The last ride and it’s to El Quelite

We haven’t been up to El Quelite for lunch this year and since it’s a short ride we decided to fit it into our schedule.  It’s Thursday and we are leaving Mazatlan on Saturday so we are busy getting things in order for the trip.  But….we do need lunch so what the heck it’s only 25 miles and it won’t take long to get there.

There is always a truck right behind you.

It only takes about half an hour to get to the turn off to El Quelite.

The road in has been planted with a wide array of colorful bougainvillia.  They are tough as nails once they are established and seem to bloom continuously.

Red….

……pink and we even saw some orange ones.

El Quelite is up ahead.

There was freshly mown hay here and it smelled lovely.  Reminded us of the days when we used to hay at home.

The road coming in from the highway was in really good repair.  Last time we were up this way they had been filling the potholes with concrete.

The town has really been prettied up and the buildings are brightly painted.

El Quelite is quite close to Mazatlan so it’s a popular tourist destination, especially for the cruise ships.   You can always find something to buy.

Pretty and clean.  At the end of the street we’ll turn right.

We like to eat at Restaurante Los Arrieros over the bridge at the end of town.  

We seated ourselves outside and the roosters joined us.  Cock fighting is still popular is Mexico so maybe these guys didn’t make the cut!  They were really crowing so we kept shooing them away.  No problem they just moved inside the restaurant!   

They are very generous with the complimentary appetizers here. 

I had a bowl of Tortilla soup and Eric had ceviche. 

The open courtyard inside is very green and tranquille.

Pretty spot don’t you think. 

Lots of old photos on the walls.

We had a very pleasant lunch and the waitress was very attentive and unobtrusive as usual.  We really love to come here for lunch.  I paid the bill and it was time to head home.

Back down the main street and out of town. What mode of transport would you like?

Bronze Ulama or (hip ball) statue at the entrance to town. 

Back to the highway and turn left for Mazatlan.  We had a nice relaxing lunch and were back in the park with enough time to head over to the beach. 

It’s really quiet in the park right now as most people have headed north and the beach doesn’t have very many people on it either.    Eric hasn’t been able to get in the water very much lately as the waves have really been crashing but it’s still nice for a relaxing sit and beach walk. 

Tonight is bingo night but…..I’m too tired so I’ll just stay home.

It’s a lovely evening and the park is quiet….just the way we like it!

Last ladies lunch and it’s at Coco’s

Okay I think everyone is tired of the lunch blogs for this year.  I know I am so I’ll make it brief!

Here we are….waiting for a bus.

This is one of the new green buses.  Nice plush seats, window curtains and even seat belts but….absolutely no leg room.

Coco’s beach club in the Golden Zone.  Lil eats here quite often and says that it has changed owners very frequently over the last couple of years.

Nice big space and we are the only ones here for lunch.

The staff seemed a bit confused to actually have customers for lunch which would tell me they aren’t usually very busy.

We did manage to get drinks and a menu.

Pretty spot and you can eat outside if you want.

There were ten of us today and I would guess this is the last lunch until next December.  At least it’s the last one I’ll be blogging!

Lil and Ruth shared a plate of chicken wings and fries.

So what did we end up eating.  Well…the menu was quite small and in the end chicken wings were the meal of choice. 

Looks good but a couple of plates had to be sent back to be cooked a bit more.  No one wants rare chicken wings!  I ate a whole plate by myself and they were very good.  There were a number of different dipping sauces and I chose Parmesan. 

                       

    Ruth had something different and it looks good.     

Lil wears a lot of jewellry so she was out having a look at what one of the beach sellers had in his case.  She knows this guy quite well so he knew what she might like.  Today she didn’t buy anything.

At this point everyone was done and ready to head home.  Okay place for lunch but not a very interesting menu.  I’d give it a pass. 

How about a ride to Cosala.

Eric and I along with Frank and Sandi had hoped to take a trip to Cosala about a month ago.  However Eric and I got sick and weren’t up to a long trip for about three weeks.  We are both better now and as we’ll be leaving soon today was the day.

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It’s just over 100 miles each way to Cosala and we have only been there once and it was a number of years ago.   Eric had decided it would be a much better idea to ride up, stay a couple of nights and then ride home.  That way we could relax and actually have a look at the town.  Unfortunately it’s too late in the year and a one day ride will have to do.  We’d better get going! 

It’s just after 9:30 am and we are on the free road between Mazatlan and El Quelite.  You have to share the road with whatever comes along.

San Ignacio is one of our favorite rides but….not today. 

We also like Estacion Dimas….but not today.

I think we are passing through the area of Ixpalino which appears to be a wayside stop for trucks.

 

Over the Rio Piaxtila.

A little mining town up ahead.

Looking back.  I don’t know what they are mining or even if it’s still in operation.

Just before Elota and this little river has lots of water in it.

 

The vegetable trucks are moving from town to town and this guy was moving very slowly. 

Turn left it you want to go to La Cruz.

It must have rained upstream as this water is really running fast.

Turn right for Cosala.

Cosala has the status of a Pueblo Magico. 

Lots of nice green crops up this way.

First we pass El Salto Lodge.  This is a reservoir lake so sometimes there isn’t much water in it.  It is also heavily net fished by the locals.  It is advertised as a bass fishing lake. 

The brush is really growing in on the road.

Far off in the distance you can see the water of El Salto.

The road appears to have some potholes.

Ahhh…the brushing crew.  No machines here….just machetes.

Next little town is Ibonia.

One stop fits all.  Get your beer, fix your tire and have your car washed!

Alrighty…..that is one mondo pothole.

The road is twisty now and we are going really slow watching for potholes.

And then left.

Cosala is ahead up there somewhere.

A little palapa to sit under when it’s really hot.

The fence will do for a clothes line.

Corn seems to be the crop of choice up this way.

Eric is interested in seeing this Hotel Quinta Minera as a possible place to stay next winter.

The good thing about these circles around potholes is that you know where they are.  There are lots and lots of them. 

We are getting close to Cosala and one of the local attactions is the Vado Hondo waterfalls.  If Frank and Sandi come with us next year we can have a look in their Jeep.  The Harley is not meant for off roading! 

I just caught the tail end of this burro that was walking along the edge of the road.  He had a large stake tied to a piece of rope around his neck.  Easier to catch?

Hotel Real del Conde is another possible choice to stay.

We are heading up a very twisty road and we are in first gear most of the way and travelling really slowly. 

This road crew should get busy fixing those nasty potholes!

We swoop back down toward Cosala.

More swooping.

Cosala up ahead.  Look at the beautiful new sidewalk. 

Hello Cosala.

The sidewalk continues all the way into town.

The chicken is cooking for lunch.  Lots of smoke.

No water in this river.

This very narrow street heading toward the church is main highway #1 which goes right through town and continues on to Culiacan.  Could this be a two way street?  Looks pretty tight to me.

The main square.

A lovely square.  Too bad they are blasting really loud music….really destroys the tranquillity.

Eric wants to have a look for the Hotel Quinta Minera before we have lunch so off we go.

Up this road looking for Hildago Street.

How about up this way.  Really tight streets and hard to maneuver the bike on the brick roads.

The tourist bureau is on our right just as we circle back to the square.

This is Hotel Rey 4 Hermanos which is right on the square.  We walked down behind to see what the parking was like.  There’s a pool in there.

We are walking back up to the square.  It’s quite a drop to the back of the hotel.

Turns out that Hildago street was right on the square.  I showed a Mexican lady a picture of the sign for the Hotel Quinta Minera and she pointed up the street.

Off we go….Eric in the lead.

Found it!   It even has a restaurant. 

Long dining room just off the lobby.

Looking back across the pool to the outside restaurant where we are seated.

It was really loud and busy when we arrived.  Turns out the lady in green was celebrating her 95th birthday and all her family was here staying at the hotel.  When we asked for a menu the waitress seemed confused about what we wanted.  A Mexican gentleman helped us out with his very good English.  The man was her son and I remarked on how good she looked for her age and he said “ Yes, a lot better than me!”

There’s Eric sitting at the table.

Chili relleno’s were on the menu and that’s what we ordered.  One of our favorite meals.

Yes…I ate the whole thing except for a couple of bites of rice.

It even came with blue tortillas made from blue corn.

Yes Eric….I see the blue tortilla!

More than one dining area.

 

Heading back out the front door.  I asked the woman at the desk where the parking lot was but in the end she couldn’t understand my terrible Spanish and had to pull up google translate on her computer so I could type in my question.  Whatever works!

We walked up the street to the parking lot and it looks okay except for the pea gravel which is deadly on the bike. 

A long walk back to the front of the hotel.

That’s Eric way up there by the vehicle.

We walked back to the square, mounted up and headed out of town.  A 2 1/2 hour ride home so time to get going.

Hopefully we’ll be back next year for a visit. 

Back on the twisty road.

 

Goats along the edge of the road.  Not good….we don’t want to hit any livestock with the bike.

There is a really big drop off to the right.

You can’t really tell but that’s a long way down.

Some sort of grain crop that doesn’t appear to be harvested.  I did see a sign with the word semolina on it which is a type of wheat.

Thanks for visiting Cosala.

                      

                           They’ve done some patching here.

Back on Mex 15 and heading home.

This overloaded hay truck was really holding up traffic.  Not many places to pass with all the hills and twisty road.   We stopped and had a cold bottle of Coca Cola and a rest while all the traffic moved on. 

Here we are back coming up the road to the park.  A long day, a good ride and we are both tired.