no fiddling with the phone, no messing around with the bike. I quickly setup my 24$ tent that I had not yet used on this trip, cracked open my whisky bottle and sat down on my 5$ tripod chair and just looked at the stars. Yep just me, my bike and my tent. Pure bliss: I was happier there than in any hotel I could have been in Cancun. Below, the ride reports worst photo: The quality of this photo is poor because I took it quickly and covertly with my DSLR to avoid being spotted. It is the worst photo of the report but probably from the best moment of the report. The past few days had not been great motorcycling days(mostly due to the heat, semana santa traffic and the aftermath of food poisoning) but at that moment I remembered how stealth camping made me feel. It made me feel calm and rested. it made me feel like I was so far removed from my real life that its problems and annoyances could never reach me. Why did I not camp out more on this trip? This was a mistake, one that I do not want to repeat. I will never go on a ride again where I cant stealth camp at least some of the time. In Cancun, even at night the temps are still very warm. I could however feel a faint breeze coming in and looking at the moonlit sky, I could spot dispersed clouds slowly strolling high above. I slipped into my sleeping bag and quickly fell asleep. With a full day in the bank and camping just a few kilometers away from the airport, I had just one thing to worry about for the next day. Ok, now what to do with this motorcycle? It had made it but what to do now with it. The answer lies in the next update. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condor Posted April 4, 2017 Share #117 Posted April 4, 2017 Heck, I'd just ride it to the airport and park it. Give the keys and $5 to the baggage claim guy and ask him to watch it for you. Tell 'm if your not back in two days, it's his.... :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Air Ready Auto Posted April 5, 2017 Share #118 Posted April 5, 2017 Ride it home!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snyper316 Posted April 5, 2017 Share #119 Posted April 5, 2017 Ride it home!!!!!!! I second this, but without the hotels just you and the bike camping.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfman Posted May 7, 2017 Author Share #120 Posted May 7, 2017 Day 23 and day 24 - Demise of the 250$ motorcycle Amazing how well this bike has served me for this trip. This Venture was my first tourer but it wont be the last. I have learned to appreciate these bulky bikes during this trip. Alas this trip was hard on this old hunk. It was this bikes final day into my hands so I gave it a last look-over before hitting the road. The fresh seals blew on the very first day of this trip. I blame my mechanic and the frigid temps on the first leg of this trip. The seals leaked for the length of the trip but the suspension kept working as it should with no loss in dampening. This is why you never buy 10+ year old "new" tires. This Harley tire looked new when I got it but after riding from Texas to Cancun, the thread was starting to crack and separate from the carcass. This problem showed up a few days before the end of the trip so I kept a close eye on it and hoped for the best. The exhaust system on this bike took a bit of a beating on the Topes. About halfway thru Mexico, a leak developed down there and it was getting a little bit worse each day but it never got bad enough to make me want to fix it. Riding back towards Cancun I spotted a hotel off the highway. I pulled in and I saw a nice row of garage doors. A love motel! Perfect to work on the bike. I pulled up to the reception window and they have a vacancy and it's only 700 Pesos which is a good price for the area. This place is called Sensaciones Motel This motel delivers! Round Bed, chair, loft area and... Stripper pole! How does this work? Yep! But down these stairs is the "piece de resistance" Perfect! This is your final destination trusty Venture. But the day is early so I went to to town to eat and get my laundry done. Nice and tidy Shot of the streets of Cancun Cancun looks more like the USA than it does rest of the country After this I rode North of the city to hit the beaches the locals use. The access road in unpaved but in great shape. I reached the beach and parked my steed in the soft sand. The beaches here are a little rocky so you have to be careful when walking around and swimming I think I spent a total of 20 minutes swimming then I packed up and left. I have never liked spending a lot of time at the beach. I then rode south to reach Playa del Carmen. I had heard of a bar in Playa del Carmen that was owned by French Canadians so I decided to got check it out. Los Tabarnacos is what it's called so I pulled in for a drink and for some food. Hockey fans can watch the games here You have been warned! A few patches from local Montreal firehouses. The owner of the place was surprised to hear that I made it from Canada in March and promptly offered me a round (then a second) of Tequila on the house. I ordered some poutine from the kitchen and hung out there with the other patrons from my home province. After spending weeks in Mexico working on my third language skills it was odd to run into a place loaded with people who spoke my first language. It was getting late so I left Playa de Carmen and headed back to the Sensaciones Motel. When I arrived at the Motel, I put the bike on its center stand and after shutting the petcock valve to the "off" position, I let it idle until it quit running. Like a vet who was administering a shot to put a dog to sleep, I stared at the Venture with a sad an guilty look on my face. The bikes seemed to want to run forever, like it did not want to die. After what seemed like minutes, it started to miss a little, then the idle got rough and it finally drew its last breath. I then pushed the bike into the garage, looking around and over my shoulder, like a thief who was stuffing a stolen bike into a garage in a rough part of town. I shut the garage door behind me and I started the dirty deed. I first pulled the airbox from the bike. This gave me access to the carbs. Some ebay browsing had earlier revealed that these are worth a pretty penny on the secondary market. So I pulled this organ from the donor. Next I removed the coils and CDI from the bike Next was the clutch. I removed the clutch cover just like I had done at @skizzman home in Texas. I removed the Barnett springs I had previoudsly installed there. The mutilated beast: Not a pretty sight. I stuffed the removed brackets, plastics and fasteners into the right pannier. Last but not least, I removed my plate from the bike. I then went to bed. When I woke up the next morning. I started to pack my belongings to prepare for my flight back to Montreal. I took the topbox to my room and, to make it lighter, I removed the metal hardware that was at the bottom of the case along with the cushion. I then wrapped the carbs in a dirty shirt and put it in 6 layers of plastic bags to make sure not gas fumes or smells could escape it. This is what I would be flying to Montreal with. A top box loaded with carbs, CDI, Coils, and handtools and a drybag with my camera and my clothes in it. Rise an shine - The light of the day would expose the crime scene. This Iguana was perched on top of the protection wall of the Motel and looking at the scene. This is my first time seeing on of these in its natural environment. A tent, a sleeping bag, an empty gas can, a chair, fluids and Whiskey. These things I would abandon with the bike. I lined these items up against the wall of the garage. I then walked to the front desk and asked for the hotel's handyman. When he showed up, I motioned him to follow me to my garage. I told him I had mechanical problems with my bike and I was flying to Canada. In my best Spanish, I told him he could have these belongings along with the bike for parts. He immediately fell in love with the bike and started to ask for the papers and the plate. I told him "solomente es bueno para partes" but he kept asking for the plates. I had to be firm with him and tell him "no papeles" , "no placa" He still seemed happy about the free bike. I handed him the key, grabbed my top case and drybag and walked off to the side of the highway. I motioned a commercial passenger van to bring me to the airport. Only after I got in and paid, I realized he was not going to the airport but he dropped me off at the exit for the airport. I crossed over to the exit ramp for the airport and and a truck picked me up. I handed the guy a few pesos and hopped into the bed of the truck. I slipped my helmet on an took a selfie while riding in the bed of this pickup truck. Arriving at the airport. They dropped me off here and I slipped them some pesos for the ride. A shuttle bus picked me up about 10 minutes later and I made it to the terminals. I had a few hours to kill and some pesos left over so I ate a very expensive lunch at the airport while waiting for my flight. When I boarded my flight (a direct flight to Montreal) I looked around at all of the tanned vacationers in t-shirts and shorts. I stuck out like a sore thumb in my dirty jeans, motorcycle boots and Joe Rocket Jacket. Last photo of Mexico I made it home and was back at work the next day. Take away the leaks this bike was pretty reliable and required a level of attention that was reasonable considering its age. The charging and cooling system of the bike were top notch. Its cooling system was in fact better than on my Versys 1k which likes to run a little hot in certain conditions but not this heap. It was well suited for this trip. The weak points were the suspension which didn't deal with Topes well and the wind protection that was too good in this very hot weather. This trip was also very economical. After I got home, I listed my carburetors on ebay along the the CDI and I ended up getting 220$USD for the carbs and 180$USD for the CDI. Take away the 100$ battery I abandoned with the bike, I rode this beast for roughly 9000 kilometers basically for free. I am very happy with the outcome of this trip. I know my luck may not always be the same but I hope to try this again some time in the future. jfman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cecdoo Posted May 7, 2017 Share #121 Posted May 7, 2017 Awesome adventure! Thanks for taking me along on the ride!!! Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyinfool Posted May 7, 2017 Share #122 Posted May 7, 2017 Wonderful trip! Was glad to be able to follow along with you. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale124 Posted May 7, 2017 Share #123 Posted May 7, 2017 Hi JF. Like many here, I have been following this thread from the start, patiently awaiting the next instalment. This was indeed a great read on what must have been a fantastic adventure. Thank you so much for posting it with all the pictures and incredible detail outlining the story. I am in awe of you having completed such a journey by yourself. Well done, sir! Dale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condor Posted May 7, 2017 Share #124 Posted May 7, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragonslayer Posted May 7, 2017 Share #125 Posted May 7, 2017 Speaking for myself, I'd be interested in seeing a map with your route start to finish. Great read, great ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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