Day 4:

After the presentations, we drank beer with four guys in the cabana next to ours. They rode in on KLR650's from Texas. They were good folks, and we had a good time with them. We ended up watching the Blues Brothers in Spanish on late night Mexican TV in our cabana, and at that point we decided we needed to wrench on our wretched bikes in the morning. We thrashed them pretty well over the prior three days. The were filthy, ailing, and sorry looking. We used up all our chain lube, too.

We set to work fixing Killer's electrical FUBAR, then cleaning, adjusting and lubricating the chains. We ended up using motor oil. Messy, but effective. We adjusted tire pressures and all that jazz, too. We managed to cobble together enough parts to get a functioning headlight for Killer's bike, and I made a license plate for the 640 from a piece of cardboard with some dubious, although precision, Jersey City talent.



Although Horizons Unlimited had some events planned that we wanted to see (tire changing, etc.), we decided to go for a ride since we were a day late getting there and hadn't even seen the area at all. So, we saddled up and went for a ride, to see some sights.

We realized we wouldn't make it to Batopilas or Urique, but we've already planned a return in December to do the Canyon. So we hit the tarmac. I was amazed how well the 640 Adventure would do on pavement, ever with wonly and worn mismatched knobblies. I had never ridden the bike without full gear loaded on.

Curves. Lots an lots of curves. This is the road south from Creel. Awesome.

We saw some beautiful views of the lesser canyons.

Raramuri Indians live here. They walk everywhere.

This is the turnoff from pavement, the road to Batopilas starts here.

Manmade reservoir just south of Creel. Beautiful.

As evening draws near, a group of guys that frequent Adventure Rider headed into greater downtown Creel for dinner at Lupita's, a restaurant I highly recommend.



I bought a little trinket for my wife, Martha, from a Tarahumara [Raramuri] girl, and asked if I could take her picture. She nodded and beamed a warming smile.



***IMPORTANT NOTE FOR THE WROLD TRAVELLER: You cannot get beer in a cantina after 1600 on Saturday. PLAN ACCORDINGLY OR SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES.***

Killer and I planned ahead, as if we knew there could be trouble, and we got ourselves plenty of cervezas to survive the night.

With no beer to accompany dinner, I was stunned. But it was sooooooo good, it was well worth the trouble. I recommend the chile rellenos and the bistek burrito - an excellent call by  Mike Morgan!



After settling up a heavy debt of about $6 each, we headed back into the calle, and rode back to the barrio to see some of the Horizons Unlimited slide shows and presentations. And to kill some beers - to sufficiently anesthetize ourselves before the ride home in the morning. We ended up drinking beers with the texas guys again, and had a good time. A stray dog came by and made friends with us. And we gave him our leftovers.

We has an epic ride down to Creel, had a great time at the Horizons Unlimited meeting, but it was time to pack up and get ready to head back to the border.