Baja Divide

Baja Divide - Day 6 December 31, 2024 Ejido Eréndira to Vicente Guerrero - 53 Miles Start 8:41 AM Finish 3:56 PM Total Duration 7:15 Moving Time 5:49 Stopped Time 1:27 Ascent 2,649’ Descent 2,626’ Tour Total 268 Miles Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/245328945 Last night at Coyote Cal’s, Rick’s margaritas packed a punch. The Dos Equis and shots from the bottle with the scorpion inside were also flowing freely. I turned in early but woke up at midnight, enduring a restless night in the bottom bunk filled with vivid dreams. By 6:30 AM, the first light stirred me, and an hour later, Rick’s cheerful call announced breakfast was ready. At the table, I met two motorcycle adventurers, Brent from Utah and Ed from Southern California. They had rolled in late after I’d gone to bed and had enjoyed a few cocktails themselves. They were ten days into their Baja journey, heading back home after reaching La Paz. Brent and Ed regaled me with tales of their rides, hitting speeds of 30 to 50 mi...

Baja Divide - Day 7 January 1, 2025 Vicente Guerrero to Venustiano Carranza (Santa María) - 41 Miles Start 7:49 AM Finish 2:37 PM Total Duration 6:48 Moving Time 5:08 Stopped Time 1:40 Ascent 1,951’ Descent 2,030’ Tour Total 309 Miles Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/245501154 I slept soundly in Room 11 at the Hotel San Martín in Vicente Guerrero. Instead of going out for dinner, I called it an early night, heading to bed shortly after 9 PM, having wished my friends and family on the East Coast a Happy New Year. This morning began with a chilly 52° and heavy fog. Before setting off, I grabbed a coffee and pastry from the reception area. I wore my full kit, which by now was in desperate need of laundering. Last night, I had done some additional patchwork on my pants using duct tape and thread. Visibility on the road was poor, and nothing in town was open. The route quickly diverged from the highway, leading me onto dirt tracks through fields. The fog was so thick I could barely...

Baja Divide - Day 8 January 2, 2025 Venustiano Carranza (Santa María) to 30°24'52" N 115°30'30" W - 29 Miles Start 8:17 AM Finish 5:37 PM Total Duration 9:20 Moving Time 5:37 Stopped Time 3:43 Ascent 3,440’ Descent 1,663’ Tour Total 338 Miles Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/245843582 I had a restful night at the Hotel Mission Santa Maria in room 155. The sun's golden rays began streaming through my window at 6:30 AM, signaling the start of a new day. Last night's dinner had been a treat—a fantastic fish dish that left me fully satisfied. For breakfast, I indulged in scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, hash browns, coffee, and freshly squeezed orange juice—a perfect start to the morning. The heater had run all night, leaving my clean kit dry and ready. I exited the hotel through the rear entrance to follow the route along the beach. The sand, with its considerable rolling resistance, made the ride challenging. At the water's edge, I spotted countless sa...

Baja Divide - Day 9 January 3, 2025 30°24'52" N 115°30'30" W to San Augustin - 60 Miles Start 7:38 AM Finish 5:19 PM Total Duration 9:26 Moving Time 7:16 Stopped Time 2:10 Ascent 3,821’ Descent 3,722’ Tour Total 398 Miles Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/245872078 The first light of day appeared a little after 6 AM, and by 6:30, I was stirring. It was bitterly cold inside my tent, the kind of chill that bites at your resolve. I had to refill my Therm-a-Rest twice during the long, frigid night. Dinner the previous evening was modest: energy water and a handful of almonds I’d brought from New York, as I decided to skip the refried beans. To my relief, the tent fly was dry this morning—humidity here is almost nonexistent. I packed up slowly, savoring the quiet. The silence was so profound that I could hear the faint ringing in my ears. Before setting off, I couldn’t help but notice my rear derailleur, visibly twisted and a cause for concern. The road soon brough...

Baja Divide - Day 10 January 4, 2025 San Augustin to Cataviña - 25 Miles Start 8:13 AM Finish 1:44 PM Total Duration 5:27 Moving Time 3:45 Stopped Time 1:42 Ascent 1,084’ Descent 1,138’ Tour Total 423 Miles Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/246026480 The biggest downside of camping at San Agustín was the motor traffic. The lonchería sat right alongside Highway Mex 1, and a semi-truck idled out front for hours. I inserted my earplugs immediately, hoping to muffle the noise. Other trucks pulled in, along with smaller vehicles, and people moved about, talking while dogs barked and music played. Eventually, the activity settled down, and I managed to get some rest. By 6 AM, the sun was already up, and I began stirring around 6:30. Others were also starting their day. Though still a bit nippy, the morning wasn’t as cold as previous ones. The dry air left no condensation on my tent, which made packing up easier. I always place rocks next to the stakes at the ends of my tent to preven...

Baja Divide - Day 11 January 5, 2025 Cataviña to 29°13'38" N 114°48'57" W - 59 Miles Start 6:55 AM Finish 6:09 PM Total Duration 11:14 Moving Time 7:59 Stopped Time 3:15 Ascent 3,801’ Descent 5,593’ Tour Total 482 Miles Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/246499729 I slept well in Room 127 at the Hotel Mission Cataviña. The room was warm and comfortable, and I enjoyed being able to spread out. I left the window shade open so the morning light would wake me. At 6 AM, sunlight began to filter in, softly signaling the start of a new day. After my usual morning routine, I addressed some saddle soreness by applying chamois butter, then packed up and carefully balanced my bike with supplies. I carried a total of twelve liters of water—enough for four or five days. A five-liter jug and two 1.5-liter bottles were strapped to a cloth bag bungeed to my rear rack. It was the heaviest load my bike had ever carried. Dressed in shorts, a jersey, a long-sleeve wool shirt, and ...

Baja Divide - Day 12 January 6, 2025 29°13'38" N 114°48'57" W to 28°52'33" N 114°24'47" W - 44 Miles Start 7:47 AM Finish 4:29 PM Total Duration 8:42 Moving Time 6:43 Stopped Time 2:00 Ascent 2,550’ Descent 2,588’ Tour Total 526 Miles Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/246532402 I woke just as the first light appeared in the sky, around 6 AM. Stepping out to water a bush, I was met with a sharp, cold air and quickly retreated to the warmth of my sleeping bag. I stayed bundled up, working on yesterday’s report, before slowly beginning to pack. By 7 AM, the sun was up, and its warmth quickly took the edge off the morning chill. My socks and sandals were still caked with mud from the day before, but I opted to keep wearing them. Last night, I brought two half-liter water bottles into the tent and treated myself by adding hydration tablets. This morning, I topped off my frame bottles and tucked the 1.5-liter bottles into my frame bags. While I hes...