¡Viva La Paz!

¡Viva La Paz!

Sorry for the lack of updates, we haven't had wi-fi since crossing the border. We spent the first two days in Quatro Casa's about 160 miles south of the border. There is a small surf hostel there, complete with a tight but very skateable pool. It's a little under ten miles of dirt road to get into the camp, not too bad, but a definite challenge in a couple spots. Only a couple little spills, nothing major. We shot some fireworks off, had a bonfire, complete with a few memorable antics. We stayed an extra day and waited for Keegan to show up. He had a video premier Thursday night and rode down solo to meet us for the rest of the trip.

Dirt Motos. The view at Quatros.

The central part of baja is very desolate, not a shred of skateable terrain and we mostly just hauled ass trying to carve out some miles. We stopped at Mama Espinosa's for the famous (if over-priced) Langosta burritos. From there we made it to Catavina where we stayed at a roadside hotel. In the morning we filled up from a make shift gas station and hit the road. San Ignacio is where many consider the "real" baja to start. The recent damage from hurricane Jimena was very evident, our original camp site was basically washed away. The road was clear though and the ancient town square was live with pre-Dias de Muerte celebration. Some kids were having an impromptu boxing match and Heath couldn't help but get in the mix. He held his own and made us proud. How outlaw would we be if we rolled into town and got asses kicked by a lanky 13 year old? Thanks, Heath.

Heath Kirtchart, aka El Falcones Azul, hates the sun.

Setting up camp in San Ignacio.

We came back in the morning, had some desayunos and the guys had what might be the earliest recorded skate session ever. We slept outside the night before and body clocks running on nature's schedule, we don't have much choice but to get up early and go to bed not too long after dark. These guys were just "warming up" and "pushing around" not going for banger footage, but I was still impressed. Heath nailed a big kick-flip off a shady curb cut and over a trash can, Arto pulled a wallie off one of the old planters and a couple geriatric locals started getting a little salty, so we loaded up and rode out of there.



Quick stops in Santa Rosalia and Mulege, both of which showed substantial hurricane damage, but the road was fine other than the typical potholes and occasional wash out over a vado. We took a good break a few miles south of Mulege at a beach called Santispac. The view of turquoise waters and white sands when dropping down out of the hills and into the valley where the cove called Santispac is located was sweet enough to get even jaded skaters stoked. These are dudes who have been all over the world and done a ton of fun stuff, so they are not easily impressed. We unloaded a cooler full of beer, stripped down to skivvies or trunks and jumped in the warm, shallow waters of the Sea of Cortez. After a night in the shady campground of San Ignacio, it was refreshing to get a long swim.


Harvey, aka El Diablo soy de Canada.

Two great Canadian kids, Ky and Harvey rode their sporties down from Victoria. These dudes ride hard whether it's skateboards or motorcycles and have been a blast to hang with. Harvey's XL had been leaking oil and making some noises and it finally gave up the ghost. Luckily the film crew wasn't far behind with the tailer. As luck has it, Ky's folks have a place in Loreto, and he got us in. Great place, right downtown but back far enough from the Malecon to be pin-drop quiet. I slept on the porch with Matt, Arto and the cool house dog Scooby. Thanks for the hospitality, Ky and Familia!

Cell phone pic from the bar tonight. Pretty much the best view ever.

Tonight we made it from Loreto to La Paz. Only about 230 miles, but Baja miles are different. The terrain is amazing right now. The positive result of the hurricane is that the landscape is bursting with growth, everything is green. Even the cows and horses are fat, though I wish some of them would graze a little further from the roadside.

Tomorrow is going to be some more morning skating here on the Malecon in La Paz and then onto El Pescador. Once we set up there I think some of us are going to head to Cabo, just to splash in the water at the absolute bottom of the peninsula. Another full day of skating the El Pescador park and then it's the long trek north.

Uno mas cervesas, por favor!