After retracing about 50 miles of road from Puerto Vallarta, and passing some pineapple and corn fields, we turn northeast. I’m back in Nayarit State and wind through the low mountains by tracing soft turns up hillsides and then down the other sides, across valleys and on and on.
As I move inland from the coast the land dries out again and the vegetation changes from tropical plants and palms to sugar cane fields, trees and shrubs.
The further east I ride the dryer it gets and soon the land is covered with cactus and grass again. The hills and less dense vegetation mean I get some good views of the valleys below as I ride.
After stopping Chapalilla for some roadside quesadillas, we carry on along Mex 15, the libre one, toward Tequila. Just a few miles up the road the fields lining both sides of the road disappear in an instant and are replaced with 8-10 feet high piles of black rocky rubble. This lines both sides of the road for as far as I can see. The sign explains this is the debris field of El Ceboruco, the volcano off to my right. Although it looks fairly recent to me since nothing is growing among these giant black rocks, I later read the volcano hasn’t been active for nearly 150 years and the debris field I rode through is likely from a blast that occurred about 1000 years ago.
The 200 miles or so of road I am riding today is absolutely beautiful. It’s warm out, and downright hot when I stop for lunch. No offense, Tequila, but I’m thinking a cold water sounds really good right now.
After a few more corners, I start to see Blue Agave plants growing wild in the ditches and growing in rows in the fields.
A sign tells me I have made it to the Ruta de Tequila and my next UNESCO World Heritage site, the valleys and lands of Tequila in the state of Jalisco, Mexico.
And just as I am coming into town I notice I am following a truck of freshly harvested Blue Agave heading for some Tequileria to become part of the next batch.
Now…for that ice water.
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Sturgis Chick 
Reblogged this on Two Wheeled Life.
I am enjoying your blog. I have spent hours over the past few days reading way back. So glad you are fully recovered form you broken leg. Enjoy the ride!
Thanks so much! Wishing you well and hoping you and thanks so much for the blog suggestion you emailed. Hope you are well and you have a wonderful spring.