La Paz plus

We arrive in la paz. They knock on our cabin doors to wake us up.

That was a short night but I slept really well. Something about boats. Its like being in the womb again. We manage to find good coffee on the boat or so we think. I guess the fact that it was advertised as cappucchino and was served in a non white cup san francisco style lulled us into security. But it was the same thin brew again with foam. No matter I got used to it by now. I just don't call it coffee. Maybe I should find a new name for it. Chocolate colored hot water? Tea with coffee flavor? Caffeinated energy drink?

We get searched once again getting off the ferry and make our way into la paz. We need to deal with the waterpump. When we get to la paz I'm leading so I drive around for while looking for a good spot for breakfast. After driving around for a while (I love driving around and just looking at a new town.The different way they present and sell things what kind of houses people animals advertising colors do they have here?) paige stops me and we go to a hotel that she saw with motorcycles.

we stop hoping we can get some information and just swap travel stories. Sure enough while we are standing there they come out and we start chatting. They don't know the ktm dealer ship which I would like to find for a couple tools I didn't pack like the c-clip pliers for the bearing.

But they do own a place 70 miles south where they are heading this morning and they graciously offer to let us do the water pump there. Paige goes inside the hotel to look up the location of the ktm dealer in cabo and standing outside we run into another traveler this time from australia who has been on the road with little work stints for 4 years. He points us to a ktm dealer in la paz.

When we go there it turns out to be a yamaha dealer and paige doesn't find them confidence inspiring so we leave to weigh more options over breakfast. I'm starving at this point.we go to a vegetarian joint that we drove past earlier and have vegetables. A nice change to meat and cheese.

Since we have reception again we call in sf we call at scuderia the sf ktm dealership where we have friends to get their input on the water pump situation. I found out that the people we met only have trailers on the beach and no real wind protection that we would need when we open up the cover I'm somewhat hesitant to do it there. The wind is blowing very hard today to the point that on the motorcycle the front wheel gets pushed around so much that I have the feeling i am going to loose traction and crash.

At scuderia I get don the owner of scuderia on the phone. The problem wih the water pump is not necessarily the water in the oil but kmore the water in the filter which causes the oil pressure go down. since we only lost a couple ounces so far he suggests to change the oil and filter now and keep an eye on the water.

Without the special tool he thinks we could make it worse. I tend to agree with him and that's our new plan.

Paige needs a couple of days of from too much estrogen and she wants to go south to hook up with those guys and change her oil there and alex and I are itching to be camping heading to a beach north of la paz to find a camp spot.

the town there san juan de la costa turns out to be another mining operation and the street dead ends so we turn around and start looking at all the beaches we have passed. The wind is still atrocious so we need to find a spot with wind protection. After a few turn offs that wouldn't work we find a spot in the midst of kakti and shrubbery and long horn cows where you cant see the bikes from the street and which is right by the beach with nobody else around. persistency is king.

We pitch tent and make ourselves a lovely meal with rice tomatos and hot peppers on tortillas and I have some of the roasted half chicken I got at a stand on the way out. Its almost full moon and we hang out at the water and drink our two ballenas.

We realize that it is winter solstice and the longest night of the year. Not the best night to pick for camping but I'm just happy to be outside. The short days and long nights have made me realize in retrospect that winter is not the best tome to pick for outdoor vacations...

Taking hotels was fun and giving the freezing weather on the mainland our only option. But on motorcycle vacation a big part for me is driving around trying to find the perfect camp spot make food drink beer and go to sleep under the stars. I love it!

Its bright outside from the moon and the cows bells are all around us. At one point I wake up and see all the cows file past the tent. I'm a little afraid that the long pointy horns are going to slash the tent. we don't have the rain fly on and the see-through mosquito net might fool them.

But they have no problem squeezing between the tent and the motorcycles. I'm glad we have the tent though otherwise as alex said we might have woken up by a big rough tongue cow lick in the morning. Alex is making the last bit of coffee now and well have that by the beach.

later we ll meet up with paige again in town at the same restaurant and if we don't meet there say something changes we made another meeting point in loreto at 5 on monday. There is no reception where we are now so we can't communicate.

It has been nice to be off the radar with cell phones. As much as I enjoy bantering by text with certain people I do feel I'm on the hook with that thing too much. constantly in communication with people that are not right there and sometimes not enough time to concentrate on the people that are right there or even to rest and listen to yourself.

Even writing this blog is hampering with the being silent in myself and enjoy the moment so ill quit for now. Hasta manana. Or maybe I take a christmas break for blogging. feliz navidad!