re-post (fixed links) a run-in with the mexican state police (sup

[ryanwow2000]

Okay, I think I fixed the problem... scroll straight down to the link if the text puts you to sleep. It seems that when you paste a link in the message here the textwrap cuts it off, and even when you try to paste both lines in the address box, it doesn't paste correctly. Cheers Ryan ----------------- Hi, Tried to see you pics, sound really nice. Wasn't able to get past the yahoo watch dog Regards Walt -----Original Message----- I met Salvador on the streets of the pueblo at Valle de Bravo in the State of Mexico, after spying his `police edition KLR. Salvador is Policia Estatal, and a very genuine and nice fellow. His essential function is to slow drivers down on the highways around the area, specifically to save the lives of the Monarch butterflies that come every year from Canada to breed in the states of Michoacan and Mexico. He takes that very seriously. After talking a bit and sharing some KLRisms, he was very excited to come and see my bike parked at my hotel. There we shared notes and tech tips, and information in general. There are exactly forty of these KLR s in the state of Mexico. Each officer is assigned a bike and is responsible for its care and maintenance. Salvador has been the only rider of his bike ever since it came off the showroom floor. He has 50,000 miles on the odometer. He is still using the stock chain, and neither the chain nor sprockets seem particularly worn. He says every fifteen days he has his mechanic soak it completely in gasoline to clean it completely. He nor his mechanic has ever adjusted his balancer mechanism, or checked valve clearances, or done anything internally to the engine. He has no T breather fix, though it rains almost daily during the wet season. Upon starting the engine, I could hear no strange sounds or evidence of anything unusual. His stock suspension showed no noticeable sign of wear. His steering bearings had no play, unlike my young A12 with 21k miles. And it was a hell of a lot cleaner than mine. Salvador was excited to photocopy my kawasaki service manual and supplement, even though he nor his other police comrades speak or read English. He borrowed it overnight and copied every page, returning it in the morning as promised. He said as I left the next day he would see me on the highway, as I was leaving through his assigned section of carretera. Sure enough, the following day I encountered him on my way back to Mexico City, parked in a turnout with a patrol car. I stopped to say hi and goodbye and soon state police seemed to come from every direction, crowding with great interest around us and my bike, Salvador telling them how we had met the day before. Salvador offered to guide me hiking up the hill to see the butterflies en masse, but as I was trying to overcome a late start that morning, I respectfully declined. I haven t been back yet to see Salvador again, but look forward to the next opportunity to do so, since it is only an hour or so from my pueblo. So for your viewing pleasure, here are the pics. I may have some semi close-ups I can dig up if I get any requests: http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/ryanwow2000/my_photos Click on the Valle de Bravo folder, there you will find the pics. Please let me know if the links are not working. Also, if you re interested, feel free to browse my other Mexico photos of the wonderful pueblo Malinalco where I live, the temples at Teotihuacan, and whatever else is there. Just navigate back to the main photo album to do so. And anyone coming down to central Mexico, plan a stop over here in Malinalco, here you have a host and a guide waiting to share the wonders of the area and the winding mountain roads and paths. Just pop me an e-mail. Cheers Ryan Bock KLR650A12 SF - Prudhoe Bay, Alaska - Ushuaia, Argentina, May 2002 - ? Currently living in Malinalco, Mexico