moving piem

Church in Durango

Pablo proposed pick me up with his truck, but I wanted to cycle all the way way to his house. Just as I arrived in the center of Durango, sprinkled with severe road bumps, the front rack went into the wheel again. Luckily the spokes were not too damaged, but this time the rack was pretty badly damaged.

With his father, Pablo helped me finding a workshop which could solder aluminium. After asking at a few places, we found a 'taller de califacion' who could do it. I watched the man carefully unbending the rack and soldering it as well as he could. After a few minutes, my old rack was looking almost as new again. And Pablo had a spray of black paint. Great, a recycled rack!

We went in town with Pablo and his girlfirend Annahad some delicious tacos, before I went to crash in my confy bed at Pablo's house. Even after a good night, I was still a bit tired, and feeling way too confortable at Pablo's house! So I asked him if I could stay one more night. “Of course!” he said. ... more

Climbing to Espinoza del Diablo

It took a good five days to climb from the harbour of Mazatlan to Durango. Everyone wanted to support and help me on the way, and I was offered hugs, coffee, or food, almost every time I stopped on the way up!

At Llano Grande, I was hosted at the wonderful house of Maria del Carmen, the grand mother of Jorge. From the picture taken of his screen in Mazatlan, I could find the house of Carmelita! We had a great night in their beautiful house.

This stretch in the mountains is gorgeous, and tough too. It took me a full to climb from 200m to 1550m, cycling only 40km. Speed record broken, 60.3km/h. With a 40kg+ bicycle, it moves and shakes, a lot! And cold at night up there, I found frost on my tent. It was well worth every bit of it though, with landscapes changing from semi tropical forest to pine trees, lush green valleys, all the way to the large plains of Durango. ... more

Sunset on the Sea of Cortez

At 7:30 I went to listen to the net on channel 22 at the Club de Cruceros next to the Malecon. I tried to wait for my turn and announced I was looking for a boat for me and my bike. A few minutes later, I was meeting Dave and Lyn on board Lady Lexi, a beautiful 50 feet ketch.

And just a pair of days later, I was sailing with them! First to spend the night at an anchorage back at Isla Espiritu Sancto, then across the sea for 24 hours. We spotted two whales. I will always remember that night, sailing towards Orion, with dolphins dancing around the boat in the dark.

We stayed a few days in Mazatlan, had a great time with Dave and Lyn. I helped with a few tasks on the boat, and spent time writing in the cafés of Mazatlan. On the 24th, we shared a nice Christmas diner. ... more

Saying Adios to Miguel on the Malecón

I had an amazing time in La Paz, but now after more than four weeks here, it was time for me to keep moving. So I went back to the Club de Cruceros, and spoke to look for a ride.

I made a lot of friends: Miguel, Arturo, Maurizio, Ricardo, Julio, Zoydeth. Networked with many, many cyclistas: Rodrigo, the two French Families, Éveil nomade and À Chacun son Chemin, Dominic Poggi, Chris from Switzerland, Pedal across the Americas, Steve from Birmingham. Connected with many couch surfers, Eduardo, Matthew, Jesse, Cristian. Visited Zulu, Bryan and Marlene's beautiful wooden boat. And I also had the time to pass my PADI with Josiane, thank you Josiane!

As a bonus, the morning after I got back from Cabo Pulmo, I received my fixed camera, two months after it broke down in the Grand Canyon, and just in time for Isla Espiritu Santo. Thank you Lauren!

Approaching La Lobera

After two weeks of work in the cafés of La Paz, I got on to set up a kayaking trip to Isla Espiritu Santo! The sea of Cortez is a sea kayak paradise, and Isla Espiritu Santo, the island North of the town where we went diving with sea lions was just too beautiful not to go back.

Julio, who I met through Miguel, has a kayak and was ready to rent it to me and show me a few basics. Thanks Julio! Jesse would have been interested to join me, but in the end couldn't match the dates, so I ended up going alone.

I spent five days on the island, almost without seeing anyone. Some six months after my solo hike in Greenland, it was surprisingly nice to be alone again! I chatted a bit with the sailing vessels, asking their weather forecast, and slept on beautiful desert beaches of white sand. ... more