Tag: travel

Water Time!

Since Monday, I’ve been involved in the Sea of Cortez in one way or another.

First, I started SCUBA lessons – and I’m now a PADI Certified Open Water Diver – Yay, me. There were a few bumps along the way, but we hammered them out until I was constantly doing the right thing.

One day of pool work, then two days of two dives each in the Sea of Cortez. I had a sea lion swim up to me and veer away at the last second, leaving a space of about 2-3 inches between us. Completely amazing. Then I got to swim in a school of small fish constantly being circled by Bonitas (a type of tuna) and diving birds.

Then, today, I took the ferry from La Paz to Topolobampo, on the Mexican mainland. The following is what I wrote while I was on the ferry (I also wrote about 2,000 words in Endure, but you don’t get to see that until I’m finished.

The Ferry from La Paz to Topolobampo

In October, there are two ferries operating from La Paz. One goes to Mazatlan and the other to Topolobampo, both on the Mexican mainland on the Sea of Cortez.

My original plan was to take the ferry to Mazatlan, which would have put me a couple of hundred kilometers south, but would take an overnight voyage and cost double what the ferry to Topolobampo would cost. Furthermore, if I wanted to rent a cabin (aka a room on a ship),  I either would have had to share it with three other strangers (not something I’m real keen to do) or book all four bunks (that money thing again).

Instead, I elected to take the ferry to Topolobampo. There are three ways of booking – what I call cattle car class, the VIP Salon, or a cabin. Cattle car and cabin were out, so  VIP Salon it was. Over a month ago, I booked my passage and selected my seat. But, as you all know, the best laid plans….

Anyhow, fast forward a couple of weeks when I realized there was no way I was going to be able to catch the ferry, I contacted the company. They arranged for an “open ticket.” This meant I didn’t have a reserved slot, rather all I needed to do was show up, show the letter (with the QR code) and get my new seat assignment. Of course, this came with a price – about $25 (580 pesos) for the change, to be paid when I showed up.

This morning, I left the Peace Center Hostel, with wishes for safe travels from the Hosts, Ana and Pavel, along with two other guests – Shaheen from Morocco and a French bicyclists whose name I never got (we could barely communicate – I know about 10 French words and his English was on a par less than my Spanish.

I arrived at the ferry port a bit before the recommended check in and was one of the first in line for the Aduana (Customs). A check of my passport, passport card, Temporary Import Permit (for the Himi) and a cursory inspection of a couple of my bags, then I was off to see about my ticket.

First, I had to get the Himi measured and weighed (I initially skipped that step, so was sent back to complete it), then off to the ticket office for the change. Pleasant surprise, apparently I got some sort of discount, so instead of having to pay $580 (the $ is for pesos, also), I received a $20 credit (about a US dollar). Meh. I’ll write it off.

The ticketing required a photo ID to prove that I was the person actually on the ticket.

Then I had to get me and the Himi in line to board. Ticket checked, I got sent up to the third level, where a crew member helped me (? Did it?) strap down the bike. At this point, I’m soaked with sweat, so I divested myself of the helmet, riding jacket, riding pants, boots, and gloves. Underneath I had a pair of cargo shorts (for the many pockets) and a t-shirt. Both soaked.

I then made my way up to reception and showed them my ticket, where they gave me a key card for the VIP Salon, which was another flight up.

The reception is in the main salon, where there are numerous small tables set up for dining, along with a cafeteria (the usual grab a tray and ask the servers to load it up). A small bar with what looks like a variety of adult beverages is at the end of the food line (fill up on free food then buy some drinks!). There’s also a small stage, and as I’m typing this, I’m listing to a duet play guitars and sing. They’re called Vela Roja. Check them out.

The VIP Salon is simply a forward-facing room with a number of comfortable seats (think Premium Airline seats) that recline. They also distributed blankets and what looks like a toiletries kit (but I haven’t opened that yet).  There are some galletas (cookies) and a combo coffee/hot chocolate maker (with Abuelita hot chocolate!). Two televisions show movies – not sure if it’s the whole trip or just part of it. Either way, I caught most of How to Train Your Dragon (in Spanish) and I believe Jurassic Park II was just starting up when I left the room.

Outside of the VIP Salon are individual bunks (imagine a bunk in a small compartment – with stacks of individual compartments, each with a bed, in a row 2 high – that’s what I’m talking about). Apparently, if you’re in the VIP Salon, you can rent one of them. That’s good info to know if it’s on the Mazatlan ferry. There were also a stack of locking lockers (like small gym lockers).

It seems the AC gets colder the longer the trips take, so I’m spending some time on-deck with my miniature binocs looking for pelagic sightings. We passed by where I did my open water dives for the PADI SCUBA certification (something I’ve wanted to do since I was 16).

The top deck has a number of fixed tables, both high and low, with fixed stools and umbrellas, along with a bar.  Alas, the only non-alcoholic beer they had was Heineken – not my fav. So, water it is.   Why NA beer? Because the rule in our house is that no alcohol if getting on a motorcycle. Other rules: All the Gear, All the Time (ATGATT), and don’t exceed the speed limit (hard to do that on my Himi and in some of the places I ride anyhow, so not a big deal).

Right now, the ship is rolling, but thanks to scopolamine, I’m not getting seasick. One interested fact is that this will be the first time since 1967 that I’ll be out of sight of land on a vessel . I had many a time I’ve been out of sight of land in an aircraft, but seeing as I usually get seasick in the bathtub, this is the first time on water since I crossed the Atlantic Ocean on the SS United States in 1967 (seasick from the Strait of Gibraltar to New York Harbor – no bueno). Yeah, I’m old 😊

La Paz!

No longer stranded! After several days, the mechanics in San Ignacio (actually, San Lino), Manolo and Joel, managed to find a replacement for the dead fuel pump. According to Joel, it came from a small car (I wish I had remembered to ask him which car).

So, the morning I got the Himi back, I loaded it up and made tracks south, spending the night in a nice little campground in Ciudad Constitucion. Of course, getting there was half the fun (not). By the time I arrived in Cd . Constitucion, it was dark (and had been for over a half-hour). Never a good idea to ride in the dark in Mexico, even if your headlamp is an LED and properly adjusted. It still sucks.

So, there I am, happily tootling along, follow Google Maps. That was mistake number one. GM was in such a rush to get me to the campground that it decided to route me over a dirt road under these huge power transmission lines. Do you have any idea what a hurricane (like Hurricane Polo, which had just passed a couple of days ago) does to dirt roads in Mexico? I do. It turns them into mud (or lodo in Spanish). Now, I’m not talking a thin layer of mud. Oh, no. I’m talking mud over your ankles. The type that tries to suck your motorcycle boots right off your feet. Yep, down went the Himi.

I also discovered that yelling Ayudame doesn’t seem to get the attention it deserves, as several cars passed by on the road I should have been on.

Knowing it was going to be a difficult task in the dark and heat, I made the decision to call the campground host. Luckily, she had some people she could send to help out. I had almost all of the gear off the bke (and most of my riding gear off me) and was in the process of dragging the bike to dry ground when they showed up. We got the bike upright, and rather than put all the gear back on it, we threw it in their van, then they showed me an alternative route. It still had some mud, but not as bad, and the bike only fishtailed (which was amazing considering the tire treads were already full of mud, so I had literally zero traction).

The next morning, I spent about an hour clearing mud off the Himi and luggage. Worked first on the chain and sprockets (the important operating parts), then dug mud out of footpegs, gear shift levers, handlebar hand guards, etc. Here’s a tip – wait until the mud dries before trying to remove it – it’s much easier that way (which is why I waited until morning).

The next day I made it to La Paz where everyone who I had made reservations with prior (lodging and SCUBA lessons) worked with me to make it happen. I’m now ensconsed at The Peace Center, a hostel in La Paz, and will be starting the water portions of my PADI Open Water Diver SCUBA lessons with the Dive Gurus starting at 9:00 AM tomorrow morning. The hostel is run by a young couple, Ana and Pavel (who have a young daughter). Very nice couple – very helpful. If you need a place to stay in La Paz, I recommend them (plus the room has AC – muy importante para mi en este calor!)

The part I ordered from the UK while I was stuck in San Lino finally arrived in Mexico. It’s in La Paz. I went down to the DHL center to see about getting the delivery stopped so I could pick it up here. Supposedly, I’ll be able to get it Monday or Tuesday (and pay the 100% tarriff – geez). We’ll see. Keep your fingers crossed.

I’m enjoying staying at the hostel – I get to meet a lot of interesting people from all over the world, a Morrocan drug dealer (he actually used to sell alcohol in Morroco, and since it’s a drug, that’s how he refered to himself self-deprecatingly), a couple from China, and the latest to roll in is a couple from Switzerland with their young daughter. They’re on a three-year trip from Canada to Ushuia! Same destination, only they’re taking a bit more time that I have. You can find them at whynotoverland.com.

Unfortunately, I’m still having issues with the laptop. The audio went out and I tried several times to repair it. I even took it to a recommended computer store in La Paz. No bueno. When I get to Mexico City I’ll take it into a dedicated Asus repair center (of which there are many). Not sure what I’ll do if we can’t get it fixed. I may need to buy another (oh, joy – spend more monety that I don’t want to). Right now I’m uploading all the video footage into a Drobbox so my youngest (Katie Peet – the trained video editor) can download it and hopefully fit my editing into her schedule).

ADVENTURE!

Stranded (again)

I managed to make it out of Escondido and into Mexico, passing through the Tecate Border. Fairly fast (just needed to get a visa – which I thought I already when I got my Temporary Import Permit for the Himi). Nobody even looked at the Himi. Oh, well.

Of course, Verizon stopped working once I got to the border. It took me a while to figure out how to get it back – restart the phone (thanks, Wife, for that tip). Once I got things up and running, I started heading south.

I ran into a group of Mexican ADV riders at a gas station. One of them had ridden to Ushuaia (my destination) on a little 90cc Honda. Man, that takes some cojones! It’ll make it, but forget about carrying anything.

Spent the night in San Filepe, which turns out to be quite the party town on Saturday. At 5:00 AM, I gave up trying to sleep, packed up, and headed south.

Here’s a tip for traveling in Baja – check Google Maps for gas station locations. I left San Felipe with a full tank of gas, expecting to fuel up at where a gas station would logically be located – the intersection of two major highways. Nope. No gas. Nothing in site. As I rode, I spied a sign indicating the next gas was 140 kilometers away. I looked down at my fuel gage and realized I had about 80 km of fuel left. Another 750 ml in my stove fuel can would give me, maybe, 10-20 km. That was short, by about 40km. Oops.

Luckily, I found a guy selling fuel on the side of the road and got enough to make it to the gas station. Fueled up, had a tamale and a burrito (neither were like anything I had had before – not bad, just different), then was on my way (this time with fuel in my tank, stove fuel can, and a collapsible bladder).

When I pulled into a small town with a five-word name (Villa Aberto Andres Alvarado Amburo), I turned the bike off to drink some water. Went to start it – no joy. Thought it was vapor lock, which required putting the bike in shade to allow it to cool off – something difficult to do when the temperature in the shade is over 101F. Finally got it started and went to a cheap motel nearby (hey, it had a good shower and AC).

Next morning, took me a while to get it started. Made my way to San Ignacio, where I intended to weather out Hurricane Polo, which is bearing down on the Baja Peninsula, arriving today.

I accidentally stalled the bike (hit the stupid kill switch as I was turning) and couldn’t get it started. Had it towed to a mechanic’s shop (with me riding – no fun).

As far as I can determine, it’s one of three things: a fuse (not likely), relay switches (likely) or a fuel pump (also, likely). If it’s a fuse, no sweat – just change it out. If it’s the relay switches, cleaning them may work. Otherwise, we’ll need new ones (not sure if we can get any, but they’r Bosch, which is everywhere). If it’s the fuel pump, I’m screwed. I would have to order it from …drumroll…. Hitchcock Motorcycles in the UK. Another 3-5 day wait (likely 7). Either way, I’m here for the next three nights staying at a little hotel called “Rice and Beans” (really, that’s it’s name. Not Arroz y Frijoles, but the actual English version). It has AC, great shower, a restaurant, bar, and a pool. Right now I’m in the restaurant sucking down a Model0% Negra (alcohol free Modelo Negra).

Oh, well. I could be working…

STRANDED!

Well, here I am, 9 days into the Great Pan-American Adventure, and I’m stranded in Escondido, CA.

On the way south, the Himi started making a chunking/clunking sound. Discretion being the better part of valor, I elected to hold off crossing into Mexico until after I had it looked at. I thought it was possibly the chain. WRONG! It turns out it was a little thing in the rear tire called the rubber cush drive (rubber cushion drive). It’s something that absorbs the shock from the engine being transmitted into the drive chain and sockets. If it goes bad, bad things happen. It went bad.

And wouldn’t you know it, there was a single rubber cushion ANYWHERE in the US. Not even at the distributors. So, fortunately, Hitchcock Motorcycles in the UK had some in stock, so the parts guy ordered them yesterday. Today it’s at Heathrow Airport, in London, about to board a flight. It should arrive here by Close of Business on Friday. If that’s the case, then the shop can install them Saturday morning and I’ll be in Mexio by late afternoon.

Of course, this has disrupted my schedule a bit. So far the Baja Ferry people have responded, as has the AirBnB host (both want updates, ASAP, as you can imagine), but nothing from the SCUBA people yet.

To update you on the ride, I made it from Enumclaw to Corvallis in one, long day, crossing the Mighty Columbia River at Astoria (you can barely make out the bridge in the photo below).

Then from Corvallis to Eugene for new tires, and then Elk Praire Campground in northern California’s Redwoods National and State Parks.

Day three got me to Lassen Volcanic National Park – truly beautiful, but cold and damp (I had arrived just after a major hail/thunderstorm).

The next day I intended to ride to Yosemite taking California Highway 89. It was going to be a long drive and I was worried about arriving in the dark, so when Google Maps said “I’ve got a faster route for you,” I said “sure.” Big mistake. Huge. GM put me into the Central Valley (not where I wanted to be) running through the towns of Roseburg and Folsom. I think I hit 100 traffic signals, of which 96 were red. I’m not exaggerating. By the time I got through the towns, my front brake was so hot from constantly stopping it felt like it was going to lock up! No bueno. Plus, it was hot. Nothing like riding in 90+ temps in full motorcycle gear (helmet, armored jacket and pants, and boots). Ugh.

Anyhow, pulled into Yosemite at dusk, and found my tent site was one of the furthest from the parking lot. Oh, joy. Lugging 85 pound of gear in two panniers, a duffle bag, two over-pannier bags, a tank bag, sleeping pad, and chair is not fun. Especially when it’s getting dark (and I still had to set up camp).

Finally, I got set up, ate some dehydrated crap that I’ve had lying around for at least 13 years (How do I know? because it was beef stew – I stopped eating red meat in 2013), then discoverd that a can of chicken had exploded in one of my pannier bags when I dropped the bike on a soft shoulder (had pulled over to do something and the Himi decided it was time for a nap). Spent more time cleaning the waterproof pannier bag and everything in it (all of it covered in canned chicken juice – all this while in bear country).

Anyhow, woke up hoping to get some great photos. Was greeted with smoke from forest fires. No great views. As a matter of fact, hardly any views :-(. So, off to do laundry and get a shower, then I spent the rest of the day riding. Made it to Sequoia National Park, hoping to see the General Sherman tree. Unfortunately, it was a half mile from the parking lot to the tree with 700′ of elevation change. Not something I was about to do in my riding togs, all while the bike and everything on it was unattended. Maybe next year.

Spent a night in a hotel in Visalia, instead of in a campground at Lake Isabella as I had intended. More money gone :-(.

The next day I made it to Greg Sorber’s house. Greg is a Science Fiction writer who is also a member of the Pink Flamingo Universe. He writes mechtech (think transformers in space – his website is www.gregerationx.com, so check it out.

I met his wife, we chatted, had some wine, then went out for Indian food. After dinner we drank more wine and chatted more, and I got to meet their youngest son. Then I slept the sleep of a zombie.

The next morning I got to meet their eldest son, then got on the road to Portrero, my (supposed) final stop in the US before crossing the border. Alas, the chunking sound kicked up again, so instead of crossing into Mexico the following morning, I made my way to Escondido where Quentin (the service manager) informed me that the problem wasn’t just the chain, but the rubber cushions. Thus began a nationwide hunt for the offending parts. It was only after we had exhuasted every avenue that Myles, the parts guy, ordered the parts from Hitchcock Motorcycles in the UK.

So, that’s my story, and I’m sticking with it.

Meanwhile, here I sit in Escondido, typing on my blog, working on Endure, and trying to learn this new video editing software for my Writer on the Road YouTube Channel.

I also had some good coffee while waiting to hear about the Himi.

Adventure (noun): Somebody in deep shit in a faraway land.

First Run on Packing

I started the serious packing for the Great Pan-American Adventure (GPA). Actually, I started the whole about a year ago when I determined I was going to make this trip. As with any trip, I begin with a spreadsheet (yes, I’m a geek in that way – too many years using spreadsheets for financial investigations to give them up).

Looking at my list, I have a LOT of stuff! According to my spreadsheet, it adds up to a total of 330 items (not including the stuff in my trauma kit). A lot of it is really little (or nitnoi as I like to say – the Thai word for little) stuff, like credit cards, motorcycle registration, etc. The amazing thing is, I’m able to fit it all in two panniers (saddlebags), a 40 liter duffle bag, two crash-bar bags, a tank bag, and a small backpack.

As I’ll be moto-camping a lot (my preferred method of lodging while Adventure Riding), I’ve got all the accoutrements for camping, which basically doubles the amount of weight I carry (total equipment weight is around 60 pounds).

One of the hardest things in planning (which also adds to the equipment list, and therefore the additional weight) for this trip is that I have to take into consideration a multitude of climates, from temperate to tropical to alpine. I’ll be camping from sea level (Baja California) up to 12,000 feet (Peru, Chile, and Argentina) and from the Equator (0 degrees latitude) to Ushuaia, Argentina (54 degrees South). That means I need various sleep systems. I’ve got two sleeping bags, one rated for zero degrees Fahrenheit (which I use during the summer here in Washington State), and the other rated for 50 degrees. I also carry two sleeping pads; one inflatable and one a smaller foam accordion style (I discovered on my Great American Adventure (GAA) back in 2022 that inflatable pads have a tendency to deflate at the most inopportune times, like, while sleeping in Montana).

My tent is a nice two-person tent. I used a one-person tent on the GAA, but discovered I couldn’t bring all my gear into the tent for securing it. I wasn’t to happy about that, so I upgraded to a two-person tent for the GPA. My trial run with it to the TouraTech Rally in June proved that it works for me. Added weight, but well worth it.

Clothing is also varied. My motorcycle gear (All The Gear All The Time) comes in at another 20 pounds (helmet, jacket, pants, boots, gloves). My jacket and pants also come with detachable insulated and rain layers.

I’ve got mostly Merino wool uppers (t-shirts, Polo shirt, hoodie) along with a quick-dry jersey and fishing shirt (for wearing under my riding jacket), a couple of pairs of quick-dry pants, a pair of riding shorts, a pair of quick-dry cargo shorts (for walking around in the tropics), and a swimsuit. I debated the swimsuit, but decided to bring it because I’ll be traveling the length of the Baja Peninsula and taking SCUBA lessons in La Paz. I also have a Tilley hat.

Cold weather attire includes a silk base layer, an additional long-sleeve Merino wool upper, wool fingerless gloves, a puffy jacket, and a Merino wool balaclava (helps under the helmet when cold).

Socks and underwear – well, let’s just say I don’t plan on doing laundry every day as I did on the GAA or when I walked the Camino de Santiago.

I’ll save the rest of the equipment list for a later post. I’ll also be posting about this on my forthcoming YouTube channel, Writer on the Road (to be linked soon).

Now, it’s time to walk the puppers (2.5 miles in a forest on our little mountain) then spend some time logging and salmon fishing (in the rain – ah, the joys of living in the PNW).

Rescue Me!

I know, you probably just starting singing the Fontalla Bass song from the movie Air America when you read that title. I know I did when I wrote it 🙂

Anyhow, just a heads up that Rescue has been through its first, second, and third iteration. It’s now in the hands of a beta reader. I hope to hear back from him soon, so I can wrap it up.

Rescue is shorter than my previous novels, clocking in at only 50,000 words. To give you an idea of normal book length, Surveyor was at 102,000 words. Most SciFi is over 100,000 words. But this is different. First, it’s really a Young Adult (YA) novel told from the perspective of a 15 year old, whose mom goes missing on a Primary Survey.

You’ve met the guy before, in Trekker. And Meri shows up as a 13-year-old (who gets in trouble).

I think you’ll enjoy.

Also, it’s the first novel in which I’ve been able to claim the Pink Flamingo Universe logo for a book. For those not in the know, to get a PFU logo, you have to write a scene (or several) in which pink flamingos are apex predators. You should see what my pink flamingos do to velociraptors!

I know, I know. When will it be available? First, I need to get the cover art done (and approved by me). Fortunately, my cover artist is really good, but unfortunately, he’s so good he’s busy. That means it’ll be over a week before he can get to me. We work well together, so it shouldn’t be more than a couple of weeks before the art is approved. Then I need to format the bloody thing and upload it to Amazon and IngramSpark (for bookstores).

As with all my other work, Rescue will be released in both paperback and e-book (Kindle). Those wanting a signed copy can purchase one here (I think – I’ll have to figure out the logistics). I haven’t decided as to how to release the audiobook – let Amazon do its AI magic or record it myself. TBD.