Trans-Mexico Day #8 Francisco I. Madera to Zacatecas

Trans-Mexico Day #8
January 3, 2022
Francisco I. Madera ZA to Zacatecas ZA 142Km
Start 8:16am Finish 7:42pm
Ride Time: 8:52
Ascent: 1198m
Descent: 1016m
Tour Total Km: 758
Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/80944948

I slept reasonably well in the cow pasture near the highway outside of Francisco I. Madera. It was cold and I slept in my long underwear and socks. I put my down sweater over the foot end of my sleeping bag, and sealed myself inside the envelope. I woke up with the light and it was slow pack up. I spent a few minutes in the tent editing yesterday‘s report. My water was fortunately not frozen this morning, but my power pack was down to 10. I had only two remaining reserve bottles of water.

As I was rolling up my tent, I looked up and noticed that a calf was about ten feet away watching me pack. I wonder what it must have thought. I bushwhacked back to the road through the cacti and thorns. I was wearing my cycling shorts, short-sleeve jersey, down sweater, and socks. I crossed a cattle guard as I entered town.

There wasn’t much activity in town. I found an open tienda near the plaza and got myself two del Valle néctar de mangos, a sweet bun, and two bottles of water. The clerk commented on my Spanish ability and fluency with numbers and money. He asked if I was cold and I replied, ’No, not now that the sun was up’. While refillig my water bottles I noticed that my lower water bottle cage was broken.

I rode back out to the edge of town and got on some asphalt heading south. It was chilly so I put on my leg warmers and rain jacket over my short-sleeve sweater. There’s been very little motor traffic these past few days and I decided to ride without my rearview mirror.

I was cycling through wide open country. The ranges were smaller and further away than the prior few days. I was surrounded by grassland with cactus, scrub, barbwire fences, and mostly amber colored grass. Last evening while atop the ridge, I had been able to see down the valley, and could spot other towns in the distance. The towns and roads that I’ve been on since Sùchil haven’t been on my paper map, and I’ve been relying on my devices. I didn’t have an precise idea where exactly I was.

I entered the puebla of Quemada. I passed the playground and rode over several speed bumps. A tienda was open but I didn’t stop. I was on a road towards Fresnillo and I rode around a large lake. If I had pavement all day I’d be able to make it to Zacatecas, but I didn’t think I’d be that lucky.

I rode up a hill into a small puebla that had two radio towers. I stopped to see if I had any service. I was able to upload the first part of yesterday’s report and post a photo to Instagram. It had been a couple of days without service and I wanted to let friends know that I was still alive. There was an open tienda, but I didn’t stop. I rode down towards another large lake.

I came to a crossroads where there was a religious monument of Jesus and the mother Mary. I took a left and was still on asphalt heading east. Ahead in the distance I could see a water tower up atop a small ridge. Behind that loomed a far-away silhouette of a ginormous mountain.

I passed several hardware stores riding into the next town. There was a large radio tower ahead. I stopped at a PEMEX for a JUMEX mango. The clerk was impressed that I had ridden here from Mazatlán. Down the road I stopped at a restaurant where a man was grilling steaks out front. I ordered two hamburgers with fries and a Coke. There was an electrical outlet where I was able to plug in my devices. It was the perfect stop. I was able to stuff my belly, charge my power pack up to 16%, charge my phone, use a toilet and sink. When I left, I stowed my rain jacket. I was soon riding again on dirt.

I rode through some fields and saw some cows eating dried up corn stalks. Moments later I was back on pavement. The asphalt soon turned to dirt and much of it was fun riding. It reminded me of when I was a kid. We used to ride our bikes back in the woods, and there was an area that we called the desert. It was all dirt with mounds that we could ride up and down. It was fun reliving my childhood today. I encountered a lucky dog with a cow’s hoof in its mouth.

I rode into the small puebla of Matias Ramos which had pavement. There was asphalt heading out of town as well. I was riding south through fields with the ginormous Sierra De Zacatecas range to the east. Hopefully I would be avoiding it.

The next town was Colorales. There were several open tiendas and even a small market. I passed a small church and rodeo arena on the way out of town. The borrachos were hanging out in front of the abbarotes. I was still on asphalt and riding over speed bumps. There are a lot of bumps in Mexico.

All the fields around here had been harvested and plowed. Ostensibly it was all corn production. I took a right on Mexican Highway 44 and knew more or less where I was on my paper map for the first time since Súchil. I headed west on Highway 44 for just a kilometer and then took a left on State Highway 171 towards Santa Rosa.

After 14K I pulled into Santa Rosa. There were no open services, and on the far end of town I crossed a cattle guard. There was some great off-road riding here. I was cycling around a man-made lake and crossed several more of the cattle guards with the planks aligned with the direction of traffic. One false move crossing one of these things, and my bike is broken.

Off-road riding is all about finding the smoothest path. Is it the side with the washboards or the side with the chunky rocks? I find myself switching back-and-forth and try to avoid the loose gravel and sand. Sometimes, when the road was rutted and unnavigable, the track would leave the road and run along side it.

I took a bend down from the ridge and could see small town ahead. It was a bumpy downhill and pavement returned when I entered the town. I stopped at a tienda for two Gatorade reds and a banana. It was sunny so I put on my brim, removed my short-sleeve sweater and socks, and lathered myself with sunscreen. The speed bumps through town had gaps in the middle which I appreciated. The town was called Purisima de Mangue. There was a military checkpoint and I rode straight through. Exiting through the other side of town, I had rough pavement. Afterwards, I was once again surrounded by amber grass, cactus, scrub, rock walls and barbwire. I was in a wide valley bounded by small ridges. I could see lakes in the distance. I took a left on Mexico Highway 23 north towards Fresnillo and once again knew where I was on my paper map.

I was getting close to Zacatecas. It was remote but possible that I would make it there tonight. It would depend upon how many off-roads I had to ride. I decided that if I did make it tonight, I’d take an off-day tomorrow. I needed to catch up on my reports, edit my photos, clean my clothing, and go to a bike shop.

I took a right on a state highway towards Organos, and after a kilometer I rode into town. Organos had a large church under construction. A tienda was open but I didn’t stop. The next town would be Callera, which was 26 km away. This would put me very close to Zacatecas. It was 3:45pm.

I had asphalt with amber grass, barbwire fences, and scraggly bushes to both sides of the road. It was relatively flat with no motor traffic. I had it all to myself and I could crank out those kilometers. I rode into Nuevo Alianza and the route steered me away from the pavement. I could see Zacatecas far in the distance. I had a scenic detour through the town and came out the back side near a small church. I was on gravel with barbwire, grass, and cactus on both sides.

I inserted a Zacatecas hotel address into Google maps and it was 2-1/2 hours away by bicycle. I decided to go for it. I would be showered, drinking beer, and sleeping in a bed tonight. I came to a closed gate. It didn’t have a lock on it and I was able to open it and pass through.

The road was crunchy gravel and I remained clipped in. I’ve gained confidence over the past couple of days and just power through it. I came to a zigzag cattle guard with the slats at a forty-five degree angle. This was a first for me. Every once in a while I’d be passed by somebody on a motor scooter. That was the only kind of motorized traffic I saw on this dirt road.

The next pueblo, El Maguey, had stone paved streets. There was a soccer field, basketball court, and a ruin of a huge old building, probably a cathedral. There was once a lot of wealth in this area from silver mining. Afterwards I had asphalt pavement. I was on a highway and could make up some time. Ostensibly Zacatecas was straight ahead on the hillside. Behind it I could see a wind farm.

The next town greeted me with many speed bumps coming and going. It was 6pm, the sun was low on the horizon, the air was starting to get cold, and I was one hour out. Google, in addition to the route, wanted me to leave the highway and take dirt roads through the fields which I obligues. Zacatecas was gleaming before me up on the hill. I stopped to remove my sunglasses and turn on my lights. I shared the dirt with a queue of cars. This was obviously the local shortcut. I later hit pavement and began climbing. There was an incredible sunset to the west.

I came to a chunky nasty section of pavement in an industrial neighborhood. It was dark and I turned on my high beam to see the cratered road surface. The next thing I knew, I was on a busy freeway and it sucked! I remember reading another cyclist’s account of this stretch. It was dark, my lights were on, and I played it safe. Finally I exited for centro historico. Zacatecas was really hilly and I was riding on paving stones. I got turned around and finally figured it out. I stopped at an OXXO for some Tecate and chips. My arrival in centro was beguiling. The hotel was gorgeous and from another age. I showered, slumped in a comfortable chair, uploaded reports, ate chips, and drank Tecate. It had been a long beautiful day.