10.) From Chihuahua to Cuahtemoc

Getting through Chihuahua was tough. There was no signage, and we had to speak to the guys at the local Pemex to get us going straight. Good thing is that in Mexico, everyone LOVES motorcycles. Everyone wants to talk to you about them. Where you are going. Where you are from. How much it cost. (Always lie on the cheap side).

The road between Chihuahua and Cuahtemoc was a double lane divided highway - American style. Traffic was courteous and not too fast. The scenery looks much like the mountain areas around San Francisco.



Note the ubiquitous garbage and litter. It is everywhere. The country is very beautiful, but this eyesore is very challenging. I do not understand why Mexicans do not get the aesthetic of clean roadways.



As we approach Cuahtemoc, we encounter a toll road. When a toll road exists, there is always a free or "libre" road that passes close by. Usually, it goes through smaller towns whereas the toll roads are bypasses. Outside Cuahtemoc, we take the Libre towards the town of Anahuac. The road is beautiful, with long sweepers and gently undulating hills. Makes me want that K1200R again. Wonderful riding with little traffic. Unfortunately, I do not have photos of this area, but if you ride around Cuahtemoc, take the Libre to Anahuac, you will not be disappointed.

Anahuac is a moderately poor working class town. There is a fruit processing factory in town that employs most everyone. It appears to be a typical small size Mexican town.





In Anahuac, we rented a $12 motel room. It was wonderful. Different for sure, but definitely adequate. Here is a picture of the motel and the lady who runs it. We were the only two guests that night.


Notice how we lost the Canada stickers on our panniers!



That evening, we walked the main drag. It was a Saturday night, and everyone was out cruising. We noticed that men and women never mix. Groups of girls walk together. Groups of young men walk together. But couples do not walk together.

We had a wonderful dinner of tacos, hamburgesas, and shrimp cocktail. With three sodas each, our bill was about $9 total.

Luckily, by taking the Libre to Anahuac, we were able to bypass the sprawl of Cuahtemoc. Riding in Mexican cities is no fun. Nevertheless, even in cities in this area, traffic is courteous, slow moving, and generally not dangerous. The frustration of cities comes from the poor signposting.

This does change as one moves farther south. By the time you arrive in Mazatlan, driving in the city is like a guerilla tactic. I feared for my life more than once down south in city traffic. But not in the gentle north.