I opened my eyes. Check the time. It's 6am. It's still dark outside. I check the weather app. It's going to be sunrise in half an hour. I slowly get up. Headache is gone. Yay!.
I check the Google Map for today's plan. Last night I wrote down entire Itineary of this trip right before falling asleep.
Fri: Home to Lake Fausse
Sat: Lake Fausee to Eagle Pass, TX
Sun: Eagle Pass, TX to Torreon
Mon: Torreon to Chihuahua
Tues: Chihuahua to Creel
Wed: Creel to Nuevo Casas Grande
Thur: Nuevo Casas Grande to White Sand to Balmorrea state park
Fri: Balorrea State Park to Houston
Sat: Houston to Home
Let's see if everything goes to plan.
Google Map shows I have two stops before I go to Chihuahua. Zona del Silencio and Crystal Cave. A years back, I read in the National Geographic about Crystal Cave being discovered. In the picture crystals were so huge that people looked tiny. It was fascinating and I remembered that it was in Northern Mexico. This was one of the trigger point to make this trip other than I bought a brand new S model Harley Davidson with two years of unlimited miles warranty.
I figured I will get to Chihuahua in no time considering the road willl be like yesterday. Well paved, tollway with unlimited speed limit. So I decided to take a detour and take a local road. Indeed local road was so much fun, run down houses, happy people, many people stairing at me as I go by as if they are seeing a Ferrari or something special.
If you are a man, I you head turned as I go by you. If you are a man and your head didn't turn then you are blind. This is how all people turned their head. I was getting way too much attention everywhere I go. Also could be a target. I analyzed that, they willl have to catch me in the open road where nobody is around. But then I will be too fast for anything to catch me. No gun law for citizens in Mexico. Plus, if you are ambitious enough to steal my bike, there are plenty of bigger fishes like SUVs and nice trucks. Second, you will have to know how to ride this big bike coming from usual 125cc's in Mexico. Third, only time I stop in the open road is when I am sure i'm the only one on the road. In the city there are too many eyes.
I've been enjoying this scenary of local road for about an hour or two. Then I wonder if this road will eventually end up at the tollway because I start to see less houses, less people, just farms. What do you know, the road turns to gravel. I go on it. It's way too bumpy. I've already noticed my front tire is going bold. This gravel road doesn't help at all. It will only wear it out faster. I stand up on two pegs like adventure bike riders. I feel uncomfortable. Too strenouse to my wrist. It's an unnatural posture.
Then I put both legs on the passenger pegs. Now too much pressure on my shoulder. Then one leg on the front peg, one leg on the passenger peg then I rotate legs, I now good. Some what having fun. Can't stop to wonder how long this gravel road is going to be, maybe I should turn around. I pull over and check the Google Map. No connection. I connect to hotspot of the nice phone. Connected but not loading. I pull out the nice phone. I got a text message from verion that I reached my daily limit. Msg came at 7:30am. WTF!. How did I use up all data by7:30am. What am I gonna do the rest of the day. Thankfully, preloaded map worked.
I came too far, more than half way. I don't have enough gas to turn around. Enough to go forward. I suck it up and go. Some truck drivers waive hello with smile. By the time I've gotten used to this road and thinking that no more small local roads like this. I brought a wrong bike of this. I start to see cars moving fast distant horizon. I get excited. Check the gas gauge. Quarter tank left.
Finally made it out of gravel road, got gas, drove straight to Zona del Silencio. I saved this place only because it had a cool name, then John told me that no planes can fly over this area. Gas station guy said there is "magnitude" here. That's why it's called Silent Zone. And of course, it's a gravel road. Let's just go up the hill. It's not a bumpy gravel road. Ok, Let's go little more. because supposedly main point is much deeper on this road. I see a gate arch and a sign. Ok I've had enough of this. I park. I take care of both my bathroom duties. Remain calm. I hear wind and insects. No sound of human. I relax here for awhile. Take pictures. Investigate what happened with data consumption. I changed setting, deleted many apps, turn off notification, looked into all suspicious possible data hogging apps. I should be ok now.
I call people in the US to check on few things, return phone calls.
Then all of sudden, I hear something. It's a vehicle. I hurry up and get equipped. By the truck shows up, I've just started the engine. Truck driver looks at me and continues to move on. I go the other way. It's becoming to be a sandy road more toward middle of nowhere into the desert. My bike don't do well in the sand. It's heavy, mean Harley Davidson built for paved road. I turn around. I head toward Naica to be near the Crystal Cave that's been closed after I take some pictures of the goat.
Naica is a beautiful small town. Very weird that there is a town so far away from everything. And! the road is paved all the way. Very bumpy. but not complaining for that condition after what I've been through today.
Leading to Naica, you can see large fields of land that's flat, filled with yellow grass. In distant you can see horses running, walking and eating freely. Using up this massive large land on both sides of the road. There was a military camp.
I pulled up to a mini store to ask for the Crystal Cave. I didn't know how to save Cave in Spanish. Can't use the phone since it's out of data. I said crystal cave. The store man didn't understand and told me sorry that he doesn't understand. Then he jumped and pointed to his water, "Crystal Water" bottle. No!.... "Este lugar famoso para..." then he jumped again and said "Cueva de Crystal". That sounded right. I high fived him. He said "pase dos cuadras, a la derecha" I repeated what I said. He said yes. I said thank you and left.
At my destination, there was a security check. People coming out of the gate were wearing orange jump suit. There was couple guys in business casual. I spoke with one of the guy about entering. He said it's closed. I said I know it's fillled with water but I still wanted to get closer and see. He says "no se puede" I take some pictures of the entry way, pictures around the town. Then I left to go see about those horses running freely. By the time I got there, there way too far from the road. I got a video of couple horses not knowing what to do with me.
By the time I arrived in Chihuahua it was close to sunset. The person I was supposed to meet up went MIA. I changed to my clear visor and roamed around town looking for a good place to sleep. First two I checked out charged same price as motel from last night but only for four hours.
Sun is now long gone, only the street lights are lit. I am completely lost. Don't know which way is North or South. Which direction I came from. Too many one way streets. I'm thirsty. I pull into Oxxo and ask a guy walking, "Disculpa, donde puedo encontrar internet?" he looked surprised like what you don't have a smarphone? He asked if I am looking for a computer? I said no I just need wifi. Then he says, Oxxo has free wifi!
And he was right. I found some motels. Called to verfiy price. Then I found a cheaper one than yesterday. $280 pesos. About $15USD. Jackpot. I go. It's same style. Private garage into your bedroom. They even have wifi. The person who led me in was very nice. He said you can go down the street to find food.
After I got situated, I went down to see only restaurant in this block. Prices are good. Two older gentlement eating, a man and a woman working the kitchen. I order some tacos. The man asks, "algo para tomar?" I said "cerveza" he looked me surprised and said they don't sell alcohol. Only the cross the street Oxxo sell. So I walk over to Oxxo. Bought three big bottles of beer because I didn't want to be the only one drinking, pretentious foreigner showing off. I brought beer and asked the restaurant man, if he has any cups. He says no. I said "como podriamos compartir cerveza? no puedo beber todo" I'm only going to drink this bottle. Rest we share.
My food is served. I began eating and drinking. They started talking. Still nobody touching the beer. What you don't like me? You guys don't drink? Too shy? You thought I was just kidding?
The man next to me, who is about finished eating glimpsed at the beer, I said "bebemos! Dale!" Other guy also says go ahead. He opens the bottle. Leaving one remained. I got the hint that he was saving it for the restaurant guy. Then this guy starts to talk to me in English that they are truck drivers. I asked if he drinks every day. Restaurant guy translates that every other day because both men are drivers and they take turns driving. Pointing to semi truck parked across the street at Oxxo parking lot.
Resturant guy and I began talking. He says he lived in Texas for 10 years. Pennsylvania for 4 years and Brookly. Total 20 years in US. He went go renew his driver license and then immigration deported him. That was two weeks ago now he is working in this restaurant as an employee. Other people didn't seem to have a clue what we were talking about. I'm down with my food and beer. I'm ready to go. I told him drink this beer. Return these bottles for the pesos. Because I told him sorry. He said "it's life" I shook his hand, I got teary eyes. Left him handful of tip. I left quickly.
I arrange my things, make sure things are charged up. Wifi is too slow to do anything with.
I check the Google Map for today's plan. Last night I wrote down entire Itineary of this trip right before falling asleep.
Fri: Home to Lake Fausse
Sat: Lake Fausee to Eagle Pass, TX
Sun: Eagle Pass, TX to Torreon
Mon: Torreon to Chihuahua
Tues: Chihuahua to Creel
Wed: Creel to Nuevo Casas Grande
Thur: Nuevo Casas Grande to White Sand to Balmorrea state park
Fri: Balorrea State Park to Houston
Sat: Houston to Home
Let's see if everything goes to plan.
Google Map shows I have two stops before I go to Chihuahua. Zona del Silencio and Crystal Cave. A years back, I read in the National Geographic about Crystal Cave being discovered. In the picture crystals were so huge that people looked tiny. It was fascinating and I remembered that it was in Northern Mexico. This was one of the trigger point to make this trip other than I bought a brand new S model Harley Davidson with two years of unlimited miles warranty.
I figured I will get to Chihuahua in no time considering the road willl be like yesterday. Well paved, tollway with unlimited speed limit. So I decided to take a detour and take a local road. Indeed local road was so much fun, run down houses, happy people, many people stairing at me as I go by as if they are seeing a Ferrari or something special.
If you are a man, I you head turned as I go by you. If you are a man and your head didn't turn then you are blind. This is how all people turned their head. I was getting way too much attention everywhere I go. Also could be a target. I analyzed that, they willl have to catch me in the open road where nobody is around. But then I will be too fast for anything to catch me. No gun law for citizens in Mexico. Plus, if you are ambitious enough to steal my bike, there are plenty of bigger fishes like SUVs and nice trucks. Second, you will have to know how to ride this big bike coming from usual 125cc's in Mexico. Third, only time I stop in the open road is when I am sure i'm the only one on the road. In the city there are too many eyes.
Then I put both legs on the passenger pegs. Now too much pressure on my shoulder. Then one leg on the front peg, one leg on the passenger peg then I rotate legs, I now good. Some what having fun. Can't stop to wonder how long this gravel road is going to be, maybe I should turn around. I pull over and check the Google Map. No connection. I connect to hotspot of the nice phone. Connected but not loading. I pull out the nice phone. I got a text message from verion that I reached my daily limit. Msg came at 7:30am. WTF!. How did I use up all data by7:30am. What am I gonna do the rest of the day. Thankfully, preloaded map worked.
I came too far, more than half way. I don't have enough gas to turn around. Enough to go forward. I suck it up and go. Some truck drivers waive hello with smile. By the time I've gotten used to this road and thinking that no more small local roads like this. I brought a wrong bike of this. I start to see cars moving fast distant horizon. I get excited. Check the gas gauge. Quarter tank left.
Finally made it out of gravel road, got gas, drove straight to Zona del Silencio. I saved this place only because it had a cool name, then John told me that no planes can fly over this area. Gas station guy said there is "magnitude" here. That's why it's called Silent Zone. And of course, it's a gravel road. Let's just go up the hill. It's not a bumpy gravel road. Ok, Let's go little more. because supposedly main point is much deeper on this road. I see a gate arch and a sign. Ok I've had enough of this. I park. I take care of both my bathroom duties. Remain calm. I hear wind and insects. No sound of human. I relax here for awhile. Take pictures. Investigate what happened with data consumption. I changed setting, deleted many apps, turn off notification, looked into all suspicious possible data hogging apps. I should be ok now.
I call people in the US to check on few things, return phone calls.
Then all of sudden, I hear something. It's a vehicle. I hurry up and get equipped. By the truck shows up, I've just started the engine. Truck driver looks at me and continues to move on. I go the other way. It's becoming to be a sandy road more toward middle of nowhere into the desert. My bike don't do well in the sand. It's heavy, mean Harley Davidson built for paved road. I turn around. I head toward Naica to be near the Crystal Cave that's been closed after I take some pictures of the goat.
Leading to Naica, you can see large fields of land that's flat, filled with yellow grass. In distant you can see horses running, walking and eating freely. Using up this massive large land on both sides of the road. There was a military camp.
At my destination, there was a security check. People coming out of the gate were wearing orange jump suit. There was couple guys in business casual. I spoke with one of the guy about entering. He said it's closed. I said I know it's fillled with water but I still wanted to get closer and see. He says "no se puede" I take some pictures of the entry way, pictures around the town. Then I left to go see about those horses running freely. By the time I got there, there way too far from the road. I got a video of couple horses not knowing what to do with me.
Sun is now long gone, only the street lights are lit. I am completely lost. Don't know which way is North or South. Which direction I came from. Too many one way streets. I'm thirsty. I pull into Oxxo and ask a guy walking, "Disculpa, donde puedo encontrar internet?" he looked surprised like what you don't have a smarphone? He asked if I am looking for a computer? I said no I just need wifi. Then he says, Oxxo has free wifi!
My food is served. I began eating and drinking. They started talking. Still nobody touching the beer. What you don't like me? You guys don't drink? Too shy? You thought I was just kidding?
The man next to me, who is about finished eating glimpsed at the beer, I said "bebemos! Dale!" Other guy also says go ahead. He opens the bottle. Leaving one remained. I got the hint that he was saving it for the restaurant guy. Then this guy starts to talk to me in English that they are truck drivers. I asked if he drinks every day. Restaurant guy translates that every other day because both men are drivers and they take turns driving. Pointing to semi truck parked across the street at Oxxo parking lot.
Resturant guy and I began talking. He says he lived in Texas for 10 years. Pennsylvania for 4 years and Brookly. Total 20 years in US. He went go renew his driver license and then immigration deported him. That was two weeks ago now he is working in this restaurant as an employee. Other people didn't seem to have a clue what we were talking about. I'm down with my food and beer. I'm ready to go. I told him drink this beer. Return these bottles for the pesos. Because I told him sorry. He said "it's life" I shook his hand, I got teary eyes. Left him handful of tip. I left quickly.
I arrange my things, make sure things are charged up. Wifi is too slow to do anything with.
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