Copper Canyon - Mexico 2001 tiger

[Montek]

John(with beer) and I are looking over the maps, gps tracks, milages for the trip.  Possible towns to stay in, fuel stops in the canyon, etc...




Dan being dilligent looking over the bikes

[Montek]

We drink, we eat, we drink, we sleep(pass out), wake early in the a.m and get ready for the trip to Mexico.  

Minutes before lift off

[Montek]

We head outta town at a rapid rate, just to beat traffic and get this trip moving foward.



After a couple hours of blasting, 80mph(130 kph approx) its a little chilly and we should get fuel for the beemers, 4.3 gallons is all they hold.  We pull into the fuel stop.  I have earplugs in, can't hear a damm thing, fill up, turn around to return the filler and hose and see this!!!!   Didn't hear it, but i did get a picture :D



Either the bike was tired and needed a rest, or john was trying to put low octane in and beemer said NO and tried falling over in a puking manner.

[kraftykarper]

Really nice pictures lads, makes me want to get on my tiger and ride !

Why cant we have weather like this in England?

[Montek]

Coffe for us, fuel for the bikes, and we continue on.  Bisbee Arizona would be the next stop!  Just a little break.  Bisbee is an old mining town and is built on the side of a mountain.(no pics, didn't think about it). At one time it was the largest city west of the missippii river and was in full swing before san francisco was established.  It is believed bisbee was the model used for San Fran.  

We stop at one of the mines for a leg stretch and pics of the toxicity!
 

[Montek]

After Bisbee, its off to douglas arizona, a border town.  And just across the Mexican border is Agua Pria our access point. The tiger getting its eyes,ears and throat looked at





Good thing these border chica's are easy on the eyes!  The 2 beemers got in without a checkup.  The girls were familiar with BMW.  None of them had seen a tiger and one who spoke good english looked at it as I was pulling through the check point and gave a thumbs up with a "thats bad ass" comment.  They just wanted to make sure the vin number was on the bike and that it matched everything else.

Just some good info for those wanting to travel mexico.  They Now require an importation permit and visa.  They Importation permit is a bit costly on the front end.  Here is how it works, and you need a credit card for ease of the transaction.  It cost $400.00, the bill your visa/mastercard or you can pay cash at the border.  You can, and we did, do all this online ahead of time and saves a lot of headaches.  Now, you must check out of the country with that same permit and bike, then you get $350.00 refunded back to you account.  DO THIS ONLINE AHEAD OF TIME.  The place where you do this at the border may be closed, or computers down, or a line(long line) you have to wait in.  We were checked in, viza's stamped and on our way in less than 10 minutes.  We also bought vehicle insurance on line.  This is not required!!!  However, if you have an accident and do not have ins., you get to be guest of the local policia jail house until fault is declared and fines are paid - could be weeks or months.  With inssurance, you may not get to leave right away, but you do get to hang out in a hotel and walk around town, or ride a buss some where else as long as they know where you are.

[Montek]

The afternoon ride in mex was wonderful.  Heading for our nights destination



The first road side rest stop we come to as we start to enter the mountains of mexico





The cool thing about mex rest stops is they come complete with seating and grill

[Montek]

Back on the road after a butt break



Anther 100 miles down the road and we find a nice little place for coca-cola refreshments





Back on the road to the next little town



Its getting along in the day and we need to start thinking about shelter for the night



I pull up to John take a pic and start communicating by way of goofy hand jestures and --- he gets it --- wtf.

[Montek]

Rode into a village called Gomez Ferias.  Not far into town we found this nice place with secure parking and a resturant all in one









Not bad digs for the night.  500 pesos for the 3 of us.  Thats only $13.88 us dollars - we'd be losing money if we didn't stay here

[Montek]

We strip                          I know what your thinking, and no, its not that kind of trip.


We strip off our gear and head to the resturante for beer



and food



OOOHHH YAAAA!! thats fresh shrimp in a kick ass hot sauce.  First meal in mexico and it was delicious.  more beers helped the sore ass and cool the mouth down a bit.  

My grandpa told me many years ago, never-ever eat hot, spicey food with out following up with ice cream.   That way, the next day whilest sitting on the procelain throne, you are thinking "come on ice cream, come on ice cream" :D

Today's ride  - Phoenix to Gomez Ferias little over 500 miles

[zadok_oz]

Well done, chaps.

[Montek]

Day 2 starts out with a brisk temp of 29 degree F.  a bit chilly and heated grips are on full blast



We ride about 60 miles to a town called Guerroerro.  John had been down this way previously and stayed several days in Guerroerro.  Met some really nice folks here.  In particular was a young man and his family.  They own a resurant and hotel.  It was Easter Sunday and the young man had taken the family to his wifes home town.  BUT, his ma and pa were holding down the resturant.  Now, Mom is trained in the culinary arts and is toprated chef in mex.  

A pic outside the resturant





And breakfast.  Pops came over just as we were to order and gave us the inside info for breakfast.  He informed us that the chile releno's had just come out of the oven, and that they are best fresh - he was right - never had them fresh out of the fire, spectacular taste!  Both Ma and Pa are well educated and spoke english very well.  They visited with us for a time and wondered if maybe more gringo's were coming.  Since the financial fall in the U.S. and the drug cartels doing there thing, gringos have stopped travelling there and has really put a hurt on tourism.  They were so happy to see us and so hope for more travellers.

Breakfast - and the coffee was awesome

[Montek]

The riding continued.




Guerroerro is known for its apple growing.  Kinda like washington state here in the U.S. .  Here are a bunch of new little growers





on with the riding.  By the way, I live in an area covered with mountain twisties to ride. Both tarmac and dirt.  I have to say the area we rode was by far some of the best twisties on tarmac I have ever been.  

[Mustang]

ummmm...........Mexican coca cola's , still made with huge qty's of good ol sugar, woot

[Montek]

ummmm...........Mexican coca cola's , still made with huge qty's of good ol sugar, woot

Its so stinken good!!!  Fanta orange and strwberry are the shit now.  pure raw, unrefined sugar makes these drinks super tasty