After 11 months cycling, we made it to Mexico! // 13
♫ Greg and Victoria Cycle to Argentina ♫ Vamos! Well, our time was up. It was now coming up on 11 months since we first set off from Alaska and five since we crossed into Washington. And after a quick detour to the Grand Canyon, we found ourselves with just a few weeks left on our U.S. Visas visas to wiggle our way down to Mexico.
I'm quite excited for the next few days. mhmm Oh, hey guys Didn't realize you were here. Quite excited for the next few days, if I'm honest. Why? Because we’re riding the Arizona trail.
We're on a limited time, so now we're running for Mexico Mm hmm. Absolutely running but first we've got to enjoy this Time was of the essence, so after a few days in Grand Canyon Village, we hit the trail south, well rested, and with the wind in our sails. lets gooo these are some sick trees Our first day on the Arizona trail was a great success. We felt like nothing could dampen our spirits when the riding was this much fun. So I just accidentally dropped my camera in the lake and it's definitely not waterproof.
Might be iPhone footage for a little while. I mean, it's working. is it? Yeah, it's just the lens is super foggy. What's up, guys? It's us, Foggy Greg and Victoria. Let's get foggy.
Luckily for us, it looked like we had a sunny day ahead of us to give the camera a chance to dry out a bit. This is not good I think this whole road is about to turn to mud All right the rain has stopped We're gonna do our best to make some ground before it starts again. I think we're going to try and get out to the highway and go into Flagstaff, because dealing with this amount of mud is just not worth it. Well, we weren't exactly off to a strong start, but nothing a bit of retail therapy couldn't solve. Woah! look at those- I look like a complete nerd! fresh new shoes! cool kid on the block New shoes, new sunglasses Sadly, my little camera never turned back on again.
Sick But I did discover that the camera I’d been lugging around for photos actually takes pretty decent videos, too. I can use this for video. Really? Yeah.
It's probably really nice as well. We quickly realized that we didn't have enough time to stay on the Arizona trail, so we made a plan to hop between that and another route called the Western Wildlands Route, with a few little shortcuts along the way man, there was a spider inside my shoes not allowed Why didn't I use this before? Very good very good very good very very very very goood What's that from? that song? Yeah Somewhere in Mexico. We now had a bit of a climb on our hands to get up to the Mogollon Rim.
Whoa. Yeah, this is the spot We've got a nice bench places to put the bikes a great viewpoint Ten out of ten. Ten out of ten, I would say. So today we were going to go into Payson, which is there. But we've had a slight change of plans and I think instead we're going to ride all the way along the rim and enjoy the more scenic route because this is just stunning It will also stay a lot cooler because apparently it's very hot down there.
It looks like June to me if you count six months from December December, January, February, March, April, May, June December 8 If we did enter the same day why I don't have anything? You should have something that says December 8 June... the 7! June the 7th Oh my God So we have like one week less than we thought. We're just checking the stamps in our Passports which we probably should have done a long time ago. And we don't have much time left.
We have less than two weeks. We have exactly two weeks. Exactly two weeks today. And it's more than two weeks of riding so I think we got to vamos. I did not know that! So we've done the calculations and we can no longer take the scenic route. So we're going to have to go back the way we came, to Payson and then gun it on the highway for a couple of days, I think.
Well, maybe for the next couple of weeks. So that's the plan! Woohoo Woohoo! This is the Arizona trail, which we're going to take down off the rim and will lead us to some roads that will take us into Payson. We zipped straight through Payson and set our sights on Lake Roosevelt. So we've had quite a lot of downhill today. And now we've dropped into this beautiful valley with these huge cacti, and they're flowering as well, there's little flowers popping out the top of them. It's very beautiful.
It's also a lot hotter down here, a lot hotter Right now my temperatures saying 34. And we still have more downhill to go, so yeah, we've got to get ready for the heat. those are some nice cactuses That's true They’re so beautiful, with the flowers as well bye what lake is this called? Roosevelt? Yes, Roosevelt Lake Roosevelt? Roosevelt? Roosevelt or Roosvelt? RoosEvelt Roosevelt? We're at a campground in Roosevelt Lake and it's very beautiful. Woah! that’s a lot! Yeah Are you ready? It got me as well! absolutely wow We just met with Charles and Holly, who bought us an amazing meal So thank you very much, Charles and Holly! They've been watching the videos, and actually, Charles hiked the PCT the same year I did in 2018, but I don't think we ever met. Yeah. Thank you so much, guys. Good fuel for this huge climb we're about to attempt.
Vamos! (lets go!) Woohoo! woo, woo! Look at that one! Welcome Welcome to historic Globe downtown. Let's go Reminds me to Mexico man, a lot We got a message from Michael and Stacy, who live in Phenix closeby inviting us to join them canyoneering we said yes without really knowing what that involved, but we were so glad that we did. It was a bit more extreme than we were expecting, but they were great teachers and we had an incredible time getting out of our comfort zones and exploring this beautiful canyon. This is so beautiful and our bums were very grateful for the day off. We get over there because you don't want to get stuck in this pool.
But what if I wanna get stuck in the pool? that was scary! They were also able to deliver us some replacement camera gear I’d ordered so hopefully these videos will be looking a little prettier from here on out Mike and Stacy, thank you so much, we really do appreciate it that was a big highlight of the trip so far for us. Hey, you're fast! This is Kyle He ran out of his house when we came by and want to join us for a few miles, and he’s making this climb go very quickly. He’s somehow keeping up with us on a single speed, which I'm not sure how is possible Cheers guys! Salud! Salud Mmm, that's the good stuff! Its so good That is the good stuff! See you later! Bye What's up, guys? This is the first ever shot on the new camera Beautiful We're here at a nice campsite What's up guys? Here, we hopped back onto the Western Wildlands Route for a pretty incredible ridgeline descent. Well done! Well done.
How are you doing that? How are you doing that? How are YOU doing that? How did you did that? How did you did that? We're pushing up what should be the last big hill of the day and then back on the highway for a couple of days to make some miles to the border. What's up, guys? Welcome. Welcome. Welcome to what? To this Youtube channel, welcome Welcome. There is the highway.
There is the highway. I just saw you. You didn't see me? No that is- What am I? Oh, what do I do? Nothing. Just stay out there. Don't do anything That’s too big to handle! they could be anywhere! It's so fast. It's so fast.
Like it could come in here anytime Ok its on the floor, its on the floor Holy moly man Man, what is that!? Oh its a cricket That’s a cricket We're getting very close to Mexico We're probably like four days out now. I haven’t filmed much today because it's been pretty much just riding on the side of the highway, but nonetheless, good day. Be fast run run run run! Let's go! 1 you should get your bottle, get your bottle no no, it’s too late Quick get it, get it, get it! oh sorry! thank you thank you Come on, come on, come on! Yes! Oh perfect! that's how you do it. Don’t leave! you cutie! Found a secret gate to some State Trust Land should be a nice, quiet little campsite. Probably going to put the tent here. We just saw some wild hogs up there somewhere.
What's up, guys? What's up, guys? We're both in dire need of a shower. Very good shower. It's been a few days of sweat and sunscreen and dirt and then sweat and sunscreen and dirt just kind of layered and layered and layered Man, have you realized how people look at us? No it's like they can smell it.
I’m sure they can smell it. But that's just the name of the game. I have that bit of dirt here again Its from your helmet. Ta da! check that out ta da thats a ta da We were doing our best to soak up these peaceful wild camping moments as we knew it would be a lot more difficult to find spots like these south of the border.
Pretty washboarded road. Mexico is 37 miles away This is officially our last campsite in the USA and some friends have come out to visit us to celebrate. Hello! Thanks for coming, buddy. woah It was coming up on 11 months since we first set off from Alaska, and we knew that with crossing into Mexico, everything was about to change. We'd have a fresh new set of challenges on our hands. And to be honest, after almost a year in the relative security of Canada and the USA, we were a little nervous about how we’d handle it But I firmly believe that regardless of what you read in the news, the vast majority of people are good.
And if you just put your trust in that, people will always come through and take care of you when you need it the most. Have you ever seen steamers Healthy choice? If you want to have a cabin for tonight is that okay? Yeah. One way or another we will find a warm dry place for you You guys are staying in here tonight No way! Thank you so much Gary You can sleep in as long as you want. Thank you! all day if you want Someone just pulled over and offered us a warm, dry spot to stay tonight. Thank you so much for having us. Of course! Cool, well safe travels.
Yeah, drive safe man Bye guys! Thank you! But we were also incredibly excited about what the next chapter would bring. This was Victoria's home turf and she hadn't been home in a very long time. Mexico, Mexico, lalalalalalala That's the wall Mexico! Mexico! lalalala This is where the real adventure begins. look there the cutest thing ever! The moon is the cutest thing ever? Yes What about that cow you just said that was the cutest thing ever? That's another kind of cute. Deja vu! Man deja vu, deja vu! Deja vu me saying deja vu! Deja vu doing this Deja vu man, the camera.
Deja vu What are you talking about? I’ve been here before When? I don’t know! That’s why its a deja vu
2023-10-04 17:11
