"How often do you hear, “Don’t go to Mexico or you will get killed!”?
Well I just spent 8 days on an off road/dual sport ride from San Felipe to La Paz and didn’t even get robbed, well except at one motel that was owned by an American. I went with a true old timer named Don. He is 73 years young and has been going down to ride in the Mexican peninsula for the past 25 years or so. I took the opportunity to go with him to learn a little about places to ride, finding gas and places to avoid.
As it turns out it seems gas is the biggest issue whenever you ride down south because you may have to travel between 100 to 150 miles to find your next fuel. So an oversize tank is a must have item for this trip. The only place you will buy gas from a gas pump is called a PEMEX gas station. They are the only game in town, any town, because they are government run and the price is set. It takes the need to go price shopping away! But it also means that like any government run agency they run out of gas on occasion until the next delivery! What fun to roll the dice on your quest for fuel. But I also learned that most of the locals know this and quite often purchase and store it in containers for their own use or to sell to passing Gringos in need, at a profit of course. It was quite interesting to find small villages in the mountain areas with people that were quite friendly and happy to sell you their gas in order to supplement their income. Which from the looks of the places we bought gas was not very much.
So this trip was a true adventure ride due to the fact that everything I would have for the next week of riding was in my backpack or on the bike. No support truck, only what I carried. Toothbrush, extra socks, underwear, t-shirts, tennis shoes, cold weather gear, on the trail snacks, spare tubes, levers, shifter, nuts and bolts, etc, were all attached to the bike or in my backpack.
The Mexican people were fun to meet and interact with but we also met a few other groups of adventure riders from the U.S. and Europe that provided most of our entertainment throughout the trip. There was a varying degree of riding abilities in all the groups we encountered and their riding skills and personalities made it a memorable time for me. I met a group from Newport, Oregon that became our friends and we spent several evenings along the way in the same place and learned quite a bit about their group. There was a doctor, lawyer, ex-farmer, tire shop owner, school teacher, paving contractor plus a couple of more that I didn’t understand their jobs. Finding this diverse group of riders with such a wide spectrum of jobs was fascinating. I enjoyed listening to them and learned quite a bit about things I had no idea how they worked. There was a lot of knowledge in that group alone and it made me even more aware of how much I don’t know. They were definitely not the, “Dude! Did you see that military guy with the machine gun!” types I was expecting to run into.
We also met a couple of guys that were from Holland and the U.S. One was a hired boat captain and the other and entrepreneur, interesting guys.
On our first day of riding I found the road south of Peurtocitos had been paved another 26 miles since I had seen it last. It made for an easy day of riding and shortened the off road riding for the day to around 50 miles. As soon as we hit the dirt road I saw my first rider on the side of the trail picking up what looked like a yard sale. Poor guy was a road rider and this was his first off road experience. It seems he had been talked into doing this ride by his buddies and was led to believe it was easy and all dirt roads. He hadn’t made it 2 miles and his pack attached to the bike, like a road rider would do, had come loose at speed, hit the ground and tore open spilling the contents all over the road. I stopped to make sure he had everything he needed to reattach his pack and then headed off to tell his buddies up ahead that he was going to be a few minutes catching up!
The place we stayed was in Gonzaga bay and the door of the motel opens literally to the sands of the beach. There were fishing boats anchored there that were dropping off shrimp and fish to the locals.
That was the first time we met the Oregon riders. Little did we know that we would become friends and spend more time together. They were on a variety of bikes from a 950 KTM down to a 225 Yamaha and everything in between. They also had a support truck and trailer just in case. This turned out to be a good thing because they soon became the walking wounded and got down to 3 riders at times during the week.
As we continued south we passed COCO’s corner. You may have seen or heard of it over the years since it has been featured in a few films and documentarys. There was a Mexican guy there running the place but no COCO. It seems he has had health issues and is dealing with diabetes so he is unable to be there full time like he used to. It is still a treat to see the place and look at the “decorations” that are used to dress the place up. There are lots of photos on the walls of COCO with a lot of different riders from years gone by.
After COCO’s place we went through a canyon with water trickling down. That is sort of rare, trickling water in the desert of Mexico. It made for an interesting ride and some really good pictures. This was definitely not the high speed stuff that would be the norm for the week. Of course once we rode out of the canyon an hour later it was back to the higher speeds with lots of brush and cactus. I forgot to point out that the last Baja 1000 race used this canyon in the race. We went through the Bahia del los Angeles and continued down the inland coast next to the Sea of Cortez. The road crossed a valley on a gravel road that stretched for what seemed like 25 miles. I spotted a small sign that said “San Rafael” so I thought I should take a look. I found out that thinking that San Rafael was a place as opposed to a beach was a mistake. San Rafael has a current population of 1.5. The lone Mexican and his dog were the inhabitants. I stopped to take a picture and he came out to greet me. He was friendly but spoke no English. Since I don’t speak Spanish we communicated through gestures and pointing. He lived in a four walled shack with only the bare essentials inside. But he invited me into his house and offered me coffee. I was very honored to visit his house and appreciated his hospitality because I quickly realized this man did not have much, yet offered me coffee and to have a seat and visit. I told him that I had a friend on the trail waiting for me and couldn’t stay but would like to take a picture of him and his house if it was ok. He was happy to oblige and took me inside for the picture. I wondered what he fed the dog and left him 100 pesos (about $8.00) for dog food so as not to offend him by offering him money. We said our Adios’s and I was back on the trail.
As I continued I passed some of the biggest cactus I have ever seen. These suckers had to be 30 feet tall. It was like riding through a forest of cactus. I wonder what they were feeding those!
This was also a sad day as it was the first day I got cell phone reception since leaving on the trip. I checked in and found out that one of my long time riding partners and friend Rich Schilling had succumbed to injuries he suffered in a motorcycle accident the previous weekend. It was a solemn evening and I spend a little time alone remembering Rich “Puddles” Schilling and saying a prayer for him. So this ride will be remembered as the Rich Shilling memorial ride. If I can organize a group next year to do this again in Rich’s honor I will make myself available to lead, go or just participate.
God Speed Rich.
Next our trip took us over to the coast on the Pacific Ocean side of the peninsula. Another remote gas stop in order to make it to the next Pemex. What a crack up, a guy comes out of the back with a plastic 5 gallon container and holds it high enough to siphon gas into our bikes. Full and on our way we work our way down the coastal region passing through small fishing villages along the way. I learned quickly that if you slow down for too long or come to a stop you had better expect the local kids to hear you and come running. It is fun to see them come out of nowhere to hit you up for “stickers”. They know that much in English. Fortunately I had a bag of stickers with me and handed them out until I got overrun and had to hand a few off to Don to divert some of the kids. They get a little excited over free stickers. The more aggressive ones know a little more English and insert “Water” and “Money” in place of stickers.
We continued down the coast riding through miles of a very sandy road to a turn off that went up another canyon. Passing several small farms for the lack of a better description we got into the hills to cross from the coastal region to the next valley. The hills got steep enough in a couple of places that the locals had over the years found and laid small flat rocks on some of the steeper sections that constantly eroded and washed out. They use these roads as their main transport system to get to town or anywhere they need to go. The amount of work that went into the paving of this road with rocks was incredible. They did such a good job I thought it was tiled at first. I stopped to look and take pictures and saw that it was completely made of rock with flat surfaces. They are definitely not afraid of work.
Don and I arrived in the town of Mulege’ and went to a motel to get a room. Our friends from Oregon that were driving the support truck had already arrived. With 4 injured riders there were only 3 out on the trail for the day. We talked and calculated the time they left after Don and I and how long it should be before they arrived. We calculated between 6 to 7pm should be their projected arrival time.
We cleaned up, had dinner and checked our watches at 7:30. It was dark and still no one had shown up. I had a feeling someone might have to go out to see if they needed parts, gas or just guidance so I told them I was going to get some sleep in case they needed help later that night. They said they would wake me up if they decided to go looking for them.
Around 9:30 there was a knock at our door and they were going to send the truck out to look and asked if I would go on the bike to explore if needed. I was dressed and ready to go in about 15 minutes. We took off and got as far as the turn off from where the trail enters town when we pulled to the side of the road to make a plan and make sure I had enough gas to go exploring when we spotted a pair of motorcycle headlights on the highway. Guess who! It seems Steven and Ken had actually found their way but took a wrong turn in town on the highway. They were late because they had to slow down considerably as it got dark and they also had to negotiate the tile road in the dark. That combined with a couple of tip over’s in the dark slowed them appreciably. But they made it on their own just a bit tired from a long day on the trail. Good job boys!
The next part of the trip involved a bit of road commuting with another canyon that offered some beautiful views and another remote gas stop. This one was definitely upscale though because our supplier actually had an electric pump and dispenser! Muey Buenos!
When we arrived in Ciudad Constitucion we had to find a place with 5 rooms because we had met up with the Oregon group once again. We ended up in a small Hotel that would be considered a flop house in the U.S. but they had 5 rooms available. Besides where in the U.S. would they allow you to bring your bikes through the lobby and into the courtyard to secure them for the night!
We were a bit late and decided to walk across the street for something to eat at a small outdoor café. They were just closing down and I asked them if it was too late to get something to eat. They were very nice and agreed to stay open for Don and I. So I asked them if they would like to have a few more patrons and they were all for it. I ran back and informed the Oregon group and they also came to eat there. The workers were more than happy to have so many gringos eating, drinking and tipping. I think
it had been a slow day.
The next part of our ride went through another canyon with a Mission and several small villages we passed through. There was some interesting history and great photo opportunities along this route. Several old buildings and the Mission had plaques with historic facts. The canyon was spectacular and reminded me of a smaller version of the Grand Canyon. There was a big Red Dog that lived in one of the villages that didn’t seem to like Don. Big Red chased Don and blocked, barked and just tormented him for about an eighth of a mile. Then he just looked at me and ignored me. What a good boy!
We stopped in the town of la Soledad and found gas since Don calculated we would be at the edge of our range if we tried to stretch it out with our remaining gas. It turned out to be a lucky stop for two reasons. One we found gas easily from a family and took a few pictures of them and gave out a few stickers to their kids. Second, just as we got back to the trail we encountered about 6 off road buggy’s being run as a tour/race group known as Wide Open tours. The name kind of tells you how they drive on the back roads during their tours. So we met them as they were stopping at the edge of the small town and didn’t have to encounter them at their “fun” speeds on the road.
We ended the day in La Paz and stayed in a very nice hotel right on the Malecon, which is the main drag right on the water in the business district. The hotel had quite a history and a display of photos dating back to the1950’s with the hotel in the photos. The beautiful dining room sat directly on the Malecon with an open air seating arrangement. The Gulf/Bay is right in front of you as you sit and the restaurant is situated so that the sunset lit up the clouds that evening to make a picture you would expect to see on a postcard sunset. A perfect way to end our excellent day of riding.
So we made it to La Paz, Mexico. We are right at 1000 miles since we left San Felipe. Don says he feels a little tired, remember he is 73! So he has been thinking about riding over to La Ventana to meet up with the Oregon group to see if he can put his bike on their trailer to go back part of the way while he rests in the truck. We head out to La Ventana and get to a sign that says 8 kilometers. As we turn the corner at low speed thankfully, my bike felt like it went into neutral. I pull over and find that I have lost the bolts to my chain guide and it has derailed the chain. After close inspection I realize how lucky I was to be going so slow when this happened because it didn’t break a case, a chain, nothing. So I dig out the tools along with my spare nuts and bolts I was carrying for just such an occasion and get to work fixing the guide. 30 minutes later I am back on the road.
We meet up with the Oregon group and Don secures a place on the trailer to head back the following day. I still had some riding left in me so I went exploring the local area and found some dead end washes from the beach up into the surrounding hills. Took some great pictures of my bike on the beach and just enjoyed the day watching local windsurfers and kite boarders.
I headed back to meet up with the group and found out that they were going to have a “goat” dinner. They invited us to join them and I thought what is the worst that can happen by eating a goat. I mean it’s not like I am going to start growing a goatee, horns or anything. So we hung out, visited, learned a little more about the Oregoonians, just kidding guys, and ate a goat dinner. If you ever get a chance to try goat don’t be afraid to go for it. I was surprised. No it didn’t taste like chicken! But more like any other kind of shredded meat. Not gamey or anything strange.
The truck was leaving the next morning with two drivers and Don. The rest of the group had made arrangements to fly home. I was fortunate enough to trade my XR 650 for a KLR 650 (Thanks Ken) that was more road worthy and rode along as they drove the truck on the highway. A funny side note to the KLR is that I asked him what the wedding ring was for on the bike’s key ring. He said it was his wedding ring from his first wife. She would never let him have a motorcycle, so that ring was on there to remind him of that and it makes him smile every time he rides the bike. You go boy!
It was an interesting ride and gave me a good perspective of where we had been as we crisscrossed the Peninsula on our way down.
It was also quite a show as I followed along on those small roads and watched Jimmy drive the Ford diesel pulling that big trailer! It was kind of like driving a semi on those small roads and provided me with all kinds of entertainment. I watched the trailer kiss a guard rail, swap side to side and actually get air on a speed bump! It was hilarious, because it wasn’t mine! Then it occurred to me a little later, my bike was in that trailer…………….
We made it over the next two days back to a place called Chapala and unloaded Don’s and my bike. I noticed the truck was blowing a bit of blue smoke when it was sitting and idling. I mentioned it to Pete who owned the truck and suggested that he have it checked when he got home because that was not normal for that truck. Black would be diesel, but blue indicated oil. Not good.
We said our Good byes to Jimmy and Pete then headed off on our final section back to San Felipe. Only 150 miles to go and we would be back to the van we left at a friend’s place a little over a week ago.
San Felipe was a welcome sight and felt like we were almost home. We loaded the bikes and decided to stay to get an early start the next morning for our trip home.
When I got home that night I got a text message from Pete that said they were still in Mexico near Ensenada but would be there for a while waiting for parts for the truck. It seems the blue smoke was an indicator of things to come. They lost the turbocharger and had no power.
Now from watching Jimmy drive I knew he needed power, because he was driving it like he stole it!!!
Hasta la Vista, mi Amigos!
#33
More pictures of this trip can be found in the Gallery
Sunday, March 20, 2011 at 1:00PM 
