Why we love Mexico! (Part 1)

We finally made it to La Paz. And only just got a wireless connection. Big apology to the family who were a bit worried!

La Paz Malecón

Not everything got completed before we left, but you can only plan and prepare so long before you realize you need to just do it. We had planned to leave Yarnell, AZ last Sunday, but ended up not heading south until Wednesday. That day was filled with a lot of cursing as the tailgate window on the Bronco broke on us and I believed I had forgotten the very valuable cruiser guides, which caused a huge search effort through a jam-packed vehicle - aargh. We finally got going at dusk and pulled into Yuma later that evening to find that the first 15 hotels we inquired about were full. Finally, found one of the last two rooms at the Clarion and fell quickly to sleep. Yuma completely booked? Huh?

Thursday, with Starbucks in hand, we headed across the border at San Luis. I was not looking forward to the first inspection that would require that we empty the back from over the back seat. Sure enough, at the border, the Mexican Customs officer asks us to pull over to one of the inspection slots. The officer there asks us where we are going and to open the tailgate for the inspection. When he learns it is broken, and looks in the back seat to see the monumental task before him if he really wants to see the contents (not to mention the three little kids in the back munching on their Starbucks lemon pound cakes amongst a mountain of pillows and blankets), he decides, not today. He just shook his head, smiled and said, OK. And off we went.

Last time we had driven to La Paz, we went straight down Highway 1. Absolutely the quickest route through Baja California and Baja California Sur. But, we had done that, and given that we had the  Bronco, we were better equipped for the inevitable off-road portions off an east coast drive. Our plan was to head down Highway 5 to Gonzaga Bay then cut across and catch Highway 1 again at Lake Chapala.

OK, so why do we love Mexico? There are a lot of reasons, and I will try to sprinkle them throughout this post. Also, I should preface this by saying we are Sonoran and Baja travelers, so mid and southern states, and any issues they may have, are not known to us. Whenever we invite friends and family to visit us on the boat while we are down here, we get a very small minority who are game. Most have no interest in visiting Mexico and I have to think that much of that is due to all of the press regarding violent events around the drug cartel activities. We can't blame them for the apprehension and frankly, unless they come down here and experience this great place, nothing I say can put them at ease.

First great reason that we love Mexico: It is the land of self-responsibility. Or, as Mike says, you can't be a dumbass. In the US, we have thousands of laws that were crafted solely to protect us from ourselves. And we have a great deal of infrastructure put in place to account for and lessen the blow of the acts of dumbasses. You should always be wearing your seat belt. We know this. In Mexico, the likelihood of being pulled over because you are not wearing your seat belt? From our experience? Zero. Do we wear them, of course. We care about our safety and the safety of our children. But, we don't need law enforcement protecting us from ourselves. That is a simple example, but that concept of you can lead a horse, but not make them drink, is really about self-responsibility and if you want to be an idiot, well, in Mexico, that's really your own business. We love that.

Second great reason to love the Baja: The military guys at the checkpoints absolutely love families. We all know that profiling is human nature and in some cases, like checkpoints, it works out for you, if you have kids with you! A family of five pulling up in a Bronco, headed south - on your way please! Thank you!

San Felipe has been a popular US tourist destination for a very long time. It boasts of great fishing and is a very easy drive from the border. Stop at the Pemex gas station - and card denied. Oh crap! Forgot to alert the bank of our travel. Should have enough cash to reach destination for the day, so on we go. South of San Felipe, the next stop is Puertecitos. Other blogs spoke of the perpetually closed Pemex, which we found open and they wrote of stopping at the restaurant and mini-store - closed.

Like most of the towns on the east coast, Puertecitos is true desert meets the sea. Sapphire blue water lapping against a brown sand and white plaster landscape.

Checking the load before we hit dirt

The highway south of Puertecitos is under-going a huge road construction project that is paving the highway to Gonzaga Bay and then on to the Highway 1 junction. Third reason we love Baja: There are literally stretches of hundreds of miles without any towns or roads in the back country. Just horizon after horizon of untouched Sonoran desert. Forests of majestic cardones and ocotillo. Creosote and palo verdes and palo blancos. And backdrops of spectacular rugged mountain ranges with pale tall cliff faces amidst millions of dark brown broken rocks and boulders, evidence of the violence that brought them to the surface. Will the paving of this highway bring an onslaught of travelers, forever changing this lightly touched part of the world? Time will tell.

Later that evening, we discover that the road is now paved only 4 short miles from Gonzaga, making for a fast commute from Puerticitos. We pull into Gonzaga Bay and follow the signs to Alfosina's. The man at the guard gate on the dirt road that leads to the beach, tells us that he believes there is room at Alfosina's, so on we proceed. Driving down the row of structures that are literally built on a sandbar, we reach the end and wonder if the last building, that has no signs, is maybe Alfosina's? A few locals sitting outside confirm our assumption and we are pleased to know that rooms are still available. Watching the last of the sunset, Mike and I enjoy two Pacificos and get to know a California couple who are traveling the length of Baja by motorcycle. The kids explore the beach and groan as they reluctantly comply to our final demand that they come and eat.

Elephant Tree along the road - room for everyone!