“Stand straight, walk proud, have a little faith.”
Garth Brooks
Week 18 was a 5 day push retracing last year’s route from Apizaco to Pachuca.
Most of the terrain was flat this week and the weather was cool, at 2200-2600 metres elevation. Tlaxcala is a little hidden gem of Mexico, and I recommend visiting it. Leaving Apizaco I made my way thru the some cool country and I really enjoyed myself.
As I entered Hidalgo it was much of the same, until I got close to Pachuca. I’m not really a fan of the people around Pachuca. They aren’t very friendly. My hosts Carlos, Salvador and Rosalia are awesome, but many of the people in the area are standoffish.
The weeks riding went from fertile valley lands to pure rocks!
I arrived at Rancho El Rosal and hung out with my hosts and friends for a couple days before heading to CDMX to do some tack mods with Carlos’ friend Ivan Chavez. I did a profile on both of these horse men, you can check them out here…
https://5000milesofhope.org/ivan-chavez-profile-and-interview-day-128/
https://5000milesofhope.org/carlos-mancera-esquivel-profile-and-interview/
I can’t thank the people I meet along the way enough. Strangers become friends, and open up their worlds to me and Roxy…The Long Ride is truly a team sport.
Chris MacLuckies’ professional career began with a decade-long stint as an organic vegetable grower in Ontario Canada. His career is prolific in breadth and scope. He has farmed organics commercially, volunteered in Guatemala, ran a gardening business, raised and raced sled dogs, tended his livestock, and ridden his horse on a multi-country expedition.
Chris is a certified TEFL ESL English Teacher, author of seven books, freelance content creator, and outdoor travel gear designer.
