We were certainly happy to roll out of the city of La Paz after 3 noisy nights. The route headed up a 20km climb on a busy highway and into wet clouds getting wetter. I turned off near the top for the longer ride to La Ventura via Los Divisadores and a fun undulating dirt road through granite boulders. There were no views till I reached the saddle beyond the deserted town and started the fun and seemingly endless descent back to the highway. It was then a fast paved 7km of road to the beachside town of La Ventana – a very popular wind sports hub because of the regular winds it receives most days.
I found our Airbnb accommodation and Alan easily, well situated across from Playa Central which is the main school and hire centre base for windfoiling and kiting.
The towns of La Ventana and neighbouring El Sargente are a major base for North Americans and Canadians both on holiday, and who own property, to escape to in winter time, especially those who are into wind sports. The instructors at Playa Central alternated seasons with the likes of Hood River, USA.
We spent 6 days in La Ventana and enjoyed being introduced to the new sport of wing foiling – using a hand held wing and being propelled by the wind with the ultimate aim of rising up onto the foil (think Americas Cup). Of course as a beginner my aim was to be able to get off my knees and ‘taxi’ standing in both directions. The winds are consistently strong enough but the half metre swell from the long reach of wind made it more challenging for the beginner. It was great fun and good to be on a learning curve.
On a windless day I headed north past El Sargente to check out some fun single track while poor Alan was recovering from a bad migraine the day previous. Our upstairs neighbours moved out so we were able to swap accommodation and enjoy the amazing sunrises.
Our last night in the area was spent wild camping just north of a hot water beach beyond El Sargente after our last lesson. Like a chameleon changing its colours we were as happy to change from a solid white home to a small red tentfly on a mostly deserted beach.
Heading south the next morning we rode single track to the south of La Ventana and a back route to avoid some highway. We didn’t realise it at the time but the next section of coastal riding would be our last free of the massive development that has occurred and is occurring as the wealthy seek their slices of paradise on this scenic southern coastline. Fences and walls hiding multimillion dollar houses and Propiedad Privada signs came between us and the coast, sad but is the way of the world.
We found a stoney beach to pitch our casa that night but our eyes kept being drawn to the properties nearby rather than the sea. Alan was suffering a worsening head cold so after brunch the next day in Los Barriles he opted to hitch to San José del Cabo while I would ride the 2 day stretch.
The afternoons riding and headwind was not inspirational but the choice to camp on the beach at Punta Los Frailles made for a highlight. Just as I was setting up camp under a palapa I spied a spouting whale in the bay and then while going for a wander to the rocks at the northern end of the beach I was promised a cerveza on my return by a group of Americans hanging out.
Even better I next met 3 super friendly bike packers (Claire, Matt and Stephen) riding back from the rocks and invited them to join me under neighbouring palapas, while they kindly offered me a face mask to check out the fish life at the rocks. It was so special floating on the calm sea watching the colourful schools of fish in the rocky depths below. On the way back to the tent I acquired 4 cervezas and surprised my new best mates with my bebidos del mar (drinks from the sea)! It was a great last night on the trail.
I set off the next morning in high spirits for the last remote mountain crossing that would take me to the busy city of San José. I knew it would be a solid day but hadn’t factored on a deteriorating well being that started with body aches and nausea and was coupled with very warm temperatures. It turned out to be my hardest climb of the trip necessitating more pushing and rests than would be usual. I had no appetite and I just had to make myself keep going. I was relieved to reach the high point and the anticipated fast downhill to town turned out to be more sufferfest with numerous uphills, some deep sand, dogs, a 1.5km backtrack and a dusty ride on the highway to the hotel.
We had 3 nights at El Cactus hotel and managed a day trip by bus to Todos Santos which was enough of being a tourist for us. It was now time to pack the bike boxes and endure the long haul back home – minus 1 allen key that I had in hand carry and got confiscated in the security check (maybe planes are dismantleable with allen keys!)
Enjoy the last pics from the Baja and thanks for joining us on the ride!
