Departing San Diego, Crossing the Border, and Stopping in Rosarito

The road to the border was uneventful except for meeting another cyclist, which brings me to my point. When you go on long ride with a bike loaded to the brim, people are curious as to what you are doing, especially other bikers. Along the way, I have made many of what I call "10 minute friends." Typically, other bikers approach me from behind with stories to share or questions to ask. The thing that set this guy apart, was that he didn't have stories to share or questions to ask. I felt like I was in the 1st grade when children don't actually play together, they just play next to each other. I never even got his name, and we rode together for at least an hour.

As I'm nearing the border, I get in the lane that says, "MEXICO ONLY - NO USA RETURN". There is even a bike lane so I'm pretty stoked. Unfortunately, there is a construction fence blocking my route, and I don't see a way across unless I toss my bike over the barrier and ride through with the cars. I just about throw my back out manhandling that hunk of steel over the waist high concrete, but I'm gleefully heading across the border. It's my turn to go under the swing arm, and I get rushed down the lane like cattle heading for emminant death.

As I'm going through, an agent points me to the right. Another agent points me to the left. I am pretty confused and end up going right through the middle of the border without talking to anyone. Cars are now buzzing by, and I decide to keep on riding because I remember from a previous road trip to Monterrey that the real check point was 23 miles in from the border. I am not sure how far I am now, but I hope my justification for riding on is validated soon. If I really fouled up, please lend me some advice.

After crossing the border, I am immediately lost in Tijuana. I was given some advice, to stay on the main road, but I can't even manage to do that. I am in no way trying to be adventurous in TJ, but I don't know where or how to get to the highway. The only thing I know is that I need to go back towards the border and catch the road to Ensenada "MEX 1D". After a few circles in and out of buses, speeding cars, and mindless pedestrians, I miraculously end up on the right road. The road is narrow, and the shoulder is almost non-existant. I'm sucking in tons of white exhaust fumes plus whatever random trash is being burn right off the road. My eyes and lungs are burning, I'm pretty darn scared, but I still had a silly grin on my face that I couldn't shake off.

As I am riding down the highway just past the TJ maze, I see a sign that has a bicycle with a red cross through it. I really see no alternatives so I just ride on. I get stopped by a security lady and turn around to head down some random fenced off path. I again am riding on random streets in Tijuana. I really don't know where to go except toward the coast and south. Of course the road dead ends, and as I head back to the road that I'm not supposed to ride on but south of the guard, I get chased by a herd of dogs down a rough dirt path. I end up having to carry my bike bath to the highway and just head south. I really don't know why there are "no bike" signs when the traffic is almost non-existent and the shoulder is huge. A group of three cops blast past me so I feel like my crime isn't too bad.

I make it into Rosarito and stop at one of the taco stands. I practice my broken Spanish and get some advice to head down the road toward the city center. I stop in several hotel/motels to check their prices, and no one wants to beat the price I paid in Lompoc. I know there has to be something cheaper. I randomly find a hostel while trying to find another motel. This place is as basic as it gets, but it is 180 Pesos and a 100 yards to the ocean. Hopefully the owner's three dogs will stop barking so the ocean can serenade me to sleep tonight.