7/13/05 Mexican Motorcycle Diary pt.4

(continued from 7/13/05 Mexican Motorcycle Diary pt.3)

The road was in good shape, but the curves were indeed very dramatic. Luckily there weren't many trucks so I just took it slow. Until I started noticing a strange noise coming from my rear tire. I found a little grove to pull over, rest, and have a smoke. It was quite beautiful, but when I inspected my rear tire, it seemed kinda low. I checked the pressure and it only had 5lbs psi in it!!! OUCH! I can't believe I road on those roads with a near flat tire and cactus spines stuck in it.

I pumped the tire up as much as I could with my small bicycle pump, but it took nearly 500 pumps to get it up to 30lbs. I waited for about 15mins and checked the pressure again. Only lost 2lbs of pressure so I decided to continue until I could find a small town to get more air. The first town had a small Vucanizador (tire repair shack), but they didn't want to mess with patching a motorcycle tire assembly. But, they gave me some air and said I should be able to make it to RioVerde to get it repaired.

"Gracias, but how do you say Patch in Spanish"

"Parche"

Oh! Easy enough. ;-)

I tried to keep the speed down and made it to RioVerde. The first repair shack told me they could fix it, but I had to pay them first and they'd take me to the other shop across the highway where they do motorcycles. I knew I was getting taken with the 80peso price, but $8 dollars was well worth it not to have to learn how to do it myself. When I asked the guy doing the work what the cost is, he said $30 pesos... and that the other guy was a "cabron" who'd just ripped me off. But now I knew the real price for the next time and was just glad it was going to get fixed. Plus, I could watch him and see how its done.

I looked like it was enough work that if it happens again and I can make it to a Vucanizador, I'll gladly pay someone else 100 pesos to patch it. ;-) I do have a spare tube for the front and back, but since I still have several weeks to go, I decided save the spare tubes and just go with a patch in case I have to change it myself next time.

The tube had two cactus spine holes, but after about 45mins I was on my way again. The tire dude said the road was easy from there on to Ciudad Valles and on a motorcycle I can ride fast through the curves and make Ciudad Valles within an hour and a half. WRONG!! Maybe in the daylight, but at night and a cold dark mountain curves with semis and busses riding my a$$ through the curves, it took 3.5hrs of nail-biting fear!

I made it though, but decided to take a cheap room for the night here in Ciudad Valles. Xilitla is only about 85km more so after a fresh orange juice and coffee, I'll be on my way. The little hotel let me park my bike right in the hotel lobby by bringing through two long hallways inside the hotel. The hot shower was pretty sweet too!

more later, next stop Xilitla.

hasta,

Skip Hunt

(to be continued in the 7/20/05 posting)