Guerrero Negro and Weather Change 12.10.21

 

         Today, with a 8:30 am departure, we continued our back track as we head north an find ourselves with only 7 days left in our journey. We drove through Santa Rosilia next the water of the Sea of Cortez. At a gas stop, an hour into the drive, we were greeted by the sight of a group of dolphins, leaping through the water swimming very fast. It was such a wonderful beginning to the day which was to be a long one and a taste of dangers on Mexican highways.

         This next incident which involved Jim and I was one we did not learn about from the others till the next morning during briefing. We we pulled out from the gas stop at Rosalia, our trailer being #2, the road had appeared clear and Liz had noted all clear but just as we pulled into the road and were getting into our lane barely, a semi who had been behind a corner and was going, according to others at least 70, blasted his horn and missing us by inches according to others. We were shaken but did not realize how close we had come to disaster till the others described how he missed us by inches. Thank god no one was in the incoming lane. The road on which he was traveling is full of cobbles and potholes and it is one that you drive at a speed of 30, at most. It was an ugly near miss. 

        What we had been aware of, and when others mentioned the night before our near disaster, we thought they were talking about the semi that passed us later after the big climb up the mountain. I semi came up behind Liz and Bill’s RV. The semi was riding the yellow line and clipped their mirror on their rig, scratching it but not knocking it off. Euclid who was #5 said the trucker’s mirror was broken off. The truck continued up the line missing our smaller Escapes even by inches and forcing us to the edge of the road. There are no shoulders on most of the roads we have driven. What we saw was the truck force Darlene and Dave clear off the road and for a moment, Dave had to get the trailer back into control. There have been few times were we have not felt that our extra caution and communication has kept us relatively safe, this day left us all a bit shaken.

         To return to my narrative, we went back up the Dead Man’s grade and began to move across the mountain grades and valleys between. There was a lot of walky talky conversation as Darlene reported traffic coming and we communicated from the caravan the placement of cars passing. We were going to have another gas stop but the station was either no longer there or had passed from Pemex to another company. 

          Our lunch stop passed the same way. The station parking lot we were going to use to accommodate our 8 rigs, was full of semi’s so we pressed on to Guerrero Negro arriving about 2:30 pm.  The wind was blowing very hard and it was the coldest we had been since the start of the trip. We were, indeed, a hungry bunch and pulled and left set up till we had had lunch. 

Our overnight park at Guerrero Negro was one of our most desolate. The one Baja Amigos usually uses and the one where we parked on our way south was booked so this was our stop. Interestingly the roads and parking spots were paved with large shells and there were piles of them at the end of the park. They were all uniform, about six inches across and similar markings. They had been carefully laid down, probably by hand. 
This was the surface of the roads and parking spots. It must have been quite striking at one time. 


        Except for going into Guerrero Negro for needed errands, such as for gas and water, and digging out long sleeved shirts, pants and jackets, little else transpired. Just a few in the group went to the little restaurant here at the RV park. This was the most desolate camp we have stayed in. In the morning we were greeted by coyotes howling and dogs prowling around. It was not a place to let our dogs off leash. The other park we used previously was filled so this was the only alternative. We all needed to make sure we are ready for the up coming 4 days of dry camping at Bahia de Los Angeles. 

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