Woke up and broke camp at around 5:30am, made my awesome breakfast I had prepped the night before; eggs, jalapeno bacon, potatoes, onions, red bell pepper. It was delicious! It got light out at 7 and i hit the road to check out some areas around San Diego and prep for Mexico. This camp cost me 35 bucks. Not happy about that.
I was close to where they held the 2008 U.S. Open(golf) at Torrey Pines.
It is a public course and I stopped and snapped some pics and picked up some ball markers and repair tools. Lots of people there to play. and quite a few just stopped by to practice on the putting green. I assume before they have to go to their high paying jobs that allows them to live within driving distance to such a cool/expensive place.Next it was on to the library in La Jolla, they open at 9:30 so I had 45min to kill browsing my phone. here is a pic of my muffler.
I was there to buy and print out a copy of my Mexican liability insurance. I will say this, and believe me I would have shot some video of it but couldn't cause its a public library. there was a guy there who was just plain nuts. there were about 20 terminals in a big room with windows. This guy picks a computer in the middle section of the room. I was happy to be against the windows right by the door so if things got out of hand i could bolt without knocking anyone down. So this guy, very tall wearing a heavily modified t-shirt, cut-off so it comes to the top of his slightly paunchy belly, no sleeves or neck, they had been removed as well. Jogging shorts, not the kind I wear but the kind marathoners wear. Look it up on google if your unsure what I'm talking about. That was it, no socks or shoes; And man the guy was loud. He personally came up to the 20 other people in the room and asked how there day was going, but never waited for a response before he was asking the next person. All from his chair. Then he got up about four times went out the door by me, and would jump up and down 10 times(he counted aloud) and then come back in and sit down. I was only there for 27minutes and I was totally impressed by this guys crowd presence. I finished up said good-bye to him(which was mysteriously ignored) and left.
Up till now I have neglected to get a Spanish to English phrase book, so I punched borders into my droid and off I went. nothing exciting there. Just your run of the mill huge book store where your not able to find anything unless you ask. You are then told to turn around, cause its right there behind you(mumbles "Dumby") Its amazing how someone can make you feel so dumb.
Next I needed to get some food, so off to Food-4-Less I go. Pretty cheap stuff so that was nice, got some fruit and avocados, and other junk. bought 3litres of water.
A box of 25 One gallon zip lock bags. I really only needed four. So I gave a family the rest.
As was mentioned early my plan was to find a camp spot, so I did but check-in wasn't until 2pm. It was noon so I had some time to kill, so off to the border I go. I have to get a tourist permit good for 180 days in Mexico. that was easy. as I was there I remember that I needed a pass for my bike too. But didn't have copies of the stuff they needed so I left and planned on getting that done in the a.m.. So I tried to sweet talk the border guard into letting the gate for the return spot open up which would have put me right at the border going back into Cali. He let some dude thru with a refrigerator they didn't want in Mexico, but wouldn't let me through. So I took of into Tijuana for a bit. That was crazy. So as soon as I saw an I-5/San Diego sign I went for it. Waited in the lines, it was really muggy. I so badly wanted a warm yogurt the vendors were selling but couldn't think of a way to eat it safely. I made it through w/no problems, and went to office depot. My GPS on the phone keeps putting me at the back of the buildings, so i gotta keep my eyes open for what I'm looking for. The picture for office depot was for the nail salon on the back side. Not needing to have my nails done I swung around to the O.D..
Inside they thought I was crazy for only needing to make 22cents worth of copies. kept asking,"Are you sure, sir?" "Sure", I said. Left there and went to check out the camp sites. Which were nice up on a hill in a county park, in Bonita. It was pretty. Of course again there were no rangers or self-pay, so I picked out a site and went and looked around. First place I looked was West. Not looking good. Huge thunder clouds building up offshore. One check on the Droid, weather.com and a quick call to World Mark Vacation Planning and I was outta there and headed back to the border. For 36 dollars I will stay in a 2 bedroom unit with a king bed and view of the storm/ocean, especially when its gonna pour.
I got to the border and went into the declaration line. They have parking and security so leaving my bike seemed O.K.. Went to one booth, they told me to go somewhere else, then a man told me where and how to walk there. Only a block away! I was excited, almost in. I wanted to get this done here cause elsewhere the price doubles. one block to a Mexican I a really long way to walk, so I was jogging. thoughts of my bike and being a pedestrian in Tijuana were really making me pick up speed. The nice man had told me it was just behind immigration and by the McDonald's. Yeah right. I went straight there but not on his directions. just had a feeling, you know? Any ways when I got to the window and explained in plain Inglis what I needed I was sent to the next window to a guy who sorta spoke English. After multiple puzzled looks He explained that I would only need the pass if I was going to take the Ferry from La Paz(Baja) to Mazatlan(main land). Well, I was going to to do that. But now the plans have changed and that is no longer part of my trip. I had just forgot to erase it out of my little yellow book on the things to do before Mexico section. Doh! Now, sprinting back to my bike parked in the most secure part of Mexico, I can't keep the thoughts of how foolish I am from racing though my mind. But my worry was not needed, for my bike and gear were fine.
So I jumped on the bike and headed for the way out. I was stopped and asked by a nice lady who told me to get off my bike and push a button below a large Green and Red traffic light. I asked why should I? She said if I(me) push it and its green I get to go, but if it's red, she get to rifle through my stuff. Great. I laughed silently betting myself 50pesos it would be Red. Put my finger on it and pushed. Yep, RED and a Super loud buzzing noise! Everyone of the 5+guards there were laughing at me. So I pulled my bike back and started to take stuff apart for her viewing pleasure. Now she looked at things I hadn't seen since OLY. A few items I knew I packed but couldn't remember where. Then she was done I packed it back up as she asked about my home and my family. Nice lady just doing her much needed job of keeping the craziness out of Mexico.
I was really excited now and I love driving in Mexico. Really gets the blood pumping! *I just remembered that my Mexican Liability Insurance doesn't start till Wednesday morning at six am. Oh well, be care full I guess. I followed what there were of signs and of course, ended up at a dead-end. Though, it won't be someday, for they are building a huge overpass at the end of the road, but I will have to come back in 20years when it's done to use it. So I went back the way I came, no GPS down here. Just my gut. Well, I came upon a HUGE blinking sign pointing the way to Ensanadas with a HUGE arrow. Funny I didn't see that from the other way. I went a ways past and flipped a U-turn just to see if I had missed it. Yep no sign. Apparently they only want people who can figure out how to get on hwy MEX 1-D to travel in Mexico.
I don't mind riding in the rain. I don't even mind wind. I even don't mind traffic. but spill over the road the slimiest, nasty, slippery mud you can find and throw in wind, rain and traffic and I'm not that comfy. I hope that will forever be the last time I was that freaked out. My bike felt and rode like it was on ice. Both tires would lock up slowing for stops, in corners the front would start to drift, and the wind just pushed me where ever. I left the border at four and 18kilometers later at 5:40 I was on the phone at the hotel firming up my reservation. those were the scariest miles I've ridden. When you are scared, like I was, I find it just makes you go faster and faster.
The resort is a nice place. Deserted though. I think I'm the only one here... Is Mexico open for business? I hope so. I got everything out and it's in the room drying. made some coffee and had a snack. Prob gonna get a cab to town and get something to eat/drink.
Everything drying out in the room.
The weather is going to be back to normal tomorrow p.m.(70deg) so I will probably head south. As my phone cost an arm and a leg down here to stream data I will be relying on wi-fi and computers. Probably no pics for a while either. Hope all is well for every one reading.
Peace and Grease
Luke
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