Chihuahua, (Memo Ayala & Paulina)then

/I have embarked on what I hope will be a 4 month, 17,000 mile motorcycle ride through the US and parts of Mexico and Canada to visit family and friends and to benefit Children International.  Please consider supporting me – learn more here Will's Charity Ride for Children International - PledgeIt

April 15, 2024 Chihuahua, Mexico

If you read the blog post that included my experience taking the ferry from Pinchilingue to Topolobampo, you might  remember that I met another motorcyclist, (here in Mexico, it is motero), Memo Ayala, a professor of chemitry at the University of Chihuahua.  He's a super cool guy and  a super rider, he's always waiting for me when we ride together.

After he escorted me after the repair of my bike in Los Mochis to make sure that the repair stuck, he offered to me when I visit Chihuahua, "me casa es tu casa."

So I arrived in Chihuahua on Saturday, two days ago and have been staying in his home.  He has a sweet boxer named Meca.  Yesterday we went on a ride with a few of his friends to a typical restaurant just like in California where on the weekend bikers ride to for breakfast.  There is a wide range of motorcyclists here in Chihuahua from Harleros (Harley riders), Baqueros (bagger riders), choperos (chopper riders), and dudes with expensive dual sport BMWs, Ducatis, and of course Gold Wing riders.  But that said, honestly, it is my humble opinion that most of the roads here are best ridden on dual sport bikes as there are lots of potholes and just bunpy roads that taken at speed on an 850lbs touring bike, are a bit harsh.  But whatever, that won't stop anyone.  

To that point, Memo has a point of view about life that is best descrobed as "no pasa nada!"  Which loosely translate into "No problem."

And if I haven't made it clear enough, meeting Memo, his girlfriend Paulina, and the 3 young guys from Chihuahua (Andres, Gabriel, and Oscar) was the highlight of the ride so far.  Making those personal connections means so much to me and opens the world to me.

Memo took me out for a bit of Chihuahuan nightlife. With his girlfriend Paulina, he took me to 2 traditional restaurants to have Sonoran tacos and Mariscos.  Delicious food and a very generous host and engaging company.

I met some other bikers and was spreading the word of the Children International charity ride.

Here you see a motorcycle monument erected by a group of motorcyclist for this area where they ride to and have BBQs, play music, and just hang in the countryside about 50 miles from the city.

Memo, Leti, Carlos, and yours truly after getting some ice cream towards the end of our ride.

On our ride, I volunteered to and did ¨bring up the rear.¨  Since I arrived here in Mexico and have retired, I have been expalining to various folks that, "No tengo prisa!"  I am not in a hurry.  For me this time for me is a marathon, not a sprint.  I want to look forward to getting on the motorcycle each day.  Hence my desire to limit my daily average to just 200 miles.  Well that said, it was later explained to me that Carlos (riding a dual sport Ducati) races in off-road competitions.  Both Oscar and Memo ride 1250 BMWs. They were WAY ahead of me.

A bit about Chihuahua

The city of Chihuahua is the state capital of the Mexican state of Chihuahua. As of 2020, the city of Chihuahua had a population of 925,762 inhabitants.

Among cities in Mexico, the city of Chihuahua is highly ranked in human and social development. According to a UNDP report on human development, Chihuahua municipality's HDI is 0.840 as of 2015 – this is equal or higher than some Western European countries, with the literacy rate in the city among the highest in the country at 99%. Another report about competitiveness from the CIDE organization ranks Chihuahua as the second most competitive city in the country just behind Monterrey and ahead of Mexico City. This report also ranks Chihuahua as the most Socially Competitive city in the country.  The predominant activity is industry, including domestic heavy, light industries, consumer goods production, and to a smaller extent maquiladoras.

The hills above the city of Chihuahua taking in the city

A few fotos at "hora zero," that refers to as the sun sets.

And here we are all three together, Memo, Paulina y yo (me).

Today it is Monday as I write this and unfortunately, this is the 2nd time I find myself with free time to explore the history and culture of places I am visiting in Mexico on a Monday.  That is because most museums throughout Mexico are closed on Mondays!  So I'll visit the Museum of the Revolution tomorrow before I leave Chihuahua.

I'll publish interesting things about that visit in the next blog post.  So before I sign off, I cannot explain more plainly that I appreciate the generousity offered to me by Memo.  When I think of how we met and how he simply offered to help me through my mecahincal issue and then escort me, and offer me his home, like Wow!  Makse me happy to see that there are people who are good and generous in their hearts.