I woke up in a cold sweat! Where was I? Why did I feel so beat up? Then I realized that I was wrapped up in my blanket sleeping in a Mexican "Motel" somewhere between Culiacan and Los Mochis, Mexico. I forced myself to get up. I took a well deserved shower and changed my bandages that were now super dirty and probably doing more harm than good. I packed my bag, filled my bike with oil, loaded my bike, and by 10:00 am I was back on the road towards home. Finally it was a really nice day. Pretty much Ideal Riding conditions. I rode some 200 Kms when I realized that my bike wasnt running well at all. I wasn't getting any speed and it was sort of sputtering. "Now what?", I asked myself. haha I pulled into a gas station and topped my tank. I unskrewed the oil filler cap and oil ran everywhere! I had put wayyyy to much in this morning. I stood back and though about what to do for a second. My first thought was somehow gas was getting into the oil, because the oil looked much more runny than usual. The last thing I needed at this point was a blown motor! I dug into my pack for some tools to drain my oil and then it occurred to me that I could just tip my bike sideways and dump the extra oil out. I did just that until my oil level was perfect. Once I got it to that point, I pushed started my bike as always and hit the northbound trail. I stopped a couple times and checked the oil again. I was fine but the thought of blowing up my motor made me super nervous. I went maybe another 100 Kms and came up on the city of Ciudad Obregón. I was sure they'd have some sort of store where I could buy some oil, change it, and get back on the road. I was putting down the Main road of Ciudad Obregón, when on my right, an answer to my prayers! AUTO ZONE! I went in way excited. I found my oil, the ultra bright headlight that was illegal in Brazil, and a few other little parts i was needing to get my bike back up to good running order. In my broken spanish I tried asking any of the guys working there if any of them were mechanics or if they knew of any bike mechanics that could tell me why my oil was so runny. After talking to almost everyone in the store a younger looking fellow walked in the door wearing an Auto Zone uniform. One guy yelled, Humberto! and pointed at me. He came over and we started talking, He spoke just a little bit of English. He asked where I was from in the States. Utah. He looked at me and said, So you know where Heber City is? I have been working construction there for the past 4 years." After I told him that my Grandmother and a good part of my extended family still live in Heber we were best friends. He helped me check out and then had me follow him on one of his deliveries. He pulled over at his friends bike shop and made sure they knew what was going on with my bike and that they would take care of me. He rode off and I pushed my bike back into this shop. The shop guys were busy so i busted out all my own tools and got to work. I changed my oil really quick, Hooked up a cigarette lighter plug on my battery so i could charge my phone as I was riding, and then I decided to see if I could fix my nonfunctional back breaks. As I pulled my back tire off little pieces of metal and dust went everywhere. My bearings were gone! Completely worn to dust and gone. They busted bearing had worn a good inch of my hub out and made it so the wheel was completely loose in the back. Which probably had a lot to do with my sprockets and chains always wearing out so fast. Once we got it off the guys told me that I needed a new back wheel. They called all over the city and nobody had one. I was ready to spend whatever to get up and going. After almost an hour of searching I finally ended up putting my old tire back on and calling it good for then. The guys let me use their internet. I sent Nian and Dave a message and told them that I'd meet them at the border in Nogales if they hadn't already gone through. Once I realized that I had just written, "Meet me at the border," it hit me just how close to home I really was. I bump started my beast and I was full speed towards home! I was almost 3pm when i started riding again. The next few hours of Riding seemed to take years. I rode though Hermosillo, Mexico just before sundown. Right at dusk the scenery around me reminded me of what I had always pictured Mexico would look like. Cactus plants everywhere and just a dusty haze over the painted desert mountains. I was Probably three hours from the border when it got completely dark. The next three hours of riding were super strenuous. Most of the time I was standing up singing as loud as I could trying to stay awake. I will admit I fell asleep at the handlebars again about an hour outside of Nogales. About 20 miles from Nogales my heart began to race. I kept thinking, "I'm going to make it! I cant wait to see Dave and Nian here!" and many other things. I rolled through Nogales and didnt even slow down until I was at the border. I got to the Border at 9:55 pm monday night. I looked around for Dave and Nian but I figured if they where theyre they'd be waiting at the gate or office for sure. I cut in line at the border crossing and rolled up the the border patrol agent. He rudely asked me for my documents. I took my Helmet off more excited to speak English than anything! I gave him my quick rundown of what my situation was and what the deal with the bike was. He was short with me and told me to stay put. Twenty minutes later he came back with three other agents and told me that they were closed for the day and that I had to go back into Nogales Mexico to spend the night. I was heart broke. How? He couldnt be serious. I begged him to let me trough. Finally he said I could spend the night in the US but i'd have to leave my bike in Mexico and walk into the US. Yeah right", I thought. Nogales is one of the most dangerous cities ever right now. I argued with the guy for twenty minutes and finally he just told me that I'd have to leave and come back tomorrow when they were open so I could fill out the proper paperwork to import my bike. I just didnt make sense to me. So I walked my bike back over to Mexico, push started it, and rode angry back into town looking for a place to stay. I remembered seeing a Walmart and a mall on my way to the border so I decided to stay there for a bit until I could get a plan. I went in a sports bar in the mall and got on wi fi on daves iphone. I checked my messages just to find out that dave and Nian Hadn't written me. I stayed there until almost midnight. I left in search of my buddies and a safe place for me and my bike to sleep until the border opened at 7am. I went to a few different places just to find out that they were either way to expensive or sold out or closed. I rode around the main business block towards the other side of town because it seemed a little safer. Riding around Nogales gave me the worst feeling ever. Almost ever major intersection had a big police truck, surrounded by guys with machine guns, sitting in the middle of it. I couldnt quit thinking, "I gotta get outta here!" As I coasted through the old part of town I spotted a beautiful sight. A taco stand! I slammed on my on working brake and ran over there. I ate like 10 tacos while chatting up a storm with some old taco man. I told him my story for maybe twenty minutes when he answered my prayers. He said, "well why dont you just try and go in through the pedestrian entrance.? they are open 24 hours a day." I thanked the old fellow, smashed my last taco into my mouth, and hauled butt over to the pedestrian border crossing. Once again I butted in front of a huge line at the border. I rolled up to the patrol agent. It was a huge black guy. He gave me a huge smile. He yelled, "You American?!" I yelled back, "Yes Sir! been gone three months and its darn good to be home!" He asked for my passport. I showed it to him, he scanned it, gave it to me, and yelled, GET OUT OF HERE! while pointing towards the United States! I jumped off my bike, pushed the heavy beast 10 yards, popped the clutch, fired it up, and roared out of there! Once again, like had done numberless times on this trip, I thanked the LORD for getting me out of a bad situation. Once in the US I went straight to the closest hotel and used their internet to let Dave and Nian know where I was and that I was on the Road! I sent it, got gas, and hit the Freeway! Words couldnt describe how good it felt to finally be back on American Soil. I was feeling great so I rode on into the night towards Tuscon. Somewhere around the area of Sahuarita, Az it hit me. Or a better way to say it was My helmet hit the handlebars. I had fallen asleep while riding again! I couldn't believe it! I survived everything up until now and die because I fell asleep! Forget that. So I pulled off the free way in search of good hammock trees. I found a great place just off to the side of any Ashly's furniture store. I stretched my hammock up, got in my sleeping bag (because it was actually super cold) and Passed out cold!! Few times in my life have I ever been that Tired! If you google 31.906679,-110.990574 and click satellite view you can see the two trees I hung my hammock up in between.
0 comments:
Post a Comment