Left Omar at 7 am from Mulege up the coast through Santa Rosalia and drove through San Ignacio to Guerrero Nero which is famous for the whales giving birth.
Was running a little late for my planned trip so could not go on a whale tour so pushed ahead. The next stage is 140 miles of dirt and I was a little concerned if I got a puncture but then it dawned on me I didn't have a pump, so didn't know what to do, be smart and stick on the asphalt or take the dirt road that Baja Bob recommended .
I could not resist missing this trail so rolled the dice and took the dirt road. The trail has no signs off the highway but I kind of thought I found it according to my map, so off I went hoping I was on the right road to El Arco. I thought Baja Bob liked me but apparently he must have thought I could ride like his son or something. The soft sand was a serious challenge for me and I could not let any air out of my tires , I was almost bucked off several times and was just damn lucky I didn't go overboard. When it wasn't sand the red dirt was rocky and Bob had warned me about cutting the sidewall of my tires on that road , and I could see why but that was not an option for me.
The scenery was spectacular and just nothing out there and had to stop thinking of what if.... and concentrate on the road. It was the right road cause I got into El Arco where I enquired about where I was and where to go ? Then the chap told me I would be falling in the thick sand on some stretches which was very comforting to know . Fought the sand and won luckily, not skillfully. The road was real knurly in some sections but a lot of fun. I was coming down one pass and there was a guy coming up in a 18 wheeler flatbed , I couldn't believe my eyes that he could even make it through there.
Came across a ranch in El Progresso where I got some more directions and headed to San Rafael. Arrived there at five but much to my bewilderment there was just one shack there overlooking the beach and nothing else.
Was greeted by a friendly dog and then Poncho came out to investigate and I asked him if I was in the right place which he confirmed. I told him my dilemma and he offered me a place to sleep outside under an awning which was perfect. He made me some coffee which was truly appreciated as I had not drunk anything since leaving Guerrero Nergro . I assembled my cot and got organized for the long night ahead , I had no food with me except some cereal which I gave him but he offered me some food which I declined but he insisted. I was starved and the meal he prepared was the best canned food have ever eaten.
I retired to bed at 7 pm and it was a long night cause I layer awake for hours freezing my ass off huddled in the fetal position with my riding jacket over me.
Excellent travel advice and service
This is my second experience working with Adventure Life. I’m sold. Jess Heuermann is an experienced traveler and provides a lot of useful information when planning a trip. These are the questions I like to ask at the outset - What’s it like to go here, there, what would you suggest, what do people report, can we add any additional side trips? Jess took the time to answer my questions and seek additional information to share with me. Petchie Colina is outstanding in helping with travel logistics and final preparations. Adventure Life has excellent guides and offers private guides and small group adventures. We enjoyed the opportunity to talk with the guides and drivers to learn more about their countries, cultures and histories. A highlight was having the guides pick local restaurants where we could share meals together. Highly recommend.
Claire Cordon
5 days ago
Our six-day tour in Iceland went smoothly with one exception. We had asked for two rooms each night. Somehow we were booked with one room with three beds. It could not be fixed at the first hotel in Reykjavik because the hotel was fully booked. Once informed of the problem, however, Adventure Life rebooked for two rooms for the remainder of the trip. As an 85-year-old traveler, I appreciated that one could participate at different physical levels at many of the stops. Iceland is a great place to visit but on the expensive side.
Mary Warren
6 days ago
Jess was very easy going and answered all our questions. It’s not easy dealing with 6 people at once but she did an outstanding job!
Diane Foster
1 week ago
Kassandra and the Adventure Life team have been incredible! Kassandra was very knowledgeable and attentive to our asks while making sure we kept within our budget. This was our first experience with a travel agent and we were blown away by the booking/initial exploration service. We will use Adventure Life again.