NightShadow
Well-known member
I haven't posted a big ride in awhile so here is a brief outline of what I was doing.
I started out with a bud to head to the Dragon for the night.
The next morning head to Dallas for the night as was going to meet up with some friends in Houston for lunch
the next day. After lunch would head to Laredo to cross over into Mexico. From San Antonio to Laredo was a
monsoon rain storm. Had to make a stop for an hour. After that was just a very steady rain.
Once i got into Laredo it rained for almost 3 days - and i'm talking monsoon rain. ( I have video of it)
I get talking to buds in mexico and I find out that the road south is washed out. So now have to come up
with a 650km work around to get south. Some friends in Laredo picked me up and get a computer for me to do
some mapping and another one took me to border to do visa and bike import and from there out to lunch.
This is right at border and was flooded right out before I got there.
So a couple days later I am heading west through texas for my work around. When you get to border crossing
you just ride right through with no stopping or showing your passport. Just 5 mins across in Mexico my
brand new GPS died. Check wiring and fuses - nothing. Try my phone - nothing. So now what? Both not working
and don't speak the language. I'm screwed. I remember a couple of roads that I have to take so just keep heading
South and watching for signs for Saltillo. I have a friend there. I eventually get a cheap phone from a store &
call my bud - I just need to get to Saltillo and he will send some help. I get to town and ask some gas station
guy to talk to my bud to see where my location is. This gets relayed to a friend in town and 20 mins later he is
there to pick me up. I spend the night at his place and we go out and see the city core. Every town has a city center
that is usually very old.
My Rescuer
A few shots heading to town and city center
Before I forget the speed limits in Mexico are not like the USA or Canada. If you are in a tourist area they are
very strict but out in the other area's speeds can run from 140 to 180 or 190km hour. Most keep and eye out for
the Narco's (plain black pick-ups - Federales (white and blue) - Municipal (different colours)
So next morning I have 530k down to Aguascalientes to my other friends place. So my first bud rides and hour with me
south and lets me know to just keep going south and no turns and will meet up with my other bud part way up. So was
doing about 80 miles and hour and found someone going a lot faster then me. Let him go aways in front and then crank
it up to keep him in sight. Was at 100 mph to just stay in sight. Not 5 mins later I see someone come running out on
the road and this guy gets pulled over. I get slowed to 70 and keep on going. Approx 15 mins later I meet up with my
other bud at a gas station and restaurant. I hadn't eaten yet so we went inside for some late breakfast.
After something to eat - on bikes and heading down the road - not even a quarter mile his cable breaks for throttle.
So after a couple of mins he gets idea and found some wire in his side car. Well he wraps it around handle bar and
at the bottom on throttle so we could get moving. (we only had 150km to his place)
Well it broke about 5 times on way but we did make it OK.
This is the quick fix
Now the next day is off the bike to relax and also to get an oil change for the 1500 mile rally the next day
and has to be done in 24 hours.
This is Eric and guys bring there bikes to him from all over Mexico
This is the route for rally
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewe...0&ll=22.57604081907462,-99.67380229539867&z=6
We start the rally at 3am heading north and have to be at the top check point within 8 hours. Was 855km to get there.
Now with gas stops - tolls and army stops along the way it adds time to the run and there are lots of tolls where
time is wasted. In part of the run we had to go thorugh some mountain area and fog was heavy so had to slow down to
around 70mph but the rest of the time we were north of 200km hour. We got to the top with 45 mins to spare.
Just to let you know that a rally in Mexico is not like doing one in USA or Canada. You have a lot of one lane roads
to travel on and some are not in the best shape. I actually had a sore butt by the time i got to first check point.
Coming down the back side of route we had a long ways to go before heading on the last stretch. Sun was shining and
we kept about 160 to 170 average all day long. On the last stretch with just a few gas stops left I over shot it and
had to do a 60km turn around. Well the woman I was riding with made the gas stop and kept going leaving me there on
the side of the road. I wasnt happy but what can you do. So I turned around and went back and got gas as I would'nt
have made it to the next gas stop. So basically my 24 hours was shot. But I could still finish it in the under 30
hour run. Well from there I just took my time and finished off around 26 hours. The woman I was with finished with
just 15 mins to spare. So we both got it done.
The next day we headed to Guadalajara for another rally but this one was just 1000 miles in 24 hours. I should
explain the woman I was riding with in first rally - her husband is the IBA President for Mexico. So we are at EL
Garage for meet up and inspection for rally. They found me a guy to ride with (Alex) that rides about my speed.
So as the day goes on Alex is by my bike and looks at my rims and shows me the damage that was caused by the
rally the night before. I have damage in 2 places on rear and one is big and then find 3 places on the front that
have smaller damage. So they have a guy come by and he works on my rims for the rally.
A little primitive but he gets it fixed up
El Garage
This guy was attemping it on a 125cc
Was also a bunch of 200cc bikes - most finished the rally
The last 2 hours was a real monsoon rain storm - 10 riders
rode through it to finish.
Later on in the day they have a live band come and play for the night. Around 930 they get some guys to take me
to the hotel we are staying at. Shower right away and then sleep as had to be back at rally for around 1am and
start was 3am. Well woke up at 230am and no one come and got me or no one knocked on my door as there was lots of
riders staying there and also some friends that I knew from when I was there during the winter. Plus I was not sure
on how to get back to where rally was starting. So ended up missing the rally and sitting around till it ended.
The next day they had the presentations in another place with about 5 or 6 live bands playing the night away.
Couple of friends getting there certificates
After rally drink and listening to some bands
I started out with a bud to head to the Dragon for the night.
The next morning head to Dallas for the night as was going to meet up with some friends in Houston for lunch
the next day. After lunch would head to Laredo to cross over into Mexico. From San Antonio to Laredo was a
monsoon rain storm. Had to make a stop for an hour. After that was just a very steady rain.
Once i got into Laredo it rained for almost 3 days - and i'm talking monsoon rain. ( I have video of it)
I get talking to buds in mexico and I find out that the road south is washed out. So now have to come up
with a 650km work around to get south. Some friends in Laredo picked me up and get a computer for me to do
some mapping and another one took me to border to do visa and bike import and from there out to lunch.
This is right at border and was flooded right out before I got there.
So a couple days later I am heading west through texas for my work around. When you get to border crossing
you just ride right through with no stopping or showing your passport. Just 5 mins across in Mexico my
brand new GPS died. Check wiring and fuses - nothing. Try my phone - nothing. So now what? Both not working
and don't speak the language. I'm screwed. I remember a couple of roads that I have to take so just keep heading
South and watching for signs for Saltillo. I have a friend there. I eventually get a cheap phone from a store &
call my bud - I just need to get to Saltillo and he will send some help. I get to town and ask some gas station
guy to talk to my bud to see where my location is. This gets relayed to a friend in town and 20 mins later he is
there to pick me up. I spend the night at his place and we go out and see the city core. Every town has a city center
that is usually very old.
My Rescuer
A few shots heading to town and city center
Before I forget the speed limits in Mexico are not like the USA or Canada. If you are in a tourist area they are
very strict but out in the other area's speeds can run from 140 to 180 or 190km hour. Most keep and eye out for
the Narco's (plain black pick-ups - Federales (white and blue) - Municipal (different colours)
So next morning I have 530k down to Aguascalientes to my other friends place. So my first bud rides and hour with me
south and lets me know to just keep going south and no turns and will meet up with my other bud part way up. So was
doing about 80 miles and hour and found someone going a lot faster then me. Let him go aways in front and then crank
it up to keep him in sight. Was at 100 mph to just stay in sight. Not 5 mins later I see someone come running out on
the road and this guy gets pulled over. I get slowed to 70 and keep on going. Approx 15 mins later I meet up with my
other bud at a gas station and restaurant. I hadn't eaten yet so we went inside for some late breakfast.
After something to eat - on bikes and heading down the road - not even a quarter mile his cable breaks for throttle.
So after a couple of mins he gets idea and found some wire in his side car. Well he wraps it around handle bar and
at the bottom on throttle so we could get moving. (we only had 150km to his place)
Well it broke about 5 times on way but we did make it OK.
This is the quick fix
Now the next day is off the bike to relax and also to get an oil change for the 1500 mile rally the next day
and has to be done in 24 hours.
This is Eric and guys bring there bikes to him from all over Mexico
This is the route for rally
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewe...0&ll=22.57604081907462,-99.67380229539867&z=6
We start the rally at 3am heading north and have to be at the top check point within 8 hours. Was 855km to get there.
Now with gas stops - tolls and army stops along the way it adds time to the run and there are lots of tolls where
time is wasted. In part of the run we had to go thorugh some mountain area and fog was heavy so had to slow down to
around 70mph but the rest of the time we were north of 200km hour. We got to the top with 45 mins to spare.
Just to let you know that a rally in Mexico is not like doing one in USA or Canada. You have a lot of one lane roads
to travel on and some are not in the best shape. I actually had a sore butt by the time i got to first check point.
Coming down the back side of route we had a long ways to go before heading on the last stretch. Sun was shining and
we kept about 160 to 170 average all day long. On the last stretch with just a few gas stops left I over shot it and
had to do a 60km turn around. Well the woman I was riding with made the gas stop and kept going leaving me there on
the side of the road. I wasnt happy but what can you do. So I turned around and went back and got gas as I would'nt
have made it to the next gas stop. So basically my 24 hours was shot. But I could still finish it in the under 30
hour run. Well from there I just took my time and finished off around 26 hours. The woman I was with finished with
just 15 mins to spare. So we both got it done.
The next day we headed to Guadalajara for another rally but this one was just 1000 miles in 24 hours. I should
explain the woman I was riding with in first rally - her husband is the IBA President for Mexico. So we are at EL
Garage for meet up and inspection for rally. They found me a guy to ride with (Alex) that rides about my speed.
So as the day goes on Alex is by my bike and looks at my rims and shows me the damage that was caused by the
rally the night before. I have damage in 2 places on rear and one is big and then find 3 places on the front that
have smaller damage. So they have a guy come by and he works on my rims for the rally.
A little primitive but he gets it fixed up
El Garage
This guy was attemping it on a 125cc
Was also a bunch of 200cc bikes - most finished the rally
The last 2 hours was a real monsoon rain storm - 10 riders
rode through it to finish.
Later on in the day they have a live band come and play for the night. Around 930 they get some guys to take me
to the hotel we are staying at. Shower right away and then sleep as had to be back at rally for around 1am and
start was 3am. Well woke up at 230am and no one come and got me or no one knocked on my door as there was lots of
riders staying there and also some friends that I knew from when I was there during the winter. Plus I was not sure
on how to get back to where rally was starting. So ended up missing the rally and sitting around till it ended.
The next day they had the presentations in another place with about 5 or 6 live bands playing the night away.
Couple of friends getting there certificates
After rally drink and listening to some bands
Last edited:
