Mexico
To Canada
A New Route
An offroad ride from Mexico
to Canada--West of the divide---in July and August, 2010
Pioneering a route our government could never seem to get done.
This ride will start in Lochiel, Arizona---right
on the U.S. Mexican border.
An old border town that has long since been abandoned.
Lochiel'e post office was established August 23, 1880 and was discontinued September 30, 1911 sequentially under the three names Luttrell, La Noria, and then Lochiel. There were two smelters, three saloons, a butcher, bakery, livery stables, five stores, a boardinghouse, and Pancho Villa. Yes, this was a favorite place for Pancho to cattle rustle and take the stock into Mexico. Lochiel is also the spot where the first European went west of the Rockies.
Lochiel in Santa Cruz County, was once a border crossing town to Mexico but was closed by the State in 1980's for some reason. The first post office nearby opened on august 23, 1880 on the place named Luttrell, named after Dr. J.M. Luttrell who was owner of "the Holland Company Smelting Works". Another post office opened 2 years later as La Noria, about 1 mile from Luttrell. They both closed in 1883, but in 1884 another post office opened again, this time in Lo-chief, named by the ranchers Colin and Brewster Cameron after their home in Scot-land. In 1909 they again opened the post office in La Noria and closed in Lochiel. The post office in La Noria closed finely on September 30, 1911. The town Lochiel had two mills for the 3 mines around the area, 3 saloons, bakery, stable, 5 stores, mansion, butcher shop and about 400 resident. The Me-xi-can- revolutionary Pancho Villa and his men came often over the border in this area to steal cattle and return to safety in Mexico. Lochiel is a place were the first European, Fray Marcos de Niza, came west of Rocky Mountains on April 12, 1539. From the cemetery on the hill is an overview over the old US border and custom station, which is on private property. Lochiel is placed in the corner of San Rafael Valley, one of Arizona's most beautiful places.
I had been to Lochiel last year riding along the border
and took a picture of this lovely church---by
far the nicest structure in Lochiel-----nobody lives there now--population
zero.
Of course now the US border is very well protected from intrusion---well......except
here.
Seems to have a small hole in it. This is where we'll start.
So who's idea was this ???----me and my buddy Scott Stevenson
from Tuscon, Arizona actually had this
in mind---and a call from him to me was all it took to get this ride going.
We'll ride up thru Arizona, Utah and Idaho to the Canada border.
We'll come back another way----we won't know how till we do it.
Here's Scott---oh-----I guess I didn't I'll tell you--we'll
be riding Yamaha WR250R's.
We will ride unsuported with full camping and cooking gear. Neither of us
wanted to be tied down
do having to find a motel at the end of the day---we both agreed on that whole
heartedly.
In fact--me and this guy are so much alike-----I hope we get along !!!!!
He even looks a little like me ???? Poor guy !!!
My bike packed for the ride. New tires---606 on the rear----MT21
on the front.
3.7 gallong safari gas tank, garmin 276C gps, Cycra Pro-bend handguards, Sotts
steering damper,
new chain and sprockets, heated grips, Led lights, front fender tube bag..
I bought this medium moto-fizz rear bag used quite a long time ago--time to put it too use.
I'm waiting for my wolfman endorsement.
Wolfman "enduro" tankbag, Wolfman "Expedition" dry saddlebags
with racks, Wolman tool bag on the seat.
The wolfman toolbag is courtesy of my son Marty---while visiting him in Durango,
Colo. he gave it to me.........
or did I take it ??? Whatever !!!! I think me and him both have been guilty
of borrowing stuff.
Auxilliary GPS--patent pending.
I had an "Oregon" one of these--but that patent fell thru......
but that's another story.
I needed to do this so long ago---finally did it---this
will save me so much time.
I never seem to pack the same---on waterproof paper with a permanent marker.
Ok---I actually stole this idea from my son---he did his on a computer tho.......
he's smarter than me.
Now when I pack up in the morning I can put stuff back where I got if from
and it will all fit nicely
like it did when I packed it up the first time. Also handy for finding stuff---how
many times have you
emptied a saddlebag only to find---it's in the other one--well, maybe your
more organized than I am.
Just a reminder as to what in the hell we are doing !!!
Scott's AdvRider screen name is "DingWeeds"----don't ask !!!
I like "Dingleweeds" myself better !!
"Dingleweeds" it is.
Whoa---I think we crossed the border---Canada is North Scott !!!!
"Your wanted Weeds" ???
"Reckon' I'm right popular--you a bounty hunter" ??
"A man's gotta do something for a living these days"
"Dyin'--ain't much of a livin' boy"--------Josey Wales
It was 27 days and 5,300 miles and is without a doubt the best ride I've ever
done
in my life---the things we saw and experienced I will never forget.
My riding buddy---Scott--was a big part of that.
The ride is divided into 5 different pages--you
can jump to each one here....
or just go thru them---a link to the next one is at the end of each one.
The ride starts Here--Arizona