18th – 20th February
Distance – 236km
Total Distance – 922km
The rest day in Catavina was definitely needed. As well as rest, it was a chance to catch up on communications and revise our plan for reaching La Paz.
Day 13
I still wasn’t 100%, but I was feeling much better. We set off early to make some distance, hopefully Parado Punta Prieta, 105km away.
Every day has been different, and Day 13 was no exception. It was pretty cold and overcast, with spots of rain. The first 20km saw a lot of climbing, reaching a maximum altitude of 880m.
We then entered a high plain. It was a very different and geologically interesting landscape; mountain ranges in the distance, volcanic peaks, mesas and then one completely different rocky mountain in the middle of it all. Delicate cactus of different colours and forms lined the roadside and adjacent slopes.
The whole day was a treat – more high plains, a ‘garden’ of cactus and curios trees filled the plains. We made our destination as planned and eventually found a disused Trailer Park in Parado Punta Prieta.
Day 14
The aim, if we could make it, was to get to the major town of Guerrero Negro, just over the border in Baja California Sud state. My body is still not recovered from the cold, so the 130km was quite a challenge.
It all started off easy enough for the first 20km, then the road traversed the hills and out of that valley, then it was continuously undulating for much of the day.
We reached the village of Villa Jesus Maria, still 35km from Guerrero Negro at about 4.30pm. Not wanting to push myself too far, I thought we’d done enough, but there was no accommodation available, so after wasting quite a lot of time trying to find a place to stay, we ended up pushing on. Fortunately the terrain was pretty easy because I had nothing in my legs. We rolled into the early evening, crossing the border at about 7pm.
We now have just 770km in 10 days to reach La Paz, if we follow the main road. This seems much more achievable that it did a few days ago.
