Yesterday we were off to El Tigre. Eric and I on the moto and Frank and Sandi in their Jeep. This is one of my favorite rides. We met up at the gas station and we were off.
We took the toll road bypass to the airport turn off and then then Mex 15 towards Villa Union. You never know what your going to see on the road. We passed this little moto vehicle and then he passed us!
Coming into Villa Union and it's always busy here but it is a holiday weekend as well. The pollo or chicken is already cooking.
Up ahead we'll make a right turn to El Walamo and the coast where El Tigre is located.
Lots for sale on this street.
Need a propane tank?
Isn't that old building beautiful.
We turn left up ahead.
This is farming country so there's lots of tractors on the road.
There's Frank and Sandi.
A silo for some crop up ahead.
A beautiful gated property...I wonder who lives there?
Not like Villa Union at all...quiet as a mouse here.
The "topes" or speed bumps are everywhere as we travel. Some small and some huge and never marked so you have to keep your eyes open.
A tractor for spraying tall crops.
There are vegetables planted under the palms. Using up every available piece of land.
To the right more crops under palms.
Some of the fresh vegetables that North Americans enjoy.
Tender crops under cover.
I have no idea what this crop is. Maybe pineapple?
As we get closer to the ocean there is aqua culture for shrimp.
These three little bikes went by us at high speed like a swarm of bees. Three young guys racing each other and the last one was laying flat out on his bike!
Fun\s over back to work or....maybe play!
One of the small farming towns that we pass through.
The ocean appears.
Up ahead on the right El Tigre.
Park Tigger.
We got ourselves seated and then I went with Frank to look at the fish. He and Sandi like it Zarandeado or split and cooked with spices and sometimes peppers on the barbecue. Frank picked a red snapper or pargo.
Lots of limes to be cut up here.
Frank gets a tag and a tag goes with the fish. You pay for the fish by the kilo and this one was about 2.2 kilos.
Sandi and Frank.
Eric ordered camarone or shrimp ceviche and it came out quickly. Very popular here in Mexico and this was a medium order. Eric couldn't eat all that!
It's a beautiful setting for a restaurant and yesterday it was warm with no wind which is unusual here. Lots of people on the beach and some were even in the water.
Look at that bad boy!
Note to self " bring metal utensils| those little plastic forks make it hard to break up a fish.
Sandi took a picture of Eric and I but I looked like a hag so....I cropped myself out. Editors perogitive!
We arrived around noon and by 1pm the restaurant started filling up. Its a huge restaurant and really busy on weekends and holidays. Its not too far to El Rosario so lots of people come out to the beach for lunch or dinner.
Lovely.
They have a little pool for the kids and they were having a whale of a time!
Time to mount up and head home. This was my first long ride on the new bike and I was a little apprehensive as to how I'd do as the seat is harder, I'm much higher and there isn't much room to move around. It turned out to be fine and I just have to get used to it. It's a bit of a trick to get on and off and I need to stay agile!
Lots of cars everywhere.
Heading back to El Rosario and home.
There is water everywhere here.
The corner where Jean from Alberta shot off the road with his wife on New Year's Day 2010. Eric's first ride out here with Sam and the two guys from Alberta. Jean ended up in the hospital and was medevaced back to Alberta. His wife was not injured. We never saw them back in Mazatlan again. Moral " don't go to fast into a corner" and " don't ride in running shoes with no helmet!
The huge Santa Maria dam project is bringing water to the El Rosario and Esquinapa areas from inland.
Huge pipe going in next to the road.
Large amounts of construction, trucks and traffic from all the work going on in this area. We probably won't come out this way again until it's all done or just return the way we came and go back through Villa Union. Lots of traffic from the holiday weekend as well.
That is huge pipe!
Coming through El Rosario.
Left for Mazatlan....that's us.
It was busy on the free road heading back towards Villa Union. It's a two lane road and again a Friday afternoon on a holiday weekend so no pictures...I just hung on!
Here we're in Villa Union where we'll get back on the Mex 15D bypass (toll road).
When we got to the toll booth it was backed up for about a kilometer which we've never seen before.
Home by about 3:45 and tired after a long but good day.
