2NOV2014
From San Diego,CA, USA to Ensenada, BJN, MEX (150km)
After 5 days and nights in San Diego, which was longer than expected and driven by the expectations to see a real Halloween night, I left for Mexico on a Sunday morning. At the border I was expecting to do a couple of things and such as:
A) Immigrate to Mexico (done with a fee of 25USD),
B) Insure my motorcycle (learned that this is not possible on Sundays and that I could do it online, Thank you Silvia and Daniel via Whatsapp),
C) Pay my deposit for the motorcycle (~400USD that I get rewarded if I export it again when laving Mexico, and that I shall pay in La Paz (1300km south from the border, since they can’t find my motorcycle on the list to estimate the amount).
So all in all the border crossing was easy like ever.
The road took me for about 5km along the US/Mexican border and it was really strange and visible in which way this border was built. From rich to poor. I think the border dividing Germany was built-in that manner of different stages so that no one can cross it. But none the less “Buenvenido a Mexcio !!!”
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A good old friend from my many visits in Guadalajara, Miguel, recommended me to stop in Rosario and have a Lobster. I had a great and really tasty one at Vinces on the main street (truly recommendable). After this lunch I left for Ensenada, which was about 80km more. The highway was good, low traffic for a Sunday. I arrived on time and during daylight and checked in at my Hotel. After that I took a walk through the city looking out for Hussongs an other recommendation from Miguel. It’s the oldest place for a bar in Ensenada, and they played live and mexican music. I enjoyed it a lot since I got in touch with the locals there. Walking on my own feet I had some street food and went to the Hotel. Had a big trip ahead of me for the next two days. Pure riding.
3NOVto4NOV2014.
From Ensenada, Baja California Norte, Mexico to Gurrero Negro (650km) to La Paz, (770km) both Baja California Sud, Mexico
I wanted to leave early, but somehow left at 9:15am only. On my lookout for fuel I see a Telcel Office, where I got my local mexican mobile phone sim card and all together took me about an hour. Then leaving the city was time-consuming, not knowing yet the driving habits. A lot of stop and go.
After about 100km the city was behind me and the road became clean and basically rubbish free (almost no pot holes, or other obstacles on the road). A big wine yard showed up where I had a short break and took some pictures, tried to do a call home via Skype which turned out not to be possible to weak network. From there the ride was joy.
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Nice weather, good road, no traffic, all fine. Every now and then a petrol station so I thought I don’t need to take care about fuel. Which was wrong. I should have filled up in El Aguajito since I ran empty later. My navigation system only showed the next petrol station far away, but locals said to me 30 km from here you get petrol. After 28.5km by tank was empty, so I refueled from one of my spare canisters and made to the fuel selling guy at the side of the road 1.5km later. I paid approximate the price per liter that I pay in Germany, which is 30% more than regular here, but filled up and made it to Gurrero Negro.
During the day I had 4 military controls and one police control check point where they all the time let me though without checking anything. I think it is because first I am traveling south and not north and second because the Baja1000 rally is next week and they suppose I am on my way for that. I do not ask, they do not ask, perfect.
The last hour I did at night and when a pick-up overtook me I though driving behind him at night is a good idea using his lights. I made it for 5 minutes at 160km/h but then let him go for my own safety. Everything can happen there.
Took a little while to find my Hotel at night. A local guy at age of approximate 22 years took his dads car and guided me to where I needed to be. The Hotel was fairly empty, and they cook me some delicious fish and rice. Great taste !
The next day I got up at 6:30 am and thought what a nice music they play in the Hotel. It was that typical Mexican music with trumpets and drums. Later at the breakfast talking about the nice music the guy said, it is not music from the hotel but from the military base next door, which was really next door. That’s makes a place a safe place.
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Off I went, having 9 hours of riding in front of me. Like the last hour to Gurrero Negro so was the first hour from there heading south. Straight and nothing but straight and at 15 degrees Celsius (only).
Then suddenly curves and the wide land with cactus spread all over was accompanied with first hills and then little mountains. And this lasted like 450km like that. AMAZING !
Later I hit the coast and along the coast with great views I had the peak of the day in temperature at 32 degrees Celsius.
Again 4 times military and one police check point. No issues.
Low point have been some mining and trash dumping facilities that disturb the overall great landscape a bit with their pollution, but that’s mankind needs also to get rid of the rubbish and to mine for minerals.
If you ask me how is the country side of the Baja for the entire distance from Ensenada to La Paz, the answer would be that it changes a lot. Almost like Sardina (Italy) but then again a touch of the South Africa’s Transkaii and Garden Route, absolutely low populated but very very very friendly people.
See the pictures, they tell more than I can describe. I had a great two days in the saddle and beside the 3 hours going straight, an excellent ride I arrived in La Paz.
I had a little problem to find the Hostel, but a guy on the street walked be to the hostel for the last 300m. Again incredible hospitality.
I had a walk on the harbour of La Paz, went back for a shower and left for the dinner. Didnt find something interesting from the ones the gu in the hostel recommended and found myself a nice Taco restaurant. Great food. I have eaten too much …
5NOV2014/6NOV2014
La Paz, Baja California Sud to Cabo San Lucas, California Sud (380km)
Leaving La Paz for a day in Cabo San Lucas and return the next day for the ferry.
I stoped on the harbour to get my ferry ticket in paper ( I had ordered it online) and tried to get a cabin on the boat, that supposed to be booked out. ALso I did my temporary import of my motorcycle to Mexico (95USD) and my deposit for the motorcycle that I get back when I leave Mexico (400USD). Took me an hour.
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Cabo San Lucas is a holiday resort that was heavily hit by a hurricane 4 weeks before. 25.000 workers have been brought from the mainland to help to clean the desaster after the hurricane. Some hotels have still been closed, most shopping was open again and the city appeared fine. I talked with locals and they said that they are short on glass and that the factories in Guadalajara are running extra shifts. Cars drive arround without rear windows and plam trees look quite like badly blow-dryed.
It was ok for the night, found some trousers got my laundry done and left the next morning for La Paz.
I stopped in Todo Santos, the city where the song “Hotel California” was written and had an excellent lunch at the restaurant in front of the Hotel California. Someone who comes here, I can recommend it without any hesitation to go there. Great service food and atmosphere.
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I almost killed too much time and made it to the ferry on time. Lucky me I did all paper work the day before. On the ferry I met 4 other “Motociclistas”, guys on motorcycles and we left the La Paz for Mazatlan.