Oct 26 – Safe and sound in Loreto

Two more days on the road… We didn’t check in yesterday as timing and connectivity got in the way, but we did manage to meet our goal of arriving in St. Ignacio in time for a cold beer and dinner.  The drive was long but the roads were quite good.  In fact the highways have been much improved since our journey six months ago and, while the kilometres ticked by, we filled the time with word games, driving music, laughter, sight-seeing and taking photos out an open window in a speeding truck….  Oh yeah, we’re also watching out for the many large (huge) trucks filling the road and driving over twice the speed limit (seems that’s about the norm for the locals… we’re about half way there… speeding that is – to do the speed limit would be certain folly as we’d get in the way of everyone. During yesterdays trek we also passed from the northern half of the Baja into the southern portion.  We crossed a checkpoint and, although I’m much more relaxed at checkpoints… now that I’m less afraid of getting arrested for not understanding the language and/or having to unpack the entire truck while soldiers search for whatever contraband they might find… I did make one little error at this particular checkpoint.  You see it was a checkpoint where they were inspecting for fruits and vegetables and after assuring the guard we had none, I heard him mutter something quickly but only caught part of it….  I so wish I’d been listening more carefully (but I wasn’t because I don’t speak Spanish)… if I had, I’d have heard him say in perfectly fine English….”close your window”  AND… if I’d heard him say those three little words in perfect English… I’d have closed my window instead of driving over the insecticide spray belt with my window wide open and my mouth open too as I was speaking to Kathy….  oops !!!  No flies on me !!
Today’s drive went well.  We left St. Ignacio quite early and drove an almost perfect highway (brand new with brand new bridges too) all the way to Loreto.  We stopped at El Burro (a beach in Bahia Conception) to say hi to Geary (one of the weather forecasters in the area) but he wasn’t home so we left a message and carried on. One thing I haven’t mentioned is that, as a result of Hurricane Paul, and the torrential rainfalls that hit this whole area over the past couple of weeks, there have been many significant washouts of both the highways (at the many arroyos that cross the road) and local homes and villages in the path of the walls of water hammering down to the sea.  We’ve heard of several folks who lost their entire home and belongings and we’ve seen first hand the devastation left after the water has passed. BUT, we’ve also seen the green….  oh the green of the desert is beautiful.  We’re told that the last few years have actually been droughts and the green is normal (particularly around Loreto). But to see the green grasses, shrubs and plants as well as the flowering cacti everywhere… well, it’s pretty darn gorgeous.
Anyway, we’re here now in Loreto at the wonderful El Tiburon Casitas.  This time we were met by Liz the owner, Lucy the wonder dog who did not ‘eat’ Sophie last spring… and a second wonder dog Sarena (sp?) who is a 9 month old rescued female dog off the street… and she’s like a mini-me of Lucy….  And, just like last time…  Sophie was set out off leash with the other two… and after only a little lip-lifting with the puppy, we now have a ‘pack of three’.  Can you believe  it?  For those of you who haven’t met the divine Miss Sophie… she is a wonder dog herself… she’s fabulous on the boat, loves being with her people, will do anything…really anything…  asked of her…  she rides wheel barrows, bicycles and she loves going down slides….  and she bows and spins and twirls….  She even p…s  and p…s on a mat on the boat !!!  The only thing she doesn’t  do is get along with other dogs.. And, as she ages… she seems to be getting worse… Except here, at El Tiburon… where, last April, Lucy explained to her about how to get along…and they do.
So, we’re here for tonight and tomorrow and tomorrow night.  This is our little oasis of paradise and a place we chose to hang out and recoup from our drive down… when we leave here we’ll be in La Paz the same day and heading down to the good ship Shannon to begin her prep for returning to the water.  Oh yes, there may be one slight problem.  Apparently the roads south of there…. that’d be the highway between here and La Paz… were still closed due to the washouts as of yesterday… so we’ll just have to wait and see what they say tomorrow… who knows, maybe we’ll be ‘stuck’ here and have to spend another day or two floating on the floatie chairs in the pool, sipping cool wine under the palapa, and going for walks along the malecon and…. oh darn… wouldn’t that be awful .. :-)
Well, good friends… that’s it for now… hope all is well with all of you….  we keep you with us, in our thoughts and our hearts….  adios for now… CJ

Green Baja after Hurricane Paul’s torrential rains

Devastation at Mulage caused by rampaging floodwaters

After 2000 miles – we get our first glimpse of the Sea of Cortez

Finally, a beach - at Sanispac (Bahia Conception). …. Sophie is happy

Hey, MJ & Leona – how does this look for dry camping?
(Baja Style)