A ride to Concordia

We haven’t been out on the bike for weeks.  First I was sick and then Eric was sick and even now he isn’t feeling very well.  His sinuses are an ongoing misery even after major surgery a year ago.  He is allergic to the steroid nasal sprays and all the self helf measures (irrigation, steam etc. etc.) don’t help at all.  However….it was time to get out on the bike and a short ride was in order. 

I washed the bike a week ago so it is all shiny and ready to go.

First order of business…fuel.  Nice bright uniforms at the station up the street.

 

Almost 16 pesos a litre now.  I wonder when it will stop.  That’s about $1.16 Canadian.

We travelled the brand new bypass route and already it is under repair.  This bridge is all torn up and being redone.

More rebar.

Just a short detour around it.

It’s March now and the trees are coming into bloom.  The pink ones bloom without any leaves….kind of like a magnolia.

Concrete and not much traffic.  This is a toll road and for us on the bike it is 22pesos.  It was 20 pesos earlier in the season. 

The roundabout just over the overpass heading to Concordia.  If you want to go north you have to go around this….even the transport trucks.  There were a couple of trucks with armed men from the Navy which you can see on the right. 

Pretty yellow tree in bloom.

Close to Concordia this tomato field looks like it’s been hit by frost. 

Schools out for lunch or the day….not sure which.  It’s about 11:30 am.

Before we head into Concordia for lunch we decided to take this road north to Tepuxta.  We’ve been out this way in the past and it’s a nice quiet ride.  The road will join up with one that goes past El Recodo but to get to it we’d have to ride through a riverbed that has water in it.  That’s not happening!

This is the east side of Concordia and the road to Tepuxta

Concordia is the area of woodworking.

There are logs everywhere being sawn and made into Mexican furniture.  Most of it….really uncomfortable!  Smells like cedar or mahogany.

Here in Mexico horses are tied up high.  This young fellow was protesting as we rode by but at least he couldn’t get tangled up in a rope.  Most horses here are quiet and well trained and used to this type of tying.

Lots of mango trees out this way and they are all in bloom. 

Here the fields are full of chili’s with really green leaves.  Maybe those tomatos in Concordia with brown leaves had just died back.

I had to crop this shot as it was very far away but I wanted to show you the new calves with their mothers.  Not much to eat in this field. 

      

           Don’t know what this is but it’s sure pretty. 

We’re heading up to towards Tepuxta and even here you will meet a big Cel tower. 

It’s really dry but even here there is lots growing.  I did see a spot where they were drying chili’s on the ground but I couldn’t get a picture.

Coming into Tepuxta which is just a little town in the middle of nowhere.  We did get some strange looks as not many gringos would come out this way but when I waved…they waved.

Dont’ think this old bus is going anywhere anymore. 

Always beautiful architecture no matter where you are.

And always a church…no matter how small and poor the town.

Nicely painted up.  If it’s not a residence it didn’t have a sign to say so.

Back to Concordia for lunch.

I cropped this shot to show the huge pile of wood.  Maybe it’s wood for smoking chilis or…?  There were also huge concrete tanks.

The last time we rode up this way we only came as far as El Verde.  We rode into the town but it was really hard to turn the bike around and we couldn’t find anywhere to eat so this time we gave it a pass.

More wood for…more furniture. 

I might also mention that going inland it is really hot.  Much hotter than when we were up this way a month or so ago.  We stopped at restaurant El Granero for lunch and even there it wasn’t very cool inside.  This is where we usually eat in Concordia.

Here we’re done with lunch and Eric is relaxing in a rocking chair.  Eric had burritos with machaca (chopped spicy beef) in them.  I had ordered tortilla soup and two quesadillas, one with chicken and cheese and one with beef and cheese.  Too much food after the soup and appetizers and Eric had to help me out with one quesadilla. By the time we finished lunch we were both feeling really tired from the heat but we walked back to the square to find the Dulceria (candy store.)  On the way back to the bike a big tour bus came around the square and it had Norway cruises on it.  From one of the cruise ships I would expect.  One fellow who was English and from Arizona looked at our plate and asked how the drivers were down here.  Eric said bad….just like Phoenix ! 

I took this shot on the way out of town and my camera must have been on fisheye.  Looks odd.

Heading home and a gramma is walking with her grandson.  I always think they look so nice together.

We were home by about 2:30 and we were hot and tired.  Still, it’s nice to get out for a ride.

Around 4:30 pm the expected caravan with rigs from Quebec arrived.  They filled up the back of the park in short order and will be here until Monday. 

Too tired to go to bingo…maybe next week.