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Mexico

In December 2017, I shipped my Yamaha XT225 to San Diego, CA. My plan was to ride south through the Baja all the way to La Paz and back, storing the XT in San Diego until the next summer when I would ride it north to Seattle along the Pacific Coast Highway. In reality, I ended up riding as far south as Bahia de Concepcion in Baja Sur, after which I turned around and went back up north.

 

ROUTE: San Diego ->Ensenada -> Catavina -> Guerrero Negro -> San Ignacio -> Mulege -> San Ignacio -> Guerrero Negro -> Santa Rosalilitta -> Bufeo -> San Felipe -> Tecate -> San Diego
TOTAL DISTANCE COVERED: ~1300 miles
TOTAL TIME TAKEN: 2 weeks
MOTORCYCLE: 2006 Yamaha XT225
ROUTE: Google Maps link
PHOTOS: Link to Flickr Album

 

PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS

 

DAY 1 – SAN DIEGO TO ENSENADA

 

With Andrea and Ashlee in Ensenada, at the Bufadora!

With Andrea and Ashlee in Ensenada, at the Bufadora!

 

DAY 2 -ENSENADA TO MIDDLE OF NOWHERE

We camped by the side of the road on the way to a pine forest because we ran out of daylight.

We camped by the side of the road on the way to a pine forest because we ran out of daylight.

 

Camping in the desert was cold.

Camping in the desert was cold.

 

DAY 3 – MIDDLE OF NOWHERE TO CATAVINA

Riding through a mindbogglingly amazing landscape consisting of HUGE cacti and HUGE boulders.

Riding through a mindbogglingly amazing landscape consisting of HUGE cacti and HUGE boulders.

 

Did I mention the cacti were HUGE?

Did I mention the cacti were HUGE?

 

Some places, you buy petrol from a guy in the back of a truck.

Some places, you buy petrol from a guy in the back of a truck.

 

Met this cool Mexican lady biker who was riding a BMW with her husband and son

Met this cool Mexican lady biker who was riding a BMW with her husband and son

 

DAY 4 – CATAVINA TO GUERRERO NEGRO

Guerrero Negro greets you with this amazing whole grey whale skeleton

Guerrero Negro greets you with this amazing whole grey whale skeleton

 

DAY 5 – GUERRERO NEGRO TO SAN IGNACIO

A lot of the riding looked like this - volcanic, bleak, miles of nothingness.

A lot of the riding looked like this – volcanic, bleak, miles of nothingness.

 

There's always time for a selfie for that book cover.

There’s always time for a selfie for that book cover.

 

San Ignacio was a miraculous little tropical oasis in the desert. I have finally seen a real oasis!

San Ignacio was a miraculous little tropical oasis in the desert. I have finally seen a real oasis!

 

So typical Baja with cacti and palm trees!

So typical Baja with cacti and palm trees!

 

Sleeping with your bike. Like you do.

Sleeping with your bike. Like you do.

 

DAY 6 – SAN IGNACIO TO MULEGE 

Riding through Santa Rosalia - this was a pretty little European-ish town.

Riding through Santa Rosalia – this was a pretty little European-ish town.

 

Mulege was gorgeous. Such a perfect little coastal Mexican town.

Mulege was gorgeous. Such a perfect little coastal Mexican town.

 

I walked along the coast until I hit the sea, to find the lighthouse. Found this restaurant at the end of the world.

I walked along the coast until I hit the sea, to find the lighthouse. Found this restaurant at the end of the world.

To the lighthouse!

To the lighthouse!

 

On top of the world!

On top of the world!

 

Christmas Eve in Mulege

Christmas Eve in Mulege

 

On Christmas Day, I rode south to Bahia de Concepcion. This is the farthest south I rode in Baja.

On Christmas Day, I rode south to Bahia de Concepcion. This is the farthest south I rode in Baja.

 

DAY 9 – BACK TO SAN IGNACIO AND GUERRERO NEGRO

My gas cap sprung a leak on the way back north. Fixed it later with some plastic weld.

My gas cap sprung a leak on the way back north. Fixed it later with some plastic weld.

 

Found a hole in my air filter too. Did not fix it.

Found a hole in my air filter too. Did not fix it.

 

The coast off of Guerrero Negro

The coast off of Guerrero Negro

 

Met this super cool local guy who took me riding to the salt flats and sand dunes. It. Was. The. Best.

Met this super cool local guy who took me riding to the salt flats and sand dunes. It. Was. The. Best.

 

Coolest spot in Guerrero Negro

Coolest spot in Guerrero Negro

 

The sand dunes in Guerrero Negro

The sand dunes in Guerrero Negro

 

DAY 10 – GUERRERO NEGRO TO SANTA ROSALILITTA

The desert was full of the coolest, weirdest trees.

The desert was full of the coolest, weirdest trees.

 

Sundown in the fishing village of Santa Rosalilitta

Sundown in the fishing village of Santa Rosalilitta

 

Found a room right on the coast

Found a room right on the coast

 

DAY 11 – SANTA ROSALILITTA TO BUFEO VIA CHAPALA 

More desert, more weird plants

More desert, more weird plants

 

A rancheria at Chapala junction - popular spot for Baja 1000 riders

A rancheria at Chapala junction – popular spot for Baja 1000 riders

 

Coco's Corner - extremely missable

Coco’s Corner – extremely missable

 

Beautiful desert landscape

Beautiful desert landscape

 

Stopped for the night at San Bufeo. The sand was so soft in some places I'm glad my front wheel didn't sink into it entirely.

Stopped for the night at San Bufeo. The sand was so soft in some places I’m glad my front wheel didn’t sink into it entirely.

 

I hated the desert when I started this trip. Ten days in, I started to find it strangely peaceful and meditative.

I hated the desert when I started this trip. Ten days in, I started to find it strangely peaceful and meditative.

 

They had a tiny little church attached to the house.

They had a tiny little church attached to the house.

 

DAY 12 – BUFEO TO SAN FELIPE

San Felipe was big, popular and full of ugly tourists. But I liked going up to the lighthouse to get away from everyone.

San Felipe was big, popular and full of ugly tourists. But I liked going up to the lighthouse to get away from everyone.

 

The military is everywhere in Baja. They waved me through all their checkpoints without any issue.

The military is everywhere in Baja. They waved me through all their checkpoints without any issue.

 

I spent the last day of 2017 sitting on the beach, looking out at the waters, and reflecting back on a hell of a brilliant year!

I spent the last day of 2017 sitting on the beach, looking out at the waters, and reflecting back on a hell of a brilliant year!

 

DAY 13 – SAN FELIPE TO TECATE

It was flat for hundreds of miles going towards Mexicali but the mountains were incredible!

It was flat for hundreds of miles going towards Mexicali but the mountains were incredible!

 

A strange sight along the way.

A strange sight along the way.

 

Stopped at Tecate for the night. My last night in Mexico.

Stopped at Tecate for the night. My last night in Mexico.

 

DAY 14 – TECATE TO SAN DIEGO              

Home!

Home!

 

My bike was reeking oil, so we had to tear it apart. The culprit - a missing screw on the carb float bowl. Andrea can fix everything!

My bike was reeking oil, so we had to tear it apart. The culprit – a missing screw on the carb float bowl. Andrea can fix everything!