In order to meet Lalo I had to ride hundreds of miles/kilometers through mountain passes, highways, towns etc....  it was a two day ride.  I loved the one I am sharing with you on the video.  This picture is somewhere along the road that I just stopped to get some rest.  After all, sometimes those turns can be exhausting as it was around 110F/43 C.  Let's not forget, I wear full gear when I do runs like that.

Video on my way to meet Lalo at a gas station.  This video is only a small fraction of how the roads were.  Can you feel the bumpy road?  Cracks on roads, rocks, potholes (some could swallow my entire bike), cement, animals on road, loose gravel.  I learned how to be ride my bike around all those elements, plus many, many more road hazards.  My bike took a beating and she is still in amazing health with her 45k miles.  I've had the bike for 3 short summer seasons and bought her new.  Quite a bit of riding to say the least.


 

Look how dirty my bike was.  I was also caught in quite a bit of rain in those mountains and highways.  I decided to take the video because it was a nice calm sunny hot day to share with you.

Then, while waiting at the gas station, as usual, the men would come talk to me and keep me company.  Even though I was alone at least the men were nice.  He told me all about his town, cannot remember where but it was in the southern part of Mexico.

This blog entry with be split up into many, not sure how many of of today, September 17, 2012.  I have been writing random blogs with no order during my ride to Central America because sometimes that is the way my brain works.  I have so much material to write about the ride, sometimes I cannot decide what part of a specific country to write about, so eventually, I will share them all.

Today, is to introduce Lalo.  He was my rescuer until he rear ended an SUV in Monterrey Mexico.  I kept calling him my angel and so happy he survived that accident.  His accident blog will come last because the next series of blogs will be about my travel through Mexico with him and his friends.

Why is Lalo a hero?  Well, when I was abandoned at the border of Mexico and Guatemala, he rode about 800 miles/1,300 kilometers to find me.  It took him 2 days to get to my destination.  When I saw him pulling into the gas station while I waited alone, I felt like I had seen a "knight in shining armor".  Lalo, my rescuer!!! I gave him the biggest hug and my heart relaxed. I knew I was safe once I saw him and I could continue the journey home.

We set off into the wild mountains.  On the way he stopped in this brewery he had spotted while riding those mountains to find me.  Lalo is a young adventorous man and decided to stop to show me the place.  He also shared 150 miles/250 kilometers of those dangerous mountain curves with me.  I loved every turn and have quite a bit on video. As soon as I am able to edit the video, I will update this blog post with the link so you can enjoy our ride.  Spectacular ride as it was all clifts, pot holes, very tight turns, sand on the tight turns and he and I were riding like maniacs loving every moment of it.  It was such a beautiful sunny day, especially after my ears had warmed up a bit with some mezcal. 

In this place they make something like tequila, but not quite.  It is so much better.  Your ears warm up on the first taste.  I wish I could have brought a bigger bottle.  My friends in Canada loved mezcal and we had a very nice evening when I visited.  Mezcal added to the enjoyment that evening.

During the ride I got a chance to view quite a bit of this.  No silly, I'm talking about the boys fixing their motorcycles. 

I also received quite a bit of this from all the women and men in Mexico.  Truly amazing people and my heart is still there.  They hosted me while I was sick (food poison), they got me medical care and fed me.  Lalo and I were able to stay in the safety of her home 2 nights.  Lalo is my hero that rear ended his bike in Monterrey Mexico on our way back, will blog about that in another entry.  He is my hero because he rode hundreds of miles through the most dangerous mountains in southern Mexico to find me as I was alone. 

The Mexican women are truly amazing with huge hearts and willing to share all they have with you.  Her husband rode hundreds of miles to escort Lalo and I around Mexico City because riding through that city was too painful  and dangerous on our way down.  He took us around a safe, expensive toll road, a longer ride but we were safer without all the city traffic.  While we were riding with her husband, one of the saddle bags on his bike broke loose.  I was about 100 feet from him and almost ran over the bag in front of me.  My quick reaction saved me from going down that time dodging that bag.  We pulled over and we managed to get all his stuff from the ride of the highway.  Somehow he managed to bungee tie his bag.  He is such a nice man.  He rode with us as far as he could to ensure we were safe.  My heart will always be with this couple in Mexico.

I know, I promised I would have Part 2 of Jerry's accident but 24 hours in a day in not enough for Missrider.  So, today all I can do is show you how Jerry and I spent the day in the town where he has a beautiful home in Costa Rica.  I spend the day with him while the men that did not care for Jerry left for the day and went to take pictures at the volcano.  I had a truly amazing day with Jerry and we rode on the bus to town.  Keep in mind, I have not been on a bus for about 35 years and the experience with Jerry was spectacular. 

 

A little video as we boarded the bus.

It took us 3 weeks to arrive at Jerry's house to visit after the accident.  I was very happy to see and hug him.  Still my hug caused pain to his body as he still needed major surgery to fix the bones that were healing wrong.  He had scheduled to have a plate added to the collar bone so they could be aligned permanently.  He is a sweetheart, rescues local dogs and they love him for it.