Thank you everyone for the happy birthday wishes, much appreciated. Here is a little update. Tomorrow we begin again.
We left San Ignacio Lagoon in the early morning and the first day on mud flats was easy going and very little mud, more like a highway of mud, smooth
and flat. Finding a place to camp was difficult, but we did find a place behind a sand dune, next to a dry lakebed, it was nice, quiet and out of view
of the “road”. The second day was exactly the same, with the only real problem being the choices of roads, literally every few hundred feet we would
be offered a choice of 2 or 3 roads, or path choices. We only made a wrong choice once, somewhere near “no town”. We figured it out quickly enough,
turned around, and got back on track. On the second day, we made it to El Datil. We spend the night with Minerva and Hugo, camped on the porch of
their tienda. These were two extremely nice people, so much so, we have made plans to come stay with them again at their home for a couple of weeks,
so Hugo can teach me to be a panga fisherman. Photos on the porch: https://picasaweb.google.com/111762627298877558621/BajaWalkG...
During our visit in El Datil, our new friends Tim Sanchez the “Desert Bull”, and John and Seth Beck showed up after spending the day searching for us.
They came walking in just as we were showing photos of them and the day we met south of San Ignacio. YouTube video of their search for us: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQVelurCUps
The next two days were by far the toughest we had encounter to date. There was a stretch of road that we had to pull threw of soft sand up to the
axles. It was brutal. We had to camp in view of the road, but there was little traffic. The road was rough and rocky and made pulling the wagon
difficult, but we made good time and good distance. The next day was a race to San Juanico and one of the hardest days because of the rocky road and
the non-stop hills to climb.
About 6 miles from San Juanico, Tim, John, and Seth showed up again to check on us, and to let us know they were just about to BBQ. Of course, we said
we wanted to continue and we see them around 10PM, however, by the time they had turned the truck around we changed our minds, so we marked the road
with a stack of rocks and went into town. We enjoyed a great evening of conversation along with hotlinks on the barbeque and lots of great veggies,
not to mention the hot shower, cold beer, ceramic toilet, and comfortable bed.
The next morning they took us to breakfast at El Burro Restaurant and drove us back out to the rocks on the road, so that we could finish the
remaining miles to town. When we made it into town, we were walking to center of town on the only paved road, when we looked ahead and noticed school
kids pouring out of the school into the street. Rachel and I crossed to the opposite side of the street to avoid the activity. However, moments later
a woman crossed over to us and asked us to come back to the other side, so we did. It was at that moment we realized all the children from the school
were lining both sides of the street and they were there for us. We walked the gauntlet as the children cheered and sang for us. It was a very moving
experience and made everything we’ve done worthwhile.
That night, they had a special Mexican birthday dinner prepared especially for us by a wonderful woman in town named Secarro; we had dinner on her
patio, and then returned to John Becks home, for c-cktails and more conversation. The biggest surprise was when John came out with a chocolate cake he
had baked for my birthday, adorned with burning wooden matchsticks, since there were candles to be found in town. It was the first cake he had ever
baked and it was fantastic.
Apparently, while Rachel and I were out walking they had planned all of this and not only the dinner and cake, but also they rebuilt the wagon with
new barring washers, grease, and spacers and made it better than it has been since we first began using it.
Today, they took us to the beach. Seth gave me a board and we sent the morning surfing. Well, Seth surfed, while I made many attempts, and got some
good rides, but don’t know if I would have called it surfing. I surfed as a kid, but apparently, surfing is not like riding a bike.
We are rested, happy, and ready to start walking. Tomorrow morning we will be leaving bright and early, pulling our rebuilt wagon with restocked
supplies. We expect it will take about 5 days to reach Insurentes and two weeks to reach La Paz.
John and Rachel (((HUGS))) from us! Good to hear your in such good spirits. When I heard about your welcome in San Juanico it brought tears to my
eyes, what an honor after all you've been through. Happy travels, your both amazing.
The next two days were by far the toughest we had encounter to date. There was a stretch of road that we had to pull threw of soft sand up to the
axles. It was brutal. We had to camp in view of the road, but there was little traffic. The road was rough and rocky and made pulling the wagon
difficult, but we made good time and good distance.
I, too, thought that section would be hard. But when I saw the progress you were making real-time through the spot checker I decided that google maps
must've made it worse than it actually was. That was a remarkable bit of hiking with that cart. Perhaps the tires didn't sink in as deep as expected.
Or you found firmer ground on the sides of the road.
It should be easy(ier) from here on. The Mag Plain, as I recall, is fairly firm and pretty flat.
I had a nice chat with John yesterday....he was so amazed by the hospitality provided by DB and the Beck's...especially the homemade birthday cake! He
seemed rejuvenated and ready for the next leg of the trip....
Good day. There has been a lady who made birthday cakes for my son the last 5 years we went to San Juanico. His birthday always falls when we do our
annual trip (not this year tho- work is kicking).
On the Malecon, furthest house south before Juan y Juans if I remember correctly. The cakes were awesome.
John and Rachel got started at 7:30 this morning and have gone 3.5 miles. I noticed on the map that the road they are on comes to an abrupt end. Is it
finished now? That road must be fairly new because google maps will not follow it, it wants to use the dirt one above it. I'm mapping the mileage
thru here on http://www.mapmyrun.com with the "follow road" turned off and manually drawing the route instead of using gps coordinates.
Originally posted by goldhuntress
John and Rachel got started at 7:30 this morning and have gone 3.5 miles. I noticed on the map that the road they are on comes to an abrupt end. Is it
finished now? That road must be fairly new because google maps will not follow it, it wants to use the dirt one above it. I'm mapping the mileage
thru here on http://www.mapmyrun.com with the "follow road" turned off and manually drawing the route instead of using gps coordinates.
Zoom in on Spot (or Google) and you will see they are on the newer paved road to Las Barrancas (and on south). The sat. view isn't new enough to show
the pavement reaching Las Barrancas.
Originally posted by goldhuntress
John and Rachel got started at 7:30 this morning and have gone 3.5 miles. I noticed on the map that the road they are on comes to an abrupt end. Is it
finished now? That road must be fairly new because google maps will not follow it, it wants to use the dirt one above it. I'm mapping the mileage
thru here on http://www.mapmyrun.com with the "follow road" turned off and manually drawing the route instead of using gps coordinates.
Zoom in on Spot (or Google) and you will see they are on the newer paved road to Las Barrancas (and on south). The sat. view isn't new enough to show
the pavement reaching Las Barrancas.
[Edited on 6-28-2012 by David K]
Yes I know they are on the newer paved. It's just so new that if you put the gps coordinates in to get the mileage it will only use the old road for
the driving/walking directions and that takes it way off the route they took. Glad to know it's finished.
The Walkers just did a check in and have gone 8 miles so far today. Wonder if this is it for the day or if it's a break until later. Maybe it's gotten
hot today.
Originally posted by ateo
Good day. There has been a lady who made birthday cakes for my son the last 5 years we went to San Juanico. His birthday always falls when we do our
annual trip (not this year tho- work is kicking).
On the Malecon, furthest house south before Juan y Juans if I remember correctly. The cakes were awesome.
When we found out it was Baja Walk John's birthday we scoured the tiendas for a box cake and some frosting spread...dunno how long it was on the shelf
but John Beck said well this will be my first ever cake baking....let alone on a propane oven...we laughed and I said its all you baby! He NAILED it!
Candles=wooden match sticks .... Chocolate can frosting...
Today John and Rachel walked 14 miles They are a little over a mile from Las Barrancas, 6.5 miles from 53 and 61.8 miles from Insurgentes, at the
intersection of 53/ Mexico 1. From there it's 146 miles to La Paz!
"If it were lush and rich, one could understand the pull, but it is fierce and hostile and sullen.
The stone mountains pile up to the sky and there is little fresh water. But we know we must go back
if we live, and we don't know why." - Steinbeck, Log from the Sea of Cortez
"People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." - Theodore Roosevelt
"You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them or to them." - Malcolm Forbes
"Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others
cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else's hands, but not you." - Jim Rohn
"The best way to get the right answer on the internet is not to ask a question; it's to post the wrong answer." - Cunningham's Law
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