Day 3

After our Banana and snicker candy bar breakfast we head straight up the mountain on the South side of Botipilas. It was an extremely steep climb up to this view of the village of Satevo down below. Our rear tires clawed at the dirt and rocks for traction and we spent most of the climb in first gear. Recently some BMW riders fell so many times trying to make this climb they turned back and took the easy way to Urique which was a very long way around.

We took a little side trip back down the mountain to the little town of Satevo which has few inhabitants and no electricity. The huge church here was the attraction to us---as it was built over 300 years ago. We saw one old building which had what looked like a new electric service on the side of it---I guess somebody was hoping for electricity someday. The people down here were mostly Tarahumara Indians we thought.

We climbed back up the mountain to the main route and when I rounded this switchback the black pickup was blocking the road in the middle of this hill. Here he is after backing down and trying to make another run at it. I thought it was much too steep for a 2 wheel drive truck---but we found out his problem was that the engine would barely run--I thought the choke was stuck as it was belching black smoke badly. Finally about 10 of us (including me and Kenny) got behind the truck and pushed it up the hill with the engine providing only a little help. Everyone threw their arms in the air and cheered-----one fellow pointed at us and made a muscle with is arm---yeh were tough alright !! The kids on the hill just hooped and hollered. The other vehicles passed and on we went.

We came to the Urique river crossing when the Mexican military police jumped out of the bushes at us. Whoaaa "Beeg Dog" !!! They were very serious but nice---very neat and well dressed and were just doing their job. Kenny got a bang out of all this and asked them if he could take their picture and one guy immediately held up his hand---No. They all dissapeared back in the brush and came back out with all their proper gear on and then posed for this shot. I've never seen any pictures like this on the net------I think Kenny is the only person brave enough to try to take a picture of them. We were in the middle of marihauana and drug trafficking--they were looking for drugs and guns. They never even searched us as they saw we were just 2 old harmless adventure riders I guess. I think they would have shot us if we had ran.

They didn't speak any English and I spoke very little Spanish---they were very interested in my bike and really looked at my GPS----they knew what it was and pointed at the sky-------"Sattlelita Mapa"--- I replied "Si" !!! "Much Gusta" (nice to meet you)--"Adios" (bye) And we went down to the river to scope out the crossing.

After looking at the depth and swiftness of the water I just bailed in----it was very deep and my bike wiggled a lot in the big rocks below----I just knew my engine would drown out but it didn't and I made it through just fine. However--looking back, this wasn't really very smart of me. We should have both walked our bikes together across the river, and my advice to you is to do the same.

Kenny walked his bike across and that wasn't easy as the water would try to push you over. He killed his engine once and I thought "oh no". But it restarted and he made it through.

In November a guy on a BMW1150GS fell over in here and got the motor full of water. After trying to start it with a motor full of water the starter exploded. They had to find help (pickup truck) to haul the bike all the way out of here. His trip was done.

If me or Kenny had fallen over we would have been in deep poo poo. After we both crossed, the Military police guys threw their arms up in the air and cheered. I was disappointed they didn't shoot their automatics rifle in the air in celebration !!!

After riding the dirt road very close to the river heading North we came down to the very small village of Tubares (Two---baress). You could walk across this suspension bridge and continue on to El Churro. The suspension bridges days are numbered as you can see the construction equipment here as they are building a new bridge-----now when you come thru--you will have to follow behind lines of motorhomes. They always have to ruin everything don't they !!!

While traveling in Mexico me and Kenny had to watch out for herds of goats, donkeys, cows, chickens (Ok flocks), pigs, buzzards, big rocks, wood, diesal fuel, kids and helicopters.

At a tee in the road we split East and headed down the most scenic ride of our trip to the extremely remote town of Urique (your---reeky). On the way down the one lane dirt road with the mountain on one side and nothing on the other, we came upon this house that some Tarahumara Indians were living in. On the way back up the mountain the next day, they were sitting outside trying to warm up in the early morning sun. There was a door on the right side which you can't see in this picture.

It was about 14 miles straight down the mountain to the town of Urique which you can see below at the river.

Here we are entering town---there was a beautiful newly paved road from this arch to the center of town.

This is in front of the "Restaurante Estrella" in downtown Urique. The lady on the left was the wife of Jose' Quintana Valdez---and they owned the restaurant and Hotel Estrella.

We walked right thru the door in the picture above ----through their house--thru the kitchen and into this open air eating place. It was beautiful in here--and Jose' and his wife cooked us a wonderful chicken taco meal with many side dishes that I didn't know what they were. We had breakfast the next day here too.

Here we met one of our most memorable people on our trip, Will. He was somewhat of a world traveler and was traveling with a group of hikers that were hiking the mountains, but Will was just hanging around the different towns they would travel to. He would travel from town to town by himself on a bus on whatever means he could hire somebody to transport him. Will seemed to really enjoy life and we certainly enjoyed his company. By the way---when we arrived in this town, it was the first time on our trip that we ran into anybody that could speak English. We probably talked Wills leg off---there were other English speaking travelers that came in. Two very young girls (one from Canada the other from Asutralia) were hiking the mountains and their whole life was in their backpacks. They just walked and camped wherever they went. Me and Kenny couldn't believe how adventurous they were.

Will---thankfully helped us order here. Jose' would try to help too, as he knew we spoke very little Spanish---but that was hilarious as Jose' couldn't speak any English at all !!!! I'll never forget--the table you see here was a little wobbly and Jose's wife just came by and noticed that and ran and got a piece of cardboard and put it under the short leg---"gracias"-----------when is the last time you had someone do that at a McDonalds in the U.S. ???????

This is downtown Urique. This town use to have a diesal gernerator for electricity but has very recently been tied onto the electrical grid.

Walking around town we ran into 2 different herds of motorcycle adventure riders. This BMW had broken something and they were in the process of trying to find a welder to fix it. We would run into these guys again--days later very far from here.

We had just missed the day before another group of advneture riders on a "guided" adventure. It was Pancho Villa or Rosen's Rides---we didn't know which. I knew they were down here and hoped to run into them---I was wanting to meet Justin Lopez--who is a guide for Rosen's Rides.

When we first arrived in town a nice Mexican man ran us down and asked if we were looking for a Motel. He guided us down this narrow dirt alley and I stopped to pet the horse.

The narrow road took us took our Motel--The "Hotel Estrella Del Rio". It was gorgeous--and high on a bluff overlooking the town. I think it was around 20 or 30 US dollars to stay here.

I had never seen an orange tree---it was just below our balcony.

Here is another view from the balcony just outside our room. Our room was very nice and roomy.

We will never forget Jose' and his wife and how nice they were to us. Neither could speak English. This is a wonderful town to stay in and there are several motels to stay at.

The road to this town was only built a few years ago--I don't know how they got anything in here before it was built.

Day 4