Monday 14th July 2025 Sabinas Hidalgo to Nueovo Loredo
Only ventured out to the next restaurant down the deserted street last night / evening, not planning a long night tonight that’s for sure, good timing though as we missed the storm while riding and it’s just stopped now, once again the sun shines on the righteous. Simple meal beans, rice and eggs for me, same for Bingo with some added meat thing, meal sorted shopping sorted bed.

Lovely nights sleep, woke up feeling brand new, ready for another little cycle ride, last one in Mexico, its been good, loved it “Me encantó el país, viva México” people have been wonderful and the drivers been so much better than we were lead to believe, all good. With a glint in our eyes, off we go heading towards Nuevo Laredo, the frontier City, pretty boring ride, straight flat and hot, maybe if I was a wordsmith I could have made something of that, or thought of a song, too busy concentrating on the pedaling.

Yep it was like that just one big long road, few little rabbits to start with on the side of the road, where did they come from, first I thought it was the hare trying to catch up with the tortoise, mate he lost that race. Just ride baby ride, the road flat and nothing else, few songs whizzing around my head, settled for a bit of Elvis Costello, thought about some country and western stuff, that can wait for the big rodeo in Texas. “Oliver’s Army” first on the list, then a load of weird and wonderful tracks from years go by, even have a go at “I don’t want to go to Chelsea” , fair play they won the club world cup, so need a mention:

“Photographs of fancy tricks
To get your kicks at sixty-six
He thinks of all the lips that he licks
And all the girls that he’s going to fix

She gave a little flirt, gave herself a little cuddle
But there’s no place here for the miniskirt waddle
Capital punishment, she’s last year’s model
They call her Natasha when she looks like Elsie
I don’t want to go to Chelsea”

That made me smile and more to boot skipped a few miles, very easy riding, just need to keep your mind active, as always my mind is hyper active so are my legs which helps, piling on the miles, soon on the outskirts of the border town Nuevo Laredo, stopped for a coffee and booked a place, right in the centre of town, like most big places bit difficult getting your directions right but glide into the little hotel, without to much trouble, all booked in, fed showered and washed the cycling gear, relax a bit before we have the Mexican party, another 80 miles in the locker though!

Great night out with the Mexican crew, another extension to the House, great company, showed us around the City, then ate in a restaurant not 400yrds from our hotel, I had already had a beer in there, much to Javier, surprise, they already knew me, with a smile and wink, just said had a quiet beer here when we finished the ride. Massive thank you to Victoria’s Dad (Javier) and brother (Jaxiel) for keeping us entertained all night, great company.