Trans-Mexico Day #14 San Miguel Allende to La Cuevita
Trans-Mexico Day #14
January 11, 2022
San Miguel Allende, GU to La Cuevita, GU 96Km
Start 9:21am Finish 6:22pm
Ride Time: 7:01
Ascent: 1182m
Descent: 1032m
Tour Total Km: 1262
I slept incredibly well last night in room number four at Hotel Casa 88 in San Miguel Allende. I had dreams of running a huckleberry pie stand at an outdoor benefit. Longtime readers know about my obsession with huckleberry pie. The muffled church bells began early in the morning. They were clanging way more than seven or eight times and seemed to be set on the quarter hour. The information card in the room indicated that the complimentary breakfast began at 9am, which was a little late for me. I was up and ready to go by 8am, and rode my bike around the gorgeous town. San Miguel Allende was now possibly my favorite city in Mexico, and it was a shame that I was only staying one night. I pledged to return. The town sat on the edge of a large hill and I found several significant churches and public spaces, the most incredible being Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel on the main plaza.
Most of the buildings were one story, and the stone-paved streets were narrow. There were many US expatriates and businesses that catered to them. The stone carved ornaments, figures, religious symbols, and fountains were of old European quality. From block to block the town was sophisticated eye candy. I passed a Berkshire Hathaway office. Get in there people and grab a piece of this. The prices are right.
I returned to the hotel at 9am and was told that they weren't serving breakfast. I rode around the corner and went to Cafe Oso Azul, where I had huevos rancheros, a cappuccino, and an orange juice. I then cycled out to Escarabajo bike shop. They only had my size inner tubes with Schrader valves. I bought a HUGE patch kit that I’d hopefully never have to open, a new water bottle, and a new tail light.
It was a steep climb riding out through town and I had an embarrassing fall in front of a bunch of people in the center of town. I couldn’t shift my gears fast enough and I was clipped in. I went down hard onto the stone pavement and knocked my elbow, but the foolish feeling was worse. I cringe thinking about the handful of times this has happened to me. Up on the ridge on my way out of town, I stopped at the lookout. San Miguel Allende was a gem.
Outside of town and up on the plateau in the sprawl, I stopped at a grocery store for pasta, tomato sauce, and a new stick of deodorant. My travel-size deodorant had only lasted two weeks. I spent some time on the curb organizing and stowing all my new purchases. I strapped the new light to my rear rack and filled my new water bottle. I was delighted by the animated pedestrian crossing lights in front of the grocery store, and wish we had those in New York.
I was on an eight lane divided highway thick with motor traffic. As I headed out of town, the highway eventually merged down to two lanes with wide shoulders. I had a headwind again today. I was wearing my short-sleeve jersey, short-sleeve sweater, cycling shorts, leg warmers, socks, and short finger gloves. The air was chilly, but I was doing a lot of climbing.
I was on Mexico Highway 57 heading southeast, and I passed numerous cement factories. I left the highway and took a right on pavement headed south towards Jalpa. I was on the Via Organica.
I had less than a week left of riding. My paper map had been folded to its final configuration, and there were many underlined towns ahead that I wouldn’t be getting to. Two day cyclists, enjoying their tail wind, passed me going the other direction.
I was on Mexico 111 heading south. I was surrounded by amber grass, scrub, and cactus. There was a mountain range to the west and a more distant range to the east. The grade was level. After 15km the pavement ended at Jalpa. The asphalt turned to bumpy cobblestone paved rock and then I had a long unpleasant uphill.
The road eventually leveled off and turned to dirt and washboard. I stopped to apply sunscreen on my arms. There were wispy puffy clouds in the sky and the sun was strong. I continued down another bumpy cobblestone rock road from hell. I was going through a stinky area ostensibly from poultry production. I entered the small pueblo of La Esquina.
It was rocky bumpy pavement across to the next town of La Tinaja de la Estancia, which still had carnival rides set up from the holidays. They were in the process of being disassembled. A person was selling ceramic cooking ware on the corner. I stopped at a comedor for some tacos and a Coca-Cola. I told the friendly proprietor about my trip and she asked where I was sleeping. “With the cows”, I replied.
The next town was Tierra Blanca. It featured a basketball court in the center of town and a tienda that was open. There were nice smooth paved stones through town. I stopped to remove my leg warmers, sweater, and socks and put on UV arm protection
I had a nice gravel road out of town towards Obraje. The next town was Ixtla which had paved streets, stone arched bridges, and a four story building. I marveled at the decorative cross created from arranged corn cobs in front of the church. There were numerous open tiendas throughout town. As I rode away I got some tarmac and could crank out some kms.
The large city of Santiago de Queretaro could be seen far in the valley ahead. The next town that I rode through was Obrajuelo, and I stopped to inflate my rear tire. Riding out of town I had a bike lane protected by plastic dividers. I was now on Mexico highway 45, and passed a sign for Procter and Gamble. I was on a four-lane divided highway in the bike lane and noticed the home of a cycling club for both bicyclists and motorcyclists.
I crossed under the mega Mexico freeway 57 and then the route took me back to the dirt through a junkyard. Mexicans seem to haul their junk to a dumping ground and then burn it. I’ve seen roadside fires everywhere, and this place was no exception. The area seemed a kittle sketchy and I noticed several transients. After the garbage dump I rode through dried-up mud with deep cow hoof indentations. It was a toxic minefield. I passed a homeless looking guy with a sack on his back, and later passed a motorcycle guy who was bathing in one of the foul smelling pools. Not too far away I could see a ginormous brick-brack track development. This place was the polar opposite of where I had begun the day. Coming out of the wasteland, I rode alongside a car parts junkyard.
I got on an ugly busy four-lane divided freeway, which I was on for seven kilometers. It was harrowing and the roar of traffic was so loud that I could barely hear my iPod music. It was one of the most unpleasant sections of the tour thus far. I turned off into Apasseo El Alto and stayed on the industrial strip though town, which was one continuous uphill.
I was at the far end of town and it was 5:45pm. Right before I hit the campo I stopped at a deposito for some provisions for tonight’s campsite. I wasn’t going to make my original goal but I would get myself some distance down the road. The air was once again chilly and I stopped to don my sweater, legs warmers, and socks.
I was on the two-lane State Highway to Jerécuaro and a bus driver blasted his horn at me. It was the first time I’d been honked at like that in Mexico. I had a three inch shoulder to the right of the white line. Come on dude.
At 6 PM I turned on my brand-new rearview light. It was getting dark and I knew I wouldn’t make it to Jerécuaro. I pulled off the road and rode through a junk yard. I then passed some old stacked rock walls. Further away from the highway I found a hidden spot underneath a beautiful small tree, where I set up my tent. I drank cans of Victoria and ate spicy nuts as I edited this report.
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