TRAVERSE 114
time, often this triggers them to leave it for the next, less friendly victim.
Similarly, when it comes to other bikers. Never leave another biker in distress. This should not be relevant, but you will be surprised how small the adventure motorcycle world is. You don ' t want to meet someone further down the road that you ignored. Anyway, the biker code should come naturally, and if it doesn ' t- work on it.
Along with extreme levels of politeness, you must also have extreme levels of concentration for your own safety. They say ride defensively as though no other road user sees you. I say ride as if everyone is trying to kill you. May sound a bit extreme but it ' s more a mental attitude. Many accidents occur at the beginning of a ride when you are not warmed up and in the ' zone '. Many accidents occur at the end of a ride, when you have switched your focus to that cold beer, boots off and shower waiting. So please maintain a ' superman level of focus from the minute you lift your kickstand to the moment it is down for the day.
Like many‘ developing’ countries, for want of a better word, Mexican roads are not just roads. They are walkways for people, herds of cows, goats, sheep, llamas etc. There are carts, wheelbarrows, Tuk Tuks, clapped out green and white taxis and collective combi vans competing with buses to turn corners on two wheels. There are also natural hazards such as fallen trees, landslides that wash away roads with no prior warning. After 200 curves, whether on dirt or asphalt, your mind starts to tire. If you overshoot a corner or start missing gears or compensating when you normally wouldn ' t- you are tired, so take a break. The safety of others, and animals is also vital. It ' s not nice to drive over a boa constrictor or a beautiful tarantula, or a small Mexican child because you were going too fast. Soak up and enjoy the ride.
Mexico is also susceptible to bouts of extreme riding happiness as well as flash floods, landslides, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, extreme heat and some very cold mountain areas.
OK. River crossings. When crossing rivers always do a recce, even if you have crossed it before, things can change rapidly overnight.
TRAVERSE 114