Ride to Teacapan with Frank and Sandi

Time for a ride and Teacapan was on our list of places to visit.  Frank and Sandi were ready to go with us and they were happy to get out of the park and away from all the noise and dust.  A Wednesday but since Ladies Lunch has been moved we all had a free day. 

On the road at 9:30 am and you can see the little blue Jeep with Frank and Sandi in it and the Riu Hotel behind us as we head out of town.

Coming on to the Mazatlan bypass.

We are on the south end of Villa Union and even here they are selling touristy “crap!” 

We head south towards Tepic on the free road.

It’s a two lane road but it’s in great shape.  You do have to pass other vehicles but today it’s not too busy.  The truck ahead of us is moving very slow….very heavy.

Heading south past the agave fields and I see they extend way off into the distance.   Never noticed how extensive they were.

Coming into El Rosario which we will bypass without going through the town.

We stopped for fuel for the bike and the Jeep.  At this point the bike’s starter clutch is making clashing sounds which is a big problem on a Harley and a big worry because at some point it won’t start.  Swell!!  Hope we make it home…!

Over the bridge heading south past El Rosario.

Wide open highway and a really pretty ride.

Coming into Esquinapa and here you have to go right through the middle of the city to go south or west.  It was all dug up when we went through last year and we got lost coming north.    At least there is no construction this year.

Turn right for Teacapan…..you can see the blogger in the bike mirror!

The light is funny today as the sky is quite cloudy and some how it lit up the sign.  Kind of neat!

            

As soon as we get out of town the huge transmission towers appear.  Some have wire on them now.  It is a huge project going….somewhere. There was supposed to be a huge developement in the Teacapan area but so far nothing has happened.  Time will tell!

Heading along the newly paved portion of the road. 

Lots of lagunas and estuaries out this way.

Pretty nice spot to live don’t you think.  Well at least if you are a fisherman!

It appears that they are widening the road and maybe it’s to go along with the huge transmission line.  A mystery.

There has been huge damage from the hurricane from Esquinapa to Teacapan.   The crops that were damaged have all been replanted and are now growing and green.

We share the road with lots of farm equipment and motorcycles.

Always road repair out this way. 

Many greenhouses along the way are missing their plastic and lots of houses are missing their roofs.  It will take years for everything to be repaired in the Esquinapa and Teacapan areas.  The mango groves were hugely damaged and they have already been through with saws pruning off the big broken branches. 

Many large trees down and this house is missing it’s roof. 

These large stacks of wood are used for drying chili’s which we usually see everywhere.  Not this year which is probably due to the hurricane and crop destruction. 

Up ahead the gate to Teacapan.

Otto’s Japanese restaurant where we had hoped to have lunch.

We’ll leave the bike parked at the Pemex across the street.

Uh oh….he is closed on Wednesdays.  Well that’s just terrible, I had my heart set on Japanese food.  We love eating here.  We were only fooled because….ladies lunch was always on Wednesdays so we never came to Teacapan on Wednesdays.  So plan B and we all hopped in the Jeep and were off to find somewhere else to eat.  Lots of places along the malecon.   But…they aren’t Otto’s Japonesa restaurante….boohoo!

Sandi by the Jeep and to the right you can see the metal framework that was on top of the pumps before the hurricane.  Many shanty type houses were just completely blown away.

Many towns in Mexico have one of these large colorful signs.

It’s a beautiful day in Teacapan and in the estuary the water is quiet.  The fish boats are up on shore and as it’s 12 noon fishing is likely done for the day. 

We ended up at Restaurant Pelicanos which is one of several small places to eat along the Malecon. 

I did a timed photo of the group and the arm that you see at the top belongs to a duck hunter from Michigan.  He noticed Frank’s Iowa plates on the Jeep and came over to say hi.  He and his buddies are staying in the area in a motel and are hunting ducks on their friends 1300 acre property.   Whatever they shoot they can eat but most of the birds, except the doves which are a favorite are given to the guys who pick up the birds after they are shot.  Look out birdies!!  This is a wintering ground for many northern ducks…what a welcome that is.   

We started off by ordering beer.  The choice….Tecate lite and the size…tiny.  Regular size 355ml these ones 190ml.   Eric said he is trying to cut back on beer but…this is ridiculous!

Frank and I had camarones empanizad0 and Sandi and Eric had pescado empanizado.  But….it’s not Japanese food….I’m really bitter!

Decent enough but that macaroni salad was flat…I didn’t eat mine.  Just an average meal.

A picture of us all without….the duck hunter’s arm.

A beautiful day in Teacapan and we wander down the malecon.

Everyone needs to do touristy things at one time or another.  That’s me leaning through the C.  

Plaque beside the Teacapan sign. 

After lunch we took a ride out of town to have a look around.  Lots of destruction.  There are a couple of RV parks but we couldn’t find either of them.  Maybe all the signs were blown down.  It is a beautiful area and the beach is lovely but what the heck would you do all winter?  We wouldn’t want to have to drive back and forth to Esquinapa for groceries on the potholed road. 

After our tour we were back on the bike (it started but really roughly) and headed home.  We had enough fuel and didn’t stop for a rest in case it wouldn’t start again.

Pretty little spot.

Somebody with money is having this house built.

Towers and wires.

Coming back into Esquinapa and we try to find the road at the west end of town to head north.  In the end we ended up going the wrong way on a one way and had to turn around.  You used to be able to turn left onto the street we were looking for but now they have an abutment and you can’t get through. 

So we went right through town.  Followed the blue signs and…

….we were out and heading home.

On the way back I noticed that they had cattle in the agave fields eating the weeds.  I guess the cattle don’t like agave!  A good way to weed.  Some of the large chicken barns are fenced and have sheep and goats eating the grass and then….they eat the sheep and goats. 

All in all it was a good day and we were home just after 4pm.  The bike will be in sick bay until Eric finds the part that needs to be replaced.  Our truck is also in sick bay as it needs a part that is preventing it from starting as well.  You turn the key and sometimes nothing happens…some sensor that has failed.  Both failures are common to GMC and Harley Davidson.  Good thing there are buses, cabs, aurigas, pulmonias and Uber here in Mazatlan. 

PS ….now Friday.    We tried to get the parts for the bike and the truck locally but they were unavailable so we searched the net and now both parts are on their way from the USA.  Eric will install the bike parts and Armando will install the truck parts.  Now we wait.