Baja Bound from a Redneck's Perspective

Discussion in 'Trips & Events' started by reg71, Nov 16, 2018.

  1. reg71

    reg71 Poser Staff Member

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    Let me preface this by saying that I'll start numbering the days from when we left Sacramento which is different if you are coming in from the link on Randy's thread because he left several days before from Canadia.

    So for my purposes, Day 1 is Oct 26.

    Randy came down and hung out a couple days and met my bro-in-law who also happens to be from Canadia and also happens to have worked in a brewery. Not the same one, but still what a coinkydink, right? Anyway, I'd type some about what they talked aboot, eh except they were speaking Canadian so you know how that goes eh. Take off you hosers.

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    Anyway, after attending a couple local bars that we like during the week, Randy and I were ready to get loaded up. We packed up and headed out from Sacramento on the 26th. About the only pic I see from that day is here:

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    This is out in front of my place in Sac. Our original plan had us meeting up with John at a Flying J where he'd be coming out onto I-5.

    Right about here:
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    Anyway, we got there a little earlier than planned so when John called he hadn't gotten going yet and told us not to wait. We headed on out to Paso for a bite to eat at a restaurant my son is managing.

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    The food is pretty good and the beer selection is primo. Anyway, our map of roads traveled that day looked like this. Approximately 277 mi (for me, remember Randy came much further). Call it 277 mi by motorcycle anyway.

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    More to come with Day 2...
     
    Last edited: Nov 16, 2018
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  2. reg71

    reg71 Poser Staff Member

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    Day 2 - The Trek to Baja

    Some of you may remember that ToeCutter and I did a trip down to Baja a couple years ago and this trip was planned to be a reverse of that trip with additional miles to get us further south. So Day 2 was really just get us to Mexico day!

    We planned to avoid LA as much as possible so we'd need an early start to do as many miles as it would take to circumvent that whole area.

    As Randy mentioned in his post, it was chilly starting out in Atascadero. Luckily TC had an extra hoodie and let me borrow it or I would have frozen in those early morning hours. Here are some pics on 41 leaving Atascadero.

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    In this next one you can see TC followed by Randy.

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    In this next one, you can see Randy trailing TC off into the sunrise on Hwy 41 outside Atascadero.

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    That was about the last fun road fun quite some time. Because we had decided to avoid LA, that meant taking a detour from the norm so we followed 46->58->Mojave. Most of that is pretty boring road.

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    Now we stopped in Mojave at this little joint for a break and some of the worst coffee I believe any of us has had (and that includes instant coffee)...

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    If you ever stop at the 76 in Mojave, try the coffeee. I think it'll be the same pot that was there when we rode through!

    Now since we are trying to avoid LA, none of us has ever been this way. I have navigation, but my bluetooth was dead so i was trying to turn on the screen periodically and look at it. In the next pic you can see the turn that we blew right by because it turned us completely around.

    (I figured it out a couple miles later and we turned around)
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    Anyway, we continued on for a bit and then stopped for lunch in San Bernadino at a restaurant called Don Martin. The place was deserted which we took as an omen, but the food was actually decent. We were a bit creeped out by the company, though...
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    The skull was fine, it was the other guy that worried us.
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    I don't remember what we had, but it was likely tacos.

    Back on the bikes for another 1.5 hours or so and we decide it's time for another beer. By this time we are out in the desert and it's pretty warm so a cold beer sounds very fine. It's about 1:26pm and we are going to try and meet up with Long and Jason who are supposedly out in the same desert. I try texting and calling but get no reply so we get back on the bikes and head for the border.

    Day 2 Part 2 will get us into Mexico. I have to limit the pics in each post.
     
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  3. Diving Pete

    Diving Pete Member

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    Need pics
     
  4. reg71

    reg71 Poser Staff Member

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    Okay, Day 2 continued...

    As I was saying earlier, I tried reaching Long. He knew we were coming down that way and thought we might be able to meet up out in the desert. Unfortunately, I didn't get a response until I was in Mexico so we missed them by this much.

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    Here's where I was when Long's call came through:
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    That's right, I was already in Mexico. Unfortunately, TC and Randy do not know the bike etiquette in Mexico which is if you act confused, they usually just wave you by. So, i used this method to cross into country and they followed the signs which put them in a border crossing jam. Another piece of advice for Baja riders, usually it's ok, to bypass long lines. They know that bikes can overheat sitting in a line and no one seems to mind or at least they've never said anything to Jason, Long, or me.

    Anyway, I called Randy from here and he said they got waved by so they decided to go change their money. So, I'm sitting in Mexico having not changed any money because our last conversation just before I crossed into Mexico had been something to the effect of, let's just cross over and find a place to change money in Mexicali. Apparently as soon as they got waved by they were like the dogs from Up! and fixated on the next squirrel and went to change the money.

    Well, I waited about 15 min or so with everyone going by and looking at me like I was crazy then decided I'd just go into town and change my money. I followed the main road and went right past where John and I had stayed 2 years prior, but what I didn't pass was a place saying "cambio" so I proceeded on through town. Not changing my money proved out to be a good strategy as you will see...

    I made my way to this little store outside town and stopped to wait for John and Randy and have a cerveza.

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    the locals were very friendly and wanted to ask mucho questions about my bike. Unfortunately, my Spanish is pretty poor. I have a good accent and can fake it pretty well, but my comprehension is hit or miss. My accent in Spanish is good enough that Mexicans often compliment me on it, but then the think I can really understand what they are saying which I rarely can.

    I waited until sunset then decided I'd just continue on because it's a long straight road and I figured they'd catch me up.

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    It turns out I was right, after dark I was cruising along at a leisurely pace even letting faster cars overtake me by moving over to the right. Well, one of these times I saw some very bright blue lights right beside some bright yellow lights and I knew the boys had caught me so we were back together again. At least until we got to the military checkpoint.

    As mentioned earlier, it is usually ok to filter up to the front of lines which I did but TC and Randy did not. So I got through the checkpoint and was not about to just sit there while they waited in a line. Besides, it was dark and we needed lodging and a beer.

    I proceeded into town and I had checked with a a local expat about hotels and I found one of them he mentioned and booked a room. I promptly turned around and headed back out of town to where there was only one road so I couldn't miss them and I caught them coming in and led them back to our digs for the night. I had negotiated for a cot to add to our room for only $10 but TC decided to just get his own room instead.

    Here's the hotel. It was decent of you are ever in the neighborhood and it's walking distance to the party zone for San Felipe.
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    That pic was the next morning, but I have a couple more from the night we arrived. Once we were all booked in, we walked 2 blocks to this place called Fat Boys Bar & Pizzeria.
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    Now, I don't know if you've ever been to mexico, but once they have you in a place they are very accommodating because they want you to stay and spend money. We all wanted tacos but they were and "American" style bar and grill and had none on the menu. they sent someone out with some cash from us to buy us tacos from another place so we'd stay at the bar drinking.

    And drink we did!
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    Randy's first shot of tequila this trip, but not his last! At least I think it was tequila, some of my memories of that night are a little fuzzy.

    Map of Day 2
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    Add another 580 miles...

    just for grins, I plugged in Atascadero to San Felipe default route on google maps and as crazy as it sounds the near 10 hour route we took actually was lower than the route via the grapevine. It sure didn't seem that way to us when we finally settled that night!
     
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  5. reg71

    reg71 Poser Staff Member

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    Day 3 starts in San Felipe.

    Randy and I got an early start and walked around the little section of town where we were. Little did we know, this would be the last time on the trip that Randy would be getting around easily.

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    Baja Breakfast:
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    And then, we departed San Felipe.

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    There's more to come, but I'll do it in another reply.
     
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  6. reg71

    reg71 Poser Staff Member

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    You should be able to now. I had permission on the folder set to owner only while I worked with the pics.

    I resized them all and I'm slowly adding them to VFRW and then inline linking them with the story.
     
  7. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

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    Can see them from post #6 but nothing prior. Just shows a box with a red "X" through it.
     
  8. reg71

    reg71 Poser Staff Member

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    Ok, Day 3 is fully underway now. Being the responsible little traveler I am, I downloaded the google map for our route today the previous night.
    Here's what it looked like.

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    Not bad, right? Just under 5 hours and it looked like we'd get gas there at the turnoff. HAH!

    Well, I'll get to that. First some pics on the way to the turnoff.
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    Now this is just a little past the military checkpoint. So if you are looking at the map above it's where the road takes a sharp left from 5 onto 3. This is a good time to talk about roads in Baja. As a rule, if they have a number like you see there on the map, they are usually ok. Now the transition from 5 to 3 actually had an overpass and a loop. I don't know exactly how describe it other than if you imagine when you were a kid playing with hotwheels and you decided to make a loop overpass but now imagine you're grown up and someone gave you keys to a Caterpillar but you've never used one. Yeah it's like that. The transition onto the exit was a bit sketchy and I wasn't sure the bridge would hold our motorcycles. I couldn't imagine going over it in a big truck.

    Here is the satellite view on google maps. It's much sketchier in live:
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    Now's a good time for some advice I forgot. Always carry spare fuel when taking a new road in Mexico. As you know by now I ride a GS with what might be the sorriest excuse for a fuel capacity I've ever heard of: 3.9 gal at the most. Now, to combat this, I purchased a spare fuel tank and strapped it where many of you run a top box. But, when I downloaded the map and saw that town where we were turning I figured I'd be find without adding the extra fuel weight up high. DOH! Mistake #1.

    And I would've if I hadn't listened to my map which kept alarming and telling me I missed the turn. So I follow the map down a gravel road into the "town" to the main road (I guess) where I stop to converse with Randy. Now at the time, we've cruised right through the main part of town and have seen nothing resembling a gas station. I talk to Randy and tell him how much fuel I have and he checks his. TC is good to go as he has a massive tank. Anyway, the map is pointing down this dirt road and Randy says as long as we go slow it shouldn't be an issue and I figure well going slow will conserve fuel anyway. Mistake #2.

    Little did I know if we had ignored google maps and just stayed on the asphalt there was a little station heading out of the "town". Unfortunately, cell service in Baja can be sketchy so when I looked for gas on the map I didn't see any.

    In the next part, I'll introduce you to the goat trail.
     
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  9. reg71

    reg71 Poser Staff Member

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    Goat trail...

    Here's the map google gave me:
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    Now I mentioned previously that gas was a concern. On my phone at the time, I couldn't find a station, but now when I load google maps, look at where we turned and where the station is:
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    That's right, if we'd gone 1 more mile there was a station.

    It started out well enough, we were cruising through a slightly sandy road, but it's listed on the map as the main road and it cuts off an hour or 2 from going all the way to Ensenada and then coming back down. Maybe even more when the road construction going on up there is counted.
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    It seemed that it would be ok. I stopped frequently to check on Randy, but he said he was fine. Now honestly he was doing about as well as me. I had one blown fork seal so my rebound dampening was off and my front end felt like shite. We got into a washboard road that seemed to last about 10 mi.

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    Now, at the point where the road got bad we were pretty far into it. TC is cruising way ahead and we can't catch him. He stopped long enough to say, "This is a bad idea" and then he took off and left us. His bike had an Enduro mode so he said it was much easier to ride it fast than slow.
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    At the turn up above, it told us how far it was and when I talked to Randy he said at this point we just have to do it. You can see in the pic above that there is a bit of a rut in the road. I assure you, it got much worse before it got better.

    Keep in mind that I do not know there is fuel back in the "town" so I know there's no way I can make it to Ensenada.
    Hindsight being what it is, that would have been the play, but alas, it was not to be.

    Here you can see the rare sighting of the Canadius Insanius on a SportBike in his natural habitat a rocky goat trail:
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    Now this pic was taken before the road got too bad to think about taking pics. Randy was still upright. Shortly after this the ruts got to be about a foot deep and I was riding the wall like a berm while Randy was riding the ridge. Remember he has no prior dirtbike experience so staying out of the ruts seems like a good idea to him.

    TC is long gone and we never even catch another glimpse of him until we get to pavement again. Well, a bit after the photo above, I catch up to Randy and go ahead of him again. Not an easy task as he is doing a pretty good clip considering he's on a VFR in the dirt/rock. I get a ways past him and there's a tricky curve and I nearly go over the cliff, but I manage to get her under control and eventually I get around a horseshoe curve and stop. Now I glance back because I have been frequently checking for Randy wondering how he's holding up.

    Way off in the distance I think I can see a white speck that isn't moving and something black that is moving. I think he must've dropped it so I find a place where I can turn around (very difficult on this road) and go back for him.
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    I get there and sure enough that tricky corner bit him. He says his ankle is boogered up but he can walk and his bike is down in a rut and it takes both of us to lift it. At this point, there's nothing to be done except finish it out.

    We continue on for what seems like hours but was probably less than an hour and eventually see John on the side of the dirt road but near the asphalt. I've never wanted to kiss asphalt before, but I was near to it that time. I update John on Randy's circumstance and he provides us with appropriate anesthesia=beer and tells us there is a station nearby.

    Well, I tell Randy by no means take off the boot until we are done for the night so we make our way down the asphalt to San Quintin.

    Let me finish this part by saying DO NOT follow google maps reccomended path between San Felipe and San Quintin unless you mean to ride off-road for at least an hour on a pretty damned rough road.

    Add another 175 mi give or take.

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Nov 19, 2018
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  10. reg71

    reg71 Poser Staff Member

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    So where were we?

    ....

    Ah yes, end of the goat trail. Well, we followed TC to the gas station and this time I topped up my spare tank! I'll just deal with the added weight for the peace of mind.

    We aren't too far from San Quintin, but I've forgotten exactly where the hotel is. Unfortunately, TC did not so he has taken off and gone straight through to the hotel. Randy is sticking back with me which has become the norm for this trip. I stop several times asking for directions, but it still takes me a few tries to get us far enough south of town to see the landmark I'm looking for.

    In my mind we stayed in San Quintin, but in reality we are about 6 miles south of town. Eventually, I do find the right turn and then all is good. Well almost.

    Hotel Mision de Santa Maria (San Quintin):
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    You will recall that Randy had boogered up his ankle. Once we get to the hotel, TC has already booked a room. He doesn't speak much Spanish so he goes in and asks for a suite thinking there will be plenty of sleeping room. Come to find out, there is one king sized bed, and a couch, but it's wicker, not your typical sleeping type couch.

    Well, we will worry about sleep later. I get Randy's ankle propped up and iced and it's looking a bit bruised but I'm not sure if it's sprained or broken, and the treatment for it won't change for us anyway since we are deep into baja.

    I run back to town and get medications. I believe I bought about 1 case of Coors light and a bottle of Don Julio Reposado. And TC and Randy also had some meds(liquor) with them.

    The other downside was that the suite was upstairs so Randy was hiking up and down stairs on what we would later find out was a broken ankle.

    Here's the entryway to the hotel:
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    Now, when I get back with the supplies I find TC and Randy out on the balcony and for some reason Randy looks like he's freezing. It actually wasn't cold so I dunno, maybe he's stretching or something.
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    Here's the view from the balcony in a panoramic. It is a pretty decent hotel if you ever get down this way.
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    And then here is a view of the medication sitting on the balcony rail.
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    Sometime after this pic we made our way down the the hotel bar where we would spend an hour or 2 almost serving ourselves. The bartender left to take care of our meal orders so we just proceeded to take beer out of the fridge whenever we wanted one.
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    Thinking back, I can't remember what I ate, but it was probably tacos. :)

    Now, for some reason the rest of the pics from that evening turned out blurry or of my finger so I don't have any more usable. I don't remember a lot of detail, but I do remember I ended up on the couch and TC and Randy were on opposite sides of a huge king bed and TC never even knew Randy was in it because he got up before TC.

    I also remember at one pointing getting into the hot tub, but the water wouldn't get hot because it was really a bathtub and the water heater didn't hold enough to fill it. Another weird thing, the hot tub had a shower in it. Why?

    Water pressure in Mexico seems to be a pretty variable thing. The hot tub came out reasonably, but the shower in the other part of the suite would knock you back. Go figure. Some hotels the luke warm water comes out like a gentle pee from a toddler.
     
    Last edited: Nov 19, 2018
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  11. reg71

    reg71 Poser Staff Member

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    The starts out foggy on this side of Baja:
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    So day 3 turned out more eventful than we had hoped, but Randy was taking it in stride...although the stride was a bit gimpy...

    We also made a wardrobe modification to Randy's riding apparel which would spark plenty of questions in Spanish that Randy would attempt to answer in French. (Don't ask...It's a Candian thing)
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    We grabbed Randy's stuff and made our way out to load up the bikes. We had 2 goals for this day: 1. eat at the truckstop we had found 2 years before, and 2 see if we could make it to Mulege.

    Hey 50% ain't so bad...
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    Here's what my headlights look at by this point. No wonder I can't see any light:
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    We get on the road fairly early and head south for some breakfast. Now you may or may not have been in Mexico, but the speed limit seems to be whatever you are comfortable with so we are tooling along at a pretty good clip for the morning ride.

    Randy and TC are ahead of me in this pic so I didn't catch them because I couldn't get the damned iPhone out of my pocket quickly enough, but this was the view riding down into the clouds on Federal 1:
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    We saw many different landscapes while down there, and I think that's one thing that surprised Randy. There are mountains, deserts, flowers, dirt, rocks, and just about everything in between. IF you look long enough you can see just about anything.
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    And a panoramic in the desert:
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    And after rolling along through all these cacti, we finnaly made our way to the little truckstop from 2 years before to have some more home made tortillas and some chorizo and eggs. Good stuff...

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    Good stuff!
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    Another bad habit that TC and I have is trying the hot sauce no matter where we are and the truck stop has some stuff that'll light you up, but once you start you just can't stop!

    Ok, so now might be a good time to say that a truck stop in the US is not generally the cleanest place you can eat. Well, that holds true in Mexico also, but to a further degree. Fair warning, you are about to see inside a truck stopp bathroom in Baja Mexico. These images can't be unseen and be thankful it isn't smell-o-vision.

    Hey gringo don't flush the toilet paper!
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    And you say you need running water for the sink, nah. Just use the bucket of nice clean water.
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    Dammit I lost a bunch of content due to the 20 pic limit throwing an error. I should have saved more often. Ok, I can do 4 more pics in this reply, then start a new one...

    Lot's of Cacti in the landscape. Here's me showing off my mad selfie skills:
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    Ok, we were trying to get to Mulege. Well, it was a bit ambitious. Take a look at this map and in the next installment, I'll go over why that didn't happen.

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    Last edited: Nov 19, 2018
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  12. reg71

    reg71 Poser Staff Member

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    Ok, so I lost all my content about how we ended up in Bahia de Los Angeles when we were headed to Mulege. If you saw the map earlier, you can see the point where we stopped for a drink. No, water this time. Well, I might have had a beer. It's hard to say. Regardless, while Randy was watering the pole, we had a conversation with a local who told us it was 6-7 hours to Mulege and less than 1 hour to Bahia.

    So beer in <1 hr or in 6+ hours.... Hmm, what would you do?


    Welcome to Bahia de Los Angeles
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    It's a sleepy little fishing village back on the Sea or Cortez side. We thought it's probably better to rest Randy's ankle anyway.

    We cruise the town... There's apparently one paved street and we see another moto going opposite way of us and they seemed awfully glad to see us judging from the whoop of delight from the girl riding on the back.

    We find this little blue restaurant to stop and have a beverage while we research where to stay. Let's call it the flytrap.
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    No extra charge for the fly protein.
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    Now I think we just had a couple beers each, then figured out which hotel we wanted, but then we came back because it was about the only game in town.

    We were even feeling frisky and rode the 50 yds or so helmetless! Rebels.
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    The food wasn't bad and it was cheap enough. We just won't speculate as to the cleanliness habits with regards to flies and what not. The other thing that was a bit off-putting was that our waitress was about 9 and not inspired to serve us at all. We all felt bad for her because not only did she seem to be afraid of people, she should have been in school!

    Anyway, we chose the hotel that had the dog welcoming committee. I think those dogs loved having us spend the night. Now each day when we get to a hotel I've been asking if they have a room with 3 beds, and TC has said ,"has anyone ever said yes?" So far the closest was in San Felipe when they offered a cot for an additional $10. BUT, lo and behold, this place is a bja racer destination and they have all kinds of configurations. We end up with a room with 3 beds for $75. Thank you very much.

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    The views weren't bad either. We can see the bay from our room.

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    In this next pic, to the right, you can see a building that is waterfront that has just been abandoned. I can't imagine what happened, but it seems like someone would fix it up.

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    Here's a bit more zoomed in view.
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    And then the welcoming committee...
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    Randy and TC both soaking their feet.
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    We liked the hotel ok, but it was not up to the standards of the hotel from the night before. TC even mentioned that he would not be brokenhearted to get that suite again on our way back. But if you don't mind kind of a middling level of quality hotel, it'll do. And it has a pool so there is that... No chlorine at all int he pool that I could tell and the dogs did drink from it. I wish I would have gotten a shot of the peculiar multi-layered tile and concrete work that had been going on or the strange PVC pipe water pipe that just stuck out above the pool, but alas it wasn't to be.

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    I did get a pic in this (hottub?) I think. Look how deep it is.
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    It should have come with a shot of penicillin.
    how about this random PVC running across the stairs down into the pool/bar area. It's like nothing is ever planned, you just build whatever wherever.

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    Well, we stock up on brews at the local grocery and then head on back to our home away from home for the night.

    Randy photo-bombing my miller lite selfie.
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    Day 4 ends and we are about 1246 mi in plus a little for the random excursions where we missed turns here and there.
     
    Last edited: Nov 19, 2018
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  13. Diving Pete

    Diving Pete Member

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    Sounds fun...
     
  14. NorcalBoy

    NorcalBoy Member

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    Never follow a redneck. You will inevitably end up on a dirt road, it's part of the genetic makeup :Bolt:
     
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  15. reg71

    reg71 Poser Staff Member

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    Let's see now...where were we?

    Ah yes, Bahia de Los Angeles.

    So up and at em, get some pics and some breakfast...

    Sunrise over the bay and the boats heading out for some good fishing from what the locals were saying...
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    The dogs joined us for breakfast. What I remember from breakfast was that there was a lot of it and we shared about half of it with the dogs. The coffee was pretty awful (but not as awful as the 76 in Mojave!) They literally poured the pot of coffee back into the coffee maker to run it through again. I'm not even sure how old the coffee was. Yum.
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    If we had known this would be the last time we saw TC, we would have tried to say something more profound...

    We chatted about the upcoming ride and whether we'd stop at San Quintin or head on up to Ensenada, but made no formal plans other than stopping for more pics as we left town.

    Here's the view of the town from the hillside above. It's a panoramic so it looks a bit odd. I'll try and dig out a better one.
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    And Randy above the town with the bay in the background.
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    Here you can see TC in the background as Randy is stopping to take a pic of the town. I don't appear to have that pic, but it's likely in Randy's write-up. I didn't know it at the time, but this would be the last time we'd see TC.
    [​IMG]

    I also wanted to get some pics of the cacti just to show how big they are. It's hard for a gringo to get it until you've been out in them.

    I got this pic with the bike, but then Randy came over and took a pic with me standing out by the big bastard.
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    This is that same cactus with me standing by it.
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    I think Randy caught me pulling my pants up there. I need suspenders.

    Ok, now several things happened all at once. We took all these pics and more, Randy realized he had left hiw wallet back in town at the gas station and I picked up a hitchhiker.
    [​IMG]

    I had little hope we would find his wallet, but I told him I would head back and meet him there. I hauled ass and rode around the station for a few minutes with no wallet in sight. Then I proceeded to remove the hitchhiker. Ouch, that little booger was a pia and one of the quills had worked it's way into my leg. It seemed like it just kept going further in and when I'd pull on it, the other ones would stick my hand. I eventually worked it out. For the most part... I just found a piece of this last weekend when I was out riding in CA.

    Randy made his way back and when he did, the lady inside saw him and came out saying something, but the jist of it was I have your wallet. He went inside and grabbed the wallet with all cash intact! How's that for people trying to rip you off in Mexico. Damn gringos.

    We jumped back on the bikes and started heading west towards TC. We knew there was no way to catch hi, but figured he would just wait out at the turn. After all, there is only the one road in and out so there really is no way we could lose him...right?

    Here's a shot of the mountains out side town.
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    Here's Randy heading west to the mountains.
    [​IMG]

    After this, Randy and I rode on to the end of the road expecting to meet up with TC at the little store where we had stopped the day before. You'll recall the intersection marked on the map from Day 4. Anyway, we are tooling along at a decent clip but nothing earth shattering. TC was several minutes ahead of us by this time. Anyway, we made it up there and looked around for him for a few minutes then decided he must have headed north since that is really the only way he would have gone and we head that way also. He's probably thinking by this time that we are slow as shit. His cell service is shit in Mexico, but is actually pretty good with AT&T.

    Anyway, we head on up to the next site I want to see which is Catavina. It's some ancient cave paintings and you can actually hike right up to them and view them.
    In my opinion, it didn't disappoint. I'm going to post some pics, but I have so many that I'll have to start another message for the rest. Words can't do the view justice.
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    Last edited: Nov 20, 2018
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  16. reg71

    reg71 Poser Staff Member

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    While I was hiking around Catavina, Randy was visiting the local facilities.
    [​IMG]
    You'll have to ask him, but I think he may still be picking splinters from his arse.

    We drank a beverage or so to stay hydrated then decided to head on to the next place to get gas. I topped my tank up with the fuel cell and poured some in Randy's tank so we knew we'd have enough to make it to El Rosario where we knew we could fuel up.

    Once there, I asked the gas station attendant about TC and he said we were only 15-20 min behind him. At this point, it was lunchtime and we figured we knew where TC was headed (the hotel with the suite from 2 nights before). Since it's unhealthy for Randy to skip meals, we decided to visit a Baja icon, Mama Espinozas.

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    We both had fish tacos and they were pretty decent, but not the best we had on the trip. But, if you are down there and it's around lunch you may as well stop in and enjoy the food and the history of the race. There is memorabilia everywhere.

    [​IMG]

    They even had another bike for Randy to use in case we were going back on that goat trail road.

    [​IMG]

    While we were there and since we had wifi, I sent TC a few texts saying where we were and that we stopped to feed Randy. I also let him know that we would head to the hotel from 2 nights before so that he'd know we were coming.

    After lunch, we loaded up and headed on up to San Quintin which is around 1.5 hrs from there. Keep in mind we have not seen TC since this a.m. so I am fairly anxious to find him. I post Randy on the highway at the turn and I roll on out to the coast a couple miles to where the hotel is. Well, I get there and no TC. Now I'm starting to worry. As I said before I have pretty good cell in Mexico, and I had used it in this location 2 days prior so after going back to confer with Randy, I call TC and he actually picks it up!

    Whew! Wait, not so fast. I'm telling him where we are and trying to ascertain where he is. I can hear him, but all I can hear is, I'm gonna have to call you back sparky it's a bad connection. So I hang up and let Randy know we have made contact and that TC must be going on to Ensenada because that was our other possible destination for the night. He says he thinks he can make it that far. Now, as I mentioned earlier, he has hurt his ankle so the depedant position of riding is not great for swelling. Anyway, we load up on the bikes and try to make the 2-3 hours further up to Ensenada. Along the way, we stop for gas near Punta Colonet and Randy's foot is visibly swollen even with the sneaker on it. We had just passed what looked like a decent hotel, and we were both tiring out. After discussing it, we decided we likely could not figure out a way to contact TC with the spotty coverage even if we did make it to Ensenada and also the single way in and out we had been relying on changes once you get to Ensenada which is a bigger town.

    So we decided to call it a day and relax. We ended up here: https://goo.gl/maps/1GGGghfVvq22

    I don't seem to have a picture of it, but that's likely because the driveway and parking lot was paved much like the damned goat trail where Randy had his crash! I couldn't believe they had done it on purpose it was so bad. It looked ok, but it was incredibly rough.

    Anyway, that's where I'll sign off for now. I'll come back after the holidays and try to work on getting out of Mexico... (or did we?) stay tuned to find out...
     
    Last edited: Nov 20, 2018
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  17. RVFR

    RVFR Member

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    What a goat trail experience. For some reason I was thinking you guys made it way further south. Next time huh ;)
     
  18. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

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    No goat in its right mind would even look at that one fukken road we were on. The surrounding countryside was better than that road. The only other human activity we saw on that pen was a military outpost way up about 200 meters on the rocks. I think they must have helowed them into there. Each trip in and out of there on that road would destroy a truck.
     
  19. duccmann

    duccmann Member

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    By the looks of Randy’s bike, it didn’t look to messed up, still had both levers and mirrors. Sure the ankle broke it’s fall.
    Great write up


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  20. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

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    Only damage to the bike was badly gouged up right hard bag and a cracked front cowl. I am not repairing the bike. It will be sold as is. I thought that there would have been some damage to the forks and possibly a bent front wheel, but no signs of such
     
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