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Biking La Paz, Mexico to Mazatlán, Mexico 2018
Day 0, Saturday,
June 23, 2018
Marty and I walked to the max station (max is Portland Public transit system) and took the train to the airport. She said she was not taking her work badge with her free max pass, I told her I would take mine if I got a free pass. I bought her a max ticket and then found out she listened to me and had her badge for the free pass. Oh well, I guess I should have asked before buying her a max ticket. The flight to La Paz went smooth all the way through. The only problem we had was we bought food to eat on the airplane in Los Angeles and did not eat it before arriving in Mexico City. The food had cooked vegetables and we were not allowed to bring vegetables into Mexico, so they took our food (we did not get to eat any of the food).
(daily bike miles 0 miles; total bike miles 0 miles)
Day 1, Sunday,
June 24, 2018
We had to sleep at the airport in Mexico City. We both slept for the entire flight from Mexico City to La Paz. When we arrived in La Paz we took a taxi to our hotel. We walked around to figure out the Baja ferry. Then I cycled to the Baja ferry terminal and then back to where I had biked in 2003 on Highway 1. Then I took a nap and then Marty and I walked the water front. I did not start my GPS track until 9 miles into my day (the trip miles were reset prior to starting track). (About 14.8 American Journey miles - Baja Ferries Pichilingue, Baja California Sur, Mexico to Cola de ballena, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico) (Daily miles 39.37 miles; Total bike miles 39.37 miles)
Day 2, Monday, June 25, 2018
We woke up at 7:00 AM and had the hotel included breakfast and then walked to the Baja ferry ticket office and bought tickets for the Wednesday ferry to Topolobampo . Then we walked to a couple of the La Paz churches and then walked back to our hotel and finished packing. Then we walked to the bus terminal and took the bus to Cabo San Lucas. Once in Cabo we started walking towards the city bus stop. We tried finding a bus to the city center of Cabo San Lucas while pushing our big suit cases, the buses where packed and we did not know which bus to take. We then deiced to walk the 1.5 miles to the hotel. It looked difficult, then Marty waved down a taxi that we took to our hotel. It was the right way to go. We checked into the hotel and then walked to the pier to take a boat ride to the Arch of Cabo San Lucas. We bought our tickets and thought we were also going to lover’s beach, but the boats were not stopping at the beach on this day, the waves were too big. Then we went back to town and walked the water front to the beach were we went swimming. Next we went back to the hotel and changed out of our wet clothes. Then we walked back along the water front and then to a restaurant to eat dinner. Then we walked back to the hotel to watch TV. We relaxed in the air conditioned room and went to sleep about midnight. ( Daily miles 0 ; Total bike miles 39.37 miles )
Day 3, Tuesday,
June 26, 2018
We woke up at about 7:00 AM and had our hotel included breakfast. Then we walked the water front and Marty bought a sea shell. Then we went back to our hotel, packed our stuff and took a taxi to the bus terminal. Then we took a bus to Todos Santos and walked around town until about 5:00 PM. I then assembled my bike and went for a 17 mile bike ride. I spent time trying to get to the beach, but never made it there. I missed the turn down a dirt road and ended up paralleling the beach on the wrong dirt roads (with homes between me and the beach). Then I cycled towards Cabo San Lucas (only went a few miles south of Todos Santos) and then back to our hotel in Todos Santos . We went to dinner at the Hotel California. That night I spent a lot of time using Orbitz.com setting up the hotels for the remainder of our trip and went to sleep around midnight. (Daily miles 17.74 ; Total bike miles 57.11 miles)
Day 4, Wednesday,
June 27, 2018
We woke up at 7:00 AM and finished packing, then we walked to the bus station. We were about 45 minutes early and walked to the Hotel California and then bought groceries. Then we took the 9:00 AM bus to La Paz. We arrived in La Paz around 10:30 AM and took the noon bus to the Baja ferry Terminal. We wanted to store our luggage and walk around, but the lady watching luggage at the bus terminal said she could not watch our stuff. So we walked the waterfront pulling our luggage. The bus to the ferry terminal was quick and once there we had to wait for about an hour before they let us load the boat. The boat left for Topolobampo at about 2:30 PM. It was a long and fun boat ride (it took about 7 hours). We arrived in Topolobampo around 9:00 PM and took a taxi to the hotel. We went to a store at 10:00 PM and to sleep around midnight. (About 131 American Journey miles - Baja Ferries Pichilingue, Baja California Sur, Mexico to Topolobampo, Sinaloa, Mexico) (Daily miles 0 ; Total bike miles 57.11 miles)
Day 5, Thursday,
June 28, 2018
I woke at about 4:30 AM with a stomach ache I sat on the toilet and then took an ant- diarrhea pill. I permanently woke up at about 5:45 AM, used the toilet again and then my tummy was fine. I got my bike ready for a long ride (I was mostly ready the night before). I left the hotel by 6:30 AM and cycled to the ferry terminal and then to Guamúchil, the ride was flat and easy. A little hot out (about 95 F), but not too bad. When I arrived in Guamúchil, I asked at a hotel where the bus terminal was, they told me 2 kilometers down the road. I easily found the bus terminal and asked about a bus to Mazatlán, the bus was loading and about to depart. I asked about taking a bike and the bus driver agreed. I quickly unlatched stuff connected to my bike and loaded it onto the bus. The bus was moving with me on it in less than 5 minutes since I arrived at the bus terminal. It was a nice 4 hour bus ride to Mazatlán . Then I took a taxi to the motel, where Marty had already checked in. She had taken the bus from Topolobampo to Mazatlán while I was cycling. Then we went out to dinner and I became overfilled again. I really did not want to go out to dinner. Marty was hungry and waiting for me. We walked for a while and then went to sleep around midnight. (About 80.81 American Journey miles - Topolobampo, Sinaloa, Mexico to Guamúchil , Sinaloa, Mexico) (Daily miles 80.81 ; Total bike miles 137.92 miles)
Day 6, Friday, June 29, 2018
We woke up at 6:30 AM and I started cycling at about 7:00 AM. I cycled to the city center’s old town, followed the water front and then cycled toward the airport. The airport was about 13 miles from our hotel, I only went a couple miles out of town before turning back. Then I checked out a couple of the sites and returned to the hotel to get Marty. Then we waited for the bus. We ended up taking a taxi, at first a guy said 50 pesos for the taxi (we wanted to take the bus) and Marty said no. Then the taxi guy went down to 20 Pesos and she still said no. We waited for the bus and no bus showed up, then a second taxi came along and he wanted to charge 80 pesos each. Marty got him down to 70 pesos. Then we told him we actually wanted to go to the lighthouse hike, then he charged us another 35 pesos and took us to the city center. He was a rip off. I guess it was only 5 USD, not too bad, just could have been as low as 2 USD. We decided to do the city stuff. We went to the Anthropology museum, market and cathedral in the Mazatlán historic area. T hen we took a taxi to El Faro Lighthouse trail head for a hike. We did the hike and then took a bus back to the city center. It was a 70 pesos bus, there is 11-peso bus but not from the lighthouse (or we could not find it). I guess we did not do a great job with low cost transportation. We bought a lot of souvenirs and walked back to the hotel. (Daily miles 23.51 ; Total bike miles 161.43 miles)
Day 7, Saturday,
June 30, 2018
I woke up at 6:00 AM and biked north following the coastal road until it ended in about 8 miles. Then I biked back and did a little extra millage to get 17 miles for the day. Then Marty and I went on the King David Island tour. The tour was fun we went horse back riding and then on a banana boat ride. When we ate lunch I paid the mariachis guys to sing happy birthday to Marty in Spanish. Since everyone heard them sing happy birthday to Marty, when we boarded the boat back to Mazatlán the person running the tour had everyone in the boat sing happy birthday to Marty. Then we went back to the hotel, took a break and then walked around. It was Marty’s birthday, so I took out for a birthday dinner. (Daily miles 17.1 ; Total bike miles 178.53 miles)
Day 8, Sunday,
July 1, 2018
I woke up at 6:00 AM and started biking from the hotel at about 6:30 AM. I cycled to the bull fighting ring and then back to the water front. I was cycling along the waterfront and saw several people on the beach with police watching them from the waterfront sidewalk. I went to see what was going on and saw over 100 baby turtles on the beach headed towards the water. One man was digging a hole. I think the turtles were coming out of the hole. I believe it was a turtle nest on the main beach in the center waterfront of Mazatlán. I was surprised the police were watching and people were picking up the sea turtles. The people then picked up all the remaining baby turtles on the beach and placed them into the sea. The turtles all swam away, I hope they survived. Then I cycled to old town and most of the way back to the hotel, then I returned to old town (to get more bike miles – I wanted to end my trip with cycling over 200 miles in Mexico). I cycled back to the hotel to finish packing. I started by packed my bike into the suit case and then finished packing my other stuff for the flight back to Portland. Then we checked out of the hotel and had them hold our luggage so we could spend more time in town (our flight was not due to leave Mazatlán until after 6:00 PM). We took the cheap bus (11 pesos) to the old town market in the city central and bought more souvenirs. Then we went back to the hotel and caught a taxi to the airport. Our flight left at about 6:30 PM to Mexico City. (Daily miles 24.09; Total bike miles 202.62 miles)
Day 9, Monday,
July 2, 2018
We slept at the Mexico City Airport, common area (not allowed in secure area until after 3:00 AM). At about 3:30 AM the airport police said sleeping time was over and we had to wake up. Then we checked in for our flight and paid the luggage fees. Then we went through security and I bought a bottle of tequila. We went to board the airplane and they would not allow us on the plane without paying our export fee. Somehow we made it through security without anyone checking to make sure we had the proper paperwork. Marty and I ran through the airport trying to quickly get the export tax paid and required paperwork to board the plane. We ended out having to go out of the secure area and paying the tax, they only took Mexican Peso, so we had to find a place to quickly exchange money. It was slow, we should have used an ATM. After getting money we paid the export tax. One guy was cussing out the Mexican immigration due to his difficulty getting out of the country. Then we went back through security. I was stopped at the security check point and they took the bottle of tequila I had just bought on the secure side at the duty-free shopping. I completely forgot I had put the bottle in my backpack. I had the receipt to show I had just purchased the tequila at the duty free store, but they would not let me take it back to the secure area, so I told them to keep the bottle of tequila. Then Marty and I ran back to our plane and they had just departed. They quickly got us on a new flight and we were able to catch our correct flight home from Los Angeles to Portland, Oregon. We had some time at the Mexico City Airport, so I bought another bottle of tequila. Once in Los Angeles we had to recheck out luggage and leave the security area. Before rechecking my bags I put the bottle of tequila in my checked bags. The tequila did make it home and it probably would have been taken from me if I had not put it in my checked bag. Once back in Portland we took the max home and ended our journey at about 7:30 PM at my house. Marty went back to her place and I started unpacking and getting ready for my trip to Mason Lake to see my brother and his family for the 4 th of July. I also did some cycled around for 17 miles. I went to sleep at around 11:45 PM. (Daily miles 0 trip miles; Total trip bike miles 202.62 miles; The 17 miles I cycled in Portland does not count for trip miles, it was after I returned home.)
Day 10, Tuesday, July 2, 2018
I woke up at about 7:00 AM and cycled to McDonalds for breakfast. I then packed up stuff to go my brother’s Lake house, at Mason Lake in the Olympic peninsula. Then I did some more cycling. Marty showed up at about 11:30 AM and we loaded our cars and she followed me up to my brother’s lake house. We took 2 cars because Marty had to head back to Portland earlier than I needed to head back. We had to get supplies and did not arrive at my brother’s place until around 4:00 PM. The original plan was to arrive at 2:30 PM, I guess we just had too much stuff to do. We did make it up there before Jay and did help get things ready for dinner. Dave and Ellen cooked lots of food including Steak and Salmon. They had about 15 people in all for dinner. I gave Ellen the bottle of tequila I brought back from Mexico to make margaritas. We played cards until about midnight.