May 15 - Veracruz, on the Gulf of Mexico

Today we met our first real live Mexican "Bandito" !  He was a used motorcycle parts shop owner, with his business called "Motos de Veracruz".  He was mean, ruthless, nasty and tough.  For all we know, he may be a descendent of Pancho Villa.  But more about him later.

When we first arrived at the Honda shop to continue fixing Alex's Gold Wing, we saw the local "Trash Removal Service" for this part of Veracruz.  A little old man and his little old burro were at the Honda shop, and the little old man was gathering the trash and loading it into his wagon.  When I first saw the little burro I thought he was a statue, because he was so patient and still.  Apparently when they weren't hauling trash, they offered rides, because the white crudely lettered sign on the side of the little wagon said "Viajes - 50 Centavos" (Rides - 50 Centavos).  (50 Centavos is about a Nickel, U.S.)  I just couldn't resist getting their picture, so I chased them down the street to get their picture.  That little burro was fast - he could walk faster than I could!

When we checked with the mechanics, they were busy trying to make one relay out of two, the old one and a new one which was similar but had the wrong connections.  When finished, they tried it, but it didn't work.  Then one of them mentioned knowing about the used motorcycle parts dealer, and Alex and the head mechanic went to see if he had a part.  They took off on a motor scooter, with the young mechanic driving.  This was the most dangerous ride that Alex has had since entering Mexico!!  They raced through traffic, between cars, bluffed out cars, and finally made it alive to the used parts dealer.

That's when Alex found that used parts dealer was a "Bandito".  He had the part, but he was mean, nasty, rude, and ruthless.  He had a 1990 Gold Wing in various stages of disassembly, parting it out - probably one of the very, very few Gold Wings in Mexico!

Alex finally bargained for a price that he could justify, and returned with the new part.  No luck - that didn't solve the original problem of the electrical charging system.

Next, Alex helped the mechanics re-analyze the problem.  Both Alex and I had thought from the first that it was the alternator , but we had to let the mechanics try their solution first.  Finally, Alex took off the alternator, and we first went to an electrical repair shop to see if it was OK.  This time we had a wild ride in a small pickup with the youngest of the mechanics, who drove with one hand on the horn and zipped in and out of the smallest holes in traffic.  The alternator had defective wiring, so we had to go back to the "Bandito".

Alex and the Bandito bargained hard and long, and it looked like the Bandito was not going to give him a chance to see if the alternator was good before he bought it.  So I suggested a solution.  I suggested that I be a "hostage" for the used parts Bandito, for which he would let Alex take the alternator to the electrical shop to test.  If the alternator were OK, Alex would come back and pay my "ransom" and we take the alternator.  The Bandito liked that idea and grinned an evil smile.

Fortunately, the alternator tested good, Alex paid for it and I, the "hostage", was allowed to go.

The used alternator solved the problem, and at the end of the day, we took the motorcycle, to be ready for the next day.  (The schedule of business in this part of Mexico has the very traditional two-hour "siesta" time built in, so that most all businesses close between 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM, and then re-open at 4:00.  Therefore, the closing time is 7:00 PM.)  We took the three mechanics to lunch during the two hour break.

Since my Gold Wing was outside at the Honda dealer's, they offered to let me put it in the showroom, which would be locked during the 2-hour lunch time.  To the manager of the Honda dealership, a woman, I said OK, but please don't sell MY motorcycle.  She laughed and said that I had read her mind.  She had tried to get a new Gold Wing from Honda, but had been unsuccessful.

The Honda dealer was happy to get some training for the young mechanics, so they only charged Alex only $300 Pesos - About $28 U.S. for three mechanics for almost a day and a half !

Now we're ready to continue on our way, after a sometimes frustrating and sometimes funny day.  Off to ride along the Gulf of Mexico coast tomorrow.

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