“Is it safe?”, ”Aren’t there Cartels and drug wars?”, ”How are the drivers and how are the roads?”
Those are just a few questions, we recieved from friends and family, when we announced our bicycle touring plan through Mexico. After all, we can not call it a Pan-American bike tour, without cycling through Mexico.
As we check our map, we realize, that our cycle tour of the Baja peninsula is soon coming to an end. According to maps.me there are 146 miles left to make it to La Paz. From there we plan on taking a ferry over to mainland Mexico. The route will basically cross the Baja peninsula one last time. There is a little bit more climbing envolved, which at least is not as high and steep as the previous climbs. We also notice that there are really no facilities between these two places, so we try to pack some extra food and lots of water for the ride.
Since it’s been getting warmer the further south we cycle on the Baja Peninsula, we try to get going early again. Sometimes we are more successful than others. Although we try to get on the road as soon as possible, there are small setbacks, such as no breakfast or stores opening before 8:00 am.
We do manage to push our bikes out of the hotel and toward the colorful “ Santa Rosalia” sign shortly after 9:00.
It’s a boring straight stretch of 50 miles from Guerrero Negro to Vizcaino. The surrounding area is pretty flat and desolate. There are hardly any cacti to adore. The only steady companion along this mundane part of the Highway is the long row of telephone poles, which sometimes decorate the left side other times the right side of the road and intermittently we have the pleasure to ride between two lines of poles.
The wind has picked up significantly over the last few hours. According to the weather report it is supposed to calm down again in another day or two.
So, we decide to spend a well deserved down day about 5 miles north of San Felipe.
The hotel is conveniently located right next to a small restaurant that serves breakfast and dinner with delicious meals for very reasonable prices.