Baja Bound 2023 (Part 3)

This entry is part 3 of 23 in the series Baja Bound 2023

April 7, 2023

By Simon J. Lau

Today, I made it past the 225-mile gas desert. Midway, and as expected, I had to fill up using my fuel bag and Rotopax. It’s unbelievable that they haven’t yet built a legitimate gas station here.

Also, I saw my first dead cow in Baja. They say this is common and is often caused by a car collision. In this case, I don’t think this cow died from a car crash. Still, it’s unsettling to see such a large, beastly animal simply decomposing on the side of the road.

I’m spending tonight in Guerrero Negro. This is the first notable town entering Baja California Sur. It’s a popular destination for whale watching. Weirdly, they also have a Thrifty’s Ice Cream store and a huge Elektra (department store that also sells motorcycles). Otherwise, it’s tiny.

When I went looking for food, there were few places open because it’s Good Friday. So I did what I usually do on Christmas: I went to a Chinese restaurant. However, this was misleading. There was no Chinese food available, and when I asked for a recommendation, I was served fish and chips with tortillas. 🫣

My hotel, TerraSal, is both the cheapest hotel I’ve booked (~$41 USD/night) and one of the best hotels I’ve stayed at in Baja. The rooms are large, and there’s even private parking. Wilbur is really moving up in the world!

Also, none of the laundromats are open today. Since I’m running low on clean clothes, I have to hand wash my dirty clothes using my new portable washboard (that doubles as a drying rack for plates). 😅 I’m not confident this will dry in time, but we’ll see.

Finally, my route from Cataviña to Guerrero Negro (239 km or 149 miles).