Southbound and down!

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Trip Start Jun 21, 2008 Previous
Entry Trip End Sep 03, 2008 Next
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  San Felipe, California, Mexico
Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Yeah! We're in Mexico! 
 
And we're already lost!....well not technically, but we need to get our Tourist Visas and Temporary Vehicle Import permit...which aren't necessary for Baja, but both are mandatory to board the ferry from La Paz to the mainland...and it's much better to get that stuff taken care of at the border...office hours get shorter and shorter the further south you go, so it's best to get all the documentation taken care of at the border....and crossing on Sunday was perfect as we were the only ones in the office!  The line of cars exiting Mexico was a couple of miles long, but we just breezed right through. 
 
Okay, back to being lost...I pulled over and tried to find the immigration office while Malin watched the bike....we've literally been in Mexico for about 90 seconds

Packing up in El Centro

.  We parked in front of a pharmacy and the pharmacist came out, introduced himself to Malin, and told her where we needed to go...he also mentioned that he was raised in LA, but was deported for selling drugs, and then decided to open a drug store just 100 meters from the border...what a nice story huh?...talking about putting your education to work for you.
 
Anyhow, we got our papers, we're totally legit, and it's time to head southbound and down!  The road to San Felipe is nicely paved, but the heat was scorching...110-112 degrees, and the temp gauge on the BMW was near the top (6 bars for you GS guys out there).
 
Like a Mt. Everest climber, Malin has acclimatized to the heat well and she was doing much better, enjoying the scenery as the red desert landscape slowly gave way to the warm waters of the Sea of Cortez.  The small fishing village of San Felipe is only 150 miles from the border, but for some reason the feeling that it gives you would lead you to believe it's light years away.
 
After about 3 hours on the road, we pulled over at Pete's Camp a few miles before town and had tacos and a couple of ice-cold Dos Equis.  I guess I failed to tell Malin that the fish tacos in Baja are stupid good, so she ordered the beef... but once she bit into one of my super succulent tacos de pescado, she was hooked!  It sucked for me though, now I had to eat the beef tacos.
 
Of course we met a bunch of leathery over-served Vietnam vet expats who shared their wisdom with us - but wouldn't let us change the channel from NASCAR to soccer (Germany vs

We have our papers!

. Turkey in the European cup), even though we had the support of the bartender.  After fumbling a few gringo greenbacks to the bartender we're off to town - and a beach front hotel - Hotel Costa Azul, of course we have no reservatsions, but providence keeps smiling down on us,  and we ended up with the top corner room overlooking the gorgeous Cortez for $70 US.
 
More fish tacos and ice cold Pacificos (with lime of course), a margarita was in the mix too...and in bed about 10pm....we've got a big day ahead of us...crossing the searing desert...and where we're going...there are no roads!  Well at least not ones with pavement attached to them...and to top things off, we're combining the two toughest days of our travel into one hellacious day...I don't know what Mexicans eat when they need their Wheaties, but we need to find out....

 
 

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View of the Malecon in San Felipe

Margaritaville

Sunrise over the Cortez

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