Bahia de L.A. to San Ignacio

                 Well actually Guerrero Negro, what a day! This was just the beginning. I stopped, pulled of the highway to take a pic, no problems when driving away all felt fine except I wasn't going forward I was going down! the bike is resting on it's belly pan.



BAD TIMES!



Bahia de Los Angeles really doesn't want me to leave. Off with all the bags, get out the trusty C.T.C camping shovel and start digging, made a ramp out but when I tried to ride it up it just got worse even deeper. Oh $&%*^. So I came up with idea to push the bike on it's side (It's used to it now) The back wheel popped out and left a huge hole. I filled the hole with rocks, embedded rocks in a straight line back up to the road and picked up the bike, good to go, just as I was about to try two trucks stopped full of construction workers, these guys (Mexican specifically) always stop to help. And poof we're back on the road, hand shakes big smiles off they go. Re pack the bike second time today and off I go.



My reaction.



Where's a Harley when you need it

So I stopped at Guerro Negro for a late lunch and pick up supplies all's great when I'm about 20k out of Gurrero Negro when I come across this guy up to his running boards off the road, (you can see the tracks). I stopped to help, a pick up truck stops, we try pulling out no luck, P/U truck leaves to get thicker rope, trusty shovel comes out again, a bunch of other guys stop, party atmosphere, there's kids, moms, and guys, everyone thinks this is jolly good fun except me and the mums. Another guy stops and gets stuck too, absolutely hilarious, he, they, don't give two hoots it's all just a party. At about this time I notice I have a flat front tire (Flat B strikes again) oh for frickings sake, the guy who got his truck stuck (second one) says to me "don't worry we help". Pick up truck arrives back but the thicker rope he brought just snaps also. A 4x4 truck stops with chain (now the party's really starting) I dig out a channel with my trusty shovel (I don't why these guys don't carry shovels and tow rope) and hook up the 4x4 and we're back on the road.

These guys wont have me working at the side of the road as the suns going down and without much input or protest from me they load my bike and all my stuff which is now just lying around on the side of the road off my bike and off we go back to Guerro Negro 20 k. I hate going backwards but we end up at a Pemex Gas station with bright Lights. I ride the back of the pick up straddling my bike doing about a 100 + K thinking I too old for this, I must be fricking nuts, ah maybe I am!

After a few cervesa's and chips provided by the guy 2nd from right the front tires repaired, most of the people at the fiesta had left by this time, this is the last group standing of partyista's. I gave the guy with the transport pick up truck $10. for gas. Lots of invites and istruction to go to a club for more beers but I'm done, closest motel for this kid. The party is over.

Scum Bucket Motel Two. It's in a sleazy area so I brought the bike inside. The people running the motel I don't think had had a customer for a while, they seemed a little surprised at the sight of me but once they got over their shock they were really nice. They brought me two carne (god knows what meat) sandwiches and two (more) beers, the sandwiches were delicious I was starving and I settled into a pleasant evening watching very good boxing which is huge here. For some reason the Mexican participant always won?

Next day arrive at the oasis town of San Ignacio, beautiful with a traditional colonial centre square

The church at the end of the square, Mision de San Ignacio.



Next day, the view from my room, this was the first purpose built possada inn in San Ignacio, walled garden with the rooms built inside the walls all facing the garden.. The dogs were very nice but the black one was always too busy for me. The owner was sitting with a friend (cant really see her in this pic) signing Mexican folk songs, very pretty woke me up from a nap.


Next day I ride to Laguna San Ignacio to go whale watching. The eco tour sales girl said that there was no group going by organized vehicle but there was a group driving on there own to the Laguna. I said fine I'll ride there. She would not take my money, said if you get there pay then, ha a challenge. About half way there I saw a truck (2 wheel drive SUV) being pulled out by a tow truck. The road was ok really fun riding but this area was a sand trap about 100 metres long and deep, no choice had to go through or go back, got my weight as far back as possible (ass over the back carrier) and just gave er in first, I got through it but I guess they didn't continue because I was the only person on the boat!



Hey where's the whales!



Oh here's one, you can see his/her mouth and eye, the whale is on it's side and I am stroking and scratching the side of it's "chin" WOW



All of a sudden I felt somebody was looking at me, we looked at each other for maybe 30 seconds just like this, the whale was looking right at me eye to eye about three feet away! Unbelievable Muy Suerte, very lucky the captain said first whale to come up to a boat this year and it happened twice.

After this the whale "flipped" upside down under the boat, I could see the pectoral fins in front of the boat and the underside  of the chin and the whale scratched it's belly on the underside of the boat for a minute or so. The boat was rocking side to side ( this was a 20 to 30 ton 12 to 15 metre whale) it was rocking the boat about like a cork, the captain was going back and forth from gunnel to gunnel to try to "balance" the boat, I joined him and he didn't stop me!

This was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.