December 15, 2009

Niltepec – San Cristobal de las Casas (San X)
185 miles
Moving Time = 4:38
Stopped Time: 0:41

Well I left my truckers roost and rode through more wind, rode through the flatlands, then started climbing into the mountains again.

I’d been through several military checkpoints, and all were very friendly, more chattng with me about the bike and where was I from, all  the way from the US? Solo? Where was I going, how did I like Mexico, how fast did the bike go, how much did I pay for the bike, etc.  The few times the military police asked to look inside my panniers, it was with no thoroughness whatsoever–it was clear that it was really more about curiosity than actual fear of contraband.

This was the first military checkpoint where THEY asked ME if they could take a picture of me! So I took advantage of the opportunity an asked if they would take pics with my camera as well.

This was mountain territory now–if was briskly cold, and the views limited by the mountain fog, yet outstanding.

There was a market here that sold mountain handicrafts…I pulled over to take a view of the village below

This was farming country, even at 8000′.

Nice roads too!

Corn to my left, mountain fog ahead

descending towards another mountain community

More corn

And around this curve, a whole village of monuments

I was curious, so I parked the bike and waled back up to see them.

Details:

It must have been some terrible accident 02 December 2002. All those crosses! Maria Elena in Parral had told me that they either signified salvation (no cross) or loss of life (cross).

Unfortunately at this point the battery on BOTH my cameras was now dead, so I could not capture them all.

Mexican culture is incredibly supersticious — I’m enchanted.