How long

It took me over a week to get to Mulege, what with the unintended stops at San Quintin and Guerrero Negro. However wonderful the experience I gravely underestimated the driving time of this peninsula. Great for riding motorcycles, but a test of patience for getting where you want to go. The cock fighting farm and Mulege Mission were two necessary stops, but it was nearly 4 pm by the time I left. It was dark by the time I got to Cuidad de Constitucion, but I was determined to continue.

The roads in Mexico, so far, have been excellent. Besides one massively long stretch south of Ensenada, my nightmares of falling into a large washed out pothole have been unfounded. Construction of bridges dot the scene as a means to combat the yearly floods that make the road impassable. Drivers will communicate that the road is clear ahead by turning their left signal light on, and give you right of way to pass them. It was 1030 by the time I reached La Paz thinking I´ve had the most amazing experiences just following what people suggest. I doubted Marty´s hotel option only because La Paz is a big city and I had a feeling I might lose myself this time. Sure enough, my negativity created my fear, but after a hotdog, some friendly people at a store (George, a skater who lived in seattle for 10 years, bought me a chocolate bar) gave me directions to La Oasis. God, it took me forever to find it as there are few signs on the road. Finally I started counting, and asked a taxi driver.

The hotel was clean, and the exterior inviting, warm and full of vegetation. I left the keys in the bike., and bags intact not because it was secure and safe but because I was exhausted. 6 hours on the bike with unbelievable lower back pain were somewhat salved with a warm shower and cushioning on the bed. Land of The Lost seemed an even cheesier movie in Spanish.