While in Veracruz I met with a fellow motorcycle enthusiast and Canadian named Mike. Mike has lived in Mexico for many years and was a great source of information not only on Mexico but riding in Mexico as well. We discussed my concerns as well as my planned route.
With mikes advice I decided to take highway 175 towards Oaxaca. This turned out to be one of the best rides ever. I passed through a few small towns that time has forgotten. I watched men using horses, women washing clothes in the river and not a tourist in site. Some of the small towns along the way even had coble stone streets, which make for fun riding.
The scenery was amazing, rolling green hills, palm trees and by noon I had reached the town of Tuxtepec, which if it had not been for the numerous Topes (speed bumps) I might have stayed and had lunch. After Tuxtepec I started to climb the mountains that were before me. I had finally left these dames Topes behind and the riding was fun again. I constant climb of twists, sharp turns and no guard rail. On two occasions a large truck came the other way using both lanes, a frightening thing but we managed to avoid a collision. The higher I climbed the cooler it became, some rain started and at one point I had to zip up my jacket. A few things made it hard to relax, take photos and enjoy the scenery, first were the twists and turns that needed all my attention, second was the road construction (some being attended to others just left for another day) and finally were the dogs. In the middle of nowhere there would be a home or small restaurant with a nasty dog who like to chase motorcycles. The only way to get around them was to accelerate into one to those hairpin turns, scary but fun, fun once it’s over. The last thing I need out here is a dog bite, I am sure they have not had their shots.
Descending was as much fun as was the climb. I had been feeling a bit tired as this highway took all of my concentration so I was hoping to see a hotel soon, but there had not been a sign for hours. Finally a Topes, then another one and another, I, must be getting close to a town. A gas station was the first thing to appear, so I filled up and got directions to the only hotel in town and for $23 and secure parking for the bike I called it a night, only 60 kilometers from Oaxaca.
