The Geography and Countries
I left Northern Michigan in late October, the end of the fall and beginning of the cold weather going into November. The weather was very cold, in the 40's at night until I got below Memphis into 60 and 70 degree weather. The forests of the north gave way to the farmlands of the mid west which turned into the Mississippi Delta and cotton fields and then turned into Pine forests again in Mississippi and Arkansas, not unlike the ones I had left in Michigan.
In Texas it turned to more brush with less trees and as I headed south along the gulf coast I discovered the beauty of "Prairie Marsh" for the first time. Long areas of protected shoreline that are ecologically driven by its close proximity to the ocean. At one time there were millions of acres of it in the U.S. Now just a few areas of protected shore are left in their natural state. The peace and serenity of this wild place with its large bird populations and even the endangered small cat, the Ocelot, combine for its own unique beauty,it reminded me in ways of Cape Cod in Massachusetts'. The food also changed, most places served fresh seafood and I got spoiled quickly eating great seafood dinners every night.
As I entered Mexico, at the Browning/Malamoros border it was hot and as I made my way south along the gulf side of Mexico the country did not offer up many trees. Rather it had a four or five foot tall covering of some sort of brush and I remembered thinking that it would have to be a bear to try to hike through it or simply walk from one hill to the other. Its all very pretty, and looks very inaccessible. Further down the coast one begins to get glimpses of the Caribbean while the warmth and humidity of the tropics gradually begin to take hold. The Dry rolling brush hills give way to larger interior mountain ranges that eventually the farther south you travel roll down to the Caribbean covered in jungle: Very tropical.
Cutting across South Central Mexico from one coast to another one encounters lush rain forests and winding roads passing high up in the mountains. As you approach the Pacific side and the mountains empty you out into long dry canyons with panoramic views I spotted a lizard running across the road on its hind legs, unfortunately I think I ran over it.....the first exotic wildlife of Mexico, and I kill it. Coming down from the mountains the heat continues to soar and everything seems to get higher and drier. Apparently all the moisture from the Pacific just blows over the mountains to be dumped on the Caribbean side. And speaking of wind, as you come down from the mountains on the Pacific side you are greeted by hundreds of giant electric producing windmills, and one soon sees why.
On the this side of Mexico you pick up the Panama Highway and make the 15
0 mile run or so down along the Sierra De Soconusco mountain range to Guatemala. The crosswinds coming off this range easily hit 60 mph's and were so strong I almost had to stop my bike. The Sierra De Soconusco's reminded me of the Sierra's in California, big, rocky and dry. They seemed to be inviting one to camp out and explore; for me perhaps on another trip.
As one continues on through Guatemala, it seems to get hotter and greener, there are more sugar cane plantations and a long majestic row of active volcano's line the country from one side to the other as you pass them by. Actually volcano's stretch from part of Mexico, all the way through Central America. The route I took through El Salvador brought me right along the Pacific for some of the most beautiful ocean scenery of the trip, complete with crashing surf, surfers from around the world, very friendly locals and long cool dark caves cut through volcanic rock to allow the highway to pass through.
Honduras was hot and dry, though the route I took brought me climbing up high into the mountains and cooler air as I approached the Nicaraguan border. The smell of Pine trees and cool mountain air reminded me of the states and amazed me that I would find this type of fauna and mountain air not far from the stifling heat of the lower elevations. Of course this was true in all of Mexico and Central America, the coasts and lower elevations were extremely hot and humid but the higher elevations usually offered some respite from it.
Nicaragua while hot, was mostly dry and does not take long to cross on the west/south side, maybe six or seven hours at most. Lake Nicaragua is by Managua and seems like a huge inland sea, and I could imagine the Lochness might live there or something.
Arriving in Costa Rica I ran into my first rain since the gulf coast of Mexico, things got even greener, more mountainous and wetter fast. Costa Rica has a lot more mountains packed together than the other countries I had been in, it holds the weather in them that comes from the oceans it rests between, creating lush rain forests and waterfalls. Like the other countries, the Pacific side appears to be the drier, while the Caribbean side gets all the rain and washed out roads. The country also has more of a variety of plant and animal life than just about any place on earth. Whether in the ocean or on land, animal or plant, it or its relative probably lives here.
On my return trip home I went much the same way as I had come except when I got to Mexico instead of heading up the gulf side again as I had come down I decided to swing over to Acapulco, heading up the dry mountainous Pacific coast. This side had better roads but also many more military check points. Apparently this is the preferred route for tourists and drug traffickers alike. Still, the long sweeping vistas overlooking the Pacific and good roads made the trip much faster and smoother than the gulf side with its poor roads and construction.
From Acapulco north to Mexico City the toll road while as well made as any interstate in the U.S., winds deep into the mountains and crosses breathtaking gullies on truly architectural wonders of bridges. These bridges and the expanses they cross are almost mind boggling, some crossing gorges that seem to be a mile deep. Meanwhile like other places south of the border the mountains give some reprieve from the heat of the coasts; the morning air on my motorcycle was almost bitter cold.
After somehow negotiating Mexico City, I headed north into the Sierra De Pachucas, some of the most beautiful mountains I have ever seen. It was a couple of hundred miles of grueling mountain roads, with sometimes 6 or 7 thousand foot drops to the sides. At one point a truck and car had gone off one of the ledges and the bystanders with their expressions told me things were not good as I passed.
As pretty and as cold as this country is with almost frosty weather in the morning (the only place south of Texas I thought we needed heat in my motel room at night), it is also hell to drive through if you are trying to make any time. The up and down driving on hairpin curves often never being able to go more than 10 or 15 miles an hour mile after mile became more of a torture than a wonderful drive. I was wanting to get to Texas and get back in the states after so long, but the truth is I would love to have taken more time or later be able to go back to this area on a short trip from the states. It reminded me of the Swiss Alps with just fantastic alpine scenery along with Peruvian looking locals wearing heavy garments, cold weather garments that I hadn't seen anywhere else in Mexico. Much of the area is a National Park with campgrounds and hiking trails. Maybe a full days drive south of Brownsville Texas and Mexico's Malamoros. A place to get away from some of the craziness of other places in Mexico and do a little exploring in an incredibly beautiful area.
Literally after the Sierra De Pachuca mountains it was all down hill to Tampico and on to Malamoros, Brownsville and back to the states. I had feared tackling Acapulco and Mexico City, and then these mountains, but somehow got through them all and was really glad I took the "chance" to go a new way and see more of Mexico.
Emerson once said, "seek the new path and fear not, there is nothing new in the known". (or something to that affect.....).
Or another one I like from somewhere is, "maybe strangers and strange places are just new friends and places you have not yet met, or been."
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