From Celaya, Guanajuato my father and I trekked to the state of Queretaro. With the help of the local police we rode right into the heart of its capital. Colonial buildings and tourists surrounded us as our horses looked from side to side with curiosity.

“How much does it cost to take a photo on the horses,” a lady from Sweden asked. We smiled back and told her how we had rode here from Canada. She was flabbergasted. “But how,” she exclaimed. We explained the saga to her and her family.

The beautiful state of Queretaro is full of tourists like our European friend. They come from all over the world to visit its charming cities. In San Juan del Rio my father and I spent a day filming and taking photos of all of the buildings and churches around town. It is a stunning city!

After a few days we rode into our 10th state, Hidalgo. This is where we were once again met by our good friend Vidal! In the town of Polotitlan we were joined by this amazing man and his family. Together we rode to his home town, Tepotzotlan. And this my friends is where the most epic party I have ever been apart of went down.

“Tepotzotlan is where my family lives, it is where I went to school, if you thought Guanajuato was fun, wait until we get to Tepo,” Vidal had told me the last time we were together.

I knew he was a man of his word, but I could never imagine what was about to happen…

“Look there is the Mayor waiting for us,” Vidal told me as we approached an open field.

From afar I could see a truck full of people in the back but couldn’t make out what they were holding. But as we approached the scene I began to hear the sweet sound of music. The Mayor on a beautiful grey horse welcomed us with the media, friends and a band. It was amazing! In the back of a truck the musicians led our way as we rode the final 5 kms to Tepotzotlan.

“This is just the beginning,” Juan Jose Mendonca, the Mayor, told me.

Was he ever right. As we rode into town we made our way to the main square to take pictures and then to a banquet hall. There another band waited alongside tables full of food and drinks. In the back wall of the hall read, “Bem Vindo a Tepotzotlan,” which means welcome in Portuguese! If that wasn’t enough before we ate the Mayor signaled for a man to turn on the radio. That’s when the Brazilian National Anthem started playing over large speakers. I was left with the same look on my face as that Swedish tourist when I told her I had rode to Mexico horseback. How thoughtful of these new friends to do all of this for us. It’s insane!

This was only the tip of the iceberg. From the hall we made our way to the Mayor’s ranch where stalls were waiting for our ponies and a huge party for us. For the next 24 hours 5 different bands played at the ranch as the party never stopped. My father and I were the only ones who slept.

“This is Tepotzotlan my friend,” Vidal told me as we woke up the next morning to him dancing, still awake.

Now we ride the final 35 kms to the largest city in the Americas! The crazy traffic is going to make it very dangerous and difficult but where there is a will there is a way.

Muchas Gracias a Tepotzotlan for throwing JourneyAmerica a 24 hour party and hiring 7 bands to rock out!