4/10/09
I am back in San Felipe and Marilyn has gone home to England so I apoligise for the lack of punctation on the remainder of the entries as my editor has now left.
We left San Felipe to ride to Geurrero Negro by the road that follows the Gulf of Mexico and then turns across mountains to join the main road south. We decided on this shorter route for the scenery and because we were told locally that the road was OK to travel on. The first 70 miles were on good tarmac on a new road being biult. However we then reached the construction site for the new road and it was in very poor condition, hoping it would improve after the construction phase we carried on only to find a corrugated loose gravel road with large rocks and several deep sand areas. After a couple of minor tumbles and in temperatures in the high 30s we fell heavily with the bike landing on Marilyn's left leg.Rather than continue the ride for that day we decided we would rest and carry on the next day refreshed. We found a hotel at a remote resort and stayed there. The next day we carried on. The road, being close to the sea and the desert, was deep sand that then became deeper and very rocky. I was unable to keep the bike upright and after only 4 miles we came off again this time the bike fell on Marilyn's right foot. The pannier trapping her ankle against a large rock. Marilyn knew immediatly that we couldn't go on and we returned to the hotel of the previous night, Marilyn riding in a pick up truck that passed us.
We returned with the bike to San Felipe in another pick up truck with a local driving and his amigo balancing on the back in the full heat of the sun hatless and drinking cold beer
The folowing day we went to the local health centre for medical aid for Marilyn where the X-rays showed no break to her ankle. The helpful staff fitted a splint cast to her right leg. We discussed what our options were and after much discussion and soul searching decided that I would carry on with the trip and Marilyn would return home. We organised a flight from San Diego to London for Marilyn and on Friday dorve there so she would get the flight home on Sarurday. She has since been to the Hospital in Lincoln and they have confirmed the ankle is broken.
I will continue the journey, and will see if I am able to do it alone.
Tomorrow (Monday) I will ride south using the longer road to Geurerro Negro and then on to La Paz to catch a ferry to Matazlan.