Baja Bound 2023 (Part 13)

This entry is part 13 of 23 in the series Baja Bound 2023

April 17, 2023

By Simon J. Lau

Today, I conquered Cuesta del Infierno, or Baja’s “Highway to Hell.” I woke up at the crack of dawn, and as expected, there were no RVs or big rigs ahead of me on this epic hill climb. However, I didn’t anticipate the crazy crosswinds on the other side of the mountain pass. 😰 It was so intense that I felt as if I were being kicked around in a tin can for an hour. 💨 I was relieved to finally arrive in San Ignacio 50 miles later. It could not have come soon enough.

Upon arriving, I traded in my motorcycle for a bicycle (my host lent me his) and rode into the city center. San Ignacio is famous for its whale watching (you can see a skeleton of a gray whale in the background, along with the bicycle I used to ride into town 😅).

Although it’s well past whale watching season here, there’s still plenty to see and do. There’s a natural spring and oasis, and of course, a city square and mission. Everything here is so cute and rustic. If it were an American city, it would be overrun with tech workers.

Speaking of tech workers, I bumped into several while having lunch. They’ve been traveling throughout Baja for months, living and working out of their vehicles and connecting to the internet through Starlink. I loved it! Here’s Dylan and Maddy, the two digital nomads that I met today, inside of their respective buses. 🚌

On my way back, I saw a place called Hotel Fong. I circled back to speak with the owner to see if he or she was Chinese. Turns out this man, Nano, the owner, is half Cantonese, and it was his Chinese father who established this hotel. Nano tried to convince me to stay at Hotel Fong, and even sweetened the deal with a discount. 😅

However, I’m very happy with where I am (and declined Nano’s offer)! I’m staying at a B&B, Rancho Espinoza, a former hacienda. The owners, Maria and William, recently renovated the place. Maria’s grandparents owned it previously, and it’s been so nicely redone. The decorations were spot on!

I also took these photos of one of the workers who was tasked with building a new casita for this B&B. His name is Narciso, but he goes by Wicho. For a one-man team, he did an excellent job. Clearly, a man who takes pride in his work!

Finally, my route from Santa Rosalía to San Ignacio (77 km or 48 miles).