MC Raven Ride Report 33 - Swimming with the Whale Sharks

Leaving Santa Rosalia I topped up my tank and headed south to Mulege pronounced "moolah hay" a perfect jewel of a town right at the mouth of Bahia Conception.

Carla King - one of the speakers from the Horizons Unlimited rally fell in love with this place - I can see why. Town's nestled in this valley carved by a river, Town square, great stores, its own mission - As I said, a perfect jewel.

The Lonely Planet guide does mention that it seems like every hurricane that heads up the Sea of Cortez seems to make landfall right here in Mulege.

As it happens, while I was in the area, the biggest Pacific hurricane ever recorded (Patricia)  came ashore on the mainland side of the Sea of Cortez and we, palapa dwellers, didn't even know it'd happened!

In Mulege I met up with Tom and Kit, San Lucas residents who told me of a perfect swimming beach just down the highway at El Coyote. I followed them to the beach.

Palapas! Wonderful sand beach! Palm trees!. And, I swam with whale sharks!!! How cool is that?
I went for a swim and realized that this was the first time I'd swam in the ocean (or anywhere else for that matter) since we'd left Florida back in the late 1980's. Too long. (Water in the Pacific Northwest and Southeast Alaska where we'd sailed is just too cold for pleasure swimming).

I was sitting on the shore drying off when I spotted a whale shark passing by. I had to swim out and say 'Howdy'. He was busy and didn't have time to chat so, kept heading down the shore. I couldn't keep up.

This morning, I'd packed up my bike and was waiting for the tide to go down so I  could ride the beach access road (floods at extreme high tides like we'd been having) when a woman, out for her morning walk came by.

Her name is Susan and, we spent, probably, an hour chatting. As she left se told me that "meeting you was the highlight of my day." I don't recall ever being the highlight of someone's day before.

I'd like to meet here again sometime.

MC Raven Ride Report 32 - The View From The Palapa

At Vizacaino, BCS in the Kadaken Motel. Met Faviola: beautiful. vivacious, charming photographer. Works at the front desk of the motel and takes pictures of interesting travelers - she took mine (I think it was the North Pole, AK address that made me interesting). She promised to email me copies - I hope she does.

As she was taking my picture I admired her camera and mentioned that maybe it was time for me to upgrade my camera - then, I could take better photos. She reminded me - ever so gently - as she dropped into a low crouch to give a better angle to her picture that "cameras don't make good photos, photographers do." (I may have developed a little crush on her right then.)

Had breakfast at the hotel restaurant. 5 locals in a group were at the table next to me and a traveling truck driver was also there. Every one of them spent the entire time on their cells either, texting or talking. Even when their food came, they didn't talk to each other. I don't think they liked each other.

Stopped for a snack and gas at San Ignacio. San Ignacio is an oasis of date palms and a river in a canyon that cuts straight through different rock strata. Lava from the nearby volcano (Volcan de las Tres Virgins) covers the top layers.

I pressed on through Santa Rosalia and am right now set up in a $10US/night campsite right on a little bay with a palapa for shade. I may never leave.

The View From The Palapa

This campsite is in a small village named San Lucas. It's an expat enclave. All 60's-something Americans, not a Mexican in residence. Until this morning, the only locals I've seen were the man who took my money and a guy that helps the 'campers' with projects.

Some of the expats here have been coming to this place for as much as 40-years. Most just leave their trailors here year'round ($1400US/year- just over $100US/month rent) as it's cheaper and easier than round tripping them from anywhere in the US. Apparently, it gets really humid here druing the summer months (July and August especially) and very windy in January and February. But, the fishing out in Sea of Cortez is great and the sunrises are wonderful (as my pics show).

I've been here 2-nights - am leaving in the morning. Being here really makes me miss Raven the boat.
No one here speaks Spanish. It's like visiting Chinatown in San Francisco - all Chinese and no English.

Sunrise over the Bay - click on pic to enlarge

For years I'd dreamed of going somewhere warm with a nice beach, gentle breezes and a laidback lifestyle. The manana attitude has taken root. I could get sucked into this place real easily. Price is right, no one expects anything of you and, I wouldn't even have to learn Spanish. I spent an hour yesterday just practicing raising one eyebrow at a time.

Come on guys Donde Esta Los Mexicanos? I didn't come to Mexico to eat at McDonalds.

I left Camp San Lucas and instead of heading south, I went back north to Santa Rosalia.

Reading the Lonely Planet Guide for Baja, I discovered that, in Santa Rosalia, was a church designed by Gustav Eiffel - yep, the same guy that designed the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Apparently, he'd designed a pre-fab cast-iron/steel church for the 1889 Paris World's Fair. Lonely Planet says it was supposed to go to Africa but, ended up here in Santa Rosalia instead. I had to take a picture!

It's a lovely little church and, still very active: there was a birthday party going on there the day (Saturday) I visited.

On my way out of town I passed a library (biblioteca) with the wonderful name of: Bibliotecca Mahatma Ghandi! I suspect there's more to Santa Rosalia that meets the eye.

MC Raven Ride Report 31 - Coco's Corners

Ranking in my mind right up there with Deadhorse, AK is Coco's Corner. I've seen Coco's Corner in the movies (Dust to Glory - check it out on Netflix), read about Coco's Corner in blogs and books and heard other long distance riders talking about it. Now, I'm here!

The highway from San Quintin was smooth, easy riding through a forest of trees right out of a Dr. Seuss book. I'd always suspected he was seeing things when he drew these trees - now I know where he got the idea. The trees are called Cirios and this is the only place in the world where they grow. Check 'em out in the pictures below. The tall cactuses that look like saguaros aren't. They're another unique-to-this-part-of the-world plant called Cardon cactus.

Once you get out of the towns it's harder to find gas. Don't despair though. Entrepreneurial Mexicans will find a way. Alongside the highway you'll see a pickup truck and stand selling gas. I topped up my tank (not knowing when I'd find more). Gas seems just fine - bike running without a problem. Was 30% higher priced than in town though. Just like Alaska! You gotta pay for the transportation.

I had lunch along the highway at a little place in Chapala, just at the turnoff to Coco's Corner. Chorizo con huevos with beans and fries: $80 pesos. That's pretty high (about $5.00 US). I need to learn to negotiate more.

The road to Coco's Corner is an "Improved (graded dirt) road." Not great by US standards, a major highway to San Felipe and Gonzaga Bay. It is being improved now; heavy earth movers and road graders were working on the Sunday I rode in. Lot's of large truck traffic. Hard to believe that an 18-wheeler makes it over the road I struggled with on Raven.

I slipped up to 40mph for a while- big mistake - I bottomed out on a depression that stretched across the road and broke off my rear mini-fender/mud guard. Not much of a problem now but, when I'm in Central America during the rainy season I'm gonna miss that little fender.

So, I arrived at Coco's Corner and was able to spend the day getting to know Coco. Coco the man is one of those larger-than-life characters. He's lost both his legs to diabetes but still manages to run his business, his world, from a wheelchair. Ask him and, he can tell you to within an hour how long he's been here.

Walking around his place I could hear him talking with drivers who'd stopped to visit or buy coffee or sodas or snacks. His voice would start out low then swell to a crescendo as his story telling became more animated.

Though rustic, Coco's Corner is scrupulously clean with all litter picked up and everything in it's place. Camping is free with the price of a beer and, if they're available, so are one of his 4 campers.
Coco's Corner is a living piece of folk art. He's taken the materials available: beer cans, desert plants, cast away auto parts, and made a work of art out of it. Who knows, maybe in the future, my mudguard will show up here and be featured in the art.

Remember Steve Boozer who I met at Coyote Cal's? Well, I put his sticker somewhere in this picture. See if you can find it.



Remember 'Steve Rides the World' that I met on the Oregon coast? Well, I put his sticker on this cab.  See if you can find it.

I'm really glad I braved the road and came here.

I left Coco's Corner early in the morning (0700). He and his family were getting ready to make a supply run to Ensenada. A long drive. Luckily for me, I was able to get him to pose for some photographs: by himself and with his daughter, before I left. In truth, all I had to do was ask. Coco likes being a celebrity and is more than happy to do the smile and wave for the paparazzo.

The road back to the highway hadn't improved overnight. My speed dropped though. It took about an hour to cover the 12 or so miles. No drama, no further breakage.

By 1030 or so, I'd arrived at Bahia de Los Angeles: a stunningly beautiful bay protected by barrier islands, blue green water, pelicans, and cormorants sunning themselves and fish (probably mullet) leaping out of the water.

I'm set up in a palapa at Archelon's EcoCamping (Gloria Manager). $8 US/night for the palapa - all the Sun and beach you could want.

I'd probably stay a week but, I'm running out of cash and the nearest ATM or bank is in Guerro Negro further down the peninsula.

In the States, I'd go months without using cash money. Here though, nobody (almost) uses a credit/debit card. This is a cash-only economy and, without access to an ATM , I'm lost.

I saved almost 100 pictures of this part of my trip. Obviously, I can't upload all of them. Someday, if you invite me to dinner, I'll be happy to bore the heck out of you with all these pics.

MC Raven Trip Report 30 – Mexico Week 1

I left Margies and stopped at a copy store to get photocopies of the bike’s docs, my passport and driver’s license, etc. 

I’d heard that a national strike had been called for Wednesday so I thought crossing at Tecate might be easier.

As it happened, crossing was too easy! They just waved me through. No customs, no Immigration, no TVIP. Cool!

Just south of Tecate on Highway 3

In the Guadalupe Valley wine country. Those are individual cabins for rent along the hillside.

Until that is, I met up with a couple of other riders who said I really should have a travel permit/visa seeing as how I was south of Ensenada.

I spent the night camping on the sand at Coyote Cal’s then headed back up to San Diego where I crossed back into the US, had lunch at the San Yisidro MacDonalds (where the mass murder happened) then, headed back through Mexico customs again.

Once again, they would have been happy to just wave me through. I kept telling everyone who’d listen, “I want to go to LaPaz and catch the ferry to the mainland.” “What do I need?” Finally, I was pointed to the Immigration office where I got my passport stamped and a 180-day visa. Then through Customs and I’m on my way.

Customs had me press a big red button. When the light showed green, the Custom’s Officer just waved me through. I think that, if the light had shown red, I’d have had to submit to a full search.

Got all the way back to Coyote Cal’s (where I’d spent the night before) at Punta San Isidro (near Erendira) before I remembered that I still didn’t have my TVIP! Rather than go back to San Diego yet again, I’ll get that done in LaPaz.

Coyote Cal's

10/17 I spend a total of 3-nights at Coyote Cal’s just vegging and talking with a couple of guys from El Cajon and Chula Vista who’d ridden down on a 250cc dirt bikes. Steve and Gene – lifetime friends who have been coming down to Baja for years.

I had trouble sleeping. Spent much of the last 2 nights in the toilet crapping. Don’t think it was Montezuma’s revenge though – I had still been drinking my San Diego water and had been eating out of my own food stores to save money (except for those crab burritos) Cooked food is usually pretty safe and those burritos were well cooked.

A stop along the Baja 1000 trail. Somewhere in this picture is the sticker that Tom L gave me in Death Valley. Remember Tom L?

I’m thinking I was suffering from dehydration and too much heat! 2-days of driving to the border and back in near 100deg temps took its toll.

Another view of Coyote Cal's

See that flat spot? That's where I had my tent set up.

My view each morning. Not bad huh?

It was hard to do but I tore myself away from Coyote Cal’s and headed about 75-miles down the highway to the town of San Quintin and the Jardin Hotel and Restaurant.

I’d arranged with Steve and Gene to rendezvous there. We’d split the cost of a room and go to the restaurant for dinner. As they were going to ride the shoreline and back roads/trails I got there several hours before them.

By the time they’d arrived, the desk clerk had changed and Steve and Gene had taken an additional room before the clerk found my note. Steve chipped in for the additional cost of my room.

The Jardin is an oasis of green in the middle of tan, sand, and dust. A look at the pics below proves it. Might have been early in the season, but, my room (a family unit with 3-beds) was only $60 US per night (1000 pesos/night). A great deal in a beautiful setting.

 

S&G working on a starter gear problem.

While waiting for S&G to arrive, I was able to update this blog as far as Stonehenge, check my email and, Skype with Jeremey and family.

Not a bad week for my first week in Mexico.