A Great Motorcycle Ride in Mexico: Queretaro

A beautiful ride across cities and places named World Heritage by the Unesco, through an splendid protected natural area and ending in a surrealistic garden by artist Sir Edward James. Just keep reading... The ride starts in Queretaro City at 5,970 ft above sea level.

Queretaro is a colonial city founded more than 500 years ago and named World Heritage by the Unesco in 1996 . It's located in the center of the country two hours North Mexico City. Nowadays it has become one of the most dynamic cities in Mexico due to the surrounding industrial parks where many international companies are located.

The first stop is just 45 minutes away: "La Pe?a de Bernal" (The "Rock of Bernal"). We are talking about the third biggest rock in the world and the highest in Mexico. At its feet a quaint little town were you can stop for a soda, lunch or spend the night. You can also find nice little souvenirs. Whatever you decide to do, this place is a must.

If you like rock climbing, you are in the right place too!

The road to Bernal doesn't present any major challenge, most of the road is straight with just a few extended curves... but just after passing Bernal it starts to get fun!

Surrounded by an arid landscape due the high content of lime in the soil, you start with a very interesting section of twisties, one after another, up and down, a technical road between the mountains for about 30 miles. The landscape changes a bit as you advance and a few miles later you are in the middle of a semidesert.

After this twisty section you then continue on a straight part of the road. A few more miles down the route and you find a military checkpoint... Don't worry about it, they are normally courteous people just looking for arm and drug smugglers.

After the control point the curves and the fun start again. As you get to "Pe?a Blanca" ("White Rock" in English) - by the way if you need gas, this is the place to stop and fill it up - you start climbing the mountains twist after twist.

I love this part: most of the ride you can clearly see three or four turns in front of you, and as it is a low traffic road, you can enjoy yourself taking the best lines (always keeping it in the safe side if you know what I mean!).

After climbing for a while you notice how things start to change and suddenly what were rocks, sand and cactus are now pine trees. It's beautiful.. You feel the change of temperature and then you reach "La Puerta del Cielo" (The Door of Heavens") the highest point in this ride.

We are now at about 9200 feet above sea level... The turns continue but now you are going downhill. Remember to adjust your riding to that fact. Unfortunately I have seen more than one forgetting about it that and paying the consequences.

As you start descending you ride through a small town called Pinal the Amoles... descend, turn turn, descend turn turn, descend turn turn... I love it! About 10 miles after Pinal de Amoles, the weather starts to change again and gets warmer. The vegetation also suffers a sudden transformation.

You keep devouring the road and you cannot help but getting marveled of the landscape around you... Just remember to keep your eyes on the road! Turn, turn... You are in the middle of the Sierra Gorda protected area and home of multiple plants and animals.

You continue descending till you reach Jalpan de Serra the most important town in the Sierra Gorda and place where Father Junipero Serra built one of his most important missions in the area before heading north to build the Missions in California. These missions were also named World Heritage by the Unesco in 2003.

In Jalpan you can find a couple of simple but nice hotels and some restaurants. Another possibility to spend the night is to ride a few more miles west to a place called Conca where you 'll find a hotel with Spa to relax from the day's ride and get ready for the rest of the trip.

After Jalpan our next stop and final destination is Xilitla, so you head north-east till you reach the state of San Luis Potosi.

A few miles after crossing the state limits in the middle of the mountains, at about 3,300 ft asl, in a rain forest of incredible vegetation you get to Xilitla.

This town was chosen by Sir Edward James, a surrealistic British artist - also noble and rich -, to spend the rest of his life. It is in this place he built a huge garden, a private zoo and a meditation place in the middle of the jungle. Its very difficult to describe it with words... Maybe the photos in this site can help: http://www.junglegossip.com/.

In Xilitla you can stay in the Castillo "The Castle" the house of former Sir Edward James' right hand and friend: Plutarco Gastelum. This exclusive Bed and Breakfast is unique in its kind and you can see, feel and breath the influence of the artist everywhere.

Another possibility to spend the night is to ride a bit more to the north and stay in Ciudad Valles an important city of San Luis Potosi state where you will find all kind of hotels and restaurants, night life etc.

My recommendation... stay at the Castillo, forget about your ride and enjoy for a whole day this Mexican Shangri La.

After spending the whole day in Xilitla prepare for a long ride back to Queretaro. For this one I like to leave early in the morning and keep, if possible, a fast pace. Turn, turn...

We are talking about many miles and literally hundreds of twisties... Once my wife counted them... She stopped when she was at the 500th and we hadn't arrived back to Queretaro City yet!

It's so fun that the time flies and suddenly you realize it's all over and you would like to turn around and do it again...

You know the feeling right?

Another possibility from Xilitla is to head to the famous Huasteca Potosina a zone of exuberant rivers, waterfalls and springs... But that area deserves a whole article by itself. I will be writing it in the future.

If you liked the trip I described and want more information about great motorcycle rides in Mexico and/or to contact me for any other issue please visit my site at www.japanese-motorcycles-only.com.

Enjoy the ride!

Daniel Levy

P.S. Below you will find a few facts about this ride.

Facts about the ride:

Difficulty: Intermediate-Advanced
Recommended time to enjoy the trip: 3-4 days
Total length of the ride: about 600 miles
Checkpoints:
Queretaro-Bernal
Bernal-Military Checkpoint
Military Checkpoint-Pinal de Amoles
Pinal de Amoles-Jalpan de Serra
Jalpan de Serra-Xilitla

Weather: normally clear and dry with the exception of the rainy season from July to September where you can find some heavy rain.

Recommended Map: Guia Roji Mexico Tourist Road Atlas. You can find it at Amazon.

Daniel Levy is the owner and contributing writer of Japanese-Motorcycles-Only.com. He loves motorcycles and Web development. For more great info about Japanese Motorcycles visit his site or his blog at: http://japanese-motorcycles-only.blogspot.com/

---

Personal Scooters are Not Just for Fun

Personal scooters are a highly valuable mobility tool for those who, for health reasons, are unable to move around in public or in their own homes. They can ease the burden of having... Read More

Women and Motorcycles? You Bet!

To really understand the women and her ride, one needs to go back in history to explore the courageous women who defied the norm and road their horses in the freedom of the... Read More

How To Make Your Own Vintage Motor Cycle & Automotive Spare Parts

Vintage Car & Motorcycle restoration enthusiasts all share one thing in common...The difficulty in obtaining obsolete spare parts.How many times have you tried to find a special part for your restoration project, only... Read More

Motorcycle Radar Detectors

Standard radar detectors were not built for motorcycles and were never intended to be used on them. Most detectors use an audio device to inform the driver that radar had been detected, and... Read More

Motorcycle Suspension: - A Troubleshooting Guide

Trouble Shooting Suspension Problems.Adjustment locations: ForksRebound adjustment (if applicable) is located near the top of the fork. Compression adjustment (if applicable) is located near the bottom of the fork. Spring preload adjustment (if... Read More

How to Remove Your Mk2 Mini Moto Engine

Many mini moto modifications will require you to remove the engine from the mini moto. This is why I have produced the following guide.Firstly you will need to remove the mini moto's fairing.Start... Read More

5 Steps To A Better Motorcycle Loan With A Better Credit Score

It is common knowledge that motorcycle lenders base high importance on your FICO credit scores when approving motorcycle loans. However, what many people overlook is that their FICO credit score can highly impact... Read More

Mini Moto Tips

These are some quick adjustments and tips for the B1 liquid cooled minimoto that I have found helpful.Extra heat protection:To protect the bike I've put some aluminium tape on the inside of the... Read More

Fuel Cells Motorcycles, Trucks, Tanks, ATVs and Fire Hazards from Heat Exchanges

We have heard a whole lot of talk about fuel cells and of course it is a worthy endeavor. Portable generators, cars, transportation industry, Power generators, Ships, etc. can benefit. However in a... Read More

People Are Crazy... and Everyone Is A Racer

?And everyone is a racer. If you doubt that, you've obviously never driven in New York City during rush hour. Look closely at the driver of that Japanese luxury car. He's just as... Read More

So You Want To Be A Custom Bike Builder? Start With A Motorcycle Kit!

So you want to be a custom bike builder? Well friend, before you rush out and buy that motorcycle kit, the one that will set you on the road to riches and fame,... Read More

Avoiding Excessive or Uneven Front Tire Wear

All rubber tires wear down over time, whether they're on a motorcycle or automobile. However, you want to watch out for uneven or excessive wear, both of which can cause serious problems for... Read More

Kids Like to Ride Motorcycles Too

Roaring up on a motorcycle has a strong draw for all of us who have adopted the biker lifestyle. This draw often hits our children too. I know that for me my kids... Read More

Online Shopping for Motorcycle Accessories

When shopping for a certain item and material, the way to do it is to shop like a woman. Who else knows how to shop till they drop but women, right? Isn't it... Read More

Motorcycle Protective Clothing That Works!

There is some great looking motorcycle clothing on the market these days, but believe me not all of the motorcycle clothing offers as much protection as you think. In Europe, for motorcycle clothing... Read More

Kawasaki Motorcycles - Independent in Thoughts and Actions

The story of Kawasaki Company goes back to 1924, at that time involved into metallurgy and the aircraft industry.In 1949, they decided to enter the motorcycle industry producing engines that could be adapted... Read More

Honda Super Cub and 50cc Honda Cub - The Volkswagen Beetle of Motorcycles!

A very clever design: the Honda Super Cub was the combination of a moped and a scooter. It attracted many people due to its friendly and non intimidating look. People who before had... Read More

Ride Hard - Hydrate Harder

This summer is showing all of the signs of being a hot one. Temps have already been hitting the 100's here in the Midwest. With that kind of heat we have to remember... Read More

Ghost Minimoto Moto GP Reps ? What Are They?

What are Mini moto's? A Minimoto is a miniature version of a real GP racing motorcycle; it just doesn't go as fast as one. There pocket bikes are available in many different makes... Read More

Motorcycle Helmets - Mind Your Head!

To most riders, motorcycle helmets do not fit into their dream accessory. They feel helmets are restrictive and unnecessary and do not add to their aesthetic appeal. But it is important to know... Read More

Suzuki Motorcycles - From Fine Loom Manufacturers to Major Motorcycle Company

Started in a small warehouse by Michio Suzuki back in 1909, Suzuki aimed at making better looms for the Japanese silk industry. It was only thirty years after its existence that the company... Read More

Liquid Cooled Minimotos (PocketBikes), How Fast Are They and Are They Affordable?

As the latest craze of Minimoto Madness continues in the United Kingdom. The demand for pocket bikes means that the consumer is now looking for more better quality products which are not only... Read More

Minimoto Dirt Bikes, Miniture Motards - The Next Step Up from Battery Powered Toys

As your child grows out of their little bicycle and wants more than a battery powered car to get them 'cruising' along. It can be a head scratching thought as what would be... Read More

The Buzz is All About Mini-Motorcycles

Pocket bikes are miniature motorcycles -- powered, for the most part, by oil- and gas-burning engines similar to those used in chain saws, weed whackers or other small motorized tools -- and they... Read More

Motorcycle Parts - OEM or Aftermarket ?

This is always a difficult one to answer when shopping for motorcycle parts and I firmly believe that each one of us must decide what's best for our bikes AFTER carefully evaluating each... Read More

Motorcycle Tires - Why Should You Care?

One of the most important parts of any vehicle is its tires. Not only are the tires subject to a large amount of wear and tear, but also their durability depends largely upon... Read More

Auctions and Car Transport: Everything You Need To Know

Everyone has wanted to sell a car at some point and in the age of Internet auctions, there are more options than ever when it comes to selling your car whether it's an... Read More

A Great Motorcycle Ride in Mexico: Queretaro

A beautiful ride across cities and places named World Heritage by the Unesco, through an splendid protected natural area and ending in a surrealistic garden by artist Sir Edward James. Just keep reading...... Read More

Welcome To The World Of ?Upside Down? Motorcycle Loans!

With the depreciation on motorcycles being so enormous after they are driven off the showroom floor, the potential for a buyer owing more on their motorcycle loan than the bike is worth it... Read More