México: Parte 1

“We’re a long way from Florida”. This has become Ryan’s most popular non-expletive refrain as we ride through Mexico. Normally this is blurted out affectionately after descending a mountain pass, seeing a truck loaded with 20 adults, or watching women wash the family laundry in a stream. Occasionally, the context is negative, such as after a village dog chase, federale check point, or overzealous speed bump. But, Ryan tends to choose other words for those latter instances. 

At long last we are in Mexico! It was a soft landing in Mexico City – literally and figuratively. Ryan’s long lost Mexican City brother, Armando, and Armando’s splendid girlfriend, Kelly, hosted us in their posh urban apartment. It was a week full of catching up with great friends, non-biking day trips, needed route planning, and bike cleaning. I, and my newly lubricated moving parts, are thankful for the week off. 

Then came time to depart. We left before daybreak to beat the Mexico City commute traffic. That was a solid plan, in theory. Despite some close calls with taxis and city busses, we managed to exit the city limits unscathed. Then the climbing started. And it continued for two weeks. As it turns out, interior Mexico is chock full or mountains, volanceos, and valleys. Due to the stark topography, it is also home to some stunningly beautiful vistas (see photographic evidence below). 

We chose the low homicide rate route through the Mexican states of Puebla and Oaxaca. This happens to be the unofficial delicious food trail, and many mornings were spent parked outside roadside stalls waiting for Ryan to get his fill of tacos, tortas, tostadas, tlayudas, and other delicious tortilla-based concoctions. In the afternoon, Ryan would find a timely fruit cocktail full of mangoes, papaya, watermelon, etc and return to the bike a changed man. I can now see why he was so eager for this part of the trip. 

After thousands of feet climbed and descended, we finally reached the steamy Oaxacan coast. Ryan was thrilled to see the ocean again, and I was happy to get the mud out of my fenders. Parte 2 will pick up the story from the Mexican pipeline, Puerto Escondido, and take you through the Guatemalan border. Stay tuned.