And so it starts..

And so it starts..

The bikes are all packed, the trailer is mounted to Jim’s van and tomorrow at 8A.M., we kick off to Las Cruces, via Benson Arizona. We had a final taco supper with daughter Meg & husband Michael tonight. Kudos to the chef..

This will be a ride via Aerostich Tours. Aerostich is a high end motorcycle clothing manufacturer & catalog company. They also sell all sorts of touring and miscellaneous motorcycle gear. Several years ago they opened a tour division and have a great track record. The Mexico tour had a maximum of eight participants, but we’re at five(Note: we had a participant back out at the last minute, so we ended up with 4) plus the guide and driver of the chase truck, so it’s a small group, and should be an easy group for the ride..

We’ll stay over at Benson, AZ tomorrow at the Best Western(I have a rewards card) and boogie on to Las Cruces Sunday early afternoon to meet the tour guide, Roger Pattison & the other three victims around 1PM. We’ll dine at a local hotspot and retire to ready ourselves for the Mexico entry adventure Monday morning.

More ASAP….

Day 1 Home to Benson AZ

Up at 6AM to shower, breakfast and read the paper before Jim arrives at 8AM. When Jim arrived, the kids came down and helped getting the two rather large bikes onto the trailer. I borrowed a 3 rail motorcycle trailer from my friend Scott Brown and the 2 bikes go on the outside two rails to keep the trailer balanced. With help, we were loaded, pictures taken and goodbyes said by 9AM and we were on our way in Jim's Sienna van with bikes atow.

Unfortunately we had light rain and then low clouds and visibility until we reached the desert on I8. Sun and high clouds accompanied us the rest of the way to Benson with a stop in Yuma for gas and a 6” Subway. Arriving at Benson around , we checked into the hotel at around 5PM, then proceeded to the local Italian diner. Woohoo, liver and onions for me(ate about half, farm boy portions for city kids) and Jim had spaghetti with Italian sausage. Both were worthy of Diners, Drive Inns and Dives, as was the waitress. We're now safely doing last minute duties before turning in for some sleep at the Quail Hollow Inn(Best Western). Nice room and good beds. We'll arise at 6AM tomorrow and try to be underway to Las Cruces by 8AM after a free hot breakfast.. Tomorrow we meet with all the tour members. Onward..

Day 2 – Benson AZ to Las Cruces

Early to rise and shower. Off to room 233 for the complimentary breakfast. Not bad. Some scrambled eggs, 1 sausage, 2 pieces of bacon, a small blueberry muffin and small yogurt with good coffee.. Got gas and were off by 7:30AM. Road is straight, straight and the thankfully a slight change of direction, then straight, and more straight road. Two hundred twenty seven straight miles later and we were at the Day's Inn Las Cruces by 11AM. Checked in, got settled and said hello to the tour leader, Roger, and the other 2 tour members, Don(small 250cc Kawasaki(hope he can keep up)) and Tom, who is on a big BMW. Jim & I got the bikes off the trailer and parked next to the others.

We all visited Roger, one at a time, to get our liability releases taken care of and give him copies of paperwork he'd requested. That done, we retired to the room for awhile and realized we were hungry. It was 1:30 and we'd had nothing since an early breakfast, so it was off to Eddie's Sports Bar next door for a couple good sandwiches and a nice view of the Baltimore, New England playoff game. The plan is we'll all go to dinner to get familiar with each member, and discuss expectations and cautions for the trip. More tomorrow from Mexico..

Day 3 - Las Cruces to Nuevo Casas Grandes

We were all up at 6AM and after a quick continental breakfast at the hotel's associated Eddie's bar & Grill, we each brought our belongings down to the bikes and packed for travel. The Dodge Ram chase truck had volunteered to carry one duffel apiece, so my clothes are all packed into a rafting type dry bag and stowed in the truck. Hmmmm, I guess I should have introduced each of the players before. Roger(on a VStrom) is the tour leader from Aerostich Tours and Ken, his campadre, the chase truck driver.

Jim and I, of course, are on VStroms. Tom is from Pennsylvania and riding a BMW GS 1150.

Don is from Wyoming and riding a Kawasaki 250 Super Sherpa.

Leaving at 8AM, we headed for the border via back roads.

Map for Day 3 to Nueavos Casas Grandes

Nothing special, just New Mexico farms with not much character. At the Mexican border station we presented our passports to the nice young lady at the appropriate counter and were given forms to fill out in triplicate, name address date-of-birth, passport # etc. Once done, we proceeded to the vehicle window and gave up copies of vehicle pink slip, registration, driver's license and passport, along with copies of the first document we'd filled out(off to the copy window for that at $1). Lastly, a credit card was charged $350 for a bond that guaranteed we would not sell our vehicle in Mexico and a $26 fee for all the processing. Finally, all the paperwork done and documents we had documents in hand to enter Mexico, all but Ken with the support truck. Seems as if there is a 7500 lb. GVW limit for “tourist” vehicles entering, and the truck's was 8800 lbs.. The truck does have this weight classification, but is not a commercial vehicle and was loaded to much less weight than the limit. This was not something anyone had checked in years past, so came as a total blindside.



The nice young lady would not budge, but did allow us to proceed to her supervisor's station 20 miles South in the outskirts of Cuidad Juarez. Of course it was 40 miles out of our way, but the only choice, other than cancel the tour. Soooo, we made our way to the commercial check station, past the outskirts of the city, a very deserted squalid place.

   On arriving, Roger and Ken proceeded inside and after several times accompanying officers outside for inspections, and simply outlasting the officials inside(they simply conveyed the attitude they would not go away until a compromise could be reached).

Out they came, after about 1 ½ hours, relieved, with the go ahead(please go away) documents. With that we boogied North to the road we were supposed to be on. We headed South then toward our destination of Nuevo Casas Grandes, stopping for our first gas stop in Mexico, then at a small Gorditas restaurante for lunch at about 2:30.



We boogied on again thru what was some pretty desolate, dry desert area, until 10 miles above our destination, everything changed. The earth tuned to farm soil and the land sprouted crops everywhere. It stayed like this into Nuevo Casas Grande, where we negotiated our way to Mayte's B&B Las Guacamayas, around 5:30.

http://www.mataortizollas.com/

We all parked inside the courtyard and Mayte came to greet us, directing us to the three rooms reserved.

We deposited our luggage, grabbed a beer and headed for a quick tour of the dining area and Mayte's pottery gallery. She is a local and world class expert on Anasazi pottery and has encouraged a talented assembly of new artists into what has become a world renowned group. She buys and sells their works from her gallery.

 We retired to our retired to our rooms for a bit of a rest and then all met at 7:30 for a ride to her favorite restaurant, Pompeii. What a meal. Shrimp salad and beef to die for.



Back in Mayte's van. We toured areas of N.C.G. The streets were absolutely empty. All working class families were home with their own and readying for tomorrow. No nightlife for them. Back at the B&B, we slept well, awaiting the next day.

Day 4 – Nuevos Casas Grandes to El Divisadero

 We were up at 6 for a 7AM breakfast in Mayte's kitchen. Just a measly thing. Coffee, cantaloupe, scrambled eggs with local chorizo, potatoes & onions in a creamy sauce and tortillas. She cooks too.. We did a quick photo shoot of the compound(including her mother's refurbed '60 Caddy that she plans to use as a guest taxi/limo, once the engine is repaired). 

Once loaded for travel, we headed out for our trip to the Copper Canyon rim and the hotel resort at El Divisadero. It was to be a long day. Winds were constantly on our right at between 20-35 mph, which made for an uncomfortable and pretty cold trip.

Map for Day 4 - Nuevos Casas Grandes to El Divisadero

We did stop for lunch in a very nice little restaurant around our halfway stop. I had a nice flauta plate while many had shrimp diablo. Underway again we hurried towards our destination, still accompanied by strong side winds and left the straight roads for a final, 30 mile twisty section to the Las Barrancas Hotel., now accompanied by a glaring, setting sun, in addition to the wind.

We finally pulled in around 5PM and got settled in our rustic rooms, all looking out over the canyon rim.



The view of the Copper Canyon Rim from our room!

Spectacular, but getting dark and time for dinner. We all enjoyed a brew(I've found Modelo Negro) and then had a mediocre dinner upstairs.

Chicken Parmesan was the best choice of a small nondescript menu, but was dry and tough. Not good. Oh well, the shower afterward was hot and the beds slept well for a late wake up of 7AM for a 9AM departure...

Day 5 – El Divisadero to Batopilas

Batiopilas, today's destination, is at the very bottom of Copper canyon, along the river.

The breakfast at 8AM in the dining room made up for the flop of a dinner the night before. Two eggs, sunny-side, refritos with cheese and a small cut up bacon dish fried with a chile sauce added, landed well on the palate, B+.

Off at 9AM, we backtracked to the town of Creel, to pick up gas and supplies for the trip down canyon.

Map for Day 5 - El Divisadero to Batopilas

Half way down, Don's small plastic extra fuel tank came off of his bike and settled on the yellow line in the middle of the road. Luckily Ken was able to stop and retrieve it. Supplies consisted of groceries for dinner and breakfast the morning after. Ken led the assault into the little market and we came out with beef(dinner), bacon, eggs, refried beans, corn, fresh chile, onion and tortillas.

Kenny's Dodge Ram at the Creel lunch stop



Lot's of fresh supplies for the next 2 meals at the Super Carniceria

As we ascended toward the drop-off point into the canyon, we noticed a rider coming the other direction at a slow pace. Shortly thereafter, Roger had turned around and was heading down toward the other rider. We assumed he was going to help and we stopped at the side of the road to await his return.

As we were chatting away, a Ford pickup came down, stopped and ask if all was OK. We assured them it was and they wished us well. Evidently a security detail. Roger returned and related that the other rider was his next door neighbor in Taos, who was touring the area. They'd been tracking each other via the Spot satellite tracker and had expected to see each other at the Canyon. Small world.

Continuing on to the drop-off, the asphalt ended and the dirt began. After continuing by a village, we encountered a “detour”. The road is slowly being transformed from dirt to asphalt, with the goal of paving all the way to Batopilas from both ends of the canyon. The detour was more like a semi compacted bed of baseball sized gravel and was certainly not a good first exposure for our trip. We made it thru the mile or so of this scary surface and topped out onto an undulating, narrow dirt track. The rest of the day was a real learning experience for the three of us on the heavier “adventure” bikes, with some silty, rocky and rutted descents and ascents. Note these pics below are from the areas we could take a break. We were too busy to do photo ops during the rougher sections.



And so it starts with a nice "freeway"




Somewhere down there is the bottom..




And there's the road to the bottom..




Taking a photo break,



until Ken catches up..




Here comes Jim



Then Tom..



And Roger to pass



Finally, the yet unscathed Ram



Following the..



..river

At a small outpost store with goats, kids and dogs, we met Mary,



Mary from Iowa!



who was from Iowa. She'd been there five years and lived in a house a couple miles back. Talk about getting away from it all, whoa...

We finally arrived at the Hacienda del Rio Batopilas Hotel about sundown in the canyon and dragged our sore bodies and bags to our rooms.



Jim, coming down the veranda for more luggage



Not much room for the bikes



The hotel is built on an old stone mining foundation.




The Rio Batapilas




Some foundation..



Jim & I are roommates for the trip. Out came the beer, well deserved for the day's effort, and we relaxed until dinner.



Entryway to our recamara(bedroom)



With stone headboard wall!



This bathroom is some amazing piece of tile work

With an amazing tub to match

All relaxed except Ken, that is, who had bent a tie rod on the big Ram diesel chase truck on a rather large rock. He spent the time until dinner trying to take the bend out of the piece with a large hammer. He also found the right front tire was flat, so put on a spare. Not a good day for Ken. He was able to make the truck drivable, but still would need work for full functionality.

The hotel at Batopilas was built on the twenty or so, foot tall foundation of an old mining operation. It is about 5 or 6 years old and an amazing place. The owner resides in Creel and has become too old to care for the Batapilas location, so Roger picks up the room keys in Creel. The hotel maid lives in a house next to the hotel. She cooked for the group last year and served in her home. This year she prepared our dinner, and breakfast the next morning, in the hotel kitchen and we ate out on the stone patio area. Very nice. Our supplies were transformed into a tasty grilled seasoned beef, a creamed corn with chile, refried beans and, of course, warm tortillas.



Dinner by lantern light



Skirt steak, frijoles, leche corn with chile and tortillas

 

We all retired after dinner and bedded down about 8PM for an early rise to what would be a memorable day of riding out of the canyon.