Riding south in Baja California

On the road again!  Really, I hate to have that tune in my head, however, this is the first official day of being on the road in Mexico.  

Yesterday didn't count.. Well it did, but it was different.  We were still California, a couple hours held up at the border crossing, then on to Ensenada for somewhere to eat and sleep for the night.  So, TODAY!  Is the day we just ride......... all day long............ ;-)))

 

I have to admit, when I think of Mexico, I think of Spring Break (high school and university).  Many trips to Yucatan and Puerto Vallarta for me, much preferred over Florida the more common destination.  Along with spring break comes sun, fun and warm weather.. (and tequila)!

So I am surprised to have to ride the bike in COLD weather and rain.  I've got the heated jacket working at full blast.. it's bloody cold!  This is not what I imagined in Mexico!

The good news is that it is still only Fall, the farther south we go, the better it will get.. hopefully.

A tiny peek from the sun and James spots a rainbow.. photo stop!

The road is long long long.  It's not like America where there is a McDonald's every few hundred feet along the main road.  There is NOTHING here. Need to make darn sure you've got the spare water and food you might need.  There is evidence of places to stop from days gone by, but they all seem to have been abandoned and destroyed ages ago.  We both wonder why so many are like this. Is it the economy, lack of tourists, or has something to do with the trouble we hear about on the news?  No idea.

C'mon sunshine!!!!!!!!!!

Do you see what is difficult about this landscape?  Hours and hours of nowhere to tuck behind for a pit stop!

The farther south we go are the biggest supersize cacti I've ever seen!

Ahhh, check out the rocks, hold on.... James!  Now I can and must stop!!

 Waiting patiently... whew!  Thank you!!

Not long after the rain returned, again!  We were both more than happy to just motor through and get as far south as possible.  You can tell we are traveling during the changing of the seasons.. on and off rain the whole way down.  I wonder if it has to do with the peninsula itself surrounded by water on both sides.

 James self portrait

I've always wanted to come to Baja California, even on a map you can tell it's a unique part of the world.  By now we've ridden several hundred kilometers.  There is a popular stop on this road in a village called San Ignacio. The sun is getting low so it's time to pull into town to a figure out where to stay. 

The people are right, what a gorgeous little town!  It's called the "oasis" of Baja California, and I can see why.. a pleasant break from the desert landscape.

Check out these palm trees.. oasis for sure!

 

Found a great place to stop, unique little guesthouse run by an American lady.  

I'm back to the roadside food, this one set up on the town plaza.  LOVE IT!!!!  Nothing like putting a photo of myself in my own blog with a mouth full... ;-/

I very much like this town.  We've been traveling hard to get south, the weather is finally warmer and better and I got to talking to our host about what there is to see around here.  It's such a unique spot that it didn't feel right just staying the night and moving on.  She suggested we go to Santa Martha, but she warned that the roads are really bad.   In the motorcycle world, at least the people that I know, this makes our ears perk up!

She gave us instructions of where we needed to go in the morning for special permission to go to Santa Martha, pronounced Santa Marta. but she reminded us again, the roads are really difficult and wanted us to be clear about that! (difficult to some people is easy to others, it's all perspective and keep in mind, she travels on four wheels.  She might be right, but I'm willing to give it a go, now just for curiosity sake!)

Santa Martha is a protected area of the Sierra San Francisco, surrounded by high wire fences and can only be arranged and paid for by the locals to the area; who must also be your guide to the site.  I'm happy with that.  She explained after we ride the bikes a long way, then we must also hike a long way to see the ancient rock paintings.  She said there is another area of wall paintings here that takes tour buses, but the actual rock art is not as big and spectacular.  So the fact that the road to Santa Martha is a difficult dirt road,  and is the better one to see is literally more exciting.  And to know that not many people venture to see them.  Sounds great and right up my alley!  James was keen too, so we made plans to go in the morning.

What is extra exciting is that we can unload most of our gear and ride light.. I love days I can ride without my stuff.   So does James!!  Look at that face!! ;-)

I'm looking forward to this....!!