We pulled into Puerto Escondito just because.  From there we followed a very bumpy road into Rattlesnake Beach where we were treated with great hospitality by the local camping fishermen.  We decided to spend the night.

Since I sprained my wrist Mike has become my slave.  He does most of the setting up and breaking of camp.  I'm very grateful for his uncomplaining attitude about everything. I am able to do some things with my left hand and am thankful that I can use my clutch or I would not be able to ride home.  Aarrgh!

This is one thing I can do!  And I do it often.  

This was another one of the gorgeous views from our tent.  It is going to be hard to leave the Sea of Cortes behind us. 

We stopped for a break just north of Loreto and noticed that with the naked eye we could see a school of fish that were quite large and coloured black, white and yellow.  We took out the binoculars and to our surprise we saw huge schools of fish of all kinds.  It was teaming with them, as well as a sting ray that was flashing reflections of the sun at us.  

We are taking our time north, short days of riding and enjoying the beaches along the way.  Will keep you posted when I can. 

On Saturday we reached our destination.  The very southern most end of the Baja.  The city of CAbo San Lucas has changed a little since I was last there.  Of course the rocks always remain the same and that is what we went to see. 

It's a long ride from Victoria but when the sun is shining and the company is  good, the road seems much shorter than it is.     

For those of you who have been camping at Los Cerritos, this is what it looks like now and there is only one small place left where you can pitch a tent or park a trailer.  This is one of the new resorts that has been built where we used to pitch a tent.  $500,000 to buy a suite and $500 a night to rent.

Ahhh....two days at Tecolote just east of La Paz.  A most beautiful beach.  We pitched our tents and walked on sand like baby powder. We met up with Gerrit and Liz, long time Baja friends. Also made a few new friends.  In the morning we made a great cup of coffee.......

After coffee our stomachs were begging for the nice food we had bought.  We looked in the corner of the tent where we had stored our food and the buns were gone.  There was a hole in the tent. The waves and the wind had covered the noise of the tent tearing.  The wild dogs had ripped a hole and stolen not only the buns but the bag of peanuts and dried peaches as well.  "At least we have the tortillas and cheese for breakfast" Mike said as he rummaged around some more.  Suddenly I heard some very untypical yelling and I saw Mike running into the desert with his hands in the air shouting, "Those fucking dogs stole the cheese too!  I'm gonna kill them!"  It took quite awhile to settle him down and accept the fact that all we had for breakfast that day, so far from town, was a can of beans and salsa.......

Some kind neighbours asked us over for a fish supper.  These are our new friends from Alberta

This is Liz Gerrit and Mike. 

And so we carry on after two windy nights in Tecolote.  I will write again sometime after lore to or Mulege.  I can only post photos when the internet is really strong and that is hard to find.  

Mike and Wayne getting ready to snorkel.

Although we sit on a very hard planet and our footing can be unsteady, the rocks of life rolling under our feet, just a peek of the calm blue horizon can steady our course and bring us back to to the realization that we are a speck on this huge planet.  Nothing is as important as looking up. ...............
On the other hand............. 

Sometimes the dang rocks just reach up, grab you and pull you under.  

I was riding A bicycle that someone had "adjusted", meaning that they had cut off the seat post to shorten the leg span.  On my way up the hill the seat popped off and I sat down hard, first on the back tire and then on the pavement.  Ouch.  I sprained my wrist on my clutch hand and am hoping that I will be ok riding home. I can squeeze but cannot move my hand backward.  Please heal quickly.

The hermit crab hides in her shell looking forgotten on the beach.  If you wait long enough she will take a peek at the outside world. She tests the air with delicate feelers before uncurling her legs and scuttles in quick bursts of speed into the shadows, or under a rock. Packing her home with her, she is content and protected where ever she stops.  Sometimes I think we are kindred spirits, the hermit crab and I. 

Riding close to San Ignacio we were passed by these very noise but amazing dune buggies. Later we met them fueling up and it was Walker Evens. He has won the Baja 1000 9 times.  A very friendly guy I mike took my picture with him.   

I can't help getting excited every time the road takes us close to the sea.  

Someone else I know feels the same way!

Every time I come to the Baja I take pictures of the same things...simply because I am just excited about the beauty of this place as I was the first time I was here.  And like I said, I like rocks.

Get a load of this.  Mike is packing up to leave Yuma and all his mothers are out to see him off. You can see he is very well liked.  "Bye bye Mike."

And we're off.  We rode the three hours to Tecate and camped on the US side of the border.  The next day we crossed into Mexico and I felt the exhilaration of a dream coming true.  Things have changed in Mexico. Less check stops, less missing chunks of pavment, less topes (speed bumps or as Maria calls them, sleeping police men. ) 

When we reached Ensanada we took the detour to La Bufedora which is a place among rocks where the ocean waves make a huge pressurized spew of spray which is amazing to watch and hear as well.  No vehicles are aloud on this little road that leads to the spray hole but we just drove our bikes down the long alley and everyone just loved it.  People here love the motorcycles.  

So many scenic spots to stop and enjoy the view.  We spent the night south of San Quintin and we were told there were hot showers.  There were!  But they didn't say the water was salty and brackish.  When my hair dried it felt like a dirty dog and I didn't need styling gel, It just went where ever I put it.  

Good thing I wasn't trying to impress anyone and I had my helmet to compress giant hair ball.  

We hadn't planned to go to Bahia de Los Angeles but because of the long distance between pemex (gas) stations we had to take a detour to fuel up.  It was a 30 minute ride on a very good rode.  The beach campsite was free because...well....no one came to pick up the fee....for 9 years they told us.  So yeay!  We stayed for 2 nights because it was quiet, safe, beautiful and we found good food as well as other motorcyclists who were off roaring the Baja and had great stories to tell.  

SCALLOPS IN GARLIC BUTTER

WOMAN IN TREE......HORSE ON GROUND
I will try to post some more pictures tomorrow. I need to break camp.  Another day in paradise.

Sometimes .......

it takes patience........

....to get what you want.  You have to move slowly toward your goal.....

It may allude you for a time, and seem like it may not be attainable....but......

If you make all the right moves at the right time, if you move forward, even in very small steps........then...............

In the end, you will find yourself in just the right place at the right time. You might actually capture your dream.  

For me, D-day has arrived.  I am about to embark on a dream that I have had for many years.  In a couple of hours Mike and I are leaving for Tecate. We will camp there for night and then begin our ride south to the tip of the Baja.  I am about to put a match to the fuse. My waiting is over.  My next post will happen when I can access the internet in Mexico.  See you then!!!   YEE-HAW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is not exactly a balanced diet but these are a variety of foods that my small meals consist of.  On a motorcycle there is not much room to carry food.  Everything must be compressed to it's smallest form. Some of this fruit I dried and brought from home.  I eat when I feel hungry. I stop and pop a few dried items in my mouth and drink lots of water.  It is easy to become dehydrated when you are in the weather all day. I love the freedom I have from the three meals a day habit. I don't miss cooking but I do love a cooked meal now and then.  There are plenty of places to get that.  My diet may not be completely balanced...but then neither am I. :-)

This is Jim and his travelling cat, Nemo. At first it irked me that he parked so close to my tent, but I ended up really enjoying his company.  He lives in San Diego and keeps active by surfing. He is a very interesting fellow and loves sharing whatever he has with a motorcyclist who has no fridge or cooler.   I was sorry when he left.  

My motorcycle does so many good things for me.  Does she not make me look so very thin like my sister?  

It is countdown to D-day.  Tomorrow I will do some last minute shopping and get my front tire changed.  On Sunday I will twiddle my thumbs and hum some happy little tunes all day because on Monday we will be crossing the Mexican border on the first phase of our travels on the Baja.  I'm pretty stoked.  

Mike and Jackie accompanied me out to Agua Caliente where I have been camped for two nights.  The days are very hot and the nights so cold I have to wrap my head in the top of that nice mummy bag I bought last spring.  I haven't been cold.  

There are two hot pools here and one cold pool.  It is very well taken care of with showers and clean camp sites. I met some very nice people, some of which coughed all night and one who kept setting off the horn alarm on their truck. But nice just the same.  And rabbits!  Bunnies hopping everywhere.  Coyotes yipping at the almost full moon and a couple of owls hooting in the hills.  Can you see the rabbits below?  

Sometimes, like us, the earth just can't hold it in any longer, and when that happens you have to see the beauty in it.  

Southern California's landscapes are so diverse.

At first the hats looked silly, sitting in stacks with no heads under them.  But then a little voice squeaked, "Try me on!" and we heard it. The hats were waiting for a chance to enhance someone's beauty.  And they really knew what they were doing, don't you think? 

My sister thought she could get away with it.  She geared up and had that big grin on her face that people always do when they are about to mount a Yamaha V-Star
There was just one glitch.  She didn't know how to get it running.  

Note the evil grin on her face.  She is happy in leathers however she cannot get the kickstand up.

I think we should take her to Sturgis, but we would need body guards. 

This is no motorcycle mama....this is Ronny's Biker Babe.   What is she getting for her next birthday?  Comments anyone?