Day 2 December 27th 2016
Sun’s up, we all head to the restaurant for a hearty breakfast, prepping us for the day ahead and our Baja travels. So after chow Ricky and I start helping the riders gear up. The team lines up, final checks are complete, “Gentlemen start your engines”. They head out of Don Eddie’s for today’s adventure, Tony runs out to the driveway waving the team off. I check the Chase truck before our next set of tasks begin.
Ricky and I gather up all the gear bags and get everything stowed. I make a quick stop at the bar to pick up a Don Eddie’s baseball cap and shirt. We make a final sweep of all the rooms. Pit Tip: Sweep rooms in case anyone leaves a wallet, phone etc. Chase truck is loaded up and ready to roll. So now I need to add some stickers to the rooms! Mission complete, I notice a big map of Baja in the parking lot, I study it for minute judging how far we have to go. Now it’s time to say goodbye to Tony and thank him for his hospitality. “Tell Uncle Bill he needs to get back down here soon” says Tony with a chuckle, I laugh at that and return to the truck.
Chase Truck On The Road Again
Back on the road, our destination is to proceed to a PEMEX station in El Rosario, about an hour down Hwy 1. Along the way I take in the views which are spectacular, the coastline is untouched. Overall the Chase truck is eating the miles without a glitch. I sit back and enjoy the ride.
El Rosario
The plan is to meet with the team for a refuel and checkout. They are going to need all the fuel they can get to make the next leg. The El Rosario PMEX is open and has diesel. Here I notice there is an array of emergency vehicles lined up out front. I trip on that, until Ricky tells me “That’s where the emergency services post up until called”. Heart attack over. We park up the Chase Truck and await our riders.
I wave the bikes in and we fuel them from the PEMEX pumps. Ricky and I also fill the dump cans and the truck. We then continue to perform our chase ritual of checking the bikes and making sure the riders have enough water in their camel backs for the next leg. Pit Tip: Don’t pass up getting water whenever you can. It’s no joke running out of water out there in the desert!
Mama Espinoza
Next to the PEMEX is Mama Espinoza’s, a truly unique place with displays of petrified art and lots of off road memorabilia. So Mama’s favorite saying was “Bad roads bring good people”. They have really good food and such a welcoming staff, this is a must stop on your Baja travels. We aren’t going to see the riders again until their next and final stop for the day. They have a long ride and we have a decent amount of slab ahead.
Catavina
Now we join Hwy 1 heading for the Mission Hotel in Catavina, it’s almost a two hour drive. So we are going to wind the Chase Truck around the mountain with oncoming semi truckers and no room for error. Not to mention the twists rival Italy’s best switchbacks. I’m loving my Baja travels!
After we climb the grade I notice a huge difference in the scenery around us. So far it has been similar to San Diego. With this in mind we are now getting into high desert, there are huge boulders and even bigger cactus. It’s such a rugged beauty. Because of this we stop at the top to stretch our legs and take in the amazing views.
Catavina Pinturas Rupestres
Before getting to the Mission Hotel Ricky wants to stop off at Catavina Pinturas Rupestres, a historic reserve. There’s plenty of time before the team is due to arrive, we pull off the road and park in the dirt. This will be a welcome break from our Baja travels. So now I switch from flip flops to hiking boots, right gear for the job. Then Ricky points out trails marked by stones laid each side, we follow one into the desert.
So after a short hike I’m greeted with natural rock sculptures that resemble eagles skulls, this place is truly amazing. Ricky suggests we climb up one of these formations as he wants to show me “Something”. Then we scramble up the rocks and make our way into one of the “skulls”.
Petroglyphs!
It’s like the inside of a cave in here, I look around the “Cave” it’s covered in petroglyphs! In short I can’t believe I’m this close to history, this is definitely a special place. My mind wanders to another time, imagining the people that created these ancient works of art and the reasons behind them.
So after fully absorbing the petroglyphs we climb down and Ricky says “There’s an oasis a ways back in the desert”. I decide not to hike out, the sun’s high in the sky and it’s getting rather hot out, we also want to get situated before the team arrives. Pit Tip: Minimize exertion in the mid day sun. Back to the truck to continue down Hwy 1 and our Baja travels.
Catavina Mission Hotel
We arrive at the Hotel Mision Catavina. This place is literally in the middle of nowhere! Now we park the chase truck in the front and go check in. The hotel is pretty sizeable and really nice. So It has two bars, restaurant, swimming pool and a jacuzzi. Finally it’s time to unload the truck and stow everyone’s gear. All in all the rooms are spacious with two beds in each, a TV and bathroom. Also in the court yard is an art installation.
With our work done Ricky and I proceed to the restaurant to grab a late lunch. Here the food’s pretty good and the drinks cold. When done we stop at the front desk and purchase a wifi pass code. The code is good for twenty fours hours or 200mb. The team are still a few hours out according to the Spot. So we relax in the room watching TV and blow through internet passes.
The Team’s Here
Just before sunset the team rolls in. I grab my gloves and headlamp starting our routine of filling from the dump cans and checking the bikes. The bikes are muddy so we wash down the forks to protect the seals. Tom tells us a Pit Tip: “Use pledge polish to spray over the bikes after cleaning, the dirt falls off real easy later“. He uses it on the helmets as well. Tom is also a professional Trophy Truck Navigator and a Baja legend. Thanks for the tip Tom! The riders go to get cleaned up with plans to meet in the bar shortly. Bikes are looking good, we position them in front of the hotel and lock them down for the night.
Dinner Time
Everyone has gathered in the bar and buckets of beer are passed around. John suggests we dine at a little place across the street that has some of the best food he has had in Baja. It’s now dark as we troop across the street to La Enramada. So this place kind of looks like a little shack, it has a sand floor and is full of charm. Unfortunately for us it’s packed to the gills. John speaks to the waiter who informs us “It will be at least an hour or more wait, sorry guys”. The group huddles and we decide to head back to the hotel restaurant, we are famished.
Dinner is served and the stories of today’s ride are told and the ball busting ensues. It’s what we do! With dinner over, half the crew retire for the night. The remainder head over to the smaller bar in the hotel, to sling a few more buckets of beer, play some pool and tell stories of previous trips. Then some other travelers join us in the bar and are amazed at what we are doing for our Baja travels adventure.
Now it’s time to go lay down and get ready for tomorrow. Day two’s in the books!
Good night from Catavina.