Mexico trip report

[andydavis]

I just got back from about two months in Mexico. This is my fourth year to make the trip. The first two on my old Honda ST1300 (not an excellent Mexico bike) and the last two on my 2009 R1200RT, "Che". The route was basically from SF Bay area down the Pacific coast of Mexico to Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca. I was going to go further but Che was getting a little dinged up and I lost my bank card in Puerto Escondido (Por lo tanto, estaba un poco desanimado). I came back through Puebla and Mexico, making a stop to see some friends in San Miguel de Allende. Then I went back to Mazatlan and took the ferry (horrible) to La Paz. Finally, from La Paz up to Mexicali and then home. Total about 6500 miles.

Mexican autopistas can be great (though expensive) and Che was amazingly great for the trip, except for the bent wheel and a blown fork seal. It is well known that Mexico has a less than perfect road system and is famous for the unexpected and wheel crushing potholes (pinche baches). Here's a picture of the wheel after the trip (I'm taking it to a shop tomorrow...hopefully, they can make it right). Definitely, a GS is the bike of choice down there. I often saw organized groups with half a dozen GS's, Ducati's and other big ADV bikes, but hardly any RT's...and definitely no foreigners on them. I've maybe seen two or three in the last four years.

I also stuck in some links to videos I made with my little selfie drone, which I think are kind of cool.





[attachment=0]wheel.jpg[/attachment]

The wheel is at a shop in Waalnut Creek getting straightened...I'll post a picture after I get it back

[Strat Tuner]

South from San Francisco on Interstate 5? Wow , there's some great riding there!

I've never liked Highway 1. It's great if your a passenger, but if you're stearing, 100% of your attention is focused on the painted lines, and you don't see much scenery!

What Interstate did you take into Mexico?

[andydavis]

I-5 to San Diego, then 94 the last little bit over to Tecate. On the way back, I crossed at Mexicali and came back on I-10, then on 5.