I headed out early the next morning towards Tucson i dont know why, but something drew me there. I found my way to a fabulous hostel called Roadrunner and a hot and tired traveller was made to feel welcome. In the next few days i really began to enjoy Tucson the hostel being minutes from Downtown. It was really hot with the odd bit of evening rain and lightning. The city seems to have a large artistic set but there is something missing, it cant seem to find an identity with a large transient population. It does have a magnificent mountain backdrop over the desert, it reminds me a little of Alice Springs bigger though. I recovered my energy in the next few days ready for the Mexico onslaught a little nervous on what to expect.
I woke early and said my goodbyes to the USA, a great time was had there and some lovely people met. The ride down to the border was uneventful, with no wait to speak of as i just rode through the border i thought maybe i should have stopped. After a few kilometres i got a little nervous and turned around and went back. Talk about mass confusion, you need to go here go there, do this and that. 2 hours later i was headed to kilometre 21 for my Temporary Import Permit for the bike. When i arrived i was told motorcycles were not allowed on that road and would have to go back. I snuck around and got to the checkpoint where 1 hour later i was processed and the temporary reg sticker on the bike headed south into the blazingingly hot Sonoran desert. That area is a hassle free zone so the signs say, but there are so many army and police checkpoints and Topes, more on them later.
I powered on through the Sonoran desert till i reached Hermosillo where i stopped in a hotel, very ritzy i thought and great value. This was one of the love hotels rented by the hour by couples to do their thing. For $30.00 you get an immaculately clean room with the biggest beds ever 5 star luxury what a bargain and a garage to hide the bike from jilted lovers eyes. Another early start saw me heading for Mazatlan, the desert soon gave way to green fields and jagged mountains. Mexico isnt too concerned about pollution problems the rubbish is everywhere the place really is in the throes of industrializing, the whole Sea of Cortez coast has industry belching out odd coloured fumes from lower than normal smoke stacks. By the end of the day i am black from exhaust fumes and dust. This part is tiring and the heat saps any reserves of energy i have. I have been drinking 5 to 6 litrs of water a day and i believe i could easily double that.
Back to Topes, these are speed bumps of various sizes and varying configurations. Some are long and skinny, others are huge a couple of feet high and wide. Sometimes there is one and other times there are ten with anything in between spaced at different intervals. Some are a foot apart others are metres apart, one thing they all have in common is no apparent purpose. They appear without warning and annoy all people using the roads. They appear on Freeways on highways and on city streets in fact anywhere the department of Topes decides these menaces are needed. The cry over here is viva the Tope.
I decide to stay in another love hotel before i head to Durango to try and get away from the heat. The road to Durango is amazing but as i round a turn the police have set up a road block. An avalanche has closed the road and it wont be opened for ages, maybe manana i am told. We are turned back to the coastal road after a 200km detour through gravel dirt and big puddles, i decide to head for Tepic, as the weather heats up again with a big storm brewing over the mountains.
