Ixtapa & Zihuatanejo

(DAY015 : Maruata - Zihuatanejo: 220 miles)
(DAY016 - DAY017 : Zihuatanejo)

When I arrived Ixtapa, the sun had already painted everything a bright red. I went straight to the beach area to grab some shots, then left the big, chain infested city for Zihuatanejo right next door. Staying in Ixtapa was not an option anyway, as I could almost smell that the city was fully booked.

Below: Ixtapa

Arriving Ixtapa's beaches resemble arriving Disneyland. But it sure is a pretty place. When you're facing this...

...look to your left and and you'll see this:

Then turn around to find this:


Below: Zihuatanejo



Well, Zihuatanejo was no different (full). Trapped in it's narrow one way streets with the radiator fan blowing hot air on my already soaked skin, I eventually had to accept that I wasn't staying anywhere near the lively town center. After a few hours of riding around and knocking on doors, it was Manzanillo all over again. RV parks, camp sites, I tried pretty much everything.

Sometime late in the evening, at one of the hotels I was begging for a place to pitch my tent on, the manager said some of his friends, owners of the bikes parked outside, would later on go and camp somewhere. I was welcome to hang out there, then follow them. So I joined them at the table, not understanding much of what was being said but for some reason laughing with everyone. Déjà vu.

We finally did leave that table and rode back into town. To find our campsite right? Wrong, to a dance club! About 7 bikes, we casually rode on to the sidewalk and parked right in front of the club. That's what I'm talking about! Déjà vu, again.

After some heavy drinking (not me, honest), we hit the hot doh stand (it may be dog to you, but around here it's "doh". Leonel, si o no?). But eventually, early in the morning, we did go to Daniel's unused property to set up camp. The pinche doh barked all night, but I think we still got some sleep.

When we emerged from our tents, the absence of coffee was my biggest concern. I had no idea coconut juice could work so well in the morning. Leonel somehow grabbed a few cocos from the trees and holed them up for us with the handy knife that comes out his belt buckle. I want one of those. And of course we have our music nice and loud, because two of the bikes are V4 Yamaha Royal Ventures. We might as well listen to their engines.

The next 2 days, I stayed at the hotel I first met them. I'm sure it would be more fun if I'd stayed with them at the camp, but I wanted to do some blogging and stuff. Didn't really work as we were still partying most of the time.

We parted ways and most of us left Zihuatanejo at the end of the extended holidays. I was worried about running into the same no vacancy nightmare if I left, but it had already been 3 days there. Time to move on if I'll ever make it to Argentina.


If, like me, you haven't been to a night club in a while, this is what it's like.


One of our 3 tables. I'm the only one with helmet hair.


Coconut's juice for hangover.


Heading to Ixtapa for breakfast with Micheladas and Camarones.


The daily routine at Fidel's place, Hotel Del Mar (I think)


My room at Hotel Del Mar. For a special holidays price of $60.


It's a room with a view ;)


The beach. And I didn't swim, again!


This fence on the beach is not to keep the dohs out...


...but these cuties. She comes out when Fidel calls her. I'd never believe it.

If you understand spanish, check out soybiker.com. That's where mi amigos hang out.

Maruata

(DAY014 : Tecoman - Maruata : 90 miles)

In the morning I noticed that Katirga had shed her first bolt, one of the few I hadn't applied Locktite to. Wasn't a big deal as the exhaust clamp it holds does not bear much load and I had a matching spare. Others look fine so far. I had marked all critical bolts with red paint so that a visual inspection is sufficient to check tightness.

I have gone through many curvy sections since the beginning, but after Tecoman it was one hairpin after another, tighter than any other so far. When they're this tight and with no end in sight, it can get a bit tiring. After all, Katirga is not quite what you'd call flickable, even with no luggage on board. In fact, the very first time I threw her into a curve I thought tires were flat and forks were made of rubber. What happens when you get off a Speed Triple and hop on a KLR (or an R1200 GS for that matter). The curves eventually eased up to become fast sweepers, which is when we have a lot of fun. Then, it all got laid out in fresh smooth asphalt, and mischief became irresistable! When we started scraping her footpegs I finally knew for sure that the panniers weren't mounted too low. But that kind of road never lasts forever. When I turned around for a second run, I kind of knew Zihuatanejo might not be where I sleep tonight. (Easy way to turn off all reason: just yell "shut up! shut up! shut up!" in your helmet) When I was done playing with my toys, the sun was rather low, and I had only covered 60 miles for the day.


Faster, faster !.. (Tsk, tsk, tsk.)

Just after the fresh asphalt ends, there's a dirt road, scratch that, a dirt path going steeply down from the road and a sign about camping. If I take it, it may turn to sand or mud and take us down. Correction: if it turns to sand, it WILL take us down. Because in sand, you need to gas it and ride like you don't care. At this time and place, and with 60 kgs of fragile luggage, I really do care, so you get the picture.

At 5 pm, like I had an option. Of course I took the path. Of course it turned to sand. Of course... Ha! I didn't fall :) Better yet, it lead me to an awesome beach in a small cove. I set up my tent close to the restaurant, which in fact is just a shack with a small generator next to it. After a pack of chips with beer as the only meal of the day, I was chatting with Jesus from Mexico City, his French speaking Canadian girlfriend Melanie, the Swiss guy who's also headed to Ushuaia, but, get this, on a bicycle, and his friends, and other neighbors. Later, we continued our consumption of Ballenas by a big fire until every one of us was useless. It was an unforgettable night, even though I forgot everyone's names. In the morning, I found myself (half-)alive again in my tent. I had a nescafe, packed-up, and stupidly left without even swimming in that gorgeous cove.

The place is Maruata. It's after the town itself, but before Plaja Maruata. I promise that it's beautiful, although I can't promise it's always that much fun.


My punishment for having fun all day.

View from my tent in the morning. But the hangover...

Tecoman

(DAY013 : Puerto Vallarta - Tecoman : 240 miles)

I left the hotel at 10:30, but after some ride by shooting and getting lost, it was noon by the time I was out of Puerto Vallarta. On route, I stopped at Tenacatita as recommended by one of my camp neighbors in Bahia Conception. I'll let the pictures tell you about the place and suffice to say that the fish was really good. It's very rare that people know the name of the fish they're serving or eating around here. Si, pescado, pero qual pescado? I can tell it's "fish", no? Well, this time I insisted, they asked each other, and came up with "Lenguado y Sierra". Now does that sound fishy or what?

Below: Tenacatita







I told them what a dangerous thing they were doing!


Si, si, si, y si!!

On a tree lined stretch of road, the craziest thing happened today. Out of no where, a falcon made a dive on to the road right in front of me. I think we noticed each other and got scared at about the same time. She immediately pulled up, but was now flying right in front of me, in the same direction, almost within an arms reach. For a few precious seconds, I flew with a falcon, and it was not a dream.

When I took the exit to La Manzanilla before sunset, I was certain that something was off. When I arrived, it became undeniable. There's no way this little village would be marked as a major city on a map, and with a typo. It was a nice beach and even had cocodrillos (crocodiles), but I left to hit the real target, Manzanillo.

Below: La Manzanilla





Now what was wrong with staying at La Manzanilla?! I entered Manzanillo at 6 pm and found myself in an inescapable traffic jam. Then, as I started looking for a room, it all got plain frustrating. Looking for a place at night is possibly one of the worst things you can do, especially if you're alone, tired of riding for hours, and have all your stuff on a bike. It was proving impossible to find one, and I think I lost the last room in the city to someone else by entering 10 seconds later. Truth be told, I did find a room in one of the shady back streets of downtown, but it just didn't look right for Katirga's security. Eventually, I gave up, went to a coffee shop, had a cappuccino, and left this darn city after wasting 3 hours. Next!..

Next was Tecoman, one hour away. I entered, saw a motel, crossed my fingers and pulled in. They had a tiny room with no windows for $40, and I was in no shape to be picky.

Puerto Vallarta

(DAY012 : Sayulita - Puerto Vallarta : 40 miles)

Leaving Sayulita started with a disturbing discovery: Katirga's engine oil level is way too low, and that's never a good sign. Equally disturbing is the fact that I do not remember the last time I checked it since leaving LA. That was only 12 days ago, but she covered about 1700 miles in that time. Where and when did all that oil go? This with a brand new machine is very, very strange. I'll keep a close eye on it from now on.

Puerto Vallarta's size alone may prohibit it from being called cute, but it does have a charm of its own. The cobble stone road along the coast of its "romantic zone" is lined by restaurants, bars, and shops on one side, a walkway next to a beach on the other. The large scale sculptures decorating the walkway are genuinely interesting and perhaps the signature of Puero Vallarta. The beach too features many impressive sculptures, equally large even if less permanent.

Below: Puerto Vallarta













I stayed in a dinky little hotel for $45. Very expensive for the place, but holidays keep the town full and prices high.

Sayulita

(DAY010 : San Blas - Sayulita : 110 miles)
(DAY011 : Sayulita)

The road from San Blas to Sayulita was still beautiful, even if not equally impressive. San Francisco, just north of Sayulita, is a small surfer town with a few shops lining its main street as it leads to the beach. On the way, I visited Punta de Mita as well although it's much further down the coast. Right after exiting for Sayulita, there's another exit to your right. If you miss it, you end up in Punta de Mita after riding quite a while on a really strange freeway. It's strange because it's a "real" freeway, with a median, multiple lanes, and lighting, leading to nothing that justifies such undertaking. (Nothing that justifies riding there either imho)


On the way to Sayulita

Below: San Francisco






Punto de Mita

Sayulita is a very cute little town that somehow manages to retain it's mexican charm even though it unmistakably is a favorite tourist spot. Excellent for surfing, partying, or just kicking it, visitors from all over the world seem to have already discovered it although it's not even on my map. To give you a better idea, there is only one local taqueria, but numerous restaurants, cafes, and bars, making everything from italian cousine to fancy coffee options a short walk away. For Tequila served with Sangrita, you need to go elsewhere.

Since getting off that ferry, the wether has been beautiful. But right here and now, it's a perfect 26°C. I hear it gets really hot and humid in summer and autumn though, so keep that in mind.

Below: Sayulita










When I first entered the town, my options for accommodation appeared surprisingly few for a place like this. I wasn't looking for the cheapest place, but a nice place that wasn't expensive. The very few hotel signs I saw did not appear appealing, and the $300 a night resort on south end of the main beach was far from what I was looking for. A house with a hand written sign for bungalows granted a stop. When Miguel showed me to the cozy one bedroom apartment with a large patio right above their home, I knew I had found it. Wireless internet, a full kitchen with fridge and coffee maker, hot water, and most importantly, the luxury of keeping Katirga in a closed garage all came with my room and cost about $40 per night.




Miguel and his family are really nice people. Should you need accomodation in Sayulita, be sure to visit their website at bungalowsalondra.com, or give them a call at (01) 329 291 3083. Miguel's english is better than my spanish.

Katirga prompts many conversations wherever we're stopped. Especially when loaded, and with all the camera rigging gear Craig Hunter of Safari manufactured for her, she looks a bit like Mad Max meets National Geographic Explorer. One of the people who stopped to chat about her was Eric, a very nice guy from Ventura, CA who has chosen the rhythm of Sayulita over the hustle and bustle so common anywhere else. In the evening, I took him up on his invitation and headed to Rollie's where he mixes the drinks at the restaurant's small but busy bar. Greeted with a warm welcome, I joined a cheerful couple at the bar for Eric's drinks and stories for an unaccounted amount of a really good time. (Eric, thanks again!)


Eric has a thing for unusual bikes. This is his russian Baikal with Buell style cooling.

Rollie's closed at around 9, and I walked to the park, as park always is the center. I sat with a can of Pacifico, then started talking with a guy originally from Sayulita. Fernando speaks a happy kind of english, and we both had most of our blood replaced by alcohol, so communication was intense and easy. By the time we met this group of gals and guys at the beach, we were simply and utterly wasted.

I woke up in my room with a terrible hang over accompanied by a silly happy feeling. Jeez man, why did I drink that much? At one point I grabbed the little Leica and started browsing through the images. When I saw a picture of Fernando, me, and Maria Elena, I remembered: I am invited to a Christmas dinner tonight!


Oh wait, I remembered something!

Starting with a late burrito breakfast, the 24th went on rather slow and even included a siesta. Later on, at the beach, I met a group of young guys jamming to african rhythms and they sounded really good. After dark, I could hear them going at it again somewhere in town, so I headed out following the beat. I found them on the terrace of a motel, accompanied by a group of people dancing, chatting, chilling, and with a full moon in the background. Tequila was being, well, passed around.



Tonight, on Christmas eve, I'm having a dinner with the Hernandez family. We met in front of the crowded church, and took a short walk home. There's Paella, Ballenas (huge bottles of Pacifico), karaoke, and dancing. I feel at home and among family. A total stranger 24 hours ago. I don't think I ever had this much fun on Christmas! I'll be leaving town tomorrow, so our goodbyes at 3 am are who knows for how long.


Feliz Navidad!

San Blas

(DAY009 : Mazatlan - San Blas: 240 miles)

The same day I arrived via ferry, at around noon, I took off and headed south on the toll road. It's still not a median-split freeway or anything, but is quicker nevertheless. This must be where "highway robbery" originated, because I paid about $30 by the time I exited for San Blas.

The road to San Blas is simply incredible, winding up and down in all shades of dense green and opening to beautiful views. Having a blast, Katirga refused to stop despite all my begging, hence no photographs.

The entrance to San Blas is lined by a few small eateries serving fish lightly breaded with road dust. The town itself is small and cute, with a church and park that appears disproportionately large. As I rolled on the cobblestone road of the tiny main street, I spotted an F 650 GS in front of what turns out to be a motel. Chatting with the couple mounting it, I learned the place costs $18 a night, and decided to have a look. It was already past 3 pm, and I was ferry tired, so I checked in as well.

It was a good decision. Not because I like cold showers or waking up to very loud Mexican music with lots of AyAyAy!!s in it. That Saturday evening, San Blas town center offered a really good time. The large park was almost too small for all the people. I had a few tacos, grabbed a can of Pacifico from the tiny market (typical "bakkal"), bought some pistachios from a kid, and sat at the park with everyone else, occasionally dishing out a peso or two to kids in costumes and make-up. Later I joined my now neighbors up at the patio of a bar, one of the only 2 touristy establishments, for a margarita. We tried to chat a bit, but it was almost impossible to hear each other. No, not the music. It was the birds! They're completely nuts!

It was a great night in a very friendly Mexican town. Sorry, the camera was taking the night off.

Mazatlan

(DAY008 : La Paz - Mazatlan : 18 ferry hours)

La senora at the Baja Ferries ticket office had told me to show up at around 8 AM so I could be at the front of the line when they open at 9. As I did not want to risk my chances of getting a ticket and a cabin, I grabbed my cup of coffee (Katirga has a cup/bottle holder, Ha!) and went there at around 7:40. Still, I was the fourth in line. When senoras & senoritas showed up for work half an hour early, at 8:30, I was pleasantly, but really really surprised. Long story less long, we do get on the boat but without a cabin. And I'm advised to show up at noon so I clear the customs and all on time for our 3 pm departure.

It was about 11 o'clock when I learned that it in fact is 12 in La Paz! So I headed straight to the port skipping all plans to enjoy a(nother) cup of coffee and update the site. But the hurry was for nothing (of course). There was no line at the customs, and this time I picked a green light which meant that a search was not necessary. Yesterday I got the red, and the search took only a couple of minutes anyway. (Oh, yes. The ticket office is past the customs check point. Go figure.) The light I'm talking about is a randomizer. You press a button, and a red or green light comes on. It was fun pretending to not understand and playing with it, especially because it drove the poor customs officer(ess) crazy :)

After 2 minutes at the gate, I parked by the ferry loading queue and the wait began.

Katirga is packed so that when I take the tankbag, everything valuable is locked in a hard case. (In other words camping stuff does not qualify as "valuable".) And because we were not in the line, and would load last, I did not need to be there. A chance to grab a bite for the first time today.

All options for food are served from trucks parked outside. I went ahead and picked the dirtiest looking one, as it seems to have been there forever, and hopefully for a good reason. The carne asada torta was really good. Almost better than El Sitio's in Santa Barbara.


Antojitos' food is much better than you'd expect. Don't count on eating on board.

Loading of the ferry went on forever, mostly because this is like the grand daddy of ferries. It's more like a cargo ship with a drop down door, so all vehicles go in backwards and trailers are backed in there with special tow-trucks. Anyway, if you ever do this, do not assume that the personnel can help you with loading and securing your bike. In fact, if you do what they ask, you'll probably end up with the bike on or under someone else's vehicle. Be sure to have a tie strap ready, and use it.

Katirga strapped to something solid on the wall, I went up to the passenger seating area to find my assigned seat. As someone's daughter had already started sleeping on it, I found myself another and started watching the "Baja Ferries" welcome/introduction video. If I weren't in one of their ships I would've thought they operate a cruise line that only caters to hot happy chicks. But I couldn't enjoy it all the way: that smell... I'm not sure whether if it was the exhaust fumes or just diesel fuel, but it was really strong. Unbearable, and probably poisonous too. But the place was packed and no one seemed to care or even notice! I gave up on sleeping there and grabbed a chair in the dining area upstairs.

As the evening turned to night floors of the ship got covered by people, only prepared ones on a blanket. After freezing all night folded on a chair I was really happy to get out of that thing at around 9 am. I rode around in Mazatlan like a ghost, coffee barely helping.

Below: The Baja Ferries welcomes you for a once-in-a-lifetime travel experience(!)






Below: Mazatlan




By coming here from La Paz, I've bypassed an incredible section of the planned route: The Copper Canyon. I now realize that sticking to my plan will require a much quicker pace, and that will mean seeing and shooting less (ok drinking less too ;). I don't like that idea. But then, I don't want to freeze solid in Tierra del Fuego either. I guess we'll see how it goes.

How we got here:

La Paz

(DAY006 : Bahia conception - La Paz : 320 miles)
(DAY007 : La Paz)

Packing up took quite a while, as the camera came out again. Had it not been so cold to swim, it would've taken a couple of days longer! Eventually I left Bahia Conception behind, and arrived La Paz much later than darkness did. After shopping around, I checked in to the first motel I had seen. It was 10 minutes from the city center, but was the newest, safest, cheapest, and... more about that in a bit.

The touristic facade of La Paz spreads along the coast with its beaches, cafes, and restaurants, and does little to veil its even livelier local heartbeat inwards.




Had a good sleep in a comfy bed and spent some quality time with Katirga in the garage (wait for it) so she's nice and clean(ish) again. When I arrived last night, I was thinking of catching the ferry to Mazatlan today (Thursday). So I packed up and left for the port at Pichilingue 10 miles away. Turned out, the passenger ferry is only on Fridays and (I think) Mondays. That was fine as I did want to spend some time here, but tickets for Friday are already sold out and I don't mean that much time. I'm told to show up tomorrow very early in the morning to see if there will be an opening. If not, I may go for a ride towards Todos Santos. But for now, I'm back at the motel. And thus, back to the motel...

Motel Villa del Sol

Only as I checked in did I realize what it was: an upscale "motel de paso", a sex motel. I had first seen one in Rosarito, but this is nothing like that dump. It looks like a gated community of mini condos. You pull in with your car, and have your own garage with automatic door. Katirga wouldn't be any safer, and the room looks better than any other hotel or motel I stayed at so far in this trip. It has an AC/heater, plus you get some extra channels ;) The catch? No internet or morning coffee.

Even more interesting, at least to me, is the life of this place. At night, it's this dark place for hidden deeds. A place you don't want to be caught going. In the morning, it's a light, clean, happy structure of geometry, filled with romantic songs of female cleaning personnel. During the day, almost all garage doors are up, supplies people show up and leave, and occasional radio communication breaks the silence.

Bahia Conception

(DAY005 : Guerrero Negro - Bahia Conception : 210 miles)

I left town and headed to San Ignacio. A true oasis standing out in the middle of a cactus desert, it's a very small town with a lot of character. It was only noon, so I had lunch, and moved on to Mulege.

Below: San Ignacio.

You take a turn on this road...

and find yourself here!






Below: Mulege.

What's better than the Mission is...

the view from it.

Not sure what I expected to find when I left Mulege so late. But what I found was spectacular. A series of coves, that seem like the children of a marriage between the Carribean and the Aegean. I picked the most secluded, and before I could setup my tent, it was already dark. The weather is much warmer on this coast. Sound of tiny waves simply faded out, and temprature in my tent never dropped below 15.5°C.







I wish I could tell you that I slept like a baby. I didn't. Still, I wouldn't prefer to be anywhere else. This place simply is beautiful. And so is the vibe of waking up in a campsite and getting to meet your neighbors, even if for only one night. It's just priceless, and costs nothing. Viva Mexico, for not selling these places to the highest bidder.

Latitud 28

(DAY004 : Bahia de San Quintan - Guerrero Negro : 275 miles)

I left Bahia de San Quintin at around 9:45, after the temprature went up and coffee kicked in. Left over churros from La Buffadora became breakfast. I did have more than enough time to make it to San Ignacio, but when I start playing with a camera time flies. I spent 2 hours setting up a rig, then did not even use it. Somewhere else, I rode back a few miles so I wouldn't later regret not taking a picture of that cool cactus. Then I got lost looking for it (!)


"Now where's the road dammit?!"

When we found the cactus, Katirga got this bad itch on her tummy, and that's the only reason why you see her laying down below. I had a spare of everything, 3 cans of Tecate, but not a drop of water to drink (very smart, I know). It took a lot of tummy scratching, and I was really happy when we finally got her 290kg butt back up.


Shortcomings of a short side stand and short legs.

I had only laid her down gently, but I ended up with broken "crash" bars which now rattle and drive me nuts. Will have to get 'em welded somewhere.

Today's run is through a desert without gas stations, and it's critical to not miss the guys selling gas from jugs. Believe it or not, the guys are marked on my map! Gas stations in Mexico are run by the government under the Pemex brand. As Frankie (the night security at Jardine's) recalls, the stations in this region were closed about 20 years ago because their operators were adding water to the gas. A very strange action of principle, if that's what it really is.


Calavina Petrol. 35 pesos a gallon.

I also saw an accident on the road today. A van flipped on its side, people still in shock, a kid still inside. Then I saw how long it took help to show up, unless the ambulance I saw on the way 2 hours later was rushing to another accident. But what else could you expect in the middle of a desert?

That principle I was talking about... Well, I rode until 6pm tonight, 1 hour in darkness, so I could reach somewhere. In Guerrero Negro, at latitude 28, I'm checking in to a King Suite for $55, as it's the only room with heater, and the heater is the only reason it's called a suite.


The King Suite.

Bahia de San Quintin

(DAY003 : Ensenada - Bahia de San Quintin : 165 miles)

Had I left early and not taken the detour to see the famous "La Buffadora", I probably could get further than San Quintin. Off season, most of these places appear out of character, and the highlight of my trip to Buffadora was the churros I got there. But when I arrived San Quintin I wished I could have gone further.

Below: the detour to the "Blowhole", La Buffadora.







In the end, I did go further than San Quintin, the town. There was still some light, and "Bahia de San Quintin" sounded more promising, so I took a right turn just after passing the town.

The road to Bahia de San Quintin is, well, not. But if you follow the signs to "Jardines Baja Hotel", you'll find an oasis. An awesome place run by very nice people. Visit in the summer, or be sure have something warm to sleep in though. In room temprature was 15°C last night. Still, better than the 4°C outside reading in the morning.


The road to Bahia de San Quintin is, well, not.




Jardines Baja Hotel

Ensenada

(DAY002 : Rosarito - Ensenada : 60 miles)

Ensenada is a city with a bit of everything, including the good, the bad, and the fun. (Not sure which category all the American franchises fit, but they're all there) I rode in through the port which appears to host cruise ships regularly, then found myself on a pretty street with cafes and restaurants. Then I looked and shopped around for a room, and checked in to the nicest I could find, which also happened to be the most reasonable at $62. But the best part is, it's located on that pretty street, which incidentally led me to Hussong's Cantina for an awesome night. Not to mention the best burrito I've ever had (so far ;) right next door. Well, just check out the pictures...



Ensenada


An awesome taqueria and Hussong's Cantina for a great night.


















Motel Villa Fontana is right across from Best Western. It's nice, clean, safe, and the room had a heater/AC!

The morning came with severe hangover, but I did hit the road eventually.

Rosarito

(DAY001 : Los Angeles - Rosarito : 190 miles)

Even if with a 2 month delay, Day 1 finally is here.

<Begin Bike talk>
If Katirga hadn't acted up, it could've come a couple of days earlier too. Lowering the bike at both ends by slightly less than an inch had seemed like a good idea at the time, and was working great too. But when I loaded my 60kgs of cargo in addition to my 70kg self, I ended up with pitiful ground clearence and a suspension prone to bottoming out, even with preload set to 4 (5 is max). The "lowering links" used for altering the rear ride height have the side effect of softening the spring action, and in this case it's more than acceptable. So, I go under the bike again to install the original links, do something really stupid, and drop the bike on myself! (It was the 13th, I wonder if it had anything to do with that.) With the rear jacked back up, but forks still lowered, I took her for a test ride and found nothing to complain about. When loaded, the rear would come down and correct the geometry further, at least theoretically. Only if I had tested that theory. Let me just say, I had to turn back yesterday as well, this time to raise back the forks. Now, the bike's all the way back up with shortened side and center stands, but I'd rather live with that or even lay her on a side if necessary than delay this trip further.
</End Bike talk>

Despite a delayed take off and large breakfast at Denny's, I made it to the border by 2PM. I was worried about long lines and an unattended bike during temporary customs importation procedures, but it was for nothing. Finding the Banjercito (where all that is done) was the hard part, but there were no lines and I was done in much less than an hour. A parking lot meant I did not have to park on the street and that sure was a relief.
In case you're following me, enter the "Aduane/Customs - to declare" line when you cross the border, and ask those guys for clear directions for the Banjercito. Getting lost in Tijuana is not the most joyful experience and appears to be quite easy. I asked, then got lost anyway. Then kept asking with almost no Spanish and found it. You'd think they'd put signs for it at the border huh? Think again, and feel very welcome.
I'm writing all this from the breakfast joint next to my $50 hotel in Rosarito, just south of Tijuana. When I pulled in yesterday sun was setting already and finding a place wasn't much fun. But I got to have some tacos al pastor before I went to bed and after this breakfast I now am certain of it: we've got this thing started!

Rosarito may be a lively gringo hangout in high season, but at this time of year it's just a bunch of empty bars with loud music played for whom nobody knows. My stop was for a different reason: As a principle I intend to avoid night riding unless it's absolutely necessary, and that rule stopped me 60 miles short of Ensenada. Maybe because I'm 2 months late and it's now the middle of winter, the weather is really cold. One of the problems with that is, holiday town hotels don't seem to have heaters and it's not fun to see your breath when you're in your room. Thankfully I had my insulated Fieldsheer pijamas! No, seriously. I slept with the removable liners of my ride gear, and they proved perfect for the purpose.


The motel in Rosarito

Adios Los Angeles.

You've gotten pretty cold anyway.

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