[martinsillo]

That is Monterrey - General Teran - Monterrey, in Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

First a short intro: (then the pics!)
Me, big time lurker at this forum, recently bitten again by the tourer bug was doing a search on the forum and found that this one was the only report from a ride or tour in Mexican soil. Coincidentally from MTY too.

So I decided to post this one...a 3 Day Mini Tour I did the last weekend of the Holy Week early this year...a tour from MTY to General Teran, a little town with lots of agriculture and farms lands about 130 Km from MTY Downtown.

After a lot of help from rodar y rodar, I was prepared to do my first tour on a bike.

The plan was going directly to Teran the first day, touring around town the second and coming back on the third. It wasn't exactly like that, but very close

well, here we go:

woke up very early in the morning:

I didn't want to be on the highway with too much traffic

passing the nearest dam to MTY

Pause: The first one shows one side of the mountains where stinkydub was riding in 2007. Since reading MB1 Rowing - Riding Reports I have been thinking about getting a kayak to go there with the wife.

ok, passing the dam I started to see the actual greenery

a bat cave

I wasn't on time to see them going out, so I took a break

more green:

this one, one of my favorites:

then some goods you can get on the side of the road

a break:

Nopales:

Wheat:

The "steed":

The Real Steed: :lol:

The old tractor:

and finally....Teran Plaza!

Last crappy Plaza pic due to some distraction:

I took two of the last one...good Tamarindo!...yeap three... I guess you guys understand :lol:

I tried to spend the night at a park where according to the internet you were allowed to camp, but once there, Guardia Civil reccomend me to stay at their house, so that I did.

Last one, with a Sabino, National Tree, One Thousand years old:

* I owe you guys second and third day...tomorrow for sure....the wife needs some attention

 

[Mapei]

Great pics. Beautiful place. A true world away from the United States. Keep them coming.

 

[MB1]

I for one am glad that you decided to lurk no more! :thumbsup:

 

[terry b]

I'm missing Mexico.

Nice pix and a great report.

 

[martinsillo]

as promised...

after spending the night at the Guadia Civil house:

woke up early and took a ride downtown...here at the Government House:

grabbed some early carbs:

and a then went to the roads near Teran:

as I said, when I get an actual Road Bike, there is where I will try my first century.

found a rose...

some nogales...

lots of them...

some oranges...

at this point the oranges seem to be endless...

and then...yeap...nogales AND oranges

this roads... I just loved them:

some bulls on the side of the road

a sort of river/pond:

the locals told me that the other dam I wanted to see was like another 100km from Teran, so that day I decided to start my way home and leave less Kms for the last day...so I turned around to Teran...

first stop... :lol:

then lunch!

took some time, but then I started my way to MTY...

saw a little bird...

a big snake!...

:lol:

*I saw big ones...dead on the road ... not into bloody pics.

a break:

a beer and peanuts...(well, two beers :wink5: )

...

I wanted to reach Rio Ramos before doom (edit: :lol: by doom I meant dusk) and camp there. The first day I saw a lot people swimming, tents and stuff...once I got there, la Policia told me that people just do not camp there... :cryin:

Just before the river there were a few houses, so I turned back...I was getting anxious because I didn't want to be without a campsite in the dark... I asked at the first house with and open yard If I could spend the night there with my tent...they say no! :cryin:
probably my beer breath! :lol:

so I didn't want to keep asking...and found the campsite on my own:

saw this on the road :idea:

went in...saw this bushes:

and... :thumbsup:

including a view to some oranges :lol:

* third and final day in a sec

 

[martinsillo]

ok...the last day was quite normal....

woke up early and packed the gear up:

leave the bushes behind:

passed the river where you can't camp :nono:

actually, there was a tent on the other side! :mad2: , just to the left on this pic:

took a camera break...until I saw the mountains again:

getting closer and closer:

another shape :lol:

a ranchero:

and the last one...just a few kms far from home!...going up in the highway

hope you guys liked it...it was a nice trip being my first one...saw road runners, and even camels! :lol: I almost forgot that one:

I'm thinking about doing another one soon but need to find the time...when I do it I'll be back with some pics :thumbsup:

see ya!
and thanks for the nice comments!

 

[Mr. Versatile]

Nice report. Good pics.

 

[evs]

NIce ride....

what are those things on a stick....jalapenos on a steeek.......good stuff,

 

[martinsillo]

I can't see the pics at the office...things on a stick I can remember were the corn cob and the ice creams...but I guess those are obvious :lol:

 

[Slim Again Soon]

Interesting report -- love the food!

 

[Dave Hickey]

Commuting and Touring post of the year..... I love it....

 

[Pablo]

Great report. I studied abroad in Monterrey.

 

[martinsillo]

wow Dave...I've seen great reports here...thanks!

as I said, it was a great first tour in a totally unknown land (I'm not from Mexico... homeland is a little bit south of the continent...Venezuela)...after the Dam everything was new to me...it was a great escape from the "City".

hoping to get a similar experience on the next one...I'm thinking about swapping my converted mtb frame with a 26" wheeled LHT but there is also the road bike project in my head... I just don't know right now

 

[evs]

Ahhh yes....Ice Cream

It is ice cream, I wasn't sure about that. What flavor?

Nice adventure....

Up here is Mass. not to many good mexican restauraunts. Looks like good food.

Thanks for the post...keep em coming

 

[martinsillo]

:lol: those are made of Tamarindo...

very refreshing...but don't try it out directly from the tree...kind of a strong flavor.

Thanks!

 

[varoadie]

Amazing account of your adventure. Mexico is beautiful, thanks for taking the time to post those pictures. Welcome!

 

[JP]

Fantastic.

 

[Ridgetop]

I missed your report last week. Very cool! The roads look like they were pretty much empty once you were out of town. Was traffic nice to you?

 

[martinsillo]

it was very nice Ridgetop...worst traffic I got was on my way back the third day, when I was on the highway (last pic)...but it was bearable on the shoulder.....when I was out of town It was me and the road for long periods of time :thumbsup:.

 

[.david.]

Orale!

I miss Mexico! Looks like a great time!