Day 60 – Calvario, MX to Puerto Escondito, MX

Day 60 – Calvario, MX to Puerto Escondito, MX     10/20/10     Mileage:  365

I was up with the sun this morning and on the road shortly after. After two hours of riding I rolled into Acapulco and was surprised to find a huge bustling city choked with traffic, and not the quaint seaside resort down I had envisioned. I made my way straight to the waterfront and found a nice restaurant on the beach for breakfast.

Acapulco beach...

Acapulco beach...

Nice little restaurant on the beach...

Inside the cute beach front restaurant...

 After my huevos and coconut water, I high tailed it out of there for the less hectic countryside. The riding was good but average and the scenery was the same.

Passing through another dirty dusty town along the way...

and another...

Entering a military checkpoint...one of dozens I passed through in Mexico. They don't like having their picture taken, but they didn't notice the camera mounted on my handlebar.

Here's another military checkpoint later in the day...

The road south on MEX 200...

MEX 200 south...

Getting my fill of twisty roads!

It was dusk by the time I pulled into Puerto Escondito, and as I’ve been riding since dawn, I was not up to spending an hour searching for a cheap hotel that met all the criteria. So I consulted my AAA Mexico guide and they had 3 hotels listed, the least expensive of which was the Casamar at $42 per night. It was over my budget (as most in the AAA guide are), but wow what a nice place! It had a gated courtyard for the bike, an inviting pool and the room was great….complete with a river stone shower and full kitchen.

The hotel Casamar in Puerto Escondito...not bad for $42!

The Casamar grounds...

Secure courtyard parking for the KLR...

My room at the Casamar was great...

So after a dip in the pool and an overdue shower, I was off to the luxury of clean sheets and a soft bed.

Day 59 – Manzanillo, MX to Calvario, MX

Day 59 – Manzanillo, MX to Calvario, MX     10/19/10     Mileage: 336

 This morning I was up early to give the KLR some mechanical TLC while I had a good spot to do it.

Giving the KLR some TLC....

The road south today was again filled with twists, turns and curves…all which are normally great fun. The difference here compared to the US is the unpredictability of the road surface and any number of obstacles that lie around every blind corner that makes it nerve-racking. As for the road itself, around every corner it could turn from near perfect pavement to loose gravel, dirt or have a bike swallowing pothole. The lanes themselves are narrow and rarely have any kind of shoulder. So, run a corner wide, and you’re in the ditch or over the cliff. 

A deserted beach along the road south...there are too many to count...

....and another...

...and another.

As for what’s on the road, there could be a bus or truck in your lane either to avoid a truck eating pothole in their lane or simply because they are going too fast and veered into your lane! I had a number of these close calls and was forced to swerve to the very edge of my lane, while avoiding the other road hazards. And by other road hazards I mean rocks, coconuts, dogs, chickens, cows, donkeys, pigs, cats, goats, horses and any and every other domesticated and non-domesticated animal! Fences, leashes and other forms of quadruped confinement are simply not used and they are free to roam wherever they like. The herbivores seem particularly fond of the lush grass that seems to grow on the side of the road(where the shoulder should be), and the natural perch from which to graze is of course your lane. Other hazards include slow moving horse drawn carts, broken down trucks, bicycles, pedestrians, etc…all in the road because there is absolutely no shoulder. Sunlight faded before I could reach the next town, so I was forced to stop and look for a place to rest for the night. There was a grouping of restaurants right on the beach, and I asked one of the owners if I could camp on the beach in front of her place. They were already closed, but I did buy some tortillas (and beer) to make a tuna wrap with the tuna I had with me. So, after dinner and a quick dip in the ocean that would have to stand in for a much needed shower, I was off to my tent to be lulled to sleep by the crashing waves.

Sunset on my beach camp...