Even though the nighttime temperature was perfect for sleeping and the highway sounds were very far away, I still didn't get to sleep until after 3. Except for my Ambien assisted second night, I don't think I have had more than 3 or 4 hours sleep on any day of this trip. I think the problem is I am bombarded everyday with so much sensory input that my mind just does not shut off. I keep expecting exhaustion to kick in, but the fact is I don't feel particularly tired. I've not had a day yet where I felt my cycling strength was affected by how I slept the night before. Every morning when I start pedaling it feels good. I'll take it.
Woke up at 7:09.
It was a tiring ride from San Ignacio to Santa Rosalia. Again, not a huge challenge topographically but there was a stiff headwind that kept my speed down.
Santa Rosalia is NOT the town I remember! In all previous trips, including when I was last here in 2009, it was a sleepy community. Since then the copper mine has been reopened (based on the flags flying I would guess it is a Mexican, Canadian, and Korean joint venture) and just last month the first copper bars were produced. Now the town is hopping with lots of construction and lots of people and lots of cars. I felt obliged to spend a little time there because it has such cool architecture, but I couldn't get out of there fast enough. I'm staying at a hotel at the edge of town, away from the chaos.
Terry and Gary are Canadians who came down here 14 years ago, without speaking a lick of Spanish. Now they run several businesses. Very impressive people and super nice. They are still cleaning up from Hurricane Odile which pretty much swept everything away.
They raise their own meat animals, and Gary makes a really delicious sweet sausage.
At first I thought this was a fake, put there to scare away other birds.
He was completely motionless for the longest time, and then he put his wings down.
The entrance into Santa Rosalia is unphotographable. It goes past the junk yard and the mine, and it is a sea of trash and cars and sleazy establishments of dubious repute. I found these shady characters hanging out, acting cool.
Plenty of traffic in Santa Rosalia.
I'll say this, the town felt alive! If I was on a Mexican vacation instead of Mexican bike ride I could have enjoyed more time here.
I've seen these book kiosks in several towns. This time there was an attendant who explained that it was a mini-library. One could borrow books for reading in the park or for checking out to take home.
I retreated to the Hotel Morro at the south end of town. No restaurant nearby and I did not want to go back into town on my bike after dark, so I cooked up a meal in my room using the stuff I've been hauling since San Diego.
