Another couple of days have passed and the climate has changed completely.
I was in lush coastal scrub and then I went through the Vallarta Coast which is "jungle". Then further North it dried out again as I did another long day. I stopped at Cathy and Bills place on the beach (orange house in the pictures) but they were not there as expected. They are Canadians, and the weather is nice now in the North so they would be there rather than here, but it was nice to see their place and how my views had changed from when I went through on the way South ? I met them at random and they let me camp on their driveway!
I pressed on North to Topolobampo and drove through some Tequila country with the spiky Agave plantations. I also had the usual collection of small wildlife that I had to dodge along the way. The most interesting one this day was a small tortoise... I got to my destination by mid afternoon, whereupon I waited in line at the ferry terminal for an hour to get a ticket to the Baja. Then I waited four more hours to load the bike. Then I spent the whole night without a real chair and just slept outside on the steel deck for a couple of hours. Then they dropped us off in the darkness at 6am. Then all the travelers had an unexpected and very thorough luggage inspection by the military and then I had to wait another three hours till I could find a motorbike shop that was open (story there in a moment)...
Now, if this had all happened in my past, I would have been rather strung-out and ill tempered after all the "suffering". However, I appear to be a bit different now and while I am certainly tired, I'm not at all stressed by it all. Not sure if this is from meditation etc, or just from having spent four months in Guatemala where things are NEVER on the urgent list for anyone -Mind you, I'm not complaining, just observing the difference.
So, about that motorbike shop. Well, my chain had been getting VERY tired riding back North into Guatemala many months ago. I had a look at it and tried to get a new one while I meditated but Indy (mechanic friend) had no luck finding one. So, I took the chain off and gave it a good going over and thorough clean and lube and put it back on. It ran well on test rides and Indy felt sure it would get me to the USA where I would have no trouble getting a new one. I however was not so sure but set off with "good intent" :)
With the five long days of riding, things looked OK and hopes were still high, but on the sixth day, I ran out of adjustment space, and the chain started to make nasty noises. I lubed it lots and did what I could but the noises got worse and worse and I could feel the grinding and clattering coming through the bike frame and it was eating away at my nerves as well as the bike drive train....
I tried asking the local Police where I might get a chain since I noticed that they were using the exact same model of motorbike that I was riding, but unfortunately the couple of guys I asked had no clue...
So, I figured Id try to get one when the ferry dropped me off in the small city of La Paz in Baja. I found a Honda bike shop (my bike is a Suzuki) and as luck would have it, they had the right sized chain that I needed (once they opened at 9am). They let me do the work and use their shop, and they were friendly and we all had lots of good laughs - mostly at my expense, but I got my share of "shots" in, and hey if it gets things done then I don't mind :)
So, now I have a brand new chain (Again!) and it is blissful to ride instead of the constant nagging noises from my conscience and the bike!).
Now I just have to hope that the front wheel bearings hold up since as Indy pointed out, they are getting quite worn (Now suspected as the clunking nosie I have been hearing for a few thousand kilometers but have not been able to locate) - Hopefully the Gods still like me :)
And I'm off up the Baja for a half day of riding - Whoa, sudden change to absolute desert!
Nice road, great surface, and nice twisties!,
Nice big cactus, and lots of them too,
...Nice sunburn on the back of both my wrists where the jacket doesn't meet the gloves!
Am now in Loreto and things are far more expensive here, so I think Ill just pitch my tent liner on the beach and spend my money on food and water :)
