Puerto Vallarta to Manzanillo

Today we started out early. Not by choice. The hotel restaurant was not open when we needed our morning coffee. Todd rode up the cobblestone road alone because it was too uneven and not worth the risk.

The ride was cool, twisty and worrisome because we heard mixed messages about where the next gas station was.

At about half a tank we came across a Pemex and two others right after. Half a tank is only about 2 gallons. We really haven't been watching the price of gas up till now but prices are similar to Edmonton.

The landscape was beautiful. Fields and fields of tomato plants, plantains and mango groves.

On the way into Bara De Navidad the was a huge speed bump (topes). We lost the spring to the kickstand. By the time we found it someone had run over it. No problem. We pulled over and with our trusty pliers re-attached it. It works.

We had lunch in Bara De Navidad at a beach front restaurant. Not many bikes pass through here so people were stopping to look at our license plate to see where we were from. The gringos were more interested than the locals.

Soon a bike came by, stopped, looked at the plate, moved back and then parked. Doug, a Calgarian, working in Mexico for the last 10 years joined us for lunch. He works free lance computer work and says he only has to work 6 hours per week for one client to pay his bills here in Mexico. Swapped road stories, had lunch and said Adios.

Even though we had been riding for 3.5 hours, we were only 1 hour from Manzanillo and decided to go for it. Numb bums and all.

Pulled up beside a H-D Ford truck with B.C. license plates at a red light. Waved at him and it took him too long to open his window. Think the old guy was scared of us. Has the truck but has never had the bike. Finally he rolled down the window. Told him we were from Edmonton and asked him how many more hotels to expect along the road. He said many.

Found a good looking hotel soon after. Beach front with a private balcony for $55.

We were tired but could not sit any longer. Walked along the beach. There's no one here!!!

Met a couple from Michigan and a man from Edson. He drove here by himself and is staying here for 3 months. He does paving in the summer and vacations south all winter. Met a man from California who is here with his employer who wants to open a branch of his fork lift company. Says raw commercial land near the port is 1 million dollars per acre.

Pictures of the sunset do not do it justice. It was beautiful.