RIDING MEXICO'S COPPER CANYON....

A RIVAL TO AMERICA'S GRAND CANYON

- Maria Schumacher

I’m no hero. But I have chosen an unusual life, twice abandoning a successful career to travel the world by motorcycle. Unlike others whose stories of intrepid solo adventures to spectacular, far-flung places have inspired my dreams, I’m a somewhat unremarkable traveler. I’m not attempting world records or challenging myself to do something that has never been done before, and not even facing the world alone. I ride with my partner, Aidan, who is always there to help pick up my bike and to put me in the right headspace to tackle the tougher trails. He goes first, and if his heavier BMW F650GS can do it, then surely so can I on my lightweight Honda NX250.

I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’ll never be a fierce rally rider, flying over sand and loose gravel like it’s nothing, but I still fully intend to reach awe-inspiring locations! One such place came up after we’d left Vancouver and were riding the Baja California coast. Other riders we met kept asking if we’d seen YouTube videos of Copper Canyon, which is deeper than the Grand Canyon. That settled it. We’d been enjoying the holiday feel of the lonely beaches and cactus-studded deserts, but it was time to move on to the “real” Mexico waiting for us on the mainland.

The ferry dropped us off in Sinaloa, a state known for its cartel activity, and reports occur regularly so we decided not to camp in the area. That meant a short detour into one of the canyons to a hotel at the town of Urique. The locals in Choix told us it would take about six hours to cover the 100-mile distance to get there, so we figured the road was in bad shape. But it hadn’t looked all that tough on