NOB, Ensenada, and Back, Barely: Saturday (long)
George Pollard
It was a dark and stormy night. No, it wasn't. Get a round or two on me
as I continue.
Seems we left off as I went to bed Friday night. You wouldn't be
interested in what happened there, so we'll start off by getting up
Saturday morning to a kind of gray day, cloudy, with the threat of rain.
I was up at 6:45, and lounged around until 8, when I gave Nancy a wake-up
tap on the door. That important task completed, I loaded up, packed the
bike, and wandered up the street to get a breakfast burrito. (Bacon and
egg, tasty but the sauce wasn't all that good).
Rich came out and we were discussing things of great social import when a
man came up, started talking to us and asked how the rooms were. Rich
told him noisy but didn't get into too much detail before the man
identified himself as the owner. We discussed the travails of owning a
motel right next to the beach (he had bought the place in August, had
completely renovated it, and was now re-renovating it) while we waited for
Steve Reyer to come pick up Nancy. Steve showed up, then we moved to the
courtyard where more discussions ensued until Nancy popped out, ready to
go with Steve to pick up her rental Sporty.
They blasted off and Rich and I rode the 3 blocks to TOPH's house where
the dregs of a netscum party were scattered about the living room. Some
were up, but others were still down. RE had absconded and was terrorizing
the neighborhood. Soon some of those that were up took off for coffee and
sustenance. Soon, Nancy pulled up on a black Sportster that was to be her
steed for the rest of the weekend. After loading and good-bying, and a
stop at the ATM for Nancy and I and a Shell station for the FTLMF (I was
on full, and so was Nancy, she thought) we were off for the border. We
got right up to the front of the line and were waved through without
stopping, but when we cleared the border we pulled over by the inspection
area so we could change some cash. I stayed with the bikes as RE and
Nancy went into the bank and changed dollars to pesos, at a rate of about
10 pesos to a dollar. It had started to sprinkle a bit as I waited, but
not enough to matter.
We pulled out and headed south, through the just-across-the-border
traffic, and found the correct roads. I was glad RE had been there
before, as he knew right where to go. We hit the toll road and headed
south. The traffic cleared pretty fast and it was a good ride, the road
not too bad, 4 lane, some curves, and once past the first toll booth it
was a limited access highway with exits and entrance ramps.
The toll booths were trippy. Traffic bunched up at them , of course, and
we waited with it until we noticed other bikes splitting lanes to get to
the booths. If they can do it, so can we, so we did. RE warned us of the
oily surfaces at the booths, and we were careful not to dump the bikes.
We had each given RE the pesos to pay the tolls, so he pulled up to the
booths and paid each time for all three of us, which worked well. The
toll was 24 pesos, or $2.40 US, whichever you wanted to pay, per car or
motorcycle.
After the second (of three) toll booth we were riding along at a good
clip, winding along the coast and up and down some hills when Nancy
started slowing down rapidly. I flashed my lights at RE and slowed with
her. As she came to a stop I pulled alongside with my flashers on and
Nancy said she was out of gas and at first couldn't find the petcock by
feel (it's in a different spot on her bike). She set it to reserve and we
hit the road, catching up quickly to RE who was stopped just down the
road. RE pulled in behind and shouted something to me as he passed me,
then pulled over in a little bit to tell me I had a bag that had escaped
it's bungee and was trying to take up permanent residence in Mexico.
After a stern talk to the bag and a restrapping, we were off again.
We continued on our way, enjoying the ocean on our right and the curves
and hills of the road. We came to the last toll booth, marking the end of
the toll road (and the end of the good road). We were then about 5 miles
from our destination. A couple of miles from the toll booth, Nancy again
pulled to the side, rolling down the hard shoulder at a reduced rate,
This time, RE saw my flashing headlight or noticed Nancy slowing as we all
pulled over together. Sportys don't go far on a tank of gas I guess.
After discussing solutions, RE found a dry coke bottle and took off to
find a Pemex station. After a short period, he returned with a half-liter
of gas and said the station was a mile down the road, on the left. It was
the first station we had seen since Nancy hit reserve. Dave S, I invoked
your name and your little bottle of gas, which Shirley would have been
handy.
After gassing up, (90 miles from our starting point) we rode into town.
We navigated directly to our hotel, but with one problem. They were
setting up the parade route, which was to come down the northbound side of
the street, and would not allow us to turn into the hotel. We continued
south, past the parade staging area where we got a preview of the parade,
without incident, although several of the floats were, shall we say,
distracting to the male motorcycle riders in the group.
After passing the parade we were finally able to turn left and head back
to the hotel, from the other side. This time, after several wrong turns
and U turns, we got to across the street from the other side of the hotel
where we were stopped again by the parade route, which went right by the
hotel. The policia on duty would not let us cross the street on our bikes
to get to the hotel, even though the parade had not yet started. He did
let us pull up in front of the cars parked there to wait.
RE went and checked us into the hotel, then some other bike pulled up from
a different way and went through the same thing we did. "We are going
right there (pointing)" " No, no." Then a police car pulled up and the
higher ranking officer decided we could ride to the hotel, so we fired up
and went the last block to the hotel, which had fenced, secured parking.
The room was adequate, if not huge, but it had room for RE's air mattress
on the floor, so we each had a bed to sleep on. The bar was right outside
the room, and Pacificos were 2 dollars. I love Mexico!
After settling in, the Mardi Gras parade was starting so we stood on the
steps of the hotel and watched it go by. Lots of young ladies with not
much on, salsa music, confetti tossing, and bead throwing going on. At
the end of the parade, we decided to go to get some food and drink, so we
fell in behind the parade. When the parade stopped, we kept walking, and
were soon dancing along to the cheers of the crowd. I felt like the scene
in Easy Rider except we were walking. Too much fun.
We found a sidewalk eatery, sat and had food, I had some tacos, Nancy a
tamale I think, RE had a hamburger because he doesn't like Mexican food.
Later, we went to Papas & Beer, where we saw an interesting way to eat
whipped cream, and to Hussong's, where the Margarita was said to be
invented. It was OK, lots of tequila, but far from the best Margarita I
have had.
Jocularity happened, beads were earned and distributed, Papas & Beer
bumper stickers were placed in certain places, and we were _this_ close
to having fun. RE won my award for the ugliest tits seen that day.
They looked better with the bumper sticker.
The rain was coming down a little harder, so we returned to the hotel for
a nightcap and to bed.
Tomorrow: The ride from hell.
John Ross
> It was a dark and stormy night. No, it wasn't. Get a round or two on me
> as I continue.
Will do, thanks.
<various snippage>
> I loaded up, packed the
> bike, and wandered up the street to get a breakfast burrito. (Bacon and
> egg, tasty but the sauce wasn't all that good).
> several of the floats were, shall we say,
> distracting to the male motorcycle riders in the group.
> The bar was right outside
> the room, and Pacificos were 2 dollars. I love Mexico!
>
> Lots of young ladies with not much on
>
> We found a sidewalk eatery, sat and had food, I had some tacos, Nancy a
> tamale I think, RE had a hamburger because he doesn't like Mexican food.
> Later, we went to Papas & Beer, where we saw an interesting way to eat
> whipped cream, and to Hussong's, where the Margarita was said to be
> invented. It was OK, lots of tequila, but far from the best Margarita I
> have had.
Now this truly sounds like a good time.
> Tomorrow: The ride from hell.
Uh oh, that don't sound too good. I look forward to reading it.
--
'02/'03 FXSTDI - Hal "Redux" '94 Buick Skylark - "Damn Car"
EKIII rides with me - http://eddiekieger.com
r.m.h FAQ - http://rmhfaq.com/
BS#229 MA
George Pollard
<snip my stuff>
: Now this truly sounds like a good time.
It was a truly good time.
:> Tomorrow: The ride from hell.
: Uh oh, that don't sound too good. I look forward to reading it.
I'm looking forward to writing it, but I hope I never have to go through
anything like it again.
--
George Pollard
BS235
"An organic pain collector, racing to oblivion"
John Ross
> John Ross <softai...@verizon.invalid.net> wrote:
>
> <snip my stuff>
>
>
> : Now this truly sounds like a good time.
>
> It was a truly good time.
>
> :> Tomorrow: The ride from hell.
>
> : Uh oh, that don't sound too good. I look forward to reading it.
>
> I'm looking forward to writing it, but I hope I never have to go through
> anything like it again.
>
"Looking forward to it" may not have been the best choice of words.
I am enjoying the tale, so far anyway. <g>