I'm currently nowhere close to Mexico, but last night I came across a YouTube video titled: Cycling through Mexico Alone, which prompted me to bring back Mexico to this blog once again. I actually made a similar post earlier in the year. Since migrating this blog to V3 (read about all the migrations), I omitted the migration of that post due to the effort of moving all the photos (my laziness), but also some unsatisfied feelings about the post (I'll cover that later). However, watching this video reminded me how much Mexico was a transformative period for me. I want to share this post as an ode to adventure and commitment and hopefully leave you slightly inspired and also with at least an entertaining slide show of a different world than what you're used to. The YouTube video by Greg McCahon, which I mentioned earlier (you should totally watch it), is an extremely well-documented journey from Alaska to Argentina. It may send you down a rabbit hole of bikepacking if you're unfamiliar with that. Here's to cycling and seeing the world!
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My first ever bicycle trip, treading the Trans-Mexico Bikepacking route, was an adventure as bold as the name would suggest it to be. Trans-Mexico!!!
At the time of the trip, I was 21 years old and had not been to a foreign country. Saying yes to a trip to Mexico, let alone a biking trip riding and camping through the whole continent, seems absurd even to this day.
We could trace this journey back all the way back to the spring of 2021 — from a single FaceTime call between two boys, one in California and the other in New York. Both of us, poised to graduate early in December 2021, wanted to see if we could do a graduation trip before we both start working full-time.
“Soo where do you wanna go?” - Cody
“Want to go to Mexico? HAHHAA” - Grant
“Sure, I think I'm down. LOL” - Cody
“Check this out. We should bike this route” - Grant
“Okay, after graduation. Maybe around January. Let's do it, this seems doable LOL” - Cody
It was as simple as that. Grant didn't need to convince me much, which surprised even him. I wouldn't have had the courage or the idea to suggest Mexico myself, but I'm grateful for a friend like Grant who pushed me in this direction. Grant later confessed that despite my easy agreement, he doubted I'd actually follow through with our seemingly outlandish plans. It's worth noting that at this point, Mexico would be only my second time abroad (after Japan). I had never camped in the wild, barely spoke Spanish, and hadn't ridden a bike in years. Yet, there I was, ready for the adventure.
January 2022 found us at the start of our journey, bikes packed and ready, with Mazatlán, Mexico as our first destination. Our plan was deliberately loose: follow the guide, take each day as it came, and decide whether to press on or turn back as we went. We had 45 days until our visas expired.
There was a sense of nervousness, but it was always masked by the adrenaline of being a part of an expedition like this.
We first took our bikes from LAX to Mazatlán. Mazatlán is a coastal city in Western Mexico, known for its beautiful beaches and vibrant culture. We got accustomed to the surroundings and tuned our bikes in preparation for the next few weeks.
We headed eastwards towards Durango. On the way there, we stopped by the famous mining town of Copala and the city of Concordia. I remember the first day of biking through the town was a struggle. The roads were rough and the terrain was steep. My ass hurt so bad. My legs were weak. I was exhausted.
We continued biking through Central Mexico, next navigating the mountains of Sierra Madre Occidental. The mountains were breathtaking. The hills were steep. On our way to Durango we go!
Our next stop was Zacatecas. We did some research and found a route that was suitable for our bikes. We were excited to continue our journey. We had a couple of hiccups on the way to Zacatecas. At some point, both our bikes got flat tires. We didn't have adequate tools to fix them and the nearest town was a couple of hours away. We ended up getting a ride from a local to the next town, Sombrerete. What kindness. Thank you kind stranger!!!
When we made it to Zacatecas, we stayed with a WarmShowers host and was treated with peak hospitality. We stayed here for a couple nights since it was so comfortable. I can never forget our moments of having a drink with the family and playing lotteria (Mexican bingo).
We finished our journey in Guanajuato. On the way there, we stopped by Aguascalientes and Leon. We were again treated with kindness and generosity by our hosts Paolo and Josafat. Thank you for the hospitality :D! It was an amazing way to end the trip.
Mexico was eye-opening in a lot of ways.
It was the first time I was exposed to Latin American culture up close. There was this authenticity, generosity, and hospitality I had never encountered before in my life. Biking proved to be an ideal way to experience it all. It allowed us to breathe the same air as locals, feel the wind as they did, and travel at a perfect pace to absorb the nuances of each place we passed through. We stuck out like a sore thumb, but any place we pedaled by accepted us with smiles and kindness. I found it fascinating that the culture and the language complimented and encompassed Latin American values of family and respect so well.
Mexico also proved to be the perfect place to challenge preconceived notions. Many who heard about our trip advised against it, suggesting safer or more familiar destinations. While their concern was understandable, our research gave us confidence that Mexico wasn't as dangerous as commonly perceived. This proved largely true, with 95% of our experience confirming our beliefs. The remaining 5%, confined to specific areas, served as a reminder that some external risks are unavoidable (such as cartel guys with AR-15s sitting right behind us while we were eating tacos). However, we learned that thorough preparation and avoiding high-risk situations can significantly minimize danger - a lesson applicable to all aspects of life.
Viva Mexico! Thanks for the great time.
~ Side Thought // Importance of Intention ~
As I spent time crafting this blog post, I caught myself wondering, why am I even posting this? It felt oddly braggy and less genuine than my previous bike ride posts, which captured my raw feelings at the time. This one? Just a recap. And I don't like recaps.
But then it hit me - I remembered why I started this blog in the first place. It's not for others; it's for me. I'm the one who entertains myself by re-reading my own posts. I'm the one who loves being reminded of what I've experienced and what was going through my head. That's where the fun is for me.
It's easy to lose sight of your original intent. When you're cycling through a foreign country where you don't speak the language, you might feel like a clueless idiot on a bike. With this blog being public, I somehow self-impose the need for public attention. However, remembering and reminding yourself of your initial purpose is crucial.
So yeah, if you're reading this, I did post it. And you know, it's great to be able to share stuff I learn. This trip really was kick-ass and helped me become the person I am today, so why not make a dedicated post. So I guess here's the lesson: always remind yourself of the intent behind what you do. Whether it be doing work, talking to a friend, going on a bike trip, or simply blogging, intention makes a big difference in what you get back.
Thanks for reading!