Everywhere but Mexico

Alrighty- it´s been awhile but I´m still alive. Anyhow, ended up taking a Greyhound bus out of New Mexico into Phoenix. I haven´t taken a Greyhound for years and now I remember why. There´s some interesting folks on those babies. One of the conversations I had went something like this:

Me: Hey, where you coming from?

Unknown Man 1: I´m coming from Virginia, heading to Phoenix?

Me: So you from Phoenix then?

Unknown Man 1: No, just going there for treatment. I´m an alcoholic.

Me: Great! Good luck with that. Zzzzzzzzzzz

And another:

Unknown man 2: Moved out here to see my ex-wife after 12 years, now she´s already kicked me out after 2 weeks. You from California?

Me: No, Minnesota.

Unknown man 2: Great. Yeah, can´t wait to tell her about all those hot hunnies I pick up on Malibu Beach. Hahahaha! You going to California?

Me: No. Phoenix.

Unknown man 2: Great. Screw that bitch anyway. Who needs women. I just need a drink. Hahahaha!!

Anyway, you get the idea. Spent a couple days in Phoenix at a hostel then took another bus into San Diego to meet up with Chad, who picked me up from the station. Then things got curiouser and curiouser. Due to some unforeseen circumstances things took a bit of a twist for the next week or so. Spent some time in San Diego practically living at the PB Bar & Grill for 3 days watching college football games, World Series and NFL games. Caught up with an old friend from the Marines, met all the Wolf people and drank a lot of MGD. Then there was the road trip up to Idaho, which led to a drive around Yellowstone National Park. Saw some buffalo. Somehow, we seemed to be getting further and further away from Mexico. Then on the way back, a stopover in Vegas at the Hard Rock for some gambling action. (Won $200!) Then back to San Diego for a silly Halloween Party and a Hooters dinner. So, waking up all hung-over, dehydrated, and sleep-deprived after 10 days of party-action, we figured we were finally ready to hit Mexico. We managed to get our bikes together, took our rental car back to the airport and headed out on our bikes for Baja.

Then it happened. Chad dropped the burritos.

But after that, all was OK. Until an hour later and Chad got a flat tire. But after that, all was OK. Well, until we crossed the border and hit a hill from hell. But after that, all was OK. That is, until the Federales told us we couldn´t ride our bikes down Hwy1. No problem as some nice young man told us the secret way to get back on it down the road. So somehow we managed to get out of Tijuana, found a place on a cliff overlooking the sea, and camped out. Sun going down over the Pacific, sound of crashing waves and a couple burritos. Can´t beat that. Our previous training over the last few days had served us well as we were both wiped out after only 30 miles.

Baja is amazing. Beach after beach after beach. They cater to the rich, RV Americans down here so there´s plenty of gated communities along the way. On our second day we hit a lot of hills and wind but still a great ride going down the coast. Even with the crazy 130km drivers whizzing past us. Managed to make it into Ensenada, crashed at a hotel and feisted on tacos. Yummy tacos for breakfast, lunch and dinner the rest of the time down here hopefully. So now we´re ready to go, on our way to San Felipe. Extra water? Check. New tires? Check. Extra toilet paper to combat Montezuma´s Revenge? Check. Panama here we come...dead or alive.