20 replies to this topic

[beemerdons]

We five fast Forum friends had a fantastic time in the Mexican State of Sonora. Papa Chuy Viejo will be filling this thread site with pictures, prose and pomposity covering our four nights spent South of the Border in Old Mexico. But I just want to give you FJR Folks a preview taste of some of the hazards and perils that you can face while riding tu Motocicleta en Old Mexico:



Just look at the nasty ass face on the head of that boulder which we had to crawl our motorcycles over, Muy Feo y Muy Peligro, un Bastardo!

[beemerdons]

Please Note: These pictures and narrative are from my good AZ Beemers friend Brian Boles!


Here's some pictures from our trip to San Carlos and Banamichi.

This is from a resturant in Hermosillo.  The food was excellent.


After a very hot ride (100+ degrees), we arrived at the spectacular San Carlos Plaza hotel.












From San Carlos, we rode back to Hermosillo and then over to the Rio Sonora.  Here's part of the Rio Sonora canyon.


Roadside Shrine




These shots are from Baviacora










And we arrive at Tom and Lynn Matthews, Los Arcos del Sonara hotel in Banamichi.  They have done a fantastic job with the place, it is very beautiful.


That's Tom on the right.


Local fauna.


Getting ready for a ride in the mountains.






The first rise out of the river valley.

[beemerdons]

Please Note: These pictures and narrative are from my good AZ Beemers friend Brian Boles!


The town of Cananea.  It has an old Jesuit church.






The town square of Magdalena del Kino.


Padre Kino's resting place.


And Padre Kino's bones, on display for the faithful.


Don cleaning up some.


The more rugged terrain.










Riding shots.






Melanie did a 1 horsepower ride.  Her guide is George, a local farmer.








Banamichi is a small town, the grocery store comes to you.


Murals inside of the hotel courtyard.




Heading north to home, more Rio Sonora canyon scenery.




Even a few water crossings to make on the way home.

[beemerdons]

Atencion mis Amigos: The next FJR Forum Ride to Old Mexico will be to celebrate Papa Chuy Viejo's 63rd Birthday on October 28, 2011. We will spend Wednesday 10/26 night in Nogales, Arizona; crossing over the Mariposa Border Crossing into Old Mexico at 0700 hours.

We will then spend Thursday night 10/27 once again at the San Carlos Plaza Resort Hotel. Friday and Saturday nights, 10/28 and 10/29, will be spent en El Pueblo Historico de Alamos. Gorgeous Colonial Mexican City rich in history, culture and incredible natural beauty.

Sunday night 10/30 we will backtrack to Banamichi and once again stay at the magnificent Hotel de Los Arcos Sonora with our wonderful and friendly hosts Tom and Lynn Matthews. Monday 10/31 we cross into Estados Unidos at Naco-Bisbee and home for Halloween!

http://www.alamosmexico.com/ http://www.ourmexico...ravel&Itemid=81 http://en.wikipedia....org/wiki/Álamos

[wheatonFJR]

Great report Don!

I could understand most of it.

[beemerdons]

From AZ Beemers Club President Brian Boles!


Here's some pix taken by Tom Matthews of our ride through the mountains.

BTW, Tom is a ride guide.  His company is Turkey Creek Tours, in addition to owning the hotel in Banamichi.  He does tours throughout the soutwest US and Mexico and Baja.

http://www.turkeycreektours.com/
























This wasn't on our trip, but on the same road.  This boulder was cleared off for our trip.  Clever bypass.


Here's a brand new, Mexican made with Chinese parts, motorcycle for sale.   About $510 US Dollars !

[beemerdons]

https://picasaweb.go...tAE&feat=email# Mas fotografias para Gayla y Carlos Doucet, Excelente!

https://picasaweb.go...925128961818178 And slideshow formated for your Forum viewing pleasure.

[Old Michael]

Don, GREAT pics from what looks to have been a GREAT ride!
One of these days......

[MEM]

Beautiful shots, Papa Chuy!!

Marking your birthday in my calendar

[beemerdons]

Don, GREAT pics from what looks to have been a GREAT ride!
One of these days......

Brother Mick, I love it when a plan comes together! Why don't you come to AZ and spend Tuesday night, October 25 at mi Casa in Chandler. Son Seth and I are now in the big Amber Street house with a very nice guest bedroom for you. We will have Mary Ellen fly in from Canuckistan and you can pack her to and from Alamos, Sonora.

I would just normally loan MEM one of my motorcycle fleet, but the Mexican Government only allows you one motorcycle vehicle permit at a time. Alamos is incredible!

[beemerdons]

One of the greatest things about riding a motorcycle in Mexico is the incredibly delicious food you are served at every eating stop you make on Los Caminos de Mexico!


Here is a plate of Las Fantasticas - Chicken Crepes in a thick Mole (peanut) sauce.



And here is a platter of Camarones de Ajo con Chipotle - Grilled Shrimp in Garlic Sauce with Chipotle peppers!



And here's tu Papa Chuy in the pool at San Carlos Plaza Resort with a Margarita Sauza in his right hand and a Negra Modelo Cerveza in his left hand! Fiesta, Arriba, Ai!



Desayuno (breakfast) plate of Tocino (bacon), Las Frutas (fresh fruit), Frijoles (beans) and un Omelette de Chile Relleno con Queso. Mas Magnifica y Muy Delicioso!





And last but certainly not least, a platter of Ramon's El Fantastico Carne Asado Tacos, with special sauces, at Ramon's Taqueria in Banamichi de Rio Sonora, Mexico!

[escapefjrtist]

Great photos and description Don. Thanks for sharing the trip with us!

--G

[MCML]

pictures, prose and pomposity

...and food porn

Perfect!

Hope to make the b'day run.

[dcarver]

I never realized how beautiful the area is..
..and to thing this time, no reports of armed teenagers forcing you face first into the dirt?
(is that unfair for me to say, or a reality?)

[beemerdons]

I never realized how beautiful the area is..
..and to thing this time, no reports of armed teenagers forcing you face first into the dirt?
(is that unfair for me to say, or a reality?)

Brother Don, In all honesty: Once I am 15 kilometers South of the USA-Mexico Border I feel just as safe in Mexico as I do in the United States. I first rode a Norton Atlas 750 to El Rosario in 1968 and the only incident that has ever occurred to me, in the 35,000 miles ridden by me in Mexico, was the one that you mentioned. And that situation was really a big nothing, even though we have had a lot of laughs over it. Long story short, the Mexican Army had received a tipoff that Americans were running guns through the area. We then were the next large group of American's to reach the Army's checkpoint, so the first four riders were put on the ground and frisked.

Tuscon Joe and Papa Chuy never got off of our bikes, we both speak Spanish and we both said: "Es Hombres mas Grande pinche Viejo!" Roughly means en Espanol: "We're really fucking Old!" It was over in five minutes with an apology from the Mexican Army Officer and we were on our tired and merry way.

The United States and Canadian media have a field day blasting conditions in Mexico: It raises their ratings and helps them makes their profits, that's what sells for the media and makes them money. Do you remember ten years ago when all you could hear about from the media was Columbia, Columbia, Columbia.

Now you never hear about Columbia, the US and Canadian media have now made Mexico their daily whipping post. Not to say there is not drug violence in Mexico, but it primarily affects those related to the drug industry. Crime can happen everywhere, remember when The Stanley Boy's camp was looted at CFR 2009 held in Nakusp, British Columbia. I have never had anything stolen in Mexico, but an FJR Rally in Canada resulted in a $500 loss of our personal property!

http://travel.state....tw/tw_4755.html Now, I do not travel without having my wits about me; I don't travel that way in Canada, USA or overseas either. When I met Stef - Teerex51 in Barcelona, Spain with the rest of the Italian FJR Forum to ride the Pyrennees: I was aware of the pickpockets in Barcelona so I took good care of my wallet.

I look at the http://travel.state.gov/travel website before I ride to unknown lands. I checked before our last trip to Mexico and nowhere on our routing was any reported incident of violence. I also avoid certain cities: Juarez, Laredo and Monterrey for sure! I also don't go pub crawling in Mexico, I do my drinking at our nightly base hotel.

[beemerdons]

A dozen random photographs by Papa Chuy Viejo of Sonora, Mexico!

[beemerdons]

Don.
Thanks for the great photos and captions. Looking to join you in October! Any reason you took the 650 instead of the FJR?

My Mexican Vehicle Import Permit on my 650 would have expired on 5/5, this trip let me get that properly returned.  Huge problem if you do not return it!!!

[beemerdons]

Hola Papa Chuy,

Great pics and thanks for the plugs. We will be happy to have dinner for you here. Tell us what you would like to have and we will make it happen.

Feel free to tell people who want to ride Sonora to call us -whether they want to stay here or not, whether they want a guide or not. We will give them the skinny on what is happening and maybe help ease their fears. We stay plugged in with the city admin and they keep us informed. I also try to scan the Hermosillo newspaper at www.elimparcial.com. (It also lets me keep up with the gossip on the Telenovella actresses.)

If people are nervous about crossing the border and getting their permits, I can meet them in Douglas if they will stay a night or 2 with us. (twist my arm and force me to ride the Rio Sonora why don't you.)

Thanks again
Tom Matthews
Hotel Los Arcos de Sonora
Banamichi, Sonora, Mexico
303-838-6505 In US
520-777-1503 in Tucson
1-623-231-0289 in Mexico
www.losarcossonora.com

[barb]

sunshine and fun. GREAT combination!

Thanks for sharing

[beemerdons]

sunshine and fun. GREAT combination!

Thanks for sharing

Hey Barb, what's the weather like on Vancouver Island right now? Sunny, warm and beautiful in Old Mexico right now, eh!



Good Friends of FJR Forum Members, Tom and Lynn Matthews, have revised and updated the website http://www.losarcossonora.com and Tom has a Ride Report in BMW Owners News Magazine! Yo Amor Mexico, Viva!

http://www.losarcoss...newsarticle.pdf