Yesterday, the 15th.....wow, really!
We left early from Villa Constituciòn, about 7am.....just got light, perfect morning., A little bit cool, perfect riding weather. First time in a 2 weeks we never hit the snooze button......we all decided to get up and beat the heat......and that we did!
We drove 2 1/2 hours to La Paz to catch the ferry to Mazatlán. I was so relieved there was very little construction on this last leg. Meaning no driving on sand........cruisers are not made for sand! Many times I wished we had different bikes, (enduros would have been great!!!). A few of there topes, (speed bumps), hit the bottom of my frame. The first time this happened was at a military stop. I actually pulled my bike over to look underneath to make sure everything was okay.....not knowing it was just the frame. I did say a few "f"bombs under my breath, and was glad my bike was okay. Bells still hanging on underneath too......nothing is taking those things off! I'm actually checking for them a lot too. I really don't want to lose them, even though I thought they were bad luck!
The Sea of Cortez is so beautiful! We all couldn't wait to go swimming in it. But we wanted to get our travel papers for the ferry together first.
Trying to find the way to the ferry was trying in its self.....the signage here is completely none existent! There is a reason Stew is the navigator. While he was looking to find the ferry, the kids and I were trying to spot great places for us to park our bikes for a swim! After finding the proper road, it really didn't take that long....it was kinda comical trying to locate the proper entrance, and where to go for paper work.......again, no signs!!!
The young lady was amazing who helped us. I was starting to stress, (because that's what I'm great at), when she told us that I cannot have two bikes under my name.....(Karen Adams). I needed Jada's birth certificate for her to use the other bike.......oh crap........her birth certificate is in CANADA, why, because we have fricken passports!!!! Nope, that won't work in this case! The rule is one vehicle per owner for the ferry.....not two vehicles, one owner. Now, I say she helped us tremendously, because she said if the bike was in Jada's name it wouldn't be a problem. So, I sold the bike to Jada right there on the spot. She is now deeply in debt!
To shorten this part up a bit, paper work is totally in order, bikes are registered, tickets bought, we are allowed to leave the premises to go for a swim!! Now, how do we leave......through a military blockade! First time ever we had to undo our bags so they could search us. We went through 7 military check points before this, no problem. Is swimming really worth leaving the area.....I was thinking no. They were all pretty good about it, so were we, because we had too, but in the end the check went pretty fast when I gave the one guard one of my dry bags with my underwear in it.....thongs, he said it was all good and we could go!
Sea of Cortez here we come!!!!!
I thought I found a great spot.....getting in was another matter.....the turn offs are all on curves on roads...not the safest. Plus you have to remember that all their side roads are sand, and they have bad lips onto them. Funny thing....two police trucks are behind Stewart as he tries to turn onto this side road.....first time ever in his motorbike days he drops his bike! He turned so carefully and slow and in control that the sand caught him. What was shocking was the police put their flashing lights on, so I thought great they'll help him. Nope, they drove away!! Remember we are on a curve....Jada and I park our bikes as close to the no shoulder as we can to help him pick up the bike.....talk about us being a hazard! Got his bike up and hurried to get ours out of the way when Jada did the exact same thing! Okay....do I really want to follow! Not to brag, but I didn't drop my bike!
We enjoyed our two hours of swimming!!! Now we have to get back to the ferry! I really didn't want to go back up that damn road! Guess what, I dropped my bike going back up the road!! Like I said enduros would have been GREAT!
We had to be back at the ferry for 3. We made it back in plenty of time, because you know, every body likes to wait in line in the heat for 2 hours!! We didn't load into the boat until 5. While waiting in line we met some great people. Carlos, in his early twenties was so giving.
We had met him a little bit earlier when buying our tickets. He works in resorts, but because its the slow season he voluntarily quit to travel. He gave us water while we waited in line, and just really befriended us. He plans on sailing with friends to panama over the Christmas holidays. We plan on catching up with them when they get there, and hopefully we can learn a thing or two about sailing!
The other two people we met were Philipe, and his son Kendle, from France, but they have a house in Mexico City. Again, on motor bikes you meet the nicest people! (We are not being naïve). He gave us his home phone number in Mexico City in case we change our minds and go that way, and need a place to stay! Wow! (No dad, I don't think we'll go....too big of a city for us).
The Ferry ride itself was actually pretty relaxing. The only stressful thing was trying to tie our bikes up! They don't do that....you have to tie down your own bike....in our case, Stew had to tie down three bikes! By the way, just standing down at the bottom of the fourth floor of the ferry we we sweating. By the time Stew and Carlos were done tying everything down you could practically wring their shirts out! Carlos helped us out a lot, he really looked out for us.....I really appreciate everything he has done for us!
Total time on the ferry was 17 hours. Food was okay, not great, but I'm not going to complain when it was included in the ticket. Supper and breakfast kinda free, beverages had to be paid for.
I was really anxious about driving up out of the ferry. The huge bumps in the tracks really shake your handle bars back and forth......plus, if you look where your going.....u will go.....so I made damn sure I looked at the sky line instead of the hug drop beside me! I made it.....and was very relieved when Jada made it too! Was stressful for both of us. Stew is so much better with not stressing!
So we are now in Mazatlán, and will post about today tomorrow, after breakfast!
Good night!
Karen Adams
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