Tuesday 8th July 2025 Naranjos to Ciudad Madero
Sorted a couple of new inner tubes out yesterday afternoon, that’s more than we did for anything to eat, nothing open or appealing for that matter, ended up with the 2nd favourite pot noodle’s and a couple of sandwiches, living the high life again, took us an age to work the hot water dispenser, then had to wait 5 mins for the stuff to cook. That was difficult for an impatient person like myself, so pleased with myself I lasted 4 minutes and the goo looked ok, not bad at all bit salty, but maybe I need that more than beer. We ate the pudding on the walk back to the digs, just a little chocolate bar.

Back at the digs, all sorted asleep before my head hit the pillow, as normal, woke up a few hours later to a massive thunderstorm, that’s normal, just roll over and go back to sleep ! I need to rest these little puppies. Alarm goes off, bit of a power cut last night, no worries soon have the head torches blazing away, as we go through the normal morning routine, basically have a bit of breakfast, get your kit on and ride, that’s what we did, as we slid the gate open and hit the open road, very early.

Push on the highway hardly any traffic which was good because the road was atrocious, potholes and even bigger holes all over the place, least it kept me awake, I normally have a little snooze in the early morning session, bit of old age creeping in. Nice tree lined road though, keeps the sun off us, as we skittle through the pothole infested road, just working the legs and trying to spot the really big holes, bit of a tough start, hey ho keep going. Rather than stop we push on, knowing, well hoping the road will improve after about 3 hours when we merge with another road, that’s the thinking. As we are dancing in and out of the pot holes Bingo says what’s that on the road, only a little monkey enjoying the early sunshine, just looks up at as a bit nonchalant, then wanders off into the bush, brilliant will take these potholes for that. Next I give out yet another girly scream: a snake sidewinds across the road, lovely sight when I was safely past it, must have been 3ft long, just like a fisherman says! Seen loads of dead snakes, not many live ones so once again great spot, no pictures of either of them, hard enough to keep upright on this road, never mind take a picture. Lovely early morning ride, if not a bit bumpy or very bumpy, we stopped just before the 30 mile mark, nice cup of coffee and a soft drink.

Off we go again, soon join the bigger road, with no pot holes and a nice surface, smash the miles away on this, bit boring on the animal front though, just loads of squashed things, frogs, toads, snakes, armadillos, not great but need to keep riding. The storm clouds brewing thunder crashes around us, as we feel the first spots of rain, expecting the worst, we stop and put on the baggage rain covers, off we go again, it always works, big downpour then within 5 mins all clear, excellent. Eating up the miles, going past about three service stations, there seems to be loads of them, like London buses they all come at once, was only 10 miles from the finish point when we finally stopped, all good though not even midday.

Stop for a soft drink and ice cream, catch up with the messages about Steve, all positive, then have a facetime call with him, superb, he looks really well, asking all the right questions, so good to hear him ask about the trip, where are we, what border crossing are we going into the USA etc, relax the blog will be up and running in no time. Makes us both feel so much better, it will still be a long road to recovery, but at least he is heading in the right way.

Just a simple skip into Tampico, pass over the Panuco river via a toll bridge, touch and go whether they would let us over, the guard just made us get off the bikes, then back on them for some reason, then over the river, booked into a little hostel, just of the main road, need to seriously eat then eat again this evening. Showered washed the kit then out in the midday heat for some lunch, before retiring to the air con comforts of the digs.