Finally, on my way to Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia (The Famous Salt Flats) with Chris was always going to fun. Chris was riding his KLR – one which would increasingly cause him issues further down the road to Patagonia.
Getting to Death Road, Bolivia (North Yungas Road) was always going to be a challenge. However, after meeting with Motorcycle Tours Bolivia and hiring a private guide (Tito) to take us there, we knew we would be in good hands. I was joined by Chris Moody, another experienced rider I met on the Stahlratte and who joined me in La Paz for the Death Road or as it is known locally as North Yungas Road.
After nearly 3 weeks in Peru, it was time to go from my last stop in Puno and across the border by motorbike into La Paz, Bolivia. The trip would take me following across mostly on paved roads and swept along high altitude valleys for most of the way through a variety of weather conditions. Thankfully there was little to no traffic on this road as it is the northernmost border town from Peru to Bolivia.
I have included my trip across the Gulf of California from La Paz to Mazatlan onboard the Baja Ferry Service to Puerto Vallarta. As this is kind of like a border crossing, I will give as much information as I can. If you have no done some research, there are quite a few horror stories relating to the Baja Ferries service. I, however, had a pretty fantastic experience.
While staying in La Paz, I decided to make a few trips to different areas of southern Baja California Sur. One such trip was a morning ride and swim at Balandra Beach or Playa Balandra. I also wanted to check out the ferry situation which was nearby.
After relaxing a few days in La Paz at Leo’s Baja Oasis, Leo (the owner), decided I needed to go to see Cabo San Lucas and do a little duty-free shopping. This town is also a little mecca for some questionable pharmaceutical goods. It is very much a resort town.
My journey from Mulegé to La Paz took me around 8 hours with the first part of the trip spectacularly sweeping along the Atlantic Ocean. I was starting to get into the trip, getting better at packing and unpacking the bike, finding better places to stay, what and where to eat and no longer feeling like I had been through the ringer after each day’s ride.