Camping at Playa Tecolote near La Paz, BCS

Dunes of Tecolote Beacch, a bit E of the camping area--

looking N to Espiritu Santu Is.

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The beach is at the end of the paved road, about la 30 minute drive north from La Paz.  Simply drive north along the Malecon, and it turns into the road to several beaches, including Tecolote.  The beach is about a mile long, facing Isla Espiritu Santu, which is separated from the mainland by about 3.5 miles.

Playa Tecolote--paddling, cleanup, and desert hike

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Sunday, Feb . 26

Today, I took a much deserved rest—like an old dog, lying in the sun on the porch.  I just lay in the trailer, listening to music on my Ipod for much of the day.   In the morning, I took a brief stroll around the beach, and noticed the immense amount of trash strewn about in the desert behind the beach.  I was even half-heartedly thinking I should organize a volunteer party to pick some of it up.  But it seemed futile, if the Mexicans didn’t seem to care. 

Overnight on an enchanted island

Friday, Feb. 24--headed for Isla Espiritu Santu

I got up shortly after dawn, to find the sea and winds calm.  I was headed for the island today, but first, I had a long list of preparations.   Things to find, and drybags to pack.  Sandwiches to make… water bottles to fill… prepping the trailer and car for my absence.

So I didn’t get off till noon.  The wind had come up a bit and shifted to a headwind, with some whitecaps.  But it wasn’t stiff enough to make paddling especially hard.  I crossed an hour and forty minutes, indicating the distance of about 3.5 miles.   The crossing was to the north—and I had decided to paddle on the west side of the island, where there were more sheltered bays.  I thought the terrain would be more varied and interesting.

The first bay had a fish camp near the point—two low huts made mostly of scraps.    They appeared unoccupied.  Beyond was a long beach with a shore sloping quickly upward to a low row of dunes.  This was already occupied by two kayaks, so I paddled on.

I explored the next larger bay.  It had a small patch of dwarf mangroves, a long, sandy beach, and was very shallow.

I headed on to the next bay larger still.  It was very grand, surrounded on the north side by an amphitheater of impressive bluffs and low mountains, all shades of buff, pink, or dark lava. 

Carnival in La Paz

Monday Feb 20

I got up before dawn, took a walk taking photos along the beach, then drove to La Paz.  It took about 3 hours from Insurgentes.   I stopped en route to have a taco (not very good at a roadside shack in the desert) and to take photos of cactus personalities.

When I arrived, I was very tired, feeling almost sick.  I napped before going to the parade.   Afterward, I showered, and felt much better.

Tuesday-Thursday, Feb. 21-23

Without a phone, I found it almost impossible to connect with the three people I had found on Couch Surfers.  The internet wasn’t always working, and they might not respond for several days.  I didn’t want to hang around La Paz waiting for something that might or might not develop, so I gave up on contacts.

Carnival in La Paz

Everyone knows I come to Baja to see the marine life.

Tijuana to San Ignacio

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Friday, February 17

I crossed the border in the morning with little trouble, except for a long wait to get the trailer inspected.  The Mexicans are more vigilant now than two years ago, looking for both drugs and guns.  The inspectors here were three pretty but professional young women.  One was working with a German shepherd.  I didn’t see a dog go into the trailer, but somewhere down the road, I noticed a suspicious lick mark on my formerly clean full-length mirror. 

From Wisconsin to the border

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February 11, 2012--Departure

I left Madison late in the afternoon on Saturday, Feb. 11.  It’s taken two good weeks of hard preparations.

Rules of the road in Baja

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For safety and a good trip...

Always treat Mexicans with the friendliness and respect they deserve.  You are guests in their country.  If you don't know any Spanish, learn a few key phrases of polite behavior--like "good morning," "thank you," and so on.  Even in an unfortunate situation--like a shakedown by a policeman--politeness will make a big difference.  Don't be the arrogant Gringo!

She pumps gas at a gas station in La Paz

Topes

The word “topes” means speed bumps. They are supposed to be marked with a sign of a tipped car or a bump symbol, but many are not. Topes are usually built of asphalt, but there are also the metal hemispheres. Topes come in all sizes, from fake ones painted on the highway, to grande.”

Stopping at Zion National Park on the way back

It was raining in the San Diego area when I crossed the border; then I encountered high winds in the desert on the way to Las Vegas.  In a few places visible from the highway, there were huge clouds of blowing dust and sand.  Fresh snow was magnificent on the mountains surrounding St. George, Utah.

It took me four days to drive back to Wisconsin from Ensenada--plus one and a half hours on Friday morning.  I met Liz at a Donald County Park, where we checked bluebird boxes.

I could have made the trip faster, if I hadn't stopped for a day hike in Zion National Park.  I started on the Subway hike (the left fork), which is considered one of the special hikes in Zion.  It's into a beautiful slot cannon.

However, I didn't pick the best day.  Temperatures were in the 50s, but down in the subway, there was lots of water in the creek, and a wind in the 40s was blowing through the tube.

The Subway of Zion in early April.  Burr.

La Paz and Madison WI--Sister Cities?

Here are some of the similarities between the two cities:

• La Paz is the capital of Baja California Sur, while Madison is capital of Wisconsin.
• Population of La Paz is 189,000, while Madison's is 232,000.
• Both cities have beautiful waterfront settings.
• Both are university towns.

A sad story behind the missions in Baja

San Ignacio, with its luscious groves of date palms, has the most magnificent mission church in all of Baja.

The mission church in San Ignacio.

Crossing the border at Tijuana

Monday, 4/5

As I left Ensenada, there were low clouds and patches of misting rain.

Rather than crossing the border in Tecate as before, I decided to cross at Tijuana. I had avoided Tijuana before because of all the stories you hear about long waits and drug violence. But this time, because my trip had been so trouble-free, because I wanted to see the scenic coastal highway to Tijuana, and because this route was a bit shorter, I decided to try Tijuana.

Guererro Negro to Ensenada--Cirios again

Saturday, 4/3

I love Baja. It’s barren, spiny, and filled with garbage. But it has personality. I swore I wasn’t going to take many more photos of cirios on my way north, but I can’t resist, because they have so much personality. Each one is more outrageous than the last.

North from Cabo to Guererro Negro

Monday, 3/29

I spent the morning getting the trailer ready to leave, and by noon, I departed. Unfortunately, the last hour of work was pretty hot. I think southern Baja is reaching the limit of tolerable temperatures this Spring, unless you’re paddling or sitting on the beach. I went into town, and took some photos, then went to Gordo Lele’s for a late lunch—taking some photos there. I had a fish taco, which was outstanding.

Report from Cabo San Lucas

Portrait of Cabo San Lucas from out in the bay.

Carnival Cruise Lines pays only 1.1% in corporate taxes.

With my white kayak paddling out near the arch, seen by thousands of tourists out in the cruise ships with cameras, I have probably been put into ten thousand photos in the last two days.

Insurgentes to Cabo San Lucas

Sunday, 3/22 continued

After the internet café, I continued south in the deepening dusk. I decided to make an exception about driving at night, because I had a four lane highway with reflectors at the sides of the lanes. On top of that, it was completely straight and flat.

Guerrero Negro to Insurgentes

Friday 3/19

I left Guerrero Negro mid-afternoon and headed south. I was crossing the Vizcaino Desert, which gets an inch or less of rain a year. There were no cactus most of the way, and in most places not even the small yucca trees. Just a ground cover of sparse bushes. The peninsula is pretty flat here, and also most of the way to the eastern coast. It wasn’t especially windy, but with the sparse ground cover allowing dust in the air, and the surf on the coast putting salt in the air, the air was pretty hazy. I couldn’t even see mountains in the distance. It was flat, flat, flat, and boring. I went through one moderate-sized town, El Vizcaino.

South of Catavina through kayaking in Guerrero Negro

Tuesday 3/16

The wind rocked the trailer all night, and was still strong in the morning. Two ravens were checking out the trailer in the morning, then foraging nearby. They were finding lots of small things to eat, perhaps grubs. After breakfast, I went of a walk near where I camped. I walked up a small arroyo with a sandy bottom. I am noticing some new flowers blooming here. In fact, nearly every time I stop along the highway, there’s a new plant or a new flower.

From the border to Guerro Negro

Thursday 3/11

By the end of Wednesday, as the sun set, I made it to the American side of of the border at Tecate. I asked about auto insurance, but decided to wait till I crossed the next day, to save a day’s fee. Then I drove 6 miles to Potrero, a small ranching community in a valley among the boulder-strewn mountains.

From Wisconsin to the border

Saturday 3/6/2010

I finally began the trip after many delays, including problems getting my Rosetta Stone Spanish program running, a dead battery in the trailer, and discovering at the last minute that my kayak rudder was stuck.

I stopped at 3:00 pm in Indianola, IA, to get my rudder fixed at a kayak dealer that carries my brand. While the man and his wife worked on the kayak, I played with their 1 year old daughter, to keep her from bothering them. Boy, was she cute! I haven’t had this much contact with a baby for years and years.

First trip to Baja with the trailer, 2008

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From Texas to Arizona

In the US around Yuma AZ and west I saw some amazing scenes....

Huge RV parks....

Dunes covered with dune buggies...