Nov 21 - Santa Rosalia to Gauymas

Ok so the ferry leaves at 9 am, all set.

I get there plenty early and its $200 bucks, much much more than I expected. THEN I am in the lineup to load and buddy asks me for the special mainland motorcycle permit. I asked him if it looks just like this $20 bill but he said no and said I would not be allowed to board. Refund on my $200?, yeah right.

So I am not a huge guy, but me, with my bike, in full riding gear and being quite pissed off was imposing enough to a small band of unarmed mexican guys. My voice got louder, the space between faces became smaller and the band of little men seemed to keep moving further and further away from me.

One thing that helped was that my bike was first in line and big enough to block the loading ramp. "No" was my response when told to move it.

"You move it if you can" was another response - an impossible task for 2 men only 5 feet tall and the steering locked. They were getting angry and I purposely kept my anger level at 'visibly pissed but reasonable'.

Then a uniform (unarmed) appears. I am thinking this is the time I just ride away and cut my losses. He calmy and with pretty reasonable english asks me to explain, I do, I tell him the impact to me and my trip, I focus on the lost ticket fare and suggest he just let me go on the ferry, talking as if he hadn't heard anyhtig about the whole scenario yet. Casually he says ok (face saved) and we are underway. That easy.

Sooo I am on the ferry and have to secure the bike. Well the staff guys show up with thick chains, the same ones they just used to tie down a semi trailer. Well I travel on ferries alot back and forth to the property in Roberts Creek so I have a pretty good idea how solid a bike actually is just leaning on the kickstand and a wedge under the underside.

I refuse the chains, and they magically find some tie down straps which I, not they, apply to the bike to their satisfaction. A giant could have held the ferry upside and shaken it and all that would fall out would be some rats, some litter and some mexicans, not my bike.

Accomodations on board? One room full of chairs with BLARING spanish soap operas on the TV and wicked wicked strong air conditioning. I went up on deck and sat in the cooking sun....there is no in between.

So in a bit I get relaxed into the ride an need a snack...vending machines. One with chips, the other with pop, and water, thank god. Luckily I had a lot of change accumulated.

I realised I had no idea how long the ride was. The ferry from La Paz to Mazatlan = 5 hours and this crossing is shorter soo..... I ask the whitest looking guy I can find, a real dick from California, tells me its 10 hours, and that was the end of all conversation for that trip. 10 hours!!! damn, that's the entire day gone.

The good part....an incredible sunset, so many colours and hues I couldn't begin to capture it all.

So I spend the time reading, doing some bike polishing and lotsa vegging.

I get off my pull at sea, eat some tacos and flake in a cruddy motel.

More pics...