¡Vive La Paz!

Constitucion was another non impressive Baja city.  I was losing my patience with Baja.  However, I heard there is an oasis, and it is called La Paz.  The topography to La Paz looks really flat on my map, but it was anything but flat.  I felt like I was struggling to get any measureable momentum all day.  This could have been from the subtle but relentless headwind.  I am still without a bike computer so my speed was based on my watch and km markers.  I started the day needing to keep a 22 km per hour pace.  I knew I was going to have trouble when my estimate shot up to 25.  Is the proper way to abbreviate kilometer per hour - kmh or kph?  Neither look right to me.

I finally met other bike tourists in Mexico.  They were a wolfpack of 6 and offered me into their wolfpack.  However, when you are riding alone, you make all the decisions and have to concede nothing.  I did not want to ride at the group´s pace, especially because they were planning to camp in the desert again.  I had to leave them behind, but I would soon see them again.  One of them looked as though he was going to join me when I mentioned I would be going all the way to La Paz in one day; however, the others in his wolfpack pulled him back into their group like crabs do when one is about to escape the pot of boiling water.

This was about 110 km into the ride, and I felt strong and thought I could make it before sundown.

For the next 30 miles after the above photo, there was this strange sort of cow land.  There were numerous cows in various forms. Some looked healthy, some emaciated, some with maggots and flies eating their remains, and some just a pile of dry bones.  I will never forget the pungent odor of a roadside rotting bovine body.

As you approach La Paz from the North, you are up on a mesa and can see the city down at the edge of the flat valley about 40km away.  Salvation was ahead!  However, darkness was looming.  I was on the road about 28km outiside of La Paz when the sun was completely down.  I was planning to ride in the dark even though I knew it was unsafe.  There was a situation that made me immediately change my mind.  I was riding in my lane when a car coming the other direction was passing a car in my lane.  I was buzzed by that speeding car and immediatly jumped off my bike and hitched into town.

The very first truck to pass picked me up.  I really had no idea what to expect.  However, I was lucky.  One of them spoke English.  The guy driving was the owner of a spear fishing store in La Paz.  They took me all the way into the heart of La Paz and showed me where the action happens.  I found a place for 220P a night 3 blocks from the Malecón.  This happens to be where all of the bike tourist stay as there are about 10 of us in there now.

As it is a Friday night, I head to the Malecón for some nightlife.  I wander down the drag and found a spot that was recommended by some younger guys at the spear fishing store.  I was struggling to stay energetic as I just put down a little over 100 miles in significant heat and headwinds. Even though I look very much like a zombie, a Gringo named Jason introduces himself.  He has been living in various places in Latin America studying Spanish.  We trade war stories, and my spirits are lifted.

Having fun with locals at Las Veritas Friday Night.  I ran out of sunblock during the ride, and my face got roasted.

This is Jungle on the Malecón Saturday night.

This is the Mexican version of Bingo.  I am not sure how you win, but I know everyone in this photo was really disappointed about 30 seconds later.

I am having a great time in La Paz and will be here until Tuesday at 5pm as that is the next Ferry.  Next stop - Mazatlan.