Hello and happy March! Being that we crossed into Mexico before Thanksgiving, it’s crazy to be only three weeks away from spring and nowhere near the US border. We’ve always said that we wish to spend more time in Mexico every year and that’s exactly what we’re doing.
In February we continued to make our way south, ending up much closer to Guatemala than the US. While we could have continued on into Central America we instead chose to slow down and enjoy more time off the road than in the cab of the truck. We garner far more enjoyment from our travels when moving slowly rather than trying to log as many miles as possible. Half as many miles were traveled in February from January and we feel like we got the chance to really enjoy life in Mexico rather than just move through it.
If you haven’t been following along with our daily travelogue, here are some of the highlights from February…
Camping near Mexico’s most active volcano
One of February’s most memorable moments was spending two days in the state of Puebla with unobstructed views of an active volcano right out our door. Popocatépetl stands at an impressive 17,694′ tall and is one of several active volcanoes in Mexico.
Immersing ourselves in culture & cuisine in Oaxaca
Both Oaxaca state and its capital city, Oaxaca de Juarez, were at the top of our list of places we wanted to visit while in Mexico this winter. Oaxaca is known for having the highest concentration of indigenous cultures in Mexico made evident by the wide variety of languages spoken throughout the state. Oaxaca de Juarez (or Oaxaca city) is rich in both culture, cuisine, and art. We spent two weeks parked at a nice campground on the outskirts of the city where we could easily hop in a cab and go explore the city at our heart’s desire. Of the dozen states we’ve visited so far in Mexico, Oaxaca is one we could easily see ourselves returning to. We barely scratched the surface of all it has to offer.
The colorful streets of Oaxaca. 
Mercado Benito Juaréz, one of several bustling markets in the center of Oaxaca city. 
Mark enjoyed one amazing mole dish after another. 
Getting a break from Mexican food was a welcome change. 
One morning we took a 45 minute taxi ride to the Monte Albán archeological site, a UNESCO world heritage site and home to the ancient Zapotec civilization. This impressive site was founded around 500 BC. 
Finally crossing paths with fellow travelers
Another highlight in the state of Oaxaca was finally crossing paths with several other travelers. Up to this point we’d only come across a couple of other Americans. However, once we got to Oaxaca, American and European travelers like us were easy to come by. It was refreshing to share a few stories and have a conversation in English.
Finding seclusion in the mountains of Oaxaca
At the end of the month we climbed from the high desert where Oaxaca city resides and up to the high alpine forest of the Sierra Madre del Sur mountains. We relished the cool, dry temps knowing that our trajectory was about to deposit us on the hot & humid Pacific coast.
Camping at 8500′ in front of a cabaña rental at Rancho San Melchor near San Jose del Pacifico.
Now offering exclusive content on Patreon
In case you missed our announcement yesterday, we’re now offering the option to support us on Patreon. In exchange for your subscription (there are three tiers starting at $5/mo) you’ll receive access to our brand new monthly podcast that we’re recording exclusively for our Patrons.
*** While we’d love to see you over on Patreon know that all content here on the blog will remain free of charge! ***
That’s all for February! Wherever this finds you, we hope you are enjoying some sunshine and time well spent in the great outdoors.
Cheers!
Michele & Mark
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