Day One: El Paso, TX to Benjamin Hill, Son, MX
Tuesday the 18th:Uneventful trip with exception the weather was very cold. It was 34 degs. F when I left El Paso, but had warmed up to about 56 degs F. by the time I stopped for the night.
Day Two: Benjamin Hill, Son, MX to Mazatlán, Sin, MX
Wednesday: After a good nights sleep, I got an early start at daybreak. The closer I got to Mazatlan, the warmer it got. On the toll road between Los Mochis and culican, I lost the left speaker grill due to bad pot holes. Arrived in Mazatlan about 6:30 pm. Went by "Harley's" and got something to eat, then went and got a room.
After getting cleaned up, I went down to "Harley's" for the weekly 'Moto Club' meeting. On the trip I had seen a group of about 20 BMW's heading north. I found out they were making a trip to the "Copper Canyon".
That night at the meeting, Victor told me I could stay at Jack's house while he was in Florida. He said he would meet me later the next day and give me the key. That night when I went back to the hotel, I told them I would be checking out the next day.
Day 3-6: Mazatlán
Thursday-Sunday: On Thursday morning, I checked out of the hotel and packed up the bike. I then went down to The Two Sisters Bagel Company for breakfast. I was telling Susan about staying at Jack's when she introduced me to Dave, who is also a friend of Jack's also from Montana. Dave has been watching over
Jacks house while he was gone. He also had Jack's van to drive around. He gave me his key to the house and I then went and got a copy made for myself and moved in for the rest of the week. We made plans to drive out the back road to "Stone Island" later that day for lunch.
Registration was to begin for the rally about 5pm on Friday, the rally was put together by Enoc's Custom Cycles of Guadalahara with activites in Mazatlan organized by Alberto and Judy. The Harley Club from Guadalahara was to arrive today. They were going to meet for lunch in Rosario, a little town about 45 miles south of Mazatlan. A group of riders were going to ride down and meet them and then come back to Mazatlan for the sign-in. They did not arrive back in Mazatlan until almost 9pm. I did not fully understand what they were planning when they talked about it on Wednesday night at the club meeting. Everyone just assumed I knew, so no one told me about the ride. I missed a great meal and a lot of fun with the guys that day but I had a good trip to 'Stone Island' with Dave. Besides, the real good part of the rally was yet to come on Friday and Saturday.
On Friday we had a breakfast meeting at 'The No Name Cafe' where we were given our t-shirts for the rally. One was a black t-shirt depicting a map of Mexico noting the 'Harley Road Tour 97' 'Guadalahara to Mazatlan Road Tour'. This t-shirt was to be worn on Friday for all the events. The other t-shirt was a creame colored depicting the events for Saturday. 'Noche de Rocken Harleys en Da House of Rock'n Roll' (The Night of The Rocking Harleys at the House of Rock and Roll) at Harley's Restaurant.
After breakfast, we were free until around 4pm when we were to form up for the parade thru town to the restaurant where we were to have a meal at 6pm. After eating we rejoined at 'Harley's", the rally headquarters, about 9pm for festivites.
On Saturday, we were free to do whatever we wanted until forming up at "Harley's" for the ride to "Casa Country" for dinner. This is a favorite with the US and Canadian residents of Mazatlan. They serve some of the best beef in all of Mazatlan. We were running about an hour late getting everyone together, so I went ahead to restaurant to tell them we were going to be about another 30 mins. I took the opportunity to upgrade the regular planned meal of ribs to a thick juicy Rib-Eye. It cost about double what the meal ticket called for, but it was worth every penny. That was one of the best Rib-eyes I have ever had. Later, after everyone had eaten, I led the group of riders out, through town to a gas station, then down the beach road, past the "Fisherman's Monument". When I got to the turn to go into town to the market area, there were only 4 bikes left. As I waited blocking the road from oncoming traffic, Alberto led the other 3 bikes on past the plaza.
When I saw that no one else was coming, I started backing up to let the traffic I had been holding up pass. One guy in a car pulled up in front of me and stopped and did not want to move. I kept telling him to proceed and get out of the way, but he just kept sitting there. About this time a bus came up from the other lane which I was now blocking. Finally the guy moved and I went looking for Alberto and the other bikes. I figured they would go on out to the other end of town by the Marina then back to "Harley's". I went on back to "Harley's" to wait for them.
Alberto arrived about 30 mins. later with the whole group behind him. I asked where they had gone, and he said when we went past the Fisherman's Monument, most of the group stopped at the point where the divers were diving into the shallow waters from a large platform a few feet out in the bay. Since they were around a curve in the road, I never did see them stop. We had a good laugh over that. Later that night, with the band playing and everyone dancing, we had a good party.
On Sunday, I slept in till about noon. The riders from Guadalahara returned home and there were no activites planned for today. The rally was over. I shopped a little and just kicked back and took it easy. Later that night while I was visiting with Dave at "Harley's", Victor came by and told me he and his brother were going to spend the night at Jack's house and leave early the next day. They were going to drive to Phoenix to find Victor another motorcycle. He had already sold the one he bought in July. I told them I would be in about 10:30 and let them in.
Day 7-8: Mazatlán, Sin, MX to El Paso, TX
Monday-Tuesday:Got up about 6:30am and packed everything into the bike. Went down to RV park and had coffee with Dave about 7:15. Victor G. and his brother had left at 6:30am. I got on the road about 7:45am. On the toll road between Culican and Los Mochis, I lost the blank cut out on the dash where the digital clock/voltmeter goes. I hate those pot holes. I spent the night in Benjamin Hill 
and got started about 8:00am the next morning. Ate breakfast at McDonalds in Tucson and left about 12:30am. Arrived in Deming, NM at Deming Cycle about 4:00pm and ordered replacement parts for what I had lost along the way. Back on the road to El Paso about 4:30pm and arrived home at 6:45pm.