(Previous : Part 2 Baja Norte, Mexico)
Guerrero Negro, is the first town crossing the state border into Baja Sur (Baja South). I was told its a nice little town, off the main road. But, given the fact that I had just a few days on my hand, I continued on. Someday, I wish to travel without any agenda, with no specific return date, with no limits on the budget. But if such a holy grail ever possible, I wonder! I always seem to be on a budget, on a limited time, but I will take whatever I get, I tell myself!
Then, I get an unlikely good company. When you are alone, you don't mind sharing your dinner with anyone. This little fellow sitting by my side, wagging his tail eagerly for some morsels. I gladly share my food with him.
Part 3: Baja Sur, Mexico
Guerrero Negro, is the first town crossing the state border into Baja Sur (Baja South). I was told its a nice little town, off the main road. But, given the fact that I had just a few days on my hand, I continued on. Someday, I wish to travel without any agenda, with no specific return date, with no limits on the budget. But if such a holy grail ever possible, I wonder! I always seem to be on a budget, on a limited time, but I will take whatever I get, I tell myself!
From Guerrero Negro to San Ignacio, its an uninteresting straight road. But then again after my brief episode earlier with getting struck in sand, I am happy to cruise along, happier to be on the well paved road.
Past San Ignacio, once again the road starts to get a little curvier, and interesting. When one travels in an unknown place, you never know when the good part starts, and can never be ready. My GoPro's battery had died, and even though I had another fully charged one, I did not have a safe place to pull over to change it. So, I try to lean along, wherever the road was leading to. A nice stretch of pavement through the mountains is a change to the straight road I had been on.
Soon, near a Vada, I find a place to pull over. Its a nice valley, with plenty of space to walk around, and not too much traffic. I had made good time, its just another 60 miles to Mulegé, and so I allow myself a relaxed break. I pull out utensils, and make coffee on the road side. The coffee tastes damn good. I sit around on the rock, and breathe the desert air, and I sense a bit of ocean smell, which tells me the Sea of Cortez is not far.
I see a couple of riders on Adventure style bikes pass by, waving their hands, I return the cheers happily. Unlike in USA, the motorcyclists are far and few in between. Most of them tourists, and I did not see a whole lot of locals, and this intrigues me.
Mounting again, I tell myself, its going to be a non-stop ride to the town where I want to bed in for the night. Some energy you get, even after a long day, when you realize you are closer to destination. I wanted to reach Mulegé while there is plenty of sun. I do not have a reservation in any motel there, and so, I am anxious to allow extra time.
Crossing another stretch of spectacular road, in beautiful canyon, I crest on the top - to find a beautiful stretch of blue ocean. I am finding it hard to express what I saw, nothing can describe the sight of a big, blue calm ocean, after crossing a desert for the past couple days.
The Sea Of Cortez on the eastern side of the peninsula is more calmer than the Pacific on the west. The waters are much calmer, I could see that even from a distance.
A small video from my cell phone, even though I took it later is more appropriate here to show what I saw.
A breath of fresh air, as I cruise towards Santa Rosalia. The road here is not the greatest, a little gravelly, forces me to concentrate on the road rather than let my eyes wander to the spectacular views on my left.
Santa Rosalia is a little-big town. Apparently, yet another interesting town, with a lot of French influence. The church here is designed by the same Gustave Eiffel, of the Eiffel Tower fame. But I hate myself for not having time to explore this little town, nor check out that church. Also I heard it has the best bakery in the whole of Baja, this has to wait for me to return someday.
Ride from Santa Rosalia to Mulegé is once again uneventful - with the exception of getting brief glimpses of the beautiful ocean on the side.
Entering Mulegé, its not as difficult as I thought to find a motel. There is Hotel Mulegé right at the entrance. Even more happier am I, when I find out there is a room available. I quickly register, and ride into the place. Gravel again!!! I inch slowly, and find a good spot where I can ride out without the need to back out.
Right there there are two Adventure style BMW 800GSes parked, and I see two young fellows sitting right outside, smoking. I wave at them, and join for a smoke as well.
They are from Norway, working as professional divers. Both, may be in their mid-late twenties. When I heard that they have been riding from Alaska, and on the way to Argentina, my own little adventure looked not so big afterall. They have been weaving around Oregon, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona through the back roads, unpaved trails and their adventure continues through Baja. The next day they were going to Loretto, from where they will take a ferry and cross into mainland Mexico, and continue their journey to South America. A brief thought occurred to me to join them, but everyone has their reality to deal with. Their whole trip was going to take between 6-8 months. Every day a different town, different people - would be great to do such a trip.
One of them says, "I have to do it now. Once I get kids, I will not be able to do this for the next twenty years!". I laugh heartily, agreeing. I comment, "You guys are pretty brave to have undertaken such a trip.". I am surprised at their humbleness, when the other adds, "Its well documented, and this stretch has been done by many before, we are not the first. We are having the easy way. Many have travelled much before the comforts of the information on the web, cell phones, weather forecasts. They are more braver." I could not help, but agree to what they said.
This is one of the best part of travelling alone, you talk more to strangers, and not caught up with the people (be it family or friends) around you. And even others, they feel more motivated to talk to you.
I get back, unpack and put all of my electronic gadgets for charging, take a nice long shower, change into shorts, t-shirt and sandals, and went for a walk to see the surroundings. The sun has gone down at this time, there is more darkness than light. When I stepped out of the hotel, I did see a street side kitchen, and a lady serving tacos under the street light. I walked around a couple of blocks only to be scared by some dark lonely areas, and a dog jumping from the darkness at me. Thankfully he is in chains, and my heart skips another beat.
Quickly tracing back my steps to the Taco place, I am glad to see many locals standing around, and eating, When the locals approve, the food must be good.
I also spot a grocery store right next to it. I grab a couple of beers, to wash the tacos down, walk over to the taco place, and ask her to give me a few tacos - whatever she has. The language was a problem, I could not understand what she was saying, and agree to eat whatever she gives. Her husband who helps around, arranges a chair for me, and with a warm smile opens my beer bottle deftly with a cooking knife.
Its a nice warm night... I always like the warm nights, so pleasant to sit outside, and start to sip my beer until the food arrives.
I liked the food a lot. After that, getting back to the motel, I flip through the channels. Its an old 18 inch boxy TV, which is practically extinct in America. But here it is. Luckily there is a remote. All the channels are in Spannish. I end up with watching a few minutes of the transliterated version of The Transporter. Having seen the movie before, its easy to ignore the fact that it was in spanish. Then again, for those kind of movies, you can watch it in any language, without the need for understanding whats being said... Before I know, a deep slumber takes over.
The next morning, by the time I get up and stroll outside, the Norwegians were long gone. I walk across the street to a little clean restaurant. Have a coffee and an omelette. The food was delicious.
My destination for today is La Paz, Another 300 miles day. Quickly saddling up, I start to ride. For the first hour or so, I do have the big blue ocean for a company on my left. Many of the stretches of the coast look very inviting, but I kept moving along.
Near Loretto, there is a nice pull over place. In some ways, Mexico reminds me of India. There are small religious temples of sort, nothing big, but small places built along the road such as these. For a believer of a higher force, may be this gives a sense of security while travelling to remind there are eyes that watch, and hands that save.
I am in a good mood, I decide to take a selfie in the good old style against the shop window :)
From their description of their life, it appears La Paz is quite a likable place. I can imagine myself living there. The only problem, my hosts say, is the occasional big hurricanes for which you have to brace yourself.
Our food arrives, and because I am spice-aholic, I ask for some hot sauce, and I get greeted with four different kinds.
A bunch of pelicans were perched on a far away rocks, frolicking in the morning sun, adds to the scenery. Pelicans happen to be my favorite birds, and I spend more than enough time to hang around and watch them.
Of all the birds, the sea gull is the most easy to photograph, as they stand immobile for a long time, and probably they are more accustomed to humans, they do not fly away even when you are in close proximity.
A scene of La Paz coastal area.
The whole coast side is peppered with nice sculptures.
Ah, what wouldn't one do to lie down under that umbrella on a warm day sipping beer, staring into the horizon :) On dreary long work days I shall try to remember this scene, and is bound to relax me :)
A nice looking bench, even though I felt it was better to make it face the ocean, looks like meant for people watching.
The sun was rising fairly quickly, and my mind tells me to get going, but I do not listen.
I find a little coffee shop, and decide to spend more time having a coffee. The lady of the shop was very friendly with a smile that makes your day!
The joy of sipping coffee in a strange land with no hurry whatsoever, and looking blank at the ocean does not happen all that often, but this morning it does. With a meditative state of mind, I enjoy my coffee.
A journey is made of people we meet on the road. The kind strangers and their smiles, make much of the experience. Until a while ago, I was shy of shooting strangers. But now I am a little brave, and request for a picture, and the lady who made me the coffee shyly obliges. She does not talk English, and I do not speak Spanish, so much of the talk was in sign language. I thanked her profusely saying 'Grcias', and walk back to the flat.
Leaving Loretto, my ride continues, once again through hills to the hinterland, and around noon time I am close to Ciudad Insurgentes, where I find a Pemex and fill up, and relax as I just have about 150 more miles to go. A pack of chips and some soft drink does the trick for lunch.
I am in a good mood, I decide to take a selfie in the good old style against the shop window :)
From there to La Paz, turns out to be one of the most challenging rides. Almost 10 miles of pavement have been ripped apart for repair (felt certainly lot more, never ending). The alternative, a unpaved road. To add to my woes, its winding through hills with a lot of ups and downs. Even though there are trucks spraying water to keep the dust down, the sand is soft, I try to follow the tracks of trucks, as the sand is more compacted than the softer midsection. I probably was doing 5 miles per hour through the whole stretch. The heat did not help much either. After a never ending gruel, it was over, I do breathe a sigh of relief.
I wonder how this place would be after a heavy rain, just this thought alone would haunt me until my return trip. More about it later.
I was supposed to meet a friend of a friend in La Paz. Laurence. One other angel I would meet on the way. This is one of the big cities of the Baja Peninsula, and quite infamous with the number of homicides. But as I enter the town, it has many brand name shops we are familiar in the USA like Walmart, Home Depot etc. Clearly a recently developed area, was thronging with younger blood.
We had agreed that we would meet in a Starbucks on the outskirts of La Paz, right along the Hwy 1. I find that place easily, and call up Laurence. She says she will be the in half hour.
Entering Starbucks to get a coffee, feels really nice as its air conditioned inside. Leaving the cozy, crowded interior, I find a table outside, just so I can spot the strangers I was supposed to meet. I don't even know how she looks, but I had assured her on the phone that it should not be difficult to identify me - just look for a dirt covered, dark skinned, tired fellow, you can not go wrong :)
Sure enough, they walk straight to me. Laurence is accompanied by her husband Luis. Both of them are very nice folks. Adjectives like nice and great hardly help to describe a person. For some one to be hospitable to an absolute drifter based on the fact that I am an acquaintance of a friend of hers, was quite commendable. They even suggested that I could stay the night in one of their flats which they recently purchased, and will be renting out soon. I do accept the offer with gratitude.
Following them through the streets of La Paz, we end up on the ocean front community - a lot of restaurants, shops etc. For some reason, I find the activity to be quite muted compared to the typical touristy spots else where. La Paz, while it is a big city, does not attract too many tourists. Mostly locals around, atleast at this time of the year.
Soon enough I park and unload my luggage in the flat, which is a very nice little comfortable place just a few blocks from the oceanside. Fairly new and clean, it could be a nice place for a a person or a couple to hole up.
It felt refreshing to be out of riding suit and my shoes, to be back in street cloths after a long day. We take a stroll towards a restaurant. The sun was setting over the Sea Of Cortez. The tourist in me, immediately stopped to soak in the warm weather, and take a few pictures. My hosts wait for me patiently.
I leave the choice of restaurant to them, and the place they chose was very rustic, and a good one. A thatched roof building facing the ocean, with open varanda like space for seating on the first floor. I do like such tropical setup. My hosts, being locals, knew everyone in the restaurant - from the owner to passer-bys. It was nice to see even total strangers greet each other as-if they have known you for a long time. Our server was extremely nice to us, as my hosts order for me as well. Later I came to know he was a grad student under Luis.
The sun has set by now, leaving the sky with pastel colors. Our dinner starts with a Tequila shot and a beer. I learn a lot about my hosts. Both of them Marine Biologists. The typical topics like how they met, to how long they have been living in the place, and how they like living in that place. When it came to their professional life, it was also very interesting to hear Luis diving to monitor the health of corals in and around La Paz, and Laurence researching the wonderful lives of shrimps - these are very different than the high tech circles that we are in, most of our friends talk about silicon and software :)
From their description of their life, it appears La Paz is quite a likable place. I can imagine myself living there. The only problem, my hosts say, is the occasional big hurricanes for which you have to brace yourself.
Our food arrives, and because I am spice-aholic, I ask for some hot sauce, and I get greeted with four different kinds.
Past dinner, settling back in the flat, I fall into deep slumber knowing that the next day is a short one. A couple of hours ride from La Paz to Cabo San Lucas. My hosts assured me that its a well paved highway between these two cities.
Getting up early next morning, I stroll down the coast one more time with a camera around my neck. The morning scene is very reminiscent of one of my favorite coastal cities - Pondycherry (a coastal town in South India facing Bay Of Bengal), Unlike the previous evening, the frontage road was relatively empty with occasional joggers, walkers and bicyclists. The traffic on the road was also very sparse.
I find a few fishing boats moored near the coast gently rocking on the waters, and their reflections made a beautiful sight. I soak up the surroundings, the warmth of the sun, the gentle breeze with the whole of my body and eyes.
A bunch of pelicans were perched on a far away rocks, frolicking in the morning sun, adds to the scenery. Pelicans happen to be my favorite birds, and I spend more than enough time to hang around and watch them.
Of all the birds, the sea gull is the most easy to photograph, as they stand immobile for a long time, and probably they are more accustomed to humans, they do not fly away even when you are in close proximity.
A scene of La Paz coastal area.
The whole coast side is peppered with nice sculptures.
Ah, what wouldn't one do to lie down under that umbrella on a warm day sipping beer, staring into the horizon :) On dreary long work days I shall try to remember this scene, and is bound to relax me :)
A nice looking bench, even though I felt it was better to make it face the ocean, looks like meant for people watching.
The sun was rising fairly quickly, and my mind tells me to get going, but I do not listen.
I find a little coffee shop, and decide to spend more time having a coffee. The lady of the shop was very friendly with a smile that makes your day!
The joy of sipping coffee in a strange land with no hurry whatsoever, and looking blank at the ocean does not happen all that often, but this morning it does. With a meditative state of mind, I enjoy my coffee.
A journey is made of people we meet on the road. The kind strangers and their smiles, make much of the experience. Until a while ago, I was shy of shooting strangers. But now I am a little brave, and request for a picture, and the lady who made me the coffee shyly obliges. She does not talk English, and I do not speak Spanish, so much of the talk was in sign language. I thanked her profusely saying 'Grcias', and walk back to the flat.
I quickly pack up my mule, and head towards La Paz. It was a bit slow leaving La Paz, but later the two lane high way was a pleasure to ride compared to the other recent roads I had been on. In exactly two hours I reach Cabo San Lucas.
The problem with the Mexican addresses is that my GPS does not recognize the format. So, I decide to use my cell phone to guide me. The day was very hot, and my cellphone in the tank bag heated up, and quit working. This is the first time I experience this - that the applications on the cell phone start to shut down if the device's temperature is too high. The old way of making a few stops to ask strangers about how to get to the resort help more. Finally I reach the destination.
It was unbearable heat outside, I unload the bike and park the bike, where it will rest for three more days. I pat myself on the back, for a successful trip so far. The return is going to be a repeat of my journey so far - no new surprises or unknowns. So, felt good about making a good run on the way back.
Its an all-inclusive resort. I am immediately greeted by a lady with a tray full of fruit punches, near the checkin counter. And I gulp down a couple of those - man, it felt good.
I was ushered immediately to our room, which will be my home for the next three days!.
Sauntering out of the room, I find a bar area overlooking the sea. Grab a cold beer and wait for my family to come.
What a joy it was when they showed up! I have not seen them for a week now, and it was a great prize at the end of the trip to see their happy faces, eagerly running into my arms.
Here I am at the southern most tip of Baja Peninsula!
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