Day 3 – Linares to Santiago

Breakfast beer and the evolving situation of the three-shower day

Sep 23, 2026

Before leaving town and striking north, I stopped at the local Oxxo to purchase a café Americano. Traveler’s trip: Oxxo coffee is quite respectable; they use good beans, and it’s push-a-button fresh. On the way out, I was asked to take a portrait. He, his buddy, and I had a good laugh.

What the experts billed as a nice ride through citrus country was a mostly nah-inspiring experience. Not many trees and no roadside vendors, save for the miel (honey) sellers. It was burning hot, so I cut into Montemorelos for a huge fresa helado and a gallon of water

On the way in, I saw an object in the glorieta that welcomes travelers into town

The Rotonda del Tiempo (Roundabout of Time) has a curved, clock-like ring and oversized numerals. I arrived at 1:05 pm. It fit with the Matehuala 1950s theme.

Back on the road north, I arrived in Santiago soon after. But not before crossing a sewer leak sending brown water across the highway. I was trapped behind a car that slowed to a crawl while the driver in the left lane went WFO (old racing acronym for wide fucking open, usually uttered shortly before somebody crashes their brains out). Yes, I got sprayed with pungent sludge water. So, I rolled up to the pretentious Hotel Posada 1885 reeking of a well-seasoned cesspool. I usually stay at way more modest accommodations, but not tonight; I had to roll into this exclusive place with the essence of Sewer Runoff No. 2.

After a hurried shower, I headed toward Presa La Boca to chase sunset photographs. It meant crossing a six-lane freeway and walking along it for about half a kilometer. Since it was a freeway, there was no sidewalk, so I walked on a narrow strip of pavement, with cars roaring by (Nuevo León drivers are pedal-to-the-metalers). And what was ahead? The sewage flow. I had no choice; I’m dedicated. Fortunately, on this side of the highway, the flow was diminished, which meant drivers weren’t slowing down. I made it through, this time only covered in shit mist, not a full-on splashing. It was to be a three-shower day.

I made it. I took my photos. This reservoir was built in the early 1960s to supply water to Monterrey. It’s big. It’s now a tourist draw, not a wilderness spot. A notable malecón lines the shore, and mountains surround the lake. Just ignore the jet skis and tourist catamaran rides

Exhausted from my first day of hot weather on the bike, I longed for a simple, quiet night. Instead, I found a town full of wealthy visitors, wedding-party revelers, and people there to see notable Tejano singer Bobby Pulido, who performed his “La Última Desvelada,” his farewell tour in Mexico. Interestingly, he’s going into Texan politics, and this was his goodbye to his Mexican fans. Yes, another quiet evening in one of Mexico’s “Wedding Pueblos Mágicos ”

I did find a homey place to eat, out of the buzzway. A few days into the trip, I had already seen a lot more restaurants in people’s homes. It’s cost-effective, and you just can’t beat having a family-cooked meal served on their patio. And the cook always shows up for work. A time-proven way to get authentic regional cooking. So what did I order? A hamburger

I enjoyed dinner listening to six cages of singing birds...and it was well past their bedtimes. It wasn’t only the birds that were active; the four children in the house were serving me. Michelin-level attentiveness. Child labor has its place.