Riding my Motorcycle Through Central Mexico

Entering Mexico - Update 38

Tikal, Guatemala to Mexico

Crossing into Mexico was a milestone.  I was now in North America.  Saying goodbye to Guatemala was simple.  The aduana official waved me down and I left my bike by the road and we walked into a simple building and did the migración and aduana, with the same official, in one stop in a small office with old office furniture stacked in the corner.

For a while now it had felt that the further north I travelled the less adventure and appeal I felt.  That is not to say there was anything wrong with the countries.  But crossing into Mexico made me feel like the adventure was more behind me, rather than in front.

I rode 500 metres further to the Mexico offices.  It was a huge facility with plenty of concrete, large buildings and many officials.

Mexico did have a rule for the motorbike that was new to me.  There was a 400 USD security deposit that is paid to the Mexican Government when you bring the motorcycle into the country.  They then refund the full amount when the motorbike is processed out of the country.  I was able to pay with my debit card which in theory made the refund easier.  The paperwork was just the usual Temporary Import forms.  It took a while but I was now in Mexico.

As I left the building, there was an ominous storm following me from the south.  I seemed to keep ahead of the storm, but after a while it became obvious the whole region was being hit.  There were constantly fallen trees and branches on the road.

At times I was riding in some rural back roads and occasionally came across old signs that I think were for the Zapatista Army of National Liberation.  I wish I had stopped and taken some photos but the storm was giving me the willies and I wanted to keep moving.  I did meet a young fellow rider in Guatemala that said he had been stopped in this area by these rebels at a roadblock.  He had just given them a donation and rode through. 

After a while I came across quite a line of traffic.  I rode to the front.  An unfortunate truck driver had a tree fall on his truck.  He was okay apparently but the road was impassable.

Hats off to Mexico.  There was no waiting for officials to clear the road.  Somehow there was one guy with a chainsaw and he was rapidly getting through the tree as others pushed the logs aside.

Clearing a tree that has fallen on a truck during a thunderstorm, Southern Mexico

The man on the chainsaw is doing a fine job.

A crowd has gathered to help remove a tree that has fallen on a truck during a thunderstorm, Southern Mexico

Somewhere I had come across some comments about the macho culture of Mexico and it seemed to be on display here.  I must admit I felt drawn into it and wanted to get in and help.  But they had it covered.

A truck in the middle of the road, covered by a tree during a thunderstorm, Southern Mexico

I chatted to a few locals that spoke English, and then about 30 minutes later the road was clear and we were on our way.  Luckily our side went first.

Tacos for dinner Palenque, Mexico
San Cristobal de las Casas breakfast at a cafe
Hills, southern Mexico
A small truck rollover near Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Mexico
Small truck rollover near Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Mexico
A finely decorated stone church in Zacatecas, Mexico
Two steeples on a finely decorated stone church in Zacatecas, Mexico
Finely carved stonework on a church in Zacatecas, Mexico
Streets of Zacatecas, Mexico with old stone buildings
An old Spanish style square in Zacatecas, Mexico
Streets and shops of Zacatecas, Mexico
Streets and shops of Zacatecas, Mexico with decorative iron work balconies
The afternoon sun lights a town square in Zacatecas, Mexico
Córdoba snowy mountain, Mexico
Motorbike by the roadside looking out over hills, central northern Mexico
Mountains in the distance, central northern Mexico
Rolling green hills, central northern Mexico
Green plains, central northern Mexico
Dry treeless plains of central northern Mexico on a sunny day
Clearing a tree that has fallen on a truck during a thunderstorm, Southern Mexico
A crowd has gathered to help remove a tree that has fallen on a truck during a thunderstorm, Southern Mexico
A truck in the middle of the road, covered by a tree during a thunderstorm, Southern Mexico

My first nights sleep in Mexico was in Palenque.  The town is well known for its Mayan ruins.  Carne tacos for dinner.  My neighbourhood was a bit touristy but okay.  This is a tourist taco for sure.

Houses in a local neighborhood of Palenque, Mexico
San Cristobal de las Casas breakfast at a cafe
Hills, southern Mexico
A small truck rollover near Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Mexico
Small truck rollover near Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Mexico
A finely decorated stone church in Zacatecas, Mexico
Two steeples on a finely decorated stone church in Zacatecas, Mexico
Finely carved stonework on a church in Zacatecas, Mexico
Streets of Zacatecas, Mexico with old stone buildings
An old Spanish style square in Zacatecas, Mexico
Streets and shops of Zacatecas, Mexico
Streets and shops of Zacatecas, Mexico with decorative iron work balconies
The afternoon sun lights a town square in Zacatecas, Mexico
Córdoba snowy mountain, Mexico
Motorbike by the roadside looking out over hills, central northern Mexico
Mountains in the distance, central northern Mexico
Rolling green hills, central northern Mexico
Green plains, central northern Mexico
Dry treeless plains of central northern Mexico on a sunny day
Clearing a tree that has fallen on a truck during a thunderstorm, Southern Mexico
A crowd has gathered to help remove a tree that has fallen on a truck during a thunderstorm, Southern Mexico
A truck in the middle of the road, covered by a tree during a thunderstorm, Southern Mexico
Tacos for dinner Palenque, Mexico

I stayed two nights and walked into town and tried to find a SIM card the next day.  The neighborhood above.

My next stop was San Cristobal de las Casas.  The hotel was cheap at $40 AUD but not too appealing.  There was no breakfast, so I took a walk up the street and found a nice lady with a restaurant offering desayuno (breakfast).  Omelette with tocino (bacon) and cheese.  Corn chips with tomato and cheese (a breakfast staple), beans, fried banana.  The toast came with a homemade spread.  It looked like minced garlic but was actually minced pina (pineapple) and something else that I can’t remember.  Serving mantequilla (butter) is a bit fancy and a sign things are changing.  And fresh lemonada.

Breakfast was actually one of those classic experiences, and I wasn’t good at getting some photos.  I sat and watched the storekeeper across the street set up for opening and put out those boxes and bottles for recycling.  I watched six men struggle with a steel staircase that they were installing in the apartment above, that was to be turned into a BnB.  Numerous families rode passed on the family motorcycle.  I was still experiencing the Latin America culture at times.

San Cristobal de las Casas breakfast at a cafe
Hills, southern Mexico

The ride was pretty routine.  About now, another travelling motorcyclist pulled over while I was stopped.  He had spotted my Queensland license plates and was another Queenslander.  As it turned out, I knew about him.  When I shipped my bike across to Chile I was aware the company had shipped another motorcyclist a couple of weeks ahead of me,  So, as it turned out we had arrived in Chile about nine months previous and wound our way north to eventually cross paths in Mexico.  We chatted for a while, had lunch at a roadside stop and then went about our travels.

Around now I finally succumbed to Covid 19, I think.  I never bothered to get tested, but I seemed to have the symptoms and just bunkered down in a hotel room in Tuxtla Gutiérrez for four days.

The traffic chaos continued after I left Tuxtla Gutiérrez.  I hadn’t gone to far when I rounded a corner and found a small truck on its side.  I don’t think I have mentioned it before, but South Americans are pretty good at putting out hazard warnings on the road.  If you are ever driving on a road in South or Central America and come across torn off branches placed in the road, maybe even some rocks, be ready, as it is likely to be a warning that there is some sort of hazard around the bend.

Again the locals had jumped into action.  And they were working way too fast for my photography.  When I arrived the truck was on its side.  By the time I got off my bike and pulled out my camera, the white truck had reversed into place.  The front end loader had a chain connected to the small truck and pulled it upright, while the white truck steadied the small truck and gave it a soft landing.  Five minutes after taking the photo I was travelling again.

A small truck rollover near Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Mexico
Small truck rollover near Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Mexico

By now I had decided to push through Mexico.  Partly I wanted to get up to Canada before it got too cold and partly I was just not feeling it.  I think I was ready for a change of culture.  Mexico is nice but it doesn’t have the rawness of places like Bolivia or Peru.  Mind you, I am sure I didn’t give Mexico a good enough try.

Córdoba snowy mountain, Mexico

This might have been Pico de Orizaba.  I leaned out the window of my hotel room in Córdoba and was surprised to see a snow covered mountain.  Pico de Orizaba is a volcano and at 5,636 metres, the highest mountain in Mexico.

I did come across a stunning city called Zacatecas.  The city was started as a silver mining camp in the 16th century by the Spanish.  The architecture was amazing.  It was somewhat of a tourist town but seemed to only have local tourists which was nice for me.

The region is known for its mezcal.  It was interesting to walk into a mezcal store and see mezcal in a plastic bottle at 31% proof and selling for $5.  And then to see many other bottles selling for up to $100.

The afternoon sun lights a town square in Zacatecas, Mexico
Streets and shops of Zacatecas, Mexico with decorative iron work balconies
Streets of Zacatecas, Mexico with old stone buildings
A finely decorated stone church in Zacatecas, Mexico
Two steeples on a finely decorated stone church in Zacatecas, Mexico
Finely carved stonework on a church in Zacatecas, Mexico
Streets of Zacatecas, Mexico with old stone buildings
An old Spanish style square in Zacatecas, Mexico
Streets and shops of Zacatecas, Mexico
Streets and shops of Zacatecas, Mexico with decorative iron work balconies
The afternoon sun lights a town square in Zacatecas, Mexico
Córdoba snowy mountain, Mexico
Motorbike by the roadside looking out over hills, central northern Mexico
Mountains in the distance, central northern Mexico
Rolling green hills, central northern Mexico
Green plains, central northern Mexico
Dry treeless plains of central northern Mexico on a sunny day
Clearing a tree that has fallen on a truck during a thunderstorm, Southern Mexico
A crowd has gathered to help remove a tree that has fallen on a truck during a thunderstorm, Southern Mexico
A truck in the middle of the road, covered by a tree during a thunderstorm, Southern Mexico
Tacos for dinner Palenque, Mexico
San Cristobal de las Casas breakfast at a cafe
Hills, southern Mexico
A small truck rollover near Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Mexico
Small truck rollover near Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Mexico
Two steeples on a finely decorated stone church in Zacatecas, Mexico
Finely carved stonework on a church in Zacatecas, Mexico
Streets of Zacatecas, Mexico with old stone buildings
An old Spanish style square in Zacatecas, Mexico
Streets and shops of Zacatecas, Mexico
Streets and shops of Zacatecas, Mexico with decorative iron work balconies
The afternoon sun lights a town square in Zacatecas, Mexico
Córdoba snowy mountain, Mexico
Motorbike by the roadside looking out over hills, central northern Mexico
Mountains in the distance, central northern Mexico
Rolling green hills, central northern Mexico
Green plains, central northern Mexico
Dry treeless plains of central northern Mexico on a sunny day
Clearing a tree that has fallen on a truck during a thunderstorm, Southern Mexico
A crowd has gathered to help remove a tree that has fallen on a truck during a thunderstorm, Southern Mexico
A truck in the middle of the road, covered by a tree during a thunderstorm, Southern Mexico
Tacos for dinner Palenque, Mexico
San Cristobal de las Casas breakfast at a cafe
Hills, southern Mexico
A small truck rollover near Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Mexico
Small truck rollover near Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Mexico
A finely decorated stone church in Zacatecas, Mexico
Finely carved stonework on a church in Zacatecas, Mexico
An old Spanish style square in Zacatecas, Mexico

For me the whole personal safety thing in Mexico was a misnomer.  Like all of South America before, I had no issues.  There is no doubt the Mexican government is well resourced to manage crime.  I would regularly see the police displaying their firepower at checkpoints and with road convoys.

Later on, in the US I sat at the bar of a restaurant and met a man from Texas.  He reflected how his brother had been “robbed” by the Mexican police while he was out drinking at 2am.  To me that was just stupid.  Nothing good happens at 2am, in any city on the world.  If you play that game there are always risks.

As I headed north the country became less populated and hotter.  In Córdoba to the south I had been rained on and had temperatures down to 14 degrees, now it was close to 40 degrees.  It was a taste of things to come.

Motorbike by the roadside looking out over hills, central northern Mexico
Mountains in the distance, central northern Mexico
Green plains, central northern Mexico
Dry treeless plains of central northern Mexico on a sunny day

Leaving Mexico was hard work.  If you had a vehicle you needed to queue to get the vehicle inspected and have your temporary import permit cancelled.  In 40 degree heat, sitting on a motorbike, this was tough and took about an hour to get to the front.  Whilst queuing I had not been able to find any paperwork on my bike.  And with so many border crossings, I just couldn’t remember what I got when I entered Mexico.  It turned out I was supposed to have paperwork from the entry.  I still don’t know what happened to it.  This meant I had to line up in another area to get a copy of the paperwork.  It took forever and I was struggling from the heat.  Eventually the official from the vehicle inspection came in and waved me over.  He found my information in the system and took me back to the inspections point and processed my cancellation.

As a footnote, I am still waiting on the 400 USD deposit I paid to enter Mexico with a vehicle.  It is supposed to be returned within days of leaving the country.  This is the first time I have come across such a rule.  It is now two weeks since I left and no money.  I think I am bankrolling the Mexican government….  UPDATE – I did look into the refund.  The government responded fairly quickly and explained there had been system problems.  The refund came through about three weeks after I left the country.

Copán, Honduras to Tikal, Guatemala
Update 37 (July 2023)

Mexico into the United States
Update 39 (July 2023)