This morning Sean, Tim and I crossed the border at Aguas Prieta (Mexico side) from Douglas Arizona (USA) side, to complete our required Mexico paperwork. After the paperwork was done we crossed back to wait for the rest of the group.
I was also wondering today; is it the paperwork fear of the unknown or something else like say traveling to a supposedly dangerous country that makes this ride unique and a true adventure?
And is it also correct for me to judge an entire country based on a few extreme incidents? Mexico has 31 distinct states. All of them have their own distinct cultural practices and traditions. Americans rarely visit more than two of the 31 states yet many consider themselves well versed into telling the rest of us their opinions about traveling to Mexico.
Today at the Mexican immigration parking lot office I met JJ. He just returned from a nine day Copper Canyon ride. Now how difficult would my ride be that starts tomorrow if JJ would’ve told me don’t go, the food, people and roads suck vs what a ride; it was one of the best experiences of my life! Opinions do matter.
Tomorrow around fifteen of us adventure riders; some I already know, like Gpskevin, Roberto, Gregg, Joey, Chris, Steve and Tim cross the border into the unknown.
The others riders I will get a chance to meet, ride with and share a meal with before the week is done. And just hopefully we’ll be just like JJ and say, man what a ride!
Did you know that food from states like the Yucatán, Chihuahua, Chiapas, and Nayarit is about as different as those of say France, Germany, Britain, and Slovenia?
Hopefully this little story of our time in Chihuahua will shed a little light on your past, present and future Mexico travel perceptions.
Bottom line is the Visa is for the person and the Temporary Import Permit is for the motorcycle. You need both. How you get them and the Mexican immigration process is about as complex as making tacos.
Chihuahua Mexico is part of the area that is closest to the US southern border. Some of the cities in this area include Aguascalientes, Coahuila, Durango, Nuevo León, and San Luis Potosí.
Chihuahua is also famous for their Chilaquiles (pronounced chee-lah-key-less). They are a traditional Mexican breakfast dish made with tortilla chips simmered in sauce. The word chilaquiles comes from the ancient Nahuatl (Aztecs) word for “chilis and greens.” Typically, chilaquiles are made with green salsa or red enchilada sauce. Chihuahua, is also the biggest state with five major climate zones. And it is also a mecca for carne asada and fine cheeses made by the Mennonites.
And if we had more time to visit I would like to see the famous revolutionary figure Pancho Villa 50-room mansion, that is now a museum in Chihuahua.
Today after lunch in Bisbee we visited Noren Sterling and his wife’s motel. Both have ridden around the world on BMWs. And earlier today we spoke to another intrepid rider that owns an art gallery in Bisbee, Charles Feil who wrote a book Sonoma from the Air. He piloted a gyrocopter for many years and took many aerial pictures long before there were any drones. He is also a long time copper canyon traveler on his BMW motorcycle.
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