La Paz

January 15 to 19th

La Paz is a really nice place to chill out and spend a couple of days R&R after tackling the 1200km length of the Baja. We always planned to get the ferry from here to the mainland, and the only decision is whether to do a 500km loop of the southern coastline where there are a series of beautiful beaches before embarking. Most are now developed American resort towns designed around larger wallets than ours, and we decide to give them a miss.

La Paz is more cosmopolitan, and the statue lined malecon (beach front boulevard) stretching some 4kms is built to waste time just promenading up and down, people watching and eating ice cream.





Wisely we choose a hostel with one of the best Taco stands known to man directly outside and starvation is averted on several occasions....



4 days pass in lazy hazy fashion as we draw a line under the first chapter in Mexico. Beaches with coffee shops and beer vendors help to pass the time...



It's the kind of place you lose a couple of hours just staring out to sea...



But finally we manage to drag ourselves away, rested and ready to tackle the mainland. Pichilingue is the strangely named port lying 23kms (15 miles) along the coast from where the ferries depart.

Pelicans swoop and feast in the bay around the boat....



The 6 hour ferry crossing to Topolabampo seems expensive at 2500 pesos (£125, $180) for 2. An RV would weigh in at 7000 pesos (£350, $625) and lorries pay 10,000. Perhaps this explains the almost empty boat. Strangely the cafeteria closes 1 hour into the crossing which is an unexpected disaster. However it all saves a rather long swim.



The sunset over the water is spectacular....



We arrive in Topolobampo around 9pm and ride to the nearest hotel by torch light. Next is the road to the mighty Copper Canyon!

Constitucion To La Paz

January 9th to 15th

There’s not a lot you can say about the City of Constitucion really. It is a city, but you can get that from the name. Otherwise I would add “dusty”, as in the “Dusty” City of Constitucion. And that’s all I have to say about it really.

And this is my only picture of the place….



So we leave, and head for San Carlos, another tiny town back on the Pacific where it is again rumoured there be whales…

Right. Whales again.

In San Carlos it seems the whales are again late, a topic I covered here where I outlined my theory that grey whales are, in fact overrated and a point of view I now feel is confirmed by this latest episode. The whales should definitely be here by now - it says so in the Lonely Planet guide book, and when are they ever wrong. I guess these whales mustn't have read the latest edition.

We meet Francisco and his wife who have just spent the last 24 hours straight, driving a small convoy of RV’s down from Ensenada, close to the US border; arriving minutes before us. They have towed their newly aquired boat with them, and at first, things look promising. They explain they are filling in for the former whale boat tour operator who has just been elected to the Mexican Congress! Consequently he has left a life of whale watching behind in order to take up national policy making. It’s hard to make sense of this tall tail, especially given that Francisco sways visibly under the effects of fatigue.

Things are complicated further when one of their dogs is suddenly attacked by a local street dog while we speak. Francisco leaves the conversation in haste to join the mêlée and a certain amount of blood is involved! It all begins to get confused. The price is a further complication at $75 an hour with a 3 hour minimum.

So in summary - we need to give at least $215 to a bleeding, bleary eyed, exhausted tour operator with an unfamiliar boat on his maiden voyage in unfamiliar waters - to probably not see any whales because they are again, late…. It’s a tempting proposition, but one we reluctantly pass up.

Nice sunset in San Carlos though….



So we ride back to Constitucion encountering huge swarms of colourful (and badly photographed) butterflies flitting amongst fields of wild flowers….



And then south on our final leg along the Baja to La Paz. It's not a hard route to follow....



Fortunately the road designers thoughtfully included made to measure free camping facilities under the road...



The next day is a repeat of the previous - south, no deviations....



And again, camp facilities are provided on the outskirts of the city...



Then a final 20kms take you to the sea and the city of La Paz...

To the City of Constitucion

January 8th and 9th

A few miles after leaving Loreto you hit Nopolo, and that same nagging Baja question raises itself again. How come it is the American’s that are building resort town’s like this - and not the Mexicans. Don’t get me wrong - I’ve nothing against what the American’s are doing - you really can’t argue that the guy paragliding against azure skies over perfectly manicured golf courses set against blue sea and picture postcard mountains is NOT having a great time. It’s just - why aren’t the Mexican’s providing all this? And keeping the money for themselves. Odd!



However, we are cycle tourists, and these are questions for people other than ourselves to puzzle over….

The ride out of Loreto is truly memorable. The Sierra de la Giganta, and the deep blue Sea of Cortez combine to create one of natures more inspired displays. How many photos can I put in a single blog…

Sue climbs towards layer upon layer of ever more distant blue mountains.



Before descending back to sea level whereupon we finally find a Mexican who wants to do business with us, and out of a sense of profound and selfless duty, we find it in our hearts to stop and support him in his efforts….

Life is sometimes tough, but what can you do. Sue says - fish tacos and a cold one please….



All just fuel for what’s to come really. The Sierra de la Giganta start to live up to their name and get seriously gigantic and there’s no more flat bits for the road to take along the coast. We dog leg 90 degrees as the road is forced inland. And upwards….



All so we can see the Islands Coronados and El Carmen better….



And then up a lot more; round some twisty bits….



You can just make out the Sea in the background, before we move off and cross the spine of the mountain range.

We camp under cactus once more and watch Venus rise….



In stark contrast, the next day’s ride in to the city of Constitucion is along a flat, featureless valley. The road arrows unswervingly towards a distant vanishing point….





Loreto

January 7th

Love Loreto!

In a tranquil; nice place to visit; would get seriously bored if I lived here kind of way… but it is lovely.

Considered to be the home of the oldest settlements on the Baja, and founded as a town in 1697 when the Mission of Our Lady of Loreto was built…



Today it’s a town of around 10,000 very relaxed souls who spend much of their time when not fishing, eating the freshest of fresh fish, strolling along 2 miles of Malacon - the beautiful waterfront boulevard, or playing beach volley ball….



Other than that it’s over to people watching in beautiful tree lined avenues and squares….



The Malacon meanders leisurely past the small fishing fleet which draws a squadron of opportunistic gulls behind….



It’s a short drop off spot for small cruise boats where tourists can visit an interesting little museum chronicling the advance and subsequent retreat of missionary zeal throughout the peninsular….



Otherwise it seems to be a place for Pelicans to fatten up….



And watch golden sunsets….






To Loreto

January 5th and 6th

A short ride out from Mulege, road again meets water as we ride along Conception Bay. Storm clouds lend an angry grey to seas that remain calm for now as they patrol small uninhabited islands.



Whilst distant Pelicans dive bomb unsuspecting schools of lunch….



Around the corner, more fish make an early lunch as villages of free camping RV’s enjoy the catch of the day on Escondido Beach.



One thing that is becoming curious about Mexico is a seeming unwillingness to take up obvious business opportunities. Here are pristine beaches, situated on gorgeous bays between pretty mission towns with a constant flow of tourism heading between Tijuana and Los Cabos at the southern tip of the Baja. Where are the restaurants? The bars? Why are the people offering diving and Kayak tours all American and not Mexican? Three RV camps just outside Mulege are all American owned and run, and I’m not sure why you can still camp here for free. Strange, but don’t get me wrong. These are just idle musings and not complaints. The lack of these things is a welcome and refreshing change to the norm and definitely part of the reason we are here…..

This is where we take lunch, no restaurants in sight - nice…



Am I hallucinating, or is that a giant bunny rabbit etched on the hillside???



We leave the Sea once more and begin to enter the “Sierra de La Giganta”, a range that heads down the coast for the next 100 miles. Hmmm that means Gigantic Mountains. Sounds like a lot of fun. After climbing a few hundred metres, we learn there are some flat bits though. Great big flat bits stretching for miles and scenic miles before the next, distant range of hills….



But we’re back in desert country. And that means cactus. Which means spiky things. Which means holes in wheels. Which means more of this…



At camp and take turns to repair tubes.

Then a rush and a drop and another sea view as we make it to the next stop - Loreto…

Mulege

January 4th

Leaving pretty Santa Rosalia behind, we ride back inland following a narrow strip between the Sierra Agua Verde (Green Water Mountains) and the Sea of Cortez. It‘s a return to scrub grass, cactus and distant blue mountains - big terrain….



And a short 65kms ride to Mulege, complete with plasticky, medieval gateway, entrance, eyesore thingy….





Bit of a far cry from how they used to build round here….



Mulege is a small town with a mission outpost dating from 1705 when the Christians arrived to convert the heathens, mainly by infecting them with Western style diseases.




Built around a palm and mangrove lined oasis, the Santa Rosalia de Mulege was completed in 1766 and proved to be ruthlessly efficient, being abandoned 62 years later in 1828, largely due to the rapidly dwindling population.

Stunning views though…



Now it’s a place where you can dive in the clear blue waters of the Sea of Cortez around offshore islands and kayak along the river. Most operators seem to be US ex-pats charging in dollars and their prices, whilst reasonable for American’s driving across the border, they are still a bit strong for us, so we’ll wait until we can find local operators in cheaper towns further south….

RV parks on the outskirts of the town are similarly US based and so is much of the cliental. You can always tell the American operations, they’re the ones that advertise, use signs to allow you to find them, and have high standard facilities, like laundromats, hot showers and swimming pools. This is luxury camping US style and a pleasant change after rough desert camps….





Santa Rosalia

January 3rd

Today we leave the Desierto Vizcaino behind and catch our first glimse of the Sea Of Cortez having crossed from one coast of the Baja to the other. So it's a disappointment (and a surprise) to wake to leaden skies. Carrion birds add an ominous portent to the dismal scene.



However, passing the shadow of the Volcano of the 3 virgins (?) is like drawing a curtain and the heavens brighten.
And so does the view….



The road suddenly begins to descend - rapidly, as we shoot down the flanks of The Sierra de Santa Lucia as they tumble, tortured and twisted down to the Sea….



The view back towards the distant Volcano is stunning….



And then, suddenly we see it - “The Sea of Cortez“. We left the West coast of the Baja on the 23rd December and after 2 weeks of desert terrain, the horizon morphs magically from brown to blue….



Santa Rosalia is famous for the Santa Barbara Church, originally constructed for the 1889 World Fair in Paris and designed by Gustave Eiffel (think tower). It’s an early example of prefab construction - flat pack on a scale to make the late MFI proud. It was originally intended to help the missions in Africa, but after being stored for 6 years in Brussels it was finally shipped and re-erected here instead….



This is the Historical Mining Museum….



To my eyes, it just looks more like the rotting remains of the old copper works that used to be the main employer for the town. Old hulks of buildings, smoke stacks and slowly rusting machinery decay in a sorry looking scene. Rather than drag it down the authorities have, rather inventively, turned into a tourist “attraction”, where it looms over the beautiful Malecon - a coastal boulevard with views out towards San Marcos and Tortuga Islands. Santa Rosalia is situated in a beautiful setting, with coastal islands, and surrounding hills affording amazing viewpoints. It has a busy, jostling buzz about it and perhaps the finest taco stand in the whole of the Baja so far. Convincing recommendations...