The Nomads

Left Acapulco, Guerrera Province, Mexico
Temp: 35 degrees C
Sunny, Humid, then rain/Hail

We left early hoping to take the cuotas far and as fast as possible to make up for the long delay.

Because of the broken bolt flange on the underside of the engine we have developed an oil leak and the dealer pointed out the obvious, that one more bad hit on a tope and our trip is done! We have decided to cancel plans to finish the rest of the Mexican pacific as it is almost all tope country and are heading to Mexico and north via the cuotas (toll hwys.) instead.

It was very warm when we left but within two hours we were cold enough to stop and put on coats. From then on it was cloudy or foggy, or rainy, or hail and wind. Thank heavens the road was good.

And the new tires performed wonderfully. There were times when the water and hail on the road was more than deep enough to cause problems, and more than one vehicle was pulling over, but the bike kept tracking really well!

We made it to Mexico city by 1:30 and spent the next three and a half hours bumper to bumper in first and second gear on a straight line north through the city! I might have gotten into third gear once for a minute or two, but the bike didn’t see fourth or fifth gear until twenty after four! Avoid at all cost! Incredibly poor signage and insane drivers!

We finally called it quits after the hailstorm and the heavy wind and rain squalls around six thirty at the Holiday Inn (cheapest) in Santiago de Querétaro after checking prices at three other hotels.

We were exhausted and I think I was asleep by eight.

Kilometres - Daytrip: 585 km total: 18,066
Gas: $ 32.60
Tolls: $38 - and worth every penny!
Lodging: Holiday Inn $ 82 +tx?

# posted by Richard and Susie @ 7:59 PM