The Nomads

Whole BBQ Chicken 2 for $6 or 1 for $4.
Richard dickered with this man for 1 for $3.50

Left Tampico, Mexico at 1:30 PM

Temp: 34 degrees C

Sunny

Slow start leaving for Poza Rica. We are now on secondary roads so the kilometres are much less per day. There is an interminable procession of small villages and towns, each with their own extensive collection of horrible speed bumps and potholes. The bike is taking a beating and Sue is worried that we’re going to lose our baggage!

The quality of the gas has been a problem as well today and the bike is stalling at slow speeds, have to put in octane additive now. Stall on bad pavement or turns equals lay-down, four times in the last three days, Sue’s tired of falling off and trying to push a bike that currently weighs over 1000 lbs back on it’s feet! She’s getting better at it though, last time she pushed it clear over to the other side and I put my back out trying to stop it! Fun stuff! (and a little embarrassing)

We got stopped three times by the army, a little intimidating at first but if you treat them like someone’s brother or father or friendly neighbour they respond in that manner but if you look at them as an enemy, I’m sure they will be only too happy to oblige you. We’ve come to realize they are more curious about the bikes than anything else and the questions quickly turn to where we come from, how far we are going , how cold it is at home, etc.; a pretty friendly situation so far. And no problems with the police at all so far.

Roadside roast chicken for dinner and a long hot slow ride to Poza Rico. Met a group of bikers from Wisconsin headed in the opposite direction, said they had no problems along the way. We have yet to meet any bikers going our way.

Our quest for internet has made us a slave to hotels with hookup but the plan for the next few days is to go camping along the emerald coast from here to Catemaco, so there will be no communication or blog update for at least two or three days, maybe more.

We’re off to the pyramids of El Tajin in the morning, then to the coast.

Hopefully the road won’t get worst, we go from brand new asphalt to pothole city in a flash, holes deep enough to eat up a bike wheel ….and the ubiquitous TOPES!!!! (speedbumps, usually eight or ten in a row!) ….had to avoid running over an iguana over a foot long….

No bugs yet! Well, we did see the king cucaracha of Mexico yesterday…… that thing could have pulled a cart! He was moving pretty fast and out in broad daylight. He was big enough no was gonna mess with him!