Monthly Archives: December 2010

Santa Rosalia: the Prince of Spokes, and getting whipped by the warm winds from the Sea of Cortez

Posted on December 31, 2010 by Charlotte

29 December brought a bright yet bitterly cold morning to leave San Ignacio. Our hands had only just stopped stinging when disaster struck. Syd had two broken spokes. Unfazed the boys set to work while I hung around in the sun … Continue reading →

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‘Los Piscadores’

Posted on December 31, 2010 by Charlotte

A ‘piscador’ is one who specialises in working on date palms – cleaning, pruning and harvesting dates. San Ignacio has hundreds of date palms, sprouting everywhere in the oasis town. In one of the stories at Casa Loree – in … Continue reading →

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San Ignacio – an oasis of calm

Posted on December 30, 2010 by Charlotte

The morning of 27 December we arrived in San Ignacio. It was my birthday and having woken up in a shed with no windows (it was free, and we were grateful) the sight of the lush oasis town was welcome … Continue reading →

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There she blows…

Posted on December 29, 2010 by Ned

Cycle-tourists are totally at the mercy of the wind when traveling on exposed desert roads. It can be blasting straight into your face, slowing your progress to a crawl, or filling your wide pannier-loaded frame like a sail, accelerating you … Continue reading →

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Street grub – it’s all about the timing

Posted on December 29, 2010 by Charlotte

When it comes to street food, Mexicans know what they are doing. Scoping out the local fare is one of the most enjoyable things to do before, during and after a day in the saddle. It’s generally cheap, fresh and … Continue reading →

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Desert rancheros

Posted on December 28, 2010 by Charlotte

Stopping at a loncheria 25 miles from El Rosario we got talking to the proprietor who happened to be a ‘ranchero’. Amid the cacti he explained to us he keeps 70 cattle that roam free eating what vegetation takes their … Continue reading →

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More language blunders…

Posted on December 27, 2010 by Charlotte

An innocent British girl went into a loncheria looking for elevenses and confidently asked for (what she thought was) a cup of hot cocoa. As a grin spread across the proprietor’s broad face she realised her mistake. Instead of asking … Continue reading →

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Noche Buena in Guerrero Negro

Posted on December 26, 2010 by Charlotte

Staying in our pokey motel room was not an option on Noche Buena (Christmas Eve) – it resembling a non-festive hybrid of bike shop and hobo hovel. So, we began to plan our evening with the vigour of desperation. First, … Continue reading →

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Feliz Navidad!

Posted on December 25, 2010 by Charlotte

Merry Christmas! To everyone back home, we miss you – please eat some extra turkey for us! We’ll raise a toast of tequila to you all. To everyone we’ve met on our travels, thank you for your help in all … Continue reading →

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A warming sentiment for frozen Europe?

Posted on December 24, 2010 by Charlotte

I read ‘Mill on the Floss’ a while ago, and George Eliot has a poetic way of describing the time of year – makes me feel extra homesick: ‘old Christmas smiled as he lay his cruel-seeming spell on the outdoor … Continue reading →

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