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| Drive through La Morena |
My morning drive took me out of the Sierra de Alvarez valley and back on to MEX70 heading east. The road was inviting as it twisted and turned along the sloping mountains and dipping into green valleys. With every kilometer I passed you could see the landscape change I was driving into a tropical zone. Sugar cane Coconut palms and huge hard wood trees was becoming the norm. Passing Santa Catarina I was crossing rivers and the vegetation was lush. There were signs with waterfalls and camping I decided to check them out. My first stop was Tamasopo a little village with camping along the river that feeds the local waterfall. Crowded and over-used I made a u-turn and headed back on MEX70. About 25km down the road I spotted another area of recreation I took the turn off and proceeded down a beautiful dirt road with little pockets of small casa's. The area was surrounded by sugar cane farms and the green vegetation was everywhere.
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| River boats on the Rio Tampaon |
I was looking for camp La Morena on the Rio Tampaon. Here they ferry you in colorful long boats up river to view the spectacular waterfall. The fresh water was turquoise blue and clear. Getting there late in the day I made camp just as everyone had left. I was less than half way to Tampico from San Luis Potosi. The night was hot and muggy and the sounds of the night was pretty spectacular as the evening closed in.
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| Mucho palaps on playa Madero, Tampico Gulfo de Mexico |
Coffee in the morning I broke camp and headed back out to the main road as hordes of huge buses filled with life-vest clad tourists going on adventure up the river to view the falls. Driving east to
Rio Verde a good size town with many business along the road I stopped and had some brekkie, tacos de carne with some killer hot sauce. Pushing on the tropical zones were very apparent I believe I even passed yet further into another numbered tropical zone.
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| Playa Madero Camp Gulfo de Mexico Tampico |
MEX70 east delivered me straight into
Tampico before going over a long causeway. I entered the city along narrow rutted streets. Looking around it seemed as if I was in the market place the hustle and bustle was in tight quarters and maneuvering around the city streets was a trip. Checking my GPS I searched for a malecon of sorts and found
Laguna del Carpintero. I navigated around the large lake located in the middle of the town. Then I started looking for the playas on the
Gulfo de Mexico and headed east. Locating a supermarket I stopped for provisions before driving further east to look for camping on the
Gulfo de Mexico.
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| Endless beach Gulf of Mexico Tampico |
Taking
Avendia Francisco Madero to the end I was looking out at the
Gulfo de Mexico. I turned left and drove north along the coast as the expanse of the beach seemed endless.
Plaza Gobermadores had parking for 50 pesos with sanitarios available for a added charge. I pulled in payed 50 pesos and parked near the sanitarios. The lot was thinning out and I decided to take a walk along the beach. Plenty of palapas to hang out in where you can get food and drink served from the local shacks. The sun was going down and I moved my rig to a better spot before popping my
RTT. There were two other tents pitched along the row of palapas about 50 meters north. After a shower I popped a few beers and made a sandwich watching the sun go down and the moon rising. A gentle breeze was most welcomed as I climbed into my
RTT.
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| Parking lot thinning out |
I wasn't expecting what I woke to the next morning. Apparently the local
4wd club
Tampico Offroad was hosting their annual trail ride event,
Madero Miramar 2019. I was in the middle of about 200 offroad vehicles poised to make a club run north to
las Dunas Altamira. One of
Tampico's dune systems,
las Dunas Altamira was
located right against the gulf an area designated as a recreational dune system.
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| Getting ready for Tampico Offroad club event |
While watching the wheeler's streaming in to the parking lot, I was quick to notice that I was the only
Land Cruiser in a sea of Jeeps. Soon they were parked abreast of me like I was part of it. I walked over to one of the guys in a official jersey and asked him, "
que pasa!!" he then told me. Go figure!
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| Jeeps mall cruisers from Chango Garage not one made it to the top! |
I happen to be there on that same day!
Sitting there watching everyone I was approached by a very jovial beer toting wheeler named Christian he liked my rig and asked if I was coming along I told him my story, "
I just happen to be here", he said "
don't worry your coming with us".
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| Wheeling on the Beach |
Half hour later he pulls up in a white jeep and tells me to follow him as the groups of vehicles start leaving in convoys. Aired down we take to the beach and drive north to the entrance of the system.
Mind you there were also Baja bugs and turbo VW sand rails it was quite a display of
Mexican off-roaders. The dunes were vast and beautiful the back drop of the Gulf of Mexico was stunning.
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| entering the dune system |
My rig preformed as expected as I kept pace with my new jeep friends after a while we stopped under probably the only tree and it was time for a beer break. Pulling out from where we were, we headed to the large dune where the party really hangs.
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| Wheeling down the dunes Gulf of Mexico |
But first backing out of my spot I caught some soft sand and got bogged, shit! I aired down some more and broke out the
MaxTrax's. Some of them knew what they were but never really seen them up close. Trax's in position I shifted into
4wd lo 2nd gear, rear lockers and pop out of my hold from the sand, I moved over to firmer ground. Retrieved my
MaxTrax's and we headed out to the largest dune in the system.
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| (Top) Cool Baja Bug stands guard as the crew was chilling under shade (bottom) Making tracks in the sand |
The trail was awesome we wheeled through different saddles and came to the incline of the largest dune. Power and speed is what it takes to get up a dune, shifted
4wd lo 2nd gear, rear locker and took a running start my rig lurched forward and I was thrust-ed up the dune by all 8 cylinders kicking up sand as I crested the top. I felt my front end lifting almost catching air as I was firmly on the top in almost a effortless motion. Heck all the jeep guys were watching I had to make it look
Land Cruiser easy.
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| Chilling at the top of Dunas Altamira |
About 75+ vehicles were parked on top everyone drinking beer and watching other wheeler's going up and down the back side of the dunes getting bogged and recovered. It was a full day of wheeling I had so much fun everyone was super nice they each came by to ask me questions like were I'm from and about my rig I really had a great time.
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| Party time las Dunas Altamira the only Land Cruiser for miles |
Time to return to the playa where a band was playing and a BBQ was planned. Christian now on his tenth beer told me he was going take me to a
Tampico hideaway to eat, across the river by boat. I said what the heck we started wheeling back.
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| Rolling dunes along the Playa |
Following Christian we ended up in the working port side of town, where we took a boat across the river to get some very tasty ceviche and more beer!! Getting late I needed to get back to my camp spot. Christian showed me the way out and I found my way back to the playa.
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| Waiting for the boat to go back across the river |
The party was still going strong and all the wheeler's were tearing it up. I grabbed a shower popped my
RTT, sat chilling sucking down a couple of cichalobs (first of the day).
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| I got sticker-ed by the club members |
From
Tampico I was setting my course south along the
Gulfo de Mexico to
Mexico's linchpin in history,
Veracruz.
Hope to see you on the Trail!!...
🚙.....
