Baja 35

I woke up early and had coffee with Jesus. He said he had to work on his water line that day. It’s 2 kilometers long. Also he needed to do some stuff with the goats. A couple of them are going to have babies soon. He said he was looking forward to that because baby goats are so cute. We talked about families and ranch life. Part of me thinks that I could totally live on one of these ranches with dogs and goats and solar panels. I’d need some wifi, but I think that’s possible now.

Since I didn’t have to break down camp, I thought I’d make great time. But the combo of river rocks and sand was just really hard. And add to that river crossings. Not raging rivers, not even flowing most the time. But deep enough that my shoes and socks got wet. Sometimes I could walk the bike and hop alongside on rocks. Once I straight up fell into the water when a rock turned under my foot.

I passed lots of neat ranches. At one place, they had a big pen for chickens and peacocks. A couple vultures were hanging around too, like they wanted to be part of the avian club. I saw a couple signs offering camping and meals. The lagunas were full of ducks and fish. All around, the arroyo walls reached up in towers and mesas. I met a few working dogs out herding cattle or goats. They would dash out to bark at me, then dash back into the brush to keep the herd in line. Later I met two cowboys moving a whole mess of cattle down the road. I tried to get off to the side but the cows all freaked out when they saw me. They swerved around me and crashed into the pokey brush. I apologized to the cowboys but they weren’t really bothered. I talked to one guy for a minute. He was young and had braces and told me it was 50 kilometers more to Mulegé.

The terrain was tough, and I was slow. Even so, this was my favorite part of the ride so far. Maybe I think that about every section. I was a little exhausted and ready to call it a day when I found a campground that someone made under some trees next to a water crossing. I saw a windmill marking a rancho nearby. A guy in a pickup truck came by and told me there was no problem with me sleeping there. Conveniently, there was a fire pit and a table with a bench. I blew up my mattress and tried taking it into the water. Couldn’t see any bubbles. The water was still moving a little. I think I need a swimming pool. I made a fire and put up a clothesline. At least I’d have clean underwear and dry socks for the morning.