Until this point I did not understand the meaning of desert or challenge. The last 4 days have been the hardest yet. After Ensenada starts the desert. Currently temperatures are as high as 87F and the humidity is zero. We have travelled across some vast deserts lined with tall pitch fork-like cactus. Our Alaskan skin has been shocked with the suns rays and is now turning a beautiful brown.
We had a quick stop over in Guerrero Negro after the first desert. We rolled in at about 5pm. After just two days I felt like something more like a week had passed. We checked into the cheapest hotel we could find and the priority was obvious. Shower time. Water has never felt so soothing. I worshiped every minute we were indoors out of the direct sunlight. The next day we slept and gave our bikes much needed maintenance. It was what we needed to get our tank back to full. Somehow though, the desert acted as a time warp because it was Sunday and I was certain it was only Friday.
Yesterday was the toughest though. We left Guerrero Negro, MX at 7am and decided we could make it 150km throught the desert to the Oasis of San Ignacio. Bad idea but rewarding nonetheless. After having lunch at the half way marker the sun was high in the sky. It was hard to get going but we did. Along with another cyclist Fausto who we met that morning we gave it all we had for 20km. We had no shade and the water in our bottles could have easily brewed a cup of tea. I had a head ache probably from dehydration and we still had 60km to go. We pulled off the road and sloppily made our way some some bushes. I found a small bridge underwhich I sought refuge from the firey sun. We slept for almost 1 and half hours and decided to head on.
As it turns out and this is true most of the time. We still had a long way to go and a few hill climbs to make. By 6pm with desert stil spread out as far as we could see after the hill I thought was the last I was nearly ready to throw up. Oki kicked on with his very clever bandana tucked under his helmet and hipster orange sunnies leading the way. Fausto was out in front since he has about half as much gear as we do. The sun was setting but it was still furiously hot. I know my riding was getting sloppy (this happens when im on my last leg). After two m ore hills and talking myself out of quitting we FINALLY rolled through the military checkpoint and into San Ignacio. San Ignacio is a natural Oasis fed by springs. Upon arrival at our campsite we dove into the water and met two more cyclists who had done the same route earlier in the day along with two hitch hikers. Here is the view from our campsite .
Victory! Succes!
After a swim the team of now 5 cyclist went out to the shops for food and beer. We returned and spent the night around a fire beneath a clear sky spattered with stars and the full moon. At the end of each day in the desert the Great Dipper serves as a sweet reminder that everything will be ok and someone is watching over us. Thank you for your comments, thoughts and prayers. Pictures to come soon.
Recent Photos
Desert Chellenges Us
Until this point I did not understand the meaning of desert or challenge. The last 4 days have been the hardest yet. After Ensenada starts the desert. Currently temperatures are as high as 87F and the humidity is zero. We have travelled across some vast deserts lined with tall pitch fork-like cactus. Our Alaskan skin has been shocked with the suns rays and is now turning a beautiful brown.
We had a quick stop over in Guerrero Negro after the first desert. We rolled in at about 5pm. After just two days I felt like something more like a week had passed. We checked into the cheapest hotel we could find and the priority was obvious. Shower time. Water has never felt so soothing. I worshiped every minute we were indoors out of the direct sunlight. The next day we slept and gave our bikes much needed maintenance. It was what we needed to get our tank back to full. Somehow though, the desert acted as a time warp because it was Sunday and I was certain it was only Friday.
Yesterday was the toughest though. We left Guerrero Negro, MX at 7am and decided we could make it 150km throught the desert to the Oasis of San Ignacio. Bad idea but rewarding nonetheless. After having lunch at the half way marker the sun was high in the sky. It was hard to get going but we did. Along with another cyclist Fausto who we met that morning we gave it all we had for 20km. We had no shade and the water in our bottles could have easily brewed a cup of tea. I had a head ache probably from dehydration and we still had 60km to go. We pulled off the road and sloppily made our way some some bushes. I found a small bridge underwhich I sought refuge from the firey sun. We slept for almost 1 and half hours and decided to head on.
As it turns out and this is true most of the time. We still had a long way to go and a few hill climbs to make. By 6pm with desert stil spread out as far as we could see after the hill I thought was the last I was nearly ready to throw up. Oki kicked on with his very clever bandana tucked under his helmet and hipster orange sunnies leading the way. Fausto was out in front since he has about half as much gear as we do. The sun was setting but it was still furiously hot. I know my riding was getting sloppy (this happens when im on my last leg). After two m ore hills and talking myself out of quitting we FINALLY rolled through the military checkpoint and into San Ignacio. San Ignacio is a natural Oasis fed by springs. Upon arrival at our campsite we dove into the water and met two more cyclists who had done the same route earlier in the day along with two hitch hikers. Here is the view from our campsite
.
Victory! Succes!
After a swim the team of now 5 cyclist went out to the shops for food and beer. We returned and spent the night around a fire beneath a clear sky spattered with stars and the full moon. At the end of each day in the desert the Great Dipper serves as a sweet reminder that everything will be ok and someone is watching over us. Thank you for your comments, thoughts and prayers. Pictures to come soon.