Announcements

**ratbikemike** · #**121** 10 Oct 2012

Another helpful man with the catch of the day. His catch, his beach, his boat....

**John Downs** · #**122** 10 Oct 2012

That last photo of you sitting on the beach looks straight out of the movie Shawshank Redemption.

I guess you sort of did escape from prison in a way. Love following along with your stories and pics.

Keep up the good work! Much appreciated.

Kindest regards,
John Downs

**ratbikemike** · #**123** 10 Oct 2012

From out my hotel window in Champoton. And in the morning, that tire that I was going to replace in another 100 miles was flat. It is easier for a nail to do it's evil on a thin, worn tire. Pretty soon this crew appeared and I moved to better shade and had plenty of help. No fotos of the work as I was in full thrash mode. New tube and a new tire. Afterwards Juan Pablo Areano and I spent about an hour on the computer together. I tried to feed everyone but they would have none of it. I bought a round of cokes.

**ratbikemike** · #**124** 10 Oct 2012

A good example of a tope (speed bump). I prefer them to cops that need to produce. With the water about 6" below the surface, people are buried above ground. It started to rain and with that it got dark quickly. I arrived tired, dirty and wet to this hotel. $160 (12.00us) Again, I was treated like royalty. In the morning there was a young woman that was fascinated with me and I would not have misunderstood her had she not followed me into my room, sat on my bed and smiled. That and my own agendas. She was a 'farm girl' that had never seen a tall, white american etc. I made my amends as best I might.

**xbacksideslider** · #**125** 10 Oct 2012

" . . . . . In the morning there was a young woman that was fascinated with me and I would not have misunderstood her had she not followed me into my room, sat on my bed and smiled. That and my own agendas. She was a 'farm girl' that had never seen a tall, white american etc. I made my amends as best I might."

Hmmmm . . . . "I would not have misunderstood . . . had she not followed me
and you "made amends as best I might."

Huh?

**ratbikemike** · #**126** 13 Oct 2012

That small town with the starry eyed school girl (well of age I will add), had this piece of art work on the edge of town. I really am a gearhead. This guy and I admired each others ride in traffic. Details..... I always put my glasses down on top of my gloves but this morning I needed to reach in my pocket to produce a paper with address for asking directions so I put the gloves under a bunge strap and forgot about the glasses for maybe 10 minutes. As it turns out, I back tracked to find this. I have a spare set, but not anymore. Walking by a maternity hospital I stepped in to find all this greenery and not so many people. I understand abortion is legal and free in Mexico. Oh yeah, I spotted this paramedic at a red light.

**ratbikemike** · #**127** 13 Oct 2012

Mid town in a small Mayan village. I stopped at a 'motorcycle shop' and had to notice this 250cc single. The owner set the sag (kinda) on the klr and he wanted no pay. I gave him a handful of small coins. I spotted this startling piece of work and went inside to visit the museum. Then this woman gave me the full sales pitch, made from this, made this way by guys like this one (for less than $10us a day is my guess) She was charming, professional and spoke in 85%+ english.

**ratbikemike** · #**128** 13 Oct 2012

I took about 80 fotos and during the sales pitch mentioned that this would go up on the internet and she then viewed me as a critic or an advertising guy or whatever... They get large busses filled with people and sell their authentic mayen stuff to the cruise ship people. I don't think the Jaguar God ever sacrificed a large breasted woman. I think the priests did all that sort of thing, if they did women at all. Trustworthy accurate info is not easy to find. I don't think large cats licked the girls either. It is very well done to a high stqndard and suits their market very well. The chess set was something over $5000 (pasos) and weighted maybe twenty pounds. I bet it hard to get those numbers right after a shot or two from their bar.

**ratbikemike** · #**129** 13 Oct 2012

Simple. It was/ is my job to understand when some one is mis-relating or misleading and causing confusion. It is not easy work sometimes. This looks just like a new Yamaha RD100cc. A little compression and a fancy exhaust pipe and then go pick on all those 150cc Hondas etc.

**ratbikemike** · #**130** 13 Oct 2012

Just read ALL of your ride report and all I gotta say is:' Put down the computer and get on the motorcycle'. Post a little something from Texas ... I just loved the report and we likely will cross paths if you don't zig-zag as much as I have. To be fair, friends had a going away party for me and I left some 40 days later. Had a good reason at all times. Some friends began to hassle kinda me. But now sailing to Venezuela sounds right to me. About this green meanie, I don't much care for this style, but I have seen so few and so much effort has been put into it. I am sure being very rare makes it easier for me to find it intresting. Not sure if it is 150cc or 250cc. I think it is owned by the guy with the real dump of a shop that set my shock for free. mike

**saralou** · #**131** 14 Oct 2012

good stuff keep it coming

**ratbikemike** · #**132** 15 Oct 2012

In the small town of Chemax, after riding up and down both major streets, I could not find a hotel. Stopping on the town square I asked a woman for help. She made a couple of calls and after not being able to give me directions ask/told another woman, younger, to ride her bicycle to the hotel with me following on the motorcycle. It was not complete but I got one of the very few rooms in town. I was told to use two chairs by the brassy (but sometimes bashful) girl that worked at the only place I could find to eat. Was my impression that she worked with her sister and mother. After I fell using only one chair, nobody seemed to have trouble understanding ....'Can you say, shit for brains?' When I stopped for gas at the pmex station 3 miles from Coba which is the tallest pyramid in Mexico, The taller guy did a slight of hand with my $200 note and it became a $50 note. I wasn't ready and thought 'you got me %&^&&' and then when I produced a $500 note, he/they tried to short change that one too!! I kinda lost it a bit and got the right change for that one. Tonight and in the morning he/they will still be a sleaze bags and I will be out about $15us. I went back later and got this foto. When I got my tickets at Coba $57 (4.50us) I was told a guide will be $750 for an hour and a half ($56us). I declined to offer.

**ratbikemike** · #**133** 15 Oct 2012

From to bottom, on the top, one view from above. Note that there are no guard rails...

**ratbikemike** · #**134** 15 Oct 2012

Me about 25 feet into the mostly cleared jungle. This guy let out a deep gutural sound, kinda like my bike, when I got too close. There was raw meat in the cage and it did not want me to get it. NOT a pet and not going to be one. Stopped by a recovery house kinda place and had lunch in this kitchen/dining area. Supplies from town.

**ratbikemike** · #**135** 15 Oct 2012

Rode after dark again. But, the freeway is easier than dark city streets. Found a nice room, with a flush toilet and ac and stuff. Pricey, but it was late and it was the best I could do. In the morning I got a good breakfast for $33 ($2.42us) from the trunk of this guys car. Lunch caught me out at $132 ($10.00us!). It was nothing special. I found the beach and several cruise ships.