70ish miles
64ish miles
When riding a bicycle, there are certain road conditions you always want to avoid. The long and straight road is often forgotten as one to be avoided. And we certainly had a long, straight road for the better part of 2 days. After cycling for 30 miles or so of straight, flat road (I cannot overemphasize this point: there was literally, not a single curve or bend to the road for over 20 miles) we were so happy to see this little bend that Spencer shouted "CURVE AHEAD! CURVE AHEAD!" and I was inspired to take this photo. This was the highlight of the day.
Daisy and Jason snagged this campground that also work well for a scene in an indie film. An elementary school's fustal/basketabll court on the edge of a tiny village.
That village was called "El Cien" which means 100, because it is 100 miles from La Paz. Clever, eh?
We woke up the next morning and did it again. Long, straight, boring road. And then it got really exciting when we had to ride through 20 miles of extra dusty construction with lots of loose sand, washboard gravel, and impatient drivers. It was a day of extremes.
Finally, we made it to La Paz, our final city on Baja California. Upon arrival we immediately noticed and fell in love with its distinct cultural... wait... is that a Wal-Mart behind the welcome sign?
Seriously La Paz is a beautiful town. I know this is true because at the ferry station I listened to tourism propoganda for 30 minutes while waiting in line. A couple told a story about getting drunk, riding in the back of a pick up truck (which, they quickly pointed out, you can't do in the USA), dropping their wallet on the road, and then having it returned to them with nothing missing, including all $500 in US dollars. I had a good chuckle with that and the videos other exaggerated claims.
My favorite part of La Paz has been our hosts, who had allowed us to stay in their house for 3 nights and even cooked us dinner and hot breakfast. Jason and Daisy met them at a restaurant in North Baja California while I was sleeping because I was too tired.
Talking with Cops episode 2:
After going through 20 miles of hellish construction, I pulled over to rest and drink some water. A couple of cops were standing a short distance away in the shade. One of them waved me over, so I went over to him. He asked if I was hungry, and held out a styrofoam box of beef and rice. I accepted and thanked him.
He left, and a different officer came up to me after a short while. After talking for only a short while I was surprised at how casual our conversation was. We discussed police corruption and he told me about how it harms the reputation of Mexico's law enforcement officers when people hear about the bribes. Then he told me about Cabo San Lucas, and what happens during spring break. Specifically, he told me what you can watch women and men do together when they become intoxicated. He assured me, "Don't worry, no pasa nada." Later he asked me about what I heard about police corruption and mistreatment of foreigners. I avoided the question by talking about bringing drugs and guns into the country. His response was that it was fine to smoke a joint and he wouldn't bust you.
I left amazed that I was able to understand everything the cop said, and surprised at the direction our conversation went.
I finished the meal, Jason and Daisy showed up, and we went to the next gas station for carbonated beverages.
The desert is full of surprises:
Question: In the photo below, what is the dog missing that makes him unlike most other Mexican dogs? (scroll down for answer)
Answer: He's missing his testicles! I'll bet you were going to say "His right ear." Jasper and his litter mate are the first neutered dogs we have seen in Mexico. He is super friendly, old, and has bad knees so when he leans on you he really leans and nearly falls over. Delightful dog.
Besides the dogs with testicles and long, straight roads, Mexico sounds pretty nice.
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