When a bee flew into my helmet and stung me on the eyelid yesterday as we cruised down the final stretch of Espinoza del Diablo (Devil's Spine) it was only the first negative point in an otherwise seamless first week on the road. Today my swollen eye attracts more attention walking around town than my blonde hair and 6 foot stature normally would.
Last night we arrived in Mazatlan -- 20 km south of the Tropic of Cancer. Not known as a quiet beach town, the road into Mazatlan was much like a traffic jam in New York City with livestock and buses instead of taxis. The road down from Durango, however, was some of the most exciting and beautiful riding of the trip so far. The Espinoza del Diablo twists and turns for over 200 miles -- at some points with three 180 degree turns in under 500 meters, and with one 270 degree turn with what seemed like a 15 m radius.
The only thing more numerous than the potholes and sharp turns on Mexican roads, however, are the animals-- horses, mules, goats, cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens, dogs -- and not all of them dead. One cow that was a little irked by us screaming by at 60 mph gave us a little head fake like he was going to leap into our lane just to scare the daylights out of us. It seems every town has at least three dogs that try to tag along for a ride, even if it is by hanging on to Zelie's pantleg with their teeth.
The language barrier is coming down slowly, but with a few funny exchanges in the meantime. Checking out of the Hostel in Creel, I asked, "What is the brief moment of exchange here? I'd like to pay in pain." "You like to pay in pain?" smirked the woman. "Hey Juan, he'd like to pay in pain, do we take pain?" "Oh yes" replied Juan sarcastically, "we take pain. How much?"
Later, as we left I thanked them by saying, "Many Greases for everything!"
Today, we continue down the coast to where ever we end up. Our plan to reach Oaxaca by Christmas is looking tough to fulfill, but whatever.
Stats:
- Close Encounters with Livestock - not quite 1
- Close encoutners with Bees - 1
- Close encoutners with water borne parasites - we'll see after last night's Margarita makes it all the way through
- Total Meat and Beans consumed - 100 lbs.
- Total Fresh Vegetables consumed - 0
- Avg MPG of El Cabroncito - 45
- Miles from Home - 1,800
On the Road,
Eduardo, Zelie, & El Caborncito