I returned from leg two of this campaign on October 10th. Tomorrow morning, November 13, I leave for leg three: Tamaulipas and Veracruz. I delayed my start for three days to dodge the "norte", cold front #5, courtesy of the U.S.
Leg two was about pulling it off despite the heat, distance, and hurricanes. Leg 3 is supposed to be about slowing down. About 2,900 km over 20 days, with shorter rides and plenty of time off the bike exploring on foot. Strolling through markets, music, coffee, ruins, and history. More time to look, listen, photograph, and write.
Veracruz faces the Gulf, but it isn’t all coast: tropical lowlands, mountains, cloud forests, and coffee country. It’s a collection of distinctly different regions: seafront, lowlands, mountains, and coffee country. And it’s had centuries of Atlantic visitors, not all friendly and not all voluntary.
Tampico’s port and oil-era streets
El Tajín and Tres Zapotes ruins
Veracruz’s fish markets and waterfront
Fishing communities and lagoons around Los Tuxtlas
Veracruz music: son jarocho, huapango, and danzón
Cloud forests and coffee in Coatepec
Cane fields and spirits near Córdoba
From sea level to riding in the shadow of Pico de Orizaba, Mexico’s highest peak at 5,636 meters (18,491 ft)
Veracruz is a variety pack; I can just slow down and work on how best to share my experiences. Mary gets stuck feeding the cats.
Looks like a great trip. I can't wait to read about it. You will be headed into the former territory of Texaco and other international oil companies and their warlord Manuel Peláez and his White Guard. And you will not be far from Xilitla, so if the landscape is anything like that it will be gorgeous.
I ambready. Let's go.