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After six more days of riding, we completed our Baja Divide tour, Mulegé-La Paz. Memories: reaching asphalt just in time for our entry into Ciudad Constitucion, avoiding the mud but arriving at our hotel sopping wet; the beauty and solitude of the Sierra de Giganta; making camp in the evening with our deluxe chairs, sleeping pads, pillows, and cookstove; cresting the last ravine to see the Sea of Cortez and a 1800 foot descent; meeting Dang and trading bike touring stories; our own private campsites along the coast; beating the rain into La Paz and later walking through the flooded streets; receiving the email in a VIPs restaurant in La Paz, telling me I received the NYC Loft Director position. I’m already planning to come back and ride the complete Baja Divide. I’ll give myself 2 months—FYI, the record is eleven days. I really enjoyed the technical aspects of this type of touring. Very little traffic and good distance from the tourist industry. The required mental processes in technical riding help quite my monkey mind and I was surprised by my courage in descending the ravines, especially in consideration that I began the tour with a knee injury from skiing. My younger self would be pleased by what 55 year-old me can accomplish. Most of all, I enjoyed being here with John. We had so much fun and it was a constant joy to be here with my special person. As we get older, I cherish our good fortune to have our health and one another. It’s a cycle: gratitude adds to my happiness, my happiness adds to my gratitude.
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Ten days into our Baja Divide tour. It has been quite an adventure. To begin the story... the bus ride to Mulege. Our poor bikes, they were tossed in with the cargo below the bus. Good things—our bikes no longer looked new and we gained more experience in bicycle repair (like adjusting deraileurs).
Next morning we caught a boat ride across Bahia Concepcion with Pablo and his son. First day riding kicked out butts! Some single track, thorns (the miracle of tubeless tires saved the day), and learning to use our new GPS devices and apps. We are having to readjust our expectations for miles ride in a day, 30 miles is quite respectable, 45 miles is a very good day. Sometimes I worry during the night about sufficient food and water but the days are spent in wonder at the solitude, beauty, and fun. It is tough going but so very rewarding to test ourselves, build our cycling skills, and regain some muscle after a rather sluggish semester behind a desk. Heading out again today after three days rest in Ciudad Constitucion. Our plan is to ride 6-8 hours a day, enjoy all this food we are carrying, and absorb all the wonderfulness surrounding us. Days of happiness and calmness, so much gratitude for these opportunities. |
