BajaNomad - 100 Day Walk Around the Baja coastline: San Felipe to Rosarito

100 Day Walk Around the Baja coastline: San Felipe to Rosarito

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comitan - 7-10-2012 at 07:33 AM

That area is more downhill than uphill, but the biggest factor was the white line in that area gave them enough room to stay on the road and not having to pull off for every vehicle. Today its down hill all the way.

Mulegena - 7-10-2012 at 10:25 AM

Really admire you two.
Almost to La Pa' now!

Here's a little something for John and Rachael.

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/54Ejh0/inhabitat.com/camper-ka...

motoged - 7-10-2012 at 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mulegena
.....Here's a little something for John and Rachael.
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/54Ejh0/inhabitat.com/camper-ka...

The thought is a nice gesture.....but the cart design is stoooopid:
1) small wheels so no good for middle-aged couples pushing a shopping cart (a la Winnebago) through the desert;
2) Cart is very unstable once the "bedroom" is opened up a;
3) Safeway wants the cart back in their lot.... :biggrin:

;
4) No room for all your stuff....

Another design idea project from elementary grade school :?:

Mulegena - 7-10-2012 at 02:13 PM

Well, ok then, how 'bout this one?
Its got big tires.
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/9bPCki/inhabitat.com/a-pennsyl...

bajasuzie - 7-10-2012 at 02:31 PM

OMG Mulegena...you are making me laugh

motoged - 7-10-2012 at 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mulegena
Well, ok then, how 'bout this one?...

M,
That's much better....glad you have their best interests at heart :saint:

Mulegena - 7-10-2012 at 06:25 PM

Hope they get a giggle or two, too, when they get rested up and on-line.

Word just in on Facebook, they're in La Paz!!!

Congratulations on this mile-mark, Walkers2.

David K - 7-10-2012 at 10:08 PM

While I am away in Baja for 2 weeks, starting this weekend, I asked Igor (Skipjack Joe) to continue posting the track maps when he can.

Otherwise, this is the link to click to see the latest SPOT MAP: CLICK HERE FOR SPOT TRACKER MAP

Congratulations you guys on making to La Paz! :bounce:

BajaGeoff - 7-11-2012 at 03:57 PM

Nice job John and Rachel!

woody with a view - 7-11-2012 at 04:11 PM

is that spot #50 from when they jumped into the water in ecstasy? :biggrin:

BajaLoverzzz - 7-11-2012 at 05:06 PM

Glad to see you guys made it to La Paz! :bounce:

will look forward to chatting with you guys soon!

mexicoliving - 7-12-2012 at 09:00 AM

We are in La Paz, heading to Baja Expedition offices this morning. I have written a brief update of Constitucion to Santa Rita, and will complete Santa Rita to La Paz later today. Thank you all so much or the incredible support!

http://bajagoodlife.com/2012/07/12/baja-walk-road-to-santa-rita/

Normally I would post the whole thing here, but it has many links to images and I don't have time to update them all for the forum. Thanks for the understanding.

Skipjack Joe - 7-12-2012 at 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mexicoliving

http://bajagoodlife.com/2012/07/12/baja-walk-road-to-santa-rita/

I get a blank screen when I follow this link.

goldhuntress - 7-12-2012 at 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Skipjack Joe

Quote:

Originally posted by mexicoliving

http://bajagoodlife.com/2012/07/12/baja-walk-road-to-santa-rita/

I get a blank screen when I follow this link.

It works fine for me.

David K - 7-12-2012 at 09:25 AM

Thanks for the link John... I just looked at a hundred or so of your photos!

Khandra - 7-12-2012 at 11:34 AM

I read your update about the walk between Constitucion and Santa Rita. It is amazing how many hardships you two had to endure to get there!

rdrrm8e - 7-12-2012 at 12:07 PM

Linky no worky para mio tambien

mexicoliving - 7-12-2012 at 04:58 PM

Sorry, our servers have been getting a heavy load the last few hours. Here is the latest report minus the image links, all images are here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/111762627298877558621/BajaWalkGallery2

The Road to Santa Rita
We were excited to get going again and to leave Constitucion on our way to La Paz. We got a late start and didn’t actual get going until after 6AM, but we had an early morning cloud cover that provided some relief from the sun for at least the first few hours of the day. The only problem that we had with the cloud cover was the impact it had on our SPOT satellite batteries. We had learned from calling SPOT support that cloud cover could reduce our battery life to as little as 3 days, and considering it required lithium batteries only, which are rarely available in Baja, this had been a problem. Although, we found we could use the Alkaline batteries as long as we remove them daily from the device when we went to bed each day, to help reduce the chance of corrosion or problems, that according to SPOT support was common when alkaline batteries are used.

The road leading out of Constitucion was very busy in the morning, mainly with worker traffic and large commercial trucks, and as usual, the road narrowed to two lanes and the shoulder disappeared once we reach the edge of town. Within just a few kilometers, we encountered our first flat tire and were proud that this was also the first time in the trip we actually had all the tools necessary to fix the flat, so that is exactly what we did. We pulled over, removed the wheel, then the tire from the wheel, patched the tire, and put it all back together. We had been looking for a patch kit and bike pump for several hundred miles, so it was nice to have found everything in Constitucion. Within 20 minutes, we were back on the road. In the days to come this skill was greatly improved. During this stop, just as I was completing my first tire change, Gene Jensen called from San Felipe. He was excited to reach us, and we were excited to hear from him. I was especially excited to share my new tire changing skills with him. The call was brief, but a nice addition to the start of the day.

We continued walking for several hours, and as it neared noon, we reach Villa Morelos, a small agricultural community, probably no more than a few hundred people, but a large area in terms of farm and ranch lands. On the right side of the highway was a taco stand called Café Colado, a roadside taco cart, like so many we’ve seen throughout Baja, so we stopped for lunch. As in most cases, our arrival drew the attention of those in the area and they all wanted to know what we were doing walking in the heat, pulling a cart. Sitting at a small table next to the taco stand was Efren, a pleasant looking man, well groomed and in the attire of a farm worker. He spoke some English, and we could tell he wanted to use all the English he could, which of course made communicating easier. We gave him our printed sheet explaining the walk, and our goals. We began to discuss his ranch, the organic products he produced, and how he had worked there since he was 15 years old, and how he loved his job, his boss, company and the products they were growing specific to children. Although we had only 20 minutes to talk with Efren, it was a wonderful conversation and the passion he had for his work was contagious and exciting.

Before leaving Villa Morelos, we stopped at the only llantera (tire shop) and although the young man working the shop didn’t have a tire we needed, he did have grease, so we had him remove all four tires and grease up our axles and bearings. It was fun to watch him use the full size car jack to jack up our small little cart. Once back on the road, we only lasted a short time before our next tire went flat. Again, I was fixing and replacing a tire.

This was a hot day, and a tough day, but nothing we had not dealt with in the past, but unlike the days when we were traveling off Highway One, we were now on Baja’s main highway. We found that many people we had met in the past were seeing us again for the second, third or more times, as they drove from one town to another. One of the most pleasant visits was from Jesus, a very nice man that we ran into riding his bicycle alone from the town of San Ignacio towards the San Ignacio Lagoon to roads end and back. On his return from roads end, he stopped alongside us to ask us what we were doing out there, a distance from town and moving further away. We told him about the walk and again provided the usual piece of paper with our explanation, something we learned was the fastest, smartest way to get our story told in Spanish. Now, here we were more than a hundred miles from our first encounter, and this time Jesus was driving his car, not a bicycle and when he saw us, he drove the car off the road onto the dirt shoulder, and this time he was with his wife and kids. He was excited to introduce his family to us. After a short visit, we had to continue, and they had to get home, so we said our goodbyes, again and parted ways the second time.

The day was long and with visits, we were not making our usual distance, but running out of daylight. In addition, we found both side of the road were lined with barbed wire, and there was no place to camp at all. We were getting concerned that we wouldn’t find a safe place to camp and we had not seen any ranches, stores, or homes in many miles. Just as the sun was dropping, we came to our first ranch, and although there were signs stating it was private property, we didn’t care and wanted to see what could be done before the sun dropped completely. In the dimming light, we could see that there were people on the porch of a house several hundred yards from the fence, so we began to wave our arms and yell “hola” in their direction. After a few moments of this, we noticed one of them was walking off the porch and putting on their shoes. After the shoes were apparently on, they started walking our way, not in any hurry, which was okay; because at least we had their attention. Within seconds, a smaller figure joined the approaching figure and as both got closer, we realized it was a man and a young girl, maybe 9-12 years old.

Eventually, they both arrived at the fence, and we learned that it was Luis and his daughter. We tried to let him know that all we wanted was the ability to camp inside of his fence, where it was safe and that we didn’t need anything from him and would leave early in the morning. However, after what seemed like more than 30 minutes of trying to explain ourselves, much as we had done without difficulty so many times before, and what seemed like begging this time, he still didn’t seem to understand our request. We were getting frustrated, and were almost ready to risk sleeping along the road, when Luis received a call that stopped the conversation so that he could answer. As Luis spoke on the phone, we could both see a woman off in the distance also on the phone, and she was looking directly at Luis. When the conversation was completed, Luis said we could stay and showed us where we could put up our tent. It was clear at that point, that Luis was not the boss. Ten minutes later as we were setting up our tent, the young girl that had accompanied Luis came out to us with a pitcher of lemonade, and two glasses. It appeared to us that the woman in the distance was boss, and after Luis had delivered our explanation sheet in Spanish to the real boss, his wife, she found it safe to have her daughter bring us refreshments.

The next morning, after a short time of walking, our new friend Efren, we had met in Villa Morelos at the taco stand, drove up and off the highway, then stopped on his way to La Paz to introduce us to his entire family; mom and dad, his wife and children. They had also brought us apples, pears, and a box of Rice Krispy Treats. It was very nice to see him again and to meet his family. Although the visit was brief, it was pleasant.

Later in the morning, before the clouds had burned off, we saw a couple of cyclists riding towards us, this was only the second cyclists we’d seen since we left, the first being David Grossman, that turned out to be our best friends cousin, proving once again that the world is a small place. On this occasion, we watched as the riders passed us, and we yelled where you going. When they reached us, they continued to ride past, but then as I thought they didn’t see us, the rider in the back, looked our direction, and yelled “Hey, they’re walkers!” to the first rider. They both slowed and turned back towards us, crossing the highway, rolling down the dirt embankment to reach us. “We thought you were highway road workers”, one of them said, asking what we were doing. Once again, we gave them the usual mini-speech, and saving our print outs for the Spanish speaking. They turned out to be Marieke and Arnold, husband and wife from New Zealand and they were finishing the last leg of a ride they had been working on for many years, riding 3-4 months each year; from the top of the continent to the bottom and most parts of the world; China to Middle East. Arnold was turning 68, and Marieke was near his age, and when we asked them where they were going next, Marieke said they said they were not sure, but it was a big world and “we still have at least 10 more years of riding left, so who knows”. We enjoyed a wonderful conversation, shared coffee, and stories of adventures and dreams. We exchanged numbers, contact info, and said our goodbyes.

Two hours later, around 11AM as the sun was beating down hot and relentless, we came to Las Brisas del Desierto, a restaurant that was alone in the desert and an oasis to us at this time. The entire restaurant, inside and out, along with the signage was painted in the Pacifico beer colors, blue and yellow. Rachel and I both agreed we had never been there, so we wanted at least see what was there, and we could use a cold Pacifico. We crossed the highway and parked the cart under a thatch palapa just outside the entrance to the restaurant, which was another much larger palapa of the same thatched design. Rachel removed her backpack, and I removed my pulling harness and we went inside. We were greeted by a group of about 10 Mexicans, all sitting around the room chatting with one another. We all gave each other a traditional “Buenos Dias”, and then we asked if they were open, they replied yes and motioned for us to have a seat. They had seen us walk up with our cart and wanted to know what we were doing, so again we pulled out our printed explanation. The paper was handed to a young girl, probably 17 or 18 years old, and the youngest in the group, and she read the sheet aloud to everyone. The reading was followed by a visible approval by the group. At that time, the majority of the group got up, shook our hands, and said they were glad to meet us, then all but four of them left, which was the father, mother, son in his twenties and the young girl that had done the reading. The same young girl took our order of four burritos, and two cold beers, which turned out to be Tecate, not Pacifico. Apparently, they had changed distributors, but according to the dad, had not bothered to repaint the building or change the signs. The daughter disappeared into the back, while Rachel and I sat and worked on our Spanish with dad, mom, and the son. A short while later the daughter returned with our burritos and Tecate. We enjoyed a pleasant lunch, with a pleasant family.

We were not back on the road for more than an hour, when two more cyclists came into view in the distance. When they were close enough that they could hear us, I yelled out to them, “where are you going?”, and immediately they both turned and crossed the highway towards us. They introduced themselves as James and Margit, and told us they were from Marin County in the Bay Area, riding the tip of South America. James said they would take about a year and a half to make the trip, so I asked how they could afford to do that, apparently too young to be retired. They said they lived in one of the most expensive areas of California, and they could ride their bikes for less than they could live at home, and that they could travel full-time on their bikes for less than $500 per month. Margit was originally from Germany, but spoke perfect English with a German accent. She told us she sub-rented her place for $500 more than she pays in rent, and could live on $15 a day while cycling and camping. We told them about the previous cyclists Marieke and Arnold, and they said they had heard of them and were hoping to catch up to them. We let them know they were only a couple hours behind them and they became excited about meeting them in the next town. We exchanged our contact info, and promised to send each other updates, said our goodbyes, and they rode off.

The day was getting hotter and more difficult to deal with, so we took a brief rest under a mesquite tree, which seemed to be our most common refuge from the sun. It also became our most loathed tree, because of the incredibly sharp and ever-present thorns the tree produces. We were being stabbed and stuck by the thorns on a daily bases, in addition to daily flat tires, and the nightly fear of putting a new hole in our air mattress, even with the 4 layers of tarp we would lay down. This rest under this prickly tree was much the same, but the relief from the sun was always welcome, despite the utter dislike for the tree. Our goal was to reach Santa Rita, which was still several kilometers away, and from what we had been told there was a llantera (tire shop), and we were in desperate need of tire replacements, so we kept our stay brief, no longer than 30 minutes, but enough to remove our shoes and raise our feet to reduce swelling. Then we were back walking again.

When the radio tower of Santa Rita came into view, it became a beacon for us to follow, that kept us motivated, gradually getting larger the closer we got to our destination. However, when we reached Santa Rita, we were deeply disappointed to find it was a small pueblo, and offered us very little. It was clear there was not going to be any resting here, and the llantera we had hoped for was out of business, and looked as if it had been for years. Fortunately, there was a small tienda (store), where we were able to purchase toilet paper, much needed water at a high price, and two deposit bottles of Pacifico.

Rachel and I loaded away the new supplies and immediately got back onto the highway. Leaving town we had to cross over a bridge that spanned a large arroyo, which in many cases would have provided us with good shelter for camping, but not in this case. There was no way down into the arroyo for us, which was yet another disappointment. About half way across the bridge, that had no shoulder, something Rachel and I had become accustom to navigating, a commercial truck drove onto the bridge, heading north bound, directly for us. When it came onto the bridge, we both looked back to see the other lane was clear, so we were not concerned, knowing the truck had room, however the truck didn’t move, instead it remained on a course directly for us. We had nowhere to move, and we could not jump over the railing into the arroyo, it was at least a 50-foot drop, so we stopped, pulled ourselves and cart as far off the road as we could and waited as the truck sped for us. When truck reached us, he had not only not moved into the clear southbound lane, but had actually moved closer to our shoulder, as close as I think he felt comfortable getting, because when he passed us, he only cleared the cart and the two of us, both leaning away, by 3-4 inches and at full highway speed. This was the first time in over 600 miles and hundreds of trucks that we actually felt in danger from a commercial truck and knew we were deliberately being toyed with. The truck was not a full semi-truck, but midsize and white, without any logos or identifiable markings, so I had no way of knowing who it was or where it was from. Seeing there was no other cars behind this devil truck, I immediately leapt into the highway only milliseconds after it passed and flipped it the bird, passionately with both hands. All I could do was hope my sign language was international enough to get my point across, and that he would return, so I could teach the driver some manners.

At this point, Rachel and I were both exhausted from a long day of walking, the sun was dropping fast and we knew we needed a place to camp. About one kilometers past the bridge, we came to an abandoned restaurant, and thought it could make a good shelter for the evening, but on a closer look realized it didn’t provide much of a hiding place, and there was far too much trash for my comfort. We agreed to try the desert on the other side of the road. This turned out to be the best choice, because that evening and the following morning there was much activity around the restaurant, with trucks stopping, and cars passing on the dirt road that passed beside it to some unknown destination. Still angry from the truck driver, and the disappointment of the town, we set up camp. This was a long day, but we reached our goal, although a disappointment at days end, we still had those two bottles of Pacifico, which we enjoyed together, zipped up tight, safe and comfortable in our tent, before falling asleep to another chapter of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Princess of Mars on audio book.

David K - 7-12-2012 at 05:02 PM

Now, what are your plans for what's NEXT?

Finish to the 100th day (how many has it been so far?)?

Go to Cabo and then all the way north to Rosarito walking or walking to Day 100 then catch a bus?

Udo - 7-12-2012 at 05:24 PM

Just out of curiosity:

Constitucion is infamous for gringos getting tickets...were you stopped by the cops at all?

mexicoliving - 7-12-2012 at 06:27 PM

Our goal is to leave Saturday morning from our current location at Tim Means casa in La Paz, then head directly to East Cape RV Resort in Los Barriles to visit Theresa, then to San Jose for a day with Susan to visit Liga MAC, one of the charities, then to Cabo and back up to Todos Santos to visit Hogar del Ninos, another of the charities. Once we've done this, we will be heading back to San Felipe to prepare for the Baja Blues Fest. We will either be taking the bus, or we will be getting picked up by DesertBull, we're up in the air at the moment.

mexicoliving - 7-12-2012 at 06:29 PM

Udo,

We've had many reports of the Constitucion police giving grief to passing gringos, so we were pleased to have not had any issues. However, we never exceeded 2.75 miles an hour.

mexicoliving - 7-12-2012 at 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by motoged

Quote:

Originally posted by Mulegena
.....Here's a little something for John and Rachael.
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/54Ejh0/inhabitat.com/camper-ka...

This is too cool, wish we had thought of this 600+ miles ago ;-)

Ateo - 7-12-2012 at 07:55 PM

How can you get a ticket going thru Constitucion walking??? It aint that bad..............

goldhuntress - 7-12-2012 at 09:24 PM

Hi John and Rachel, Glad your in La Paz, good job, wow, so impressive! I'm wondering, are you walking to all the places you mentioned? Or driving? From where you are now it's about 190 miles to Todos Santos via Cabo.

mexicoliving - 7-13-2012 at 06:50 AM

Goldhuntress, nice to hear from you. We are going to continue walking. We will be leaving in the morning bright and early to beat the heat.

goldhuntress - 7-13-2012 at 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mexicoliving
Goldhuntress, nice to hear from you. We are going to continue walking. We will be leaving in the morning bright and early to beat the heat.

I was wondering how much time you had before you needed to get back. Is it possible to get some support down there so you don't have to push the cart the whole time? The cart has been a curse at times but it sure has made you the most recognizable travelers in Baja! Now it's your signature so to speak. Looking forward to the Blues Festival! Stay safe and have a great time!

David K - 7-13-2012 at 08:37 AM

Well Congratulations on a super-dooper effort!
We will be in La Paz middle of next week... Doing some driving around, so maybe you will still be on the roads south of there, and we will meet you guys.
I have enjoyed reading and sharing your adventure here thanks to Spot and Skipjack Joe who showed me the trick for posting the Spot maps.
All the best on the final leg of your walk!

David K & Elizabeth K (Baja Angel)

Tim Means- Mr. Baja, for sure

thebajarunner - 7-13-2012 at 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mexicoliving
Our goal is to leave Saturday morning from our current location at Tim Means casa in La Paz, then head directly to East Cape RV Resort in Los Barriles to visit Theresa, then to San Jose for a day with Susan to visit Liga MAC, one of the charities, then to Cabo and back up to Todos Santos to visit Hogar del Ninos, another of the charities. Once we've done this, we will be heading back to San Felipe to prepare for the Baja Blues Fest. We will either be taking the bus, or we will be getting picked up by DesertBull, we're up in the air at the moment.

Staying with Tim you will never get all the stories heard and told.
Tell him Hi
I sent you a U2U for him as well.

Going on a whaling excursion with Tim was amazing....
I do not believe that he and our host are related

mexicoliving - 7-13-2012 at 11:09 AM

David K, it would be nice to meet you. You'll have to look for us under a tree during the day, and walking in the early mornings when it is still cool. We should be easy to find, we'll be the ones pulling the cart :lol:

And Goldhuntress, you're right. People have stopped to visit us on many occasions because they recognized the cart. We will pull it to the end, even after the wheels fall off, which they have already many times.

Skipjack Joe - 7-14-2012 at 12:36 PM

After 4 days of dormancy our friends have turned on their spotter showing them to be in La Paz, near 5 de Febrero street. The down time may have been due to the spent batteries they mentioned earlier.

bajawalk13p.jpg - 48kB

Khandra - 7-14-2012 at 01:58 PM

Hey, I noticed that they uploaded MANY videos on youtube, yesterday if I am not mistaken. I watched some of them, they are pretty amazing. Just wanted to let you know, in case some of you want to see John & Rachel on the road...

mexicoliving - 7-14-2012 at 03:58 PM

Hey everyone, we have been at Tim Means home in La Paz, his is the owner of Baja Expeditions and has been a big help to us. We were going to leave in this morning, but had a few more things to do, including a newspaper interview Tim had set up, so we stayed another day. We are now all packed and leaving early in the morning. We are 700 miles down and only about 200 more to go.

And yep, we added a bunch of new videos:
http://www.youtube.com/user/bglclub?feature=mhee

goldhuntress - 7-14-2012 at 04:13 PM

200 miles to go? No problema, just a walk in the park for you two :yes:

goldhuntress - 7-15-2012 at 08:06 AM

And they're off!!! At 2:30am they started their walk to Los Barriles. This leg is 65 miles.

Skipjack Joe - 7-15-2012 at 05:25 PM

Our friends have left La Paz and are close to Todos Santos hwy turnoff. They walked a total of 10 miles, starting at 5:30AM and ending at 1PM.

bajawalk14p.jpg - 48kB

goldhuntress - 7-15-2012 at 11:03 PM

Skipjack, I figured 16.1 miles?

Skipjack Joe - 7-16-2012 at 06:29 AM

You are right. The spot checker shows the last 50 points and they had started prior to that. I had to page back to find the start of the day which, of course, was in the front page when you looked at it, goldhuntress.

They started at 3AM this morning and are past the fork in the road and on the way to Las Barriles now. About 4 miles before El Triunfo.

SPOT TRACKER MAP LINK

[Edited on 7-16-2012 by Skipjack Joe]

goldhuntress - 7-16-2012 at 10:51 AM

Wow, 17.2 miles and it's not even 12 noon yet! They've checked in for a rest now. It's 33 miles to Los Barriles. :biggrin:

7/16

Skipjack Joe - 7-16-2012 at 11:43 PM

Our travelers covered an incredible 26 miles. They started at 3:30AM and walked until about 11AM when they arrived at El Triunfo.

Most of the day seems to have spent in town and they camped just outside of town. Image shows El Triunfo with their resting place (#50).

Hopefully I got it right this time goldhuntress.

[Edited on 7-17-2012 by Skipjack Joe]

bajawalk15p.jpg - 47kB

goldhuntress - 7-17-2012 at 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
Our travelers covered an incredible 26 miles. They started at 3:30AM and walked until about 11AM when they arrived at El Triunfo.

Most of the day seems to have spent in town and they camped just outside of town. Image shows El Triunfo with their resting place (#50).

Hopefully I got it right this time goldhuntress.

Ha, well, I got 17.2 for yesterday at the check in around 11 then they went one more track later in the afternoon and camped for the night just outside of town. so that added another .6 miles making 17.8 for the day by my calculations.

Making great progress...

EnsenadaDr - 7-17-2012 at 08:31 AM

Looks like after weeks of walking they got themselves into tip top physical condition!!! Felicidades!!

Quote:

Originally posted by goldhuntress

Quote:

BajaNomad - 7-17-2012 at 01:49 PM

I received this about an hour ago - looks like it was meant as a reply to the thread:

Quote:

Hey everyone, finally got online. Just a quick update while John rests a few minutes.

Thanks to our good friend Wiley in La Paz, we now have vehicle support. It is allowing us to walk without pulling the cart, which means we are walking without the burden of the 200lbs, and the danger of crossing the mountains to San Bartola/Los Barriles.

We are still walking, but the cart was killing John. Within hours of leaving La Paz John was having some serious hip and back pain, to the point of nearly stopping completely. It was horribly emotional and upsetting, to say the least. In addition to the pain, he is having issues that we will see the doctor about when we return.

However, that being said, we are both in extremely good condition in terms of physical muscle strength and endurance, and our cardio-conditioning is incredible. Not having to pull the cart in the last couple days has been a big relief to John, and his hips are only hurting a little, and sometimes not at all with Ibuprofen, although he is still having some back pain, he is able to walk further than every before.

Our goal is to push as hard as possible over the next week or so and complete this as quickly as possible, so we can get back home and John to see his doctor. Nearly everything comes with some good and some bad. No worries, though, John is already talking to me about doing it again next year, so we can do a better job of it.

Thanks again for all the support. John will give you one of his updates, when we get to either Los Barriles or San Jose.

Rachel

mexicoliving - 7-17-2012 at 02:28 PM

Thank you Admin! :spingrin:

John always does the posts, this was my 1st post

.
Rachel

goldhuntress - 7-17-2012 at 03:00 PM

Rachel and John, Sorry to hear John's having some problems and glad you've got some support now, that will make it much better for you guys. Stay strong, we're rooting for you!! 22.5 miles today as of 3:00pm PST.

DianaT - 7-17-2012 at 07:37 PM

Glad you have been able to lighten the load! It is a good thing. You are doing GREAT---

goldhuntress - 7-17-2012 at 08:15 PM

Wow!!! They went the entire way to Los Barriles, 33 miles in one day!!! That is the furthest they have walked in a single day. Congrats John and Rachel! :bounce:

Another MexicoLiving sighting!

Mulegena - 7-17-2012 at 08:19 PM

This time in beautiful San Bartolo up in the mountains.

We were driving back north from San Jose this afternoon and stopped for coffee and to buy some candied fruit-- do you know they make dulce de biznaga? That's candied barrel cactus-- its pretty good!

Anyway, I got my cafe colado and we bought some dulce and were on our way when Ricardo pointed out a guy in a big sunhat walking south through town. Sure nuff, it was John!

We flipped a U as soon as we could and caught up with him. He recognized us right away from when we met them some 10 days ago aways south of Constitution.

"Hi!Hi! Good to see you!" all around.
John looked really good and happy, listening to something on his ipod as he trucked along.

"Rachel's up the road a couple miles. We hope to make it to Los Barriles tomorrow, no problem." he said as he lifted a very cold bottle of water and smiled.

Hop in, we'll give you a ride to catch up with Rachael, we said. "Oh, no. Can't do that. Have to walk the whole way; that's the deal," smiled John.

Didn't realize they're now cart-free until I got on-line tonight in La Paz. Apparently they got separated but were aware of their locations.

More handshakes and good lucks and we were all on our way.

We noticed lots of puddles up there in the mountains and all the way down to La Paz-- rain!
They got rain and hopefully some cooling weather.

Good luck, guys.

Udo - 7-18-2012 at 07:32 AM

Wiley is one of the all-time best Nomad. Always willing to help at the drop of a hat.

Hey...thanks for the beers couple of weeks ago, Wiley!

micah202 - 7-18-2012 at 07:59 AM

...haven't checked in in a while--VERY glad to see they've lost that crazy cart

Well who would figure...

EnsenadaDr - 7-18-2012 at 11:26 AM

Didn't think there were mountains in Baja Sur or rain for that matter this time of year...cafe colado...I'll have to look that one up. Sounds like a nice place.

Quote:

Originally posted by Mulegena
This time in beautiful San Bartolo up in the mountains.

We were driving back north from San Jose this afternoon and stopped for coffee and to buy some candied fruit-- do you know they make dulce de biznaga? That's candied barrel cactus-- its pretty good!

Anyway, I got my cafe colado and we bought some dulce and were on our way when Ricardo pointed out a guy in a big sunhat walking south through town. Sure nuff, it was John!

We flipped a U as soon as we could and caught up with him. He recognized us right away from when we met them some 10 days ago aways south of Constitution.

"Hi!Hi! Good to see you!" all around.
John looked really good and happy, listening to something on his ipod as he trucked along.

"Rachel's up the road a couple miles. We hope to make it to Los Barriles tomorrow, no problem." he said as he lifted a very cold bottle of water and smiled.

Hop in, we'll give you a ride to catch up with Rachael, we said. "Oh, no. Can't do that. Have to walk the whole way; that's the deal," smiled John.

Didn't realize they're now cart-free until I got on-line tonight in La Paz. Apparently they got separated but were aware of their locations.

More handshakes and good lucks and we were all on our way.

We noticed lots of puddles up there in the mountains and all the way down to La Paz-- rain!
They got rain and hopefully some cooling weather.

Good luck, guys.

DianaT - 7-18-2012 at 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Udo
Wiley is one of the all-time best Nomad. Always willing to help at the drop of a hat.

Hey...thanks for the beers couple of weeks ago, Wiley!

Which Wiley?? One I know and he is a good guy, and the other I have not met, but he also seems like a good guy. Just curious which one?

goldhuntress - 7-18-2012 at 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DianaT

Quote:

Originally posted by Udo
Wiley is one of the all-time best Nomad. Always willing to help at the drop of a hat.

Hey...thanks for the beers couple of weeks ago, Wiley!

Which Wiley?? One I know and he is a good guy, and the other I have not met, but he also seems like a good guy. Just curious which one?

He is comitan on BN and has been a real friend to our walkers :biggrin:

https://picasaweb.google.com/111762627298877558621/BajaWalkG...

DianaT - 7-18-2012 at 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by goldhuntress

Quote:

Originally posted by DianaT

Quote:

Originally posted by Udo
Wiley is one of the all-time best Nomad. Always willing to help at the drop of a hat.

Hey...thanks for the beers couple of weeks ago, Wiley!

Which Wiley?? One I know and he is a good guy, and the other I have not met, but he also seems like a good guy. Just curious which one?

He is comitan on BN and has been a real friend to our walkers :biggrin:

https://picasaweb.google.com/111762627298877558621/BajaWalkG...

I thought so, but was not sure --- and yes, he and his wife are both really good people.

Bill Collector - 7-18-2012 at 02:04 PM

From Baja Pony Express

John and Rachael Park, The Walkers, are in Los Barriles! They arrived last evening and will be staying two nights, probably leaving Thursday on their adventure. We will have a Meet and Greet 4pm-6pm at Smokey's. Please stop by and wish them well and let's show them a real Los Barriles welcome! Also, you can sign up to walk with them for one mile for $100ps and the donation will go directly to ALMA. What an amazing couple.
=================================

dtbushpilot - 7-18-2012 at 06:44 PM

We stopped in at Smokys to see John and Rachel, they didn't remember our names but remembered Cacahuate right away. Had a nice chat and adult beverage. Congratulations on your trip so far and good luck on the rest of your journey John and Rachel......dt, jt and cacahuate

David K - 7-18-2012 at 09:19 PM

We will be taking some day trips out from La Paz, so I'll look for them... We got to Bajatripper's this afternoon.

Ken Cooke - 7-18-2012 at 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
We will be taking some day trips out from La Paz, so I'll look for them... We got to Bajatripper's this afternoon.

Sounds cool! I hope to make this trip next summer.

Mulegena - 7-18-2012 at 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by EnsenadaDr
Didn't think there were mountains in Baja Sur or rain for that matter this time of year...cafe colado...I'll have to look that one up. Sounds like a nice place.

Yes, there's gorgeous mountains just south and east of La Paz with an amazing micro-climate. I've seen the rain just pound up there which makes for green. There is a type of tree up there with large white flowers. Neither of us had ever seen it flower before-- anybody know what it is?

At this time of year all along the highway through El Triunfo you'll see people standing alongside holding out large cans filled with something. When you see them, plan to stop-- immediately! They're offering fresh pitahaya fruit-- OMGosh its GOOD!!! What a treat! $100Pesos/big tin can full of amazing cactus fruit.

Cafe Colado is not the name of a chain of Baja coffeehouses. You'll see this sign at all the little food stands as you travel along. If you're interested in a darn good cuppa ask for cafe colado. Its how the rancheros brew their morning wakeup. Its made by grinding the beans, putting the fresh grounds in a specially designed small cotton sack which is held over a cup or coffee pot; then boiling water is slowly poured through. This makes for a magical brew. As a funny aside, the ranchers refer to this as cafe talego; because of the funnel shape of the cotton bag the colado looks very much like a goat teat. If you want to raise eyebrows, walk into a loncheria and ask the waitress for cafe talego-- you'll knock 'em out!

EnsenadaDr - 7-19-2012 at 04:42 PM

Sounds wonderful...hopefully I can do more exploring when I have more time after August...

Quote:

Originally posted by Mulegena

Quote:

Originally posted by EnsenadaDr
Didn't think there were mountains in Baja Sur or rain for that matter this time of year...cafe colado...I'll have to look that one up. Sounds like a nice place.

David K - 7-20-2012 at 01:22 AM

Bummer, we drove into Los Barriles about 5 pm today, and didn't see them on the way. Maybe on Saturday if we do the Cabo loop that day???

Great job John and Rachel!!

Skipjack Joe - 7-20-2012 at 06:40 AM

They're on the road again. Started at 3AM this morning and approaching the La Ribera turnoff.

goldhuntress - 7-20-2012 at 01:16 PM

The Walkers have stopped near a residence or something for a break after walking 18.8 miles!! It's 30.7 more miles to San Jose. I'm guessing it's pretty darn hot for them today. Anybody know the temp out there today?

7/20

Skipjack Joe - 7-20-2012 at 02:14 PM

They're moving right along. I figure on 3 more days to Cabo, maybe 4, assuming they don't stop somewhere again.

bajawalk16p.jpg - 43kB

comitan - 7-20-2012 at 02:58 PM

They will be stopping in San Jose for 2 days.

comitan - 7-20-2012 at 07:00 PM

They are on the move this evening, probably trying to make it to Mira Flores, I think next day San Jose.

David K - 7-20-2012 at 09:53 PM

We should see them tomorrow

goldhuntress - 7-20-2012 at 11:46 PM

John and Rachel went 25.4 miles today and have 24 more miles to reach San Jose. Woohoo!!!

David K - 7-21-2012 at 09:06 PM

Bummer that we missed them today! I see they went as far as Santa Anita, and we even stopped there to photograph an old house that turned into a bus station.

Good luck on your walk to Cabo guys!

mexicoliving - 7-23-2012 at 06:31 PM

We made it to Cabo today. It was a rough day and for the first time in the entire trip that we actually lost one another. We are now completed with the walk will be heading to Todos Santos to visit Hogar del Ninos next.

Graham - 7-23-2012 at 08:35 PM

John and Rachel. Congratulations. San Felipe to Cabo… walking in the summer! What an accomplishment. What an example of gutsy determination.

Can only imagine what this has cost you. Hope you’re feet up and downing a few cold ones. You deserve it. Those charities and good causes can be proud of you.

Natalie Ann - 7-23-2012 at 08:36 PM

Hearty congratulations!

Nena

Skipjack Joe - 7-24-2012 at 07:50 AM

Congratulations on this major milestone. You'll remember this for the rest of your lives.

BajaGeoff - 7-24-2012 at 10:56 AM

Congratulations John and Rachel! You guys did such an amazing job!

mexicoliving - 7-24-2012 at 10:57 AM

Thank you everyone.

The last leg of our trip has changed slightly, so we are looking to see if anyone is heading north from La Paz in the next couple of days. We don't need to get all the way back to San Felipe, but Ensenada would be great.

Mulegena - 7-24-2012 at 11:22 AM

Congratulations, you two.

You've accomplished much and have my greatest respect!

Thank you both.

TMW - 7-24-2012 at 12:31 PM

Congratulations on a long and sometimes hard journey. As some would say, " A job well done."

Cypress - 7-24-2012 at 12:39 PM

Congratulations!!!

MikeYounghusband - 7-24-2012 at 01:18 PM

Congradulations, tip a cold one for me. Wish I could be there to shake your hands.

mexicoliving - 7-24-2012 at 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MikeYounghusband
Congradulations, tip a cold one for me. Wish I could be there to shake your hands.

Thank you. I'll tip several to you and Graham both...you've both been inspirations to us. We look forward to shaking your hand in the future.

russchung - 7-24-2012 at 08:02 PM

Congratulations!!!
I've followed your trip down the peninsula and learned a LOT about the road conditions along your route!

Desertbull - 7-25-2012 at 06:50 AM

Super congrats for a great charity cause!

Curt63 - 7-25-2012 at 07:26 AM

Congratulations!

I admire your determination and perseverance.

BajaGringo - 7-25-2012 at 07:47 AM

Wow - what an accomplishment!

Congratulations!!!

Skipjack Joe - 7-25-2012 at 07:49 AM

Congratulations on this major milestone.

What ever happened to the walkers?

EnsenadaDr - 8-9-2012 at 07:07 AM

I was looking for an update on the walkers and saw how they had said suddenly that they were ending their walk...I assume prematurely. Has anyone heard from either one of them and why they decided to end it or if they received any medical attention?

Skipjack Joe - 8-9-2012 at 08:27 AM

They're done walking. It looks as though there will be a book forthcoming. Below is there last update.

BAJA WALK – The Cabo Update

We are done! Yesterday we finished our walk to the end of the Baja Peninsula. The Baja Walk was a total of 74 days, and 800 miles from San Felipe to Cabo San Lucas. It was an adventure of a lifetime, filled with excitement and laughter, tears and pain; all the things that lets one know they’re alive. However, the most memorable and moving aspect the Baja Walk was all the incredible people we encountered along the way.

We will be leaving for Todos Santos tomorrow to visit Hogar del Ninos, then to La Paz to return the van to Wiley and Carol Stagg. The planned method of returning home had to be changed, as of yesterday. So at this point, we are going to post on the Baja forums, to see if any folks are heading north, that could possible provide a ride, otherwise we will be taking the bus out of La Paz. Either way, the return home will be the last leg of the Baja Walk. We expect to be home in San Felipe soon enough.

In addition, as most of you know, we have been providing periodical updates, as Internet and time were available, but they were brief and superficial and never described the emotions, or the details that made up the real adventure. Since before leaving on May 12, Rachel and I have been taking photographs, some 3000+ in all, daily video journals, in additional to our own individual written journals, where we have documented the names and places we encountered. Because of all the continued requests and suggestions, we have decided to compile all of this into a book, “The Baja Walk” to publish by December.

We would like to encourage everyone to take a moment and see how you can help or support the charities of the Baja Walk, or others your area:
· Liga MAC (Los Cabo),
· ALMA Humanitaria (Los Barriles),
· Hogar del Nino (Todos Santos),
· Volunteers for Indigent and Vulnerable Animals (San Felipe),
· Animalandia (Loreto),
· Casa de Fe Orphanage (San Felipe),
· Volunteers Without Limits (San Felipe),
· Turtle Tagging Project (Loreto),
· Children’s Help Foundation (La Paz),
· Rosarito Boys & Girls Club (Rosarito).
Thank you to everyone for making the Baja Walk possible, especially those of you that made a donation to one of the charities and the people that without whom, we would not have been able to achieve the Baja Walk, which are listed here. This list does not come close to thanking everyone, which includes the large number of people that visited us, stopped along the road to give us water, fruit, or conversation, or helped in some other manner. Thanking everyone is the scariest part of completing The Baja Walk, because we absolutely do not want to miss anyone.
· Richard and Joyce Lawrence
· Christine Wood and Lorraine “Raine” Fisher
· Gene Jensen
· Salvador and Maria Delgado
· Bruce, Karen and Scott Parkman, (Playa de Oro)
· Jackie and Marty Alameda (Baja Blues Fest)
· Lisa Maine
· Cathy Tiwald
· Aura Catalina Raducan
· Barbara Crocker
· Dick Cadger
· Alameda Yacht Club
· Terry Van Arsdale
· Nancy Olsen
· Kathy Ober
· Mas Margaritas (Guerrero Negro)
· Coco (Coco’s Corner)
· Tim Sanchez (Dirtnewz.com)
· John and Seth Beck (San Juanico)
· Hugo and Menerva (El Datil)
· Terry and Gary Marcer (San Ignacio Springs)
· Tim and Carlos Means (Baja Expeditions)
· Jerry Freer
· Wiley and Carol Stagg
· Susan Godwin
· Dave and Cheryl Dondlinger (Baja Pony Express)
· Theresa Comber (East Cape RV Resort)
· Ed and Diane McLarty (Portland Running Company)
· Cynthia Wickerink
· Chris Moyers (Smokeys Grill and Cantina)
· Graham Macintosh
· Tony Moats
· Baja Nomads
· All of our incredible sponsors, friends, family, supporters and Baja Good Life Club members.

We look forward to opportunity to share our stories, photos and videos with you all. But, for now, we are done and are first looking forward to getting home and seeing our family and dog Cai, that started the walk with us 74 days ago. We love you all, and thank all of you, from the bottom of our hearts.

David K - 8-9-2012 at 10:25 AM

Here is how Coco illustrated them:

mexicoliving - 8-19-2012 at 10:23 AM

Thanks David K. for the photos of Coco's illustration. This is wonderful!

We are back home in San Felipe, happy and rested. We will keep you all updated on our next adventures. Thank you for the continued support! Hopefully we will see everyone at the Baja Blues Fest Aug. 25th at the Rosarito Beach Hotel.

Rachel Pack :bounce:

Udo - 8-19-2012 at 04:35 PM

Felicidades, Rachel y John!

I look forward to your published presentation.

David K - 8-19-2012 at 09:25 PM

Rachel if you want the high res version of those photos let me know.

LASURFER - 12-31-2012 at 11:51 AM

Looks like there's another group doing this walk. Not sure if they have their "sh**" together as they're project seems a bit over ambitious.

www.facebook.com/WHATISWEST

Is there some sort of trend in walking Baja these days? Seems like a dumb idea to me.

EnsenadaDr - 12-31-2012 at 12:34 PM

If you think that is dumb, how did you feel about Neil Armstrong walking on the moon?

mtgoat666 - 12-31-2012 at 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by LASURFER
Looks like there's another group doing this walk. Not sure if they have their "sh**" together as they're project seems a bit over ambitious.

www.facebook.com/WHATISWEST

Is there some sort of trend in walking Baja these days? Seems like a dumb idea to me.

you got a better idea? if you do, tell us.

mexicoliving - 4-24-2015 at 03:22 PM

The Baja Walk 2012 – Looking Back

A couple of months ago, John and Rachel Pack announced they will embark on the journey of their lives called the Baja Cancer Walk 100 (find out more Facebook - Baja Walk). It is time for them to look back and share their feelings with the rest of the people who followed their progress.

Great adventures never turn out the way you expected. The rugged terrain, the harsh weather, the unexpected hardships – they all contributed to an outcome neither of them could have ever anticipated. The most astonishing occurrence was related to John’s health. Even though he had always been an avid hiker, he was caught by surprise when the injuries made by the car accident he had in his 20s came back to him. This was caused by his heavy 80 lbs. backpack which was later on replaced with a cart.

GALLERY:
San Felipe to Coco’s Corner
https://picasaweb.google.com/111762627298877558621/1BajaWalk...

Chapala to Punta Prieta
https://picasaweb.google.com/111762627298877558621/BajaWalkC...

Punta Prieta to Guerrero Negro
https://picasaweb.google.com/111762627298877558621/BajaWalkP...

Guerrero Negro to Vizcaino
https://picasaweb.google.com/111762627298877558621/BajaWalkG...

Vizcaino to San Ignacio
https://picasaweb.google.com/111762627298877558621/BajaWalkV...

El Datil to El Triunfo
https://picasaweb.google.com/111762627298877558621/BajaWalkG...

The Last 200 miles https://picasaweb.google.com/111762627298877558621/BajaWalk3

The cart helped, but it was a mixed blessing because it was hardly suitable for off-road travel or hot asphalt. The cart needed a lot of maintenance, and in time it used eleven tires and four sets of wheel bearings. Though the walkers could not have managed to finish the journey by carrying backpacks, the cart turned out to be a weak point.

Strenuous experiences usually produce many changes in one’s outlook upon life, and John and Rachel are not an exception. The walk made them understand that nothing should be taken for granted, most importantly, their very existence. In fact, nothing can summarize their new perspective better than their saying “The bad makes the good better”.

Indeed, during the entire adventure, the good and the bad traveled side by side with them. The bad – winning a battle, but never the whole war. The good – struggling to keep the bad in check and helping the hikers push forward.

The journey had many beautiful moments, and one of the highlights was the arrival to San Juanico. The local school’s children secretly prepared a warm welcoming with ovations and chants. Also, many episodes of the adventure were marked by the unconditioned generosity of Mexicans they met along the way.

The 31 miles to La Paz were by far the most arduous part of the journey. The sun, the barbed wire, and the terrain unwittingly joined forces to turn the hike into an ordeal. In the scorching heat, John and Rachel furiously questioned everything in their lives, including the Baja Walk. In the vastness of the desert, the cart seemed to be the only thing which continued to keep them attached to each other. They spent the evening on the porch of a small restaurant at Km. 35 below a large religious shrine picking up the pieces of the day.

Good or bad, the days continued to go by. As difficulties came about, they literally took them in their stride, trying to stay focused on their goals. Miraculously, they kept going against all odds, mainly because they wanted to keep their commitment to their families, friends, and the charities. The prospect of having a cold Pacifico in the next town turned out to be an exceptionally motivating factor.

Above all, the whole experience showed to John and Rachel that they can truly do everything they have in mind. Physical limitations or unfortunate events can be overcome if you have the right attitude. They also learned that together they are strong enough to achieve feats which would be unattainable if done independently. In the middle of the desert, in areas without vegetation or shade, and in 100+ temperatures, the company they offered to each other was by far the most beautiful gift in the world.
They made their first steps with some goals in mind, but the outcome was somewhat different. While they succeeded in raising awareness about many charities, Loreto was left out due to the route change. According to the original plan, Loreto was included, but in the end, this became impossible given the equipment problems and the itinerary. In addition, their dog Cai had to be sent back to San Felipe because of the unexpected difficulties of the challenge.

John and Rachel want people to bear in mind that everything was done for the charities of Baja. Their journey is an invitation to get involved as much as possible in the community in order to alleviate the suffering of the underprivileged. Of course, they understand that some people cannot travel 800 miles by foot, but there are other ways to help. Indeed, this end is a beginning in disguise because, in John’s words, “Baja is the land of adventure; we talk about it, write about it, we want to live it and experience it. The walk has given us the courage and the desire to do them all.”

SAVE THE DATE for the BAJA CANCER WALK 100: March 4 to March 10, 2016, from San Felipe to San Luis Gonzaga. Fully supported 5 day event, walking 20 off highway road miles per day with 5 nights of fun fulled camp-living. More info COMING!!!

[img]https://www.facebook.com/BajaWalk/photos/a.299462126814203.66588.275125592581190/828278177265926/?type=1&theater[/img]

BW-Day14_1.JPG - 79kB

güéribo - 4-25-2015 at 09:31 AM

Thanks for the report and the photos. A worthy cause and a cool journey of self-discovery.

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