Motodiscovery Copper Canyon and Baja Group Photo
Somewhere on the road between Nogales and San Carlos. Our first taste of roadside food.
Federal Police Region XXVI Command Sonora
The view from the San Carlos Plaza Hotel. Our first night on the road.
Another view from the San Carlos Plaza
The pool at the San Carlos Plaza
"Sea Gull on Rock" San Carlos
"Sea Gull on Rock" - about to get wet. San Carlos
Sea Gull on Rock again
El Jefe - me on the beach at San Carlos.
Beach wildlife
Fishing village down the road from the San Carlos Plaza
Launchas on the beach at San Carlos
Fishing village at San Carlos
View of a cove at San Carlos
Same view different framing
Don and Rich trying not to fall into the ocean.
Same view without the two Gringos
Looking towards the San Carlos Plaza from a overlook.
View of the harbor at San Carlos
Another roadside lunch on the road outside Ciudad Obregon after Don tried to torch his BMW.
Cafe entrance - you don't want to see the backside.
Lunch of carne asada
Casa De Los Tesoros, Alamos, Sonora
This hotel is a 326 year old restored convent. A perfect place for a bunch motorcycle riders to stay.
Relaxing poolside after a days ride.
Rooms without a telephone or a TV but the bar made up for that. Plus free wifi.
Working fireplaces
Group motorcycle shot in front of the hotel in Alamos
Group shot different view
Alamos was founded in 1681. Historic buildings in the Colonial City of Alamos are a Mexican Historical Monument and a Sonoran State Historical Site.
Alamos plaza
Alamos community and municipal government building
Painting inside the bar at Casa De Los Tesoros
Another shot of the bar
Courtyard of the Casa De Los Tesoros
The brick structures on top of the buildings are chimneys.
A courtyard in Alamos
A courtyard that is part of the Hacienda de los Santos
Entrance to Hacienda de los Santos.After a 15-year renovation, a collection of three Spanish Colonial Mansions including the town's sugar mill are impressively connected with stone walkways, brick passageways, tunnels and footbridges set amidst six lushly landscaped acres. A vast array of original artwork, antiques, Spanish Colonial art including santos, retablos and ex-votos meticulously grace the estates and add to the magical ambience. Thus, the name was created - Hacienda de los Santos (House of the Saints). Today, 25 guestrooms, suites, villas, La Dulce Vida Spa, dining rooms, cantina, four pools, fitness center, business center, and more are offered at the resort.
Looking through the front entrance into the main courtyard of the Hacienda de los Santos
Front entrance to Hacienda de los Santos. Unfortunately this was not one of our hotels.
The Easter Ceremonies of the Yaqui and the Mayo Indians of Arizona and Sonora represent a tradition that dates back to sometime in the early seventeenth century. At that time, pioneering Jesuit priests came into the valleys of the Río Mayo and the Río Yaqui in what is now Sonora, Mexico. The Catholic ceremonies and the Mayo and the Yaqui ceremonies blended into a cycle which includes sacred elements of both worlds.
These are probably Chapayekas who come to Alamos on the weekends preceding Easter to ask for contributions to help pay for the performance of the rituals. The Chapayekas were sometimes accompanied by unmasked men and boys who carried small, portable shrines and donation boxes. They played drums, chanted and acted as interpreters since the Chapayekas may not speak. Alamos is at the southern edge of traditional Yaqui country which centers around the fertile valleys of the Río Yaqui. The Mayo live in the next big drainage area south around the Río Mayo.
We encounter this event in front of the Alamos junior high school. The girls in the background are heading to classes.
Another shot of the school and indians
This is a shot of building construction which is used in the buildings in Alamos. The worn wood is ironwood a very hard and durable wood.
Another Alamos courtyard. We were invited into this home by the owner.
Inside the Alamos community and municipal government building
Inside the Alamos community and municipal government building. The building is used by residents for cultural events and concerts.
View from the Alamos mayor's office. President Zedillo declared 188 structures in the Colonial City of Alamos as National Historic Monuments on November 23, 2000. The city is in position for being considered a United Nations World Heritage Site of which there are fourteen sites in Mexico.
Local transportation
The original mission church in the 1600's would have been of adobe. La Parroquia de la Purísima Concepción was started in 1786 and completed in 1826. Its style is similar to San Xavier del Bac in Tucson. The massive church walls and buttresses, domes and the tower are a cobbled texture of stone, adobe and burnt adobe, plastered and unplastered. The back of the church is as interesting in this way as the front. Escape tunnels are rumored to run from the early homes around the plaza into the church. Its thick stone walls made it the place of refugee during raids by the Mayo Indians. The church also survived the civil and revolutionary wars that ripped Mexico apart for generations.
InsideLa Parroquia de la Purísima Concepción
Local printing office in Alamos
No Xerox copiers here
Platen printing press model
Another Alamos courtyard
Getting to hit the road for El Fuerte, Sinaloa
Overview of Alamos
Looking away from Alamos towards the Sierra Madres
A poster at a local restaurant talking about the effects of Hurricane Norbert in Oct 08. Eight people drowned during the storm.
Pictures of the damage in Alamos caused by Hurricane Norbert.
This is a picture of the damage cause buy Norbert at the restaurant we eat lunch prior to leaving Alamos
This is the restaurant today. I had the Mexican pork sandwich at the recommendation of the Ken and it was excellent.
The owner of the restaurant point to where the rains had pushed mud, dirt and water down from the mountains and into town.
Another shot of the flood path.
This bridge is on the road between Alamos and Navajoa. It was washed out during Norbert.
Shameless advertising
Self portrait or an ooops.
One of the 5 or 6 toll booths we passed through on the mainland leg of our journey.
Example of toll roads on the mainland.
Sign on the hill reads "Jesus is the way"
Another shot of the toll booths and the Federal Police. Although we were consistently 20 kms over the limit we never were stopped for speeding.
Federal Police patrol car - Dodge
Riding partner Rich heading towards El Fuerte.
Trying to catch up.
Trying to get a shot of the Sinaloa sign but we were lagging behind and trying to catch up.
The bar at Hotel Torres Del Fuerte
Fountain in the courtyard at Hotel Torres Del Fuerte
Train station in El Fuerte, Sinaloa.
Map of the train route from Los Mochas to Chihuahua. It is a 8 hour train ride from El Fuerte to Divisadero. Divisadero is on the rim of the Copper Canyon.
The group waiting for the train to Divisadero
Locals at the train station
Train arriving at the station
Randoms shots during the train ride to Copper Canyon
Sign commemorating the completion of the Chihuahua - Pacific Railroad. This is located at the loops at Temoris. You can see the upper railroad bridge in the left of the frame.
Sign commemorating the Chihuahua - the Pacific railroad at the loops of Temoris.
Bridge at the Loops at Temoris
Looking down on the rail tracks at the Loops at Temoris
Armed guards on the train.
Village along the railroad going to Copper Canyon
Tarahumara indian selling woven baskets at San Rafael
Tarahumara indian with a child
Divisadero Barrancas, Chihuahua
Vendors at the train station in Divisadero
Picture of the passenger and bar car on the train.
Walk down from the train station to our hotel on the canyon rim.
First picture of the Copper Canyon at Divisadero
Random Copper Canyon picture
Quick movie from the balcony of our hotel room on the rim of the canyon.
Copper Canyon
Picture of our hotel rooms
Lobby are of the Hotel Divisadero Barrancas
On the edge of the canyon drinking a cerveza.
Relaxing on the canyon rim
Interesting tress at the hotel on the rim at Copper Canyon
Impressive view from the hotel room
Group in the bar enjoying the view.
Copper Canyon in the morning light.
In front of the hotel, localTarahumara Indians setting up shop for the day.
Buying a hand woven basket
This is one of the new overlooks the Government of Mexico has installed along the canyon rim. They had just finished paving a road in to the natural park area and had constructed a toll booth. Plans are to begin charging for entrance to this area.
Tree growing on a rock - what can't be seen is the soda bottle someone had tossed on the rock and is just behing the tree roots.
Picture of the new overlooks and the hotel in the background.
Picture of the hotel.
Landing strip. This is taken from the canyon rim.
Don and Rich at Copper Canyon
This is called the flying rock or balancing rock. That is our tour guide standing on the rock and it is rocking back side to side.
The Government of Mexico is planning to construct a a two car gondola system that will run from the canyon rim to the middle of the canyon where a restaurant will be build on a out crop and from there the gondolas will travel to the canyon floor. Estimated completion is 2010.
Ladder used by local Tarahumara indians to access the rim where they sell their wares.
Tarahumara indian dwelling
Tarahumara indian dwellings
Rich on the canyon rim
Tarahumara indian child in the vendors area at the train station
Tarahumara indian vendor
Food vendor at the train station
Train station sign: 186 miles to Los Mochis, 219 miles to Chihuahua; and 7,365 feet above sea level.
Train back to El Fuerte
Conductor
Armed train guards just in case...
You could never do this on a U.S. train.....
Rich had to have a picture of the orange house.
Typical village along the train route
Modern plumping
Pulling onto a side rail to let the Chihuahua bound train pass
Rail security
House with outdoor facilities
The bridge at the Loops at Temoris heading towards El Fuerte
Train rounding the bridge at Temoris.
The region is suffering from a drought and this is reflected in the water levels in the lakes.
Another shot of the water line of the lake. Note how low the water level is.
Rich at a road side sign in Sinaloa.
Don at the same sign
Tobolabampo - Federal Police patrol
Fortunately they were not looking for us...
Our guide took us to a public beach on Topolabampo Bay
Restaurant on a public beach outside Tolpolobampo. The seafood here was excellent.
Inside the restaurant owned by Rosabella - her two sons were helping out during lunch break at school.
Fresh oysters
Rosabella shows the fresh Red Snapper.
Lunch time
Don and Rich waiting for lunch to arrive, Rich has a beer behind his back...
Enjoying one of the few short-riding days and soaking up some sun
World famous Topolobampo shrimp
Shrimp with butter and fresh garlic
Can you here me now????
Rich checking in
Local bat cave in Topolobampo
Bat cave entrance
Luancha ride around Topolabampo Bay
Part of the group rode in a Luancha - don't be fooled these can move.
Motoring away from Topolobampo
The other boat that we will all transfer to in order to get into the shallow bay where the dolphin named Pechocho lives. My camera battery was dying so I did not get any pics but here is a YouTube video of Pechocho. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_bzjLqBzbg
Topolobampo harbor
Our local guide (blue shirt) was a second year university student who was studying business and wants to go into the tourism trade.
Island in Topolabampo Bay that is also a Wildlife sanctuary
Don and Rich on the Topolobampo Bay heading back to port.
Rich killing time waiting while waiting for movement to the ferry port
Not to be out done ....
View of Topolabampo Bay
Waiting to board the ferry. Boarding started a 10 pm.
In line at the ferry
Mexican marines providing port security.
La Paz Harbor
Leaving the ferry after night crossing.
Military Checkpoint at port of La Paz
Ferry from Topolobampo to La Paz
Ice Cream stop in Cabo
Mexican Navy new Search and Rescue boats in Cabo
Harbor next to the Fiesta Inn in La Paz
Rich on the beach in La Paz
Fiesta Inn, La Paz
Random shots along the boardwalk in La Paz
Sand sculptures at a community festival in La Paz
Mexican Navy harbor patrol
Another sand sculpture
Wyland painting in La Paz
Sunday lunch in La Paz. We popped into this cafe because it was filled with locals and the food was excellent.
Shrimp lunch in La Paz
El Lobster
Cafe Bismark - excellent seafood.
Sunset in La Paz
Sunday group dinner at the Bismark in La Pax
Seafood platter which included Pacific lobster
Fiesta Inn Lobby, La Paz
On the road out of La Paz
Self Portrait - note the Mexican Red Cross sticker on helmet. We encountered numerous collection sites for the Mexican Red Cross who were in the middle of a national fund raising effort. After donating at several sites I figured out that by putting the sticker on my helmet so they would not ask for another donation.
Southern Baja terrain
On Mexican Highway 1 from La Paz to Loreto
Isla of Carmen
Rich taking a break and point at th Sea of Cortez.
Some of the twisties between La Paz and Loreto
Rich coming in after some twisties
Loreto, BCS. Holland America cruise liner coming into port.
Hotel Oasis, Loreto, BCS
City Hall
Municipal police providing security. This is the same day as the cruise liner pulled in.
Main shopping area in Loreto
The mission of Nuestra Señora de Loreto which was built in 1752
Interesting arch at the mission of Nuestra Señora de Loreto
Performance for the cruise ship passengers in the town square in Loreto
Loreto marina
Mexican Navy security
Solo trek to the Mission of San Javier approx 35 kms west of Loreto on twisty dirt roads.
Unimproved road to the Mission of San Javier
One room church on the road to the Mission of San Javier
Mission of San Javier for more information visit: http://www.bajaquest.com/sidetrips/sidetrip01.htm
Mission of San Javier
Plaza at the Mission of San Javier
The main street leading to the Mission of San Javier
Inside the Mission of San Javier
Brief history of the Mission of San Javier
Group dinner in Loreto. Excellent guitar player performed during dinner.
Convict Bob. Bob ran the only stop light in Loreto and was hauled down to the local police station. After paying the $29 fine he was release and instantly became famous. By the time we left town everyone had heard of the Gringo on the Goldwing.
Convict Bob profile shot.
Sunrise in Loreto
This is called "Seagull on a Cactus".
On the road from Loreto headed toward Mulege
More twisties heading to Mulege.
Me taking a picture of our guide Bob taking a picture of me.
Riding along the Bay of Concepcion
Bay of Concepcion
Fishing huts along the Bay of Concepcion
Airstrip at the Hotel Serenidad. Hollywood celebrities used to fly in here for vacation. Reportedly a favorite of John Wayne.
Hotel Serenidad, The Hotel Serenidad opened to an elite international clientele on the shores of the Gulf of California nearly 30 years ago. Almost overnight, it transformed this sleepy village on the eastern shores of Baja California Sur. Complete with a new, 4,000-foot landing strip, the hotel drew such regulars as John Wayne, Olivia Newton-John and other stars and became an engine of progress and relative prosperity for Mulege and its 3,000 residents.
Mexican Army at the airfield adjacent to Hotel Serenidad
Hotel Serenidad. For more interesting information on this hotel read this article -http://math.ucr.edu/ftm/bajaPages/Stories/Serenidad.html
Local housing on the road between Mulege and Rosalia. We had to stop here while the guide repaired a flat. We pulled ahead because there was no pace to pull over where he had the flat.
One of the group leaders had a flat and the rest of the group pulled over at a road side stop.
Prison south of Santa Rosalita
Santa Rosalia. A galvanized iron church, designed by Gustav Eiffel, displayed (and shared a prize for design with the Eiffel Tower) at the 1889 World's Fair in Paris, reconstructed in Belgium, and then shipped to Mexico, the Iglesia de Santa Barbara is a landmark of Santa Rosalia.
Iglesia de Santa Barbara
Interior of Iglesia de Santa Barbara
Fish Tacos in Santa Rosalia
The Mission at San Ignacio was founded by the Jesuit missionary Juan Bautista de Luyando in 1728 at the site of the modern town of San Ignacio, Baja California Sur, Mexico. http://www.bajaquest.com/sanignacio/baja16i_1.htm
Entrance to the mission at San Ignacio
Interior of the mission at San Ignacio
English history of the mission at San Ignacio
Pulling into another Military Checkpoint outside San Ignacio
Soldiers working at the checkpoint
Pulling into the checkpoint
Military checkpoint sign - unfortunately they have an unlisted number....
Waiting to get checked out. Never really hassled at the checkpoints during the trip most were interested in the assortment of bikes we had in the group. The chase van was another story.
Mexican flag flying over the checkpoint HQs.
Baja desert
Picture of the sky -- think I was trying to get the camera back into my tank bag without dropping it will going down the road.
Immigration checkpoint in Guerrero Negro, looked like it was relatively new. Our guide Bob is headed back to pick up stragglers.
Immigration checkpoint
Looking north on MEX 1 toward the army base and our hotel.
Immigration office
Following the chase van to the hotel in Guerrero Negro
Army base - note the Hummer sitting at the gate. The structure behind it is the 28th parallel monument and is supposed to be an abstract eagle. This also marks the state line between BCN and BCS.
Sign indicating this is the 40th Military Zone HQ and also the base for the 21st Motorized Cavalry Regiment (RCM)
Sign reads 2nd Group of Amphibious Special Forces
Entrance to the 2nd Group of Amphibious Special Forces
State line between Baja California North and Baja California South. The army base actually sits right on the state line and the north bound lane is on one side and the south bound lane is on the other. We had to go around the base because the hotel was on the south bound lane.
Sign reads II Military Region, 40th Military Zone
40th Zone Headquarters building.
State line Baja California North and Baja California South
Hugh garrison flag flying over the army base
Attempt to put the flag in perspective
Wind mill on the road heading towards the bay outside Guerrero Negro
Salt operation out side Guerreo Negro, BCS.The population of Guerrero Negro was born in 1957 when a U.S. American by the name of Daniel Ludwig--who also constructed the hotel Acapulco Princess in the port of Acapulco, Guerrero--decided to install a salt works there to supply the demand of salt in the western United States.
The salt mine was established around the Ojo de Liebre coastal lagoon taking advantage of the heavy salinity of the place, without realizing that eventually this company, called Exportadora de Sal, S.A., of C.V. ("Salt Exporters, Inc."), would become the greatest salt mine in the world, with a production of seven million tons of salt per annum, exported to the main centers of consumption in the Pacific basin, especially Japan, Korea, the United States, Canada, Taiwan and New Zealand. In 1973 Daniel Ludwig sold the company to the Mexican government and the corporation Mitsubishi, 51% and 49% respectively, giving rise to a historic business success which continues to the present
The company is distinguished not only by its growth and its yield, but also by the progress which has reached more than a thousand employees, their community and its ecological surroundings: The salt works, located in a site of extraordinary beauty, within a reserve of the biosphere, has been pivotal in the development of the region, where each winter whales gather, many species of resident and migratory birds stay, visiting birds originating mainly in the United States and Europe.
On the hunt for Gray Whales in Guerrero Negro, BCS. Ojo de Libre - Eye of the Jackrabbit - is a huge bay off the Pacific coast of Baja where grey whales congregate in the winter months to give birth and breed. The nearest town, Gurrerro Negro, is a dusty u-shaped outpost halfway down the desert peninsula. Several licensed operators take out boats on the bay with tourists who come to get close to the whales. It's a highly regulated industry, allowing only a handful of boats out per day, aimed at a balance between disturbing the whales and giving the tourists a close up experience. After being out on the bay, I couldn't tell who was more excited and curious about the other - the humans or the whales.
First contact....
This is getting a little close
I thought this was close enough but....
We keep moving closer
Now this is close
Another Grey Whale sticking its nose up to look at us?
Guerrero Negro is the Spanish translation of the name "Black Warrior", an U.S. American whaling ship from Duxbury near Boston that grounded near the coast in the 1850s. It was during this era that Captain Charles Scammon discovered a prolific grey whale breeding lagoon which became a choice hunting ground for Yankee and European whalers. Although locally known as Laguna "Ojo de Liebre" (eye of the jackrabbit), this lagoon is better known to boaters from around the world as Scammon's. Now, instead of whaling, a whale-watching industry has developed around the whales in the lagoon. The whales in the lagoon are particularly known for their willingness to approach the whale-watching boats and sometimes (especially the newborns) allow themselves to be petted.
These were incredible mammals
A mother and her calf
Blow air in our faces
Gray Whale Calf coming into be petted.
They like rubbing against the boats
One went right under the boat. It it large enough that it could flip the boat with no effort at all.
Mother and calf
A tail shot as one passed under the boat.
Calf taking a look at us.
Then coming up for a pet
Note the barnacles on their skin
Mom and calf together next to the boat.
We had two sets of moms and calves at one time. Really quite impressive.
Mom and her calf
Taking a closer look.....
What can I say ...this really gives you an idea how big they are and how close we were to them.
Rubbing against the boat
Four whales around the boat - two moms and two calves
Petting the whales
Birds on the beach - the pelicans were interesting to watch.
Seals sunning themselves
Seals sunning themselves on a buoy.
Sea lions
Mexican Navy compound in Guerrero Negro
PRI building - Guerrero Negro
Federal Police Station in Guerrero Negro
Attorney General's office - PGR
Another shot of the army base in Guerrero Negro
40th Military Zone HQ and 21st Motorized Cavalry Regiment
40th Military Zone Headquarters
Garrison flag over the 21st Motorized Cavalry Regiment garrison. The bus in the fore ground belongs to Mario's Tours who runs the the Whale Watching tours and he has a restaurant just south of the hotel. Also you get a better idea of the 28th Parallel Monument.
Picture of my ride with the 28th Parallel monument in the back ground.
Pit stop along the road to Catavina
A mound of boulders
MEX 1 heading north towards Catavina
Bob and I pull over to wait for the rest of the group...being on Beemers we tend to be a little heavy on the throttle especially in the twisties.
Federal Police having dinner at the Desert Inn that we are staying at for the evening. Note the GPS on the top of the truck.
Federal Police vehicle in Catavina.
Gas station in Catavina, BCN. The cost was 40 pesos per gallon.
Bob and the gas station attendant tanking up Jim's Harley in Catavina, BCN
Boulder field north of Catavina, BC
More boulder fields
President Calderon campaign sign
