Page 2 of DrScotch Travel Blog Posts


North America » Mexico » Baja California Sur » Loreto May 27th 2009

What a difference between the west and the east coast of the Baja! We left Guerrero Negro in full leather at barely 50F, crossed 200kms of Bajan desert with vast plains of not much to see really. But then, the minute we crossed the Volcan "Las Tres Virgenes", we hit a wall of heat and amazing beauty. Protected by the high peaks of "La Giganta", the east coast of the Baja is hot and superb! The Bahia Concepcion, a huge bay with green abnd blue waters and beaches that you dream of or see in the movies. Riding along the "Mar de Cortes" (Golfo de California) takes your breath away as we exit so many curves. Parlons en de la beaute des routes et du reste, au moment ou l'on doit descendre une montagne, il est ... read more
Only a "suggestion" in Mexico!
Plenty of these along the roads
Gifts after gifts around the corner!


Very impressive the Baja! Not only by its sheer size. The variety of landscapes, often breathtaking, is simply amazing. 90% wild and protected (well, except from the Mexicans irresistible need to litter), we have been privileged to witness the wonderful gifts that nature and time have created. Un resto super le midi dans le milieu du desert. Brunch pour la 1ere fois. On a skippe le lunch et on ne s'en porte que mieux! Les bikes, ca fait pas faire beaucoup d'exercice... On s'est fait brasser un peu sur une partie de la route; l'asphalte etait maganne a cause du gel sans doute... On a traverse 4 barrages militaires qui controlent les envois possibles de drogue vers les USA. C'est du serieux! Blindes avec heavy duty mitraillette sur le dessus. Ca ralenti le traffic direction nord, ... read more
"That's not a cactus!"
"That's a cactus!"
Kilometers (really) of hot houses!


Welcome to Mexico! Bienvenue au Mexique: Tourism permit: $21 US Temporary motorcycle import: $39 US Motorcycle insurance for 12 days: $79 US Toilet paper at the Tijuana border: 10 Pesos Crossing Tijuana in Mexican traffic... Priceless!! Our first near miss happens as we leave the border and this woman cuts me off... and stops! The Mexican round-abouts reminds me of the Paris ones: chacun pour soi! It got better from there on. Baja is superb! Majestic mountains, vast agricultural valleys where they grow lots including cactus?? Plenty of small villages along the #1 where the riches mingle with the poor. Des routes sinueuses qui grimpent les montagnes, superbes pour les motos. Une chose est certaine, pas question de rouler a la brunante ou pire pendant la nuit. La condition de la route a deux voies est ... read more
Rich and Religious!
Tequila Tasting!
Lunch in Ensenada

North America » Mexico » Baja California » Tijuana May 22nd 2009

This will have been the quickest visit of Tijuana! We will cross Tijuana Sunday morning while the drug lords and their family are at church praying for their sins. We had a great day yesterday in San Diego with Helene (poor Alan had to work...) We enjoyed a bike ride, picked up the "apparently required insurance certificates for Mexico", enough pesos to get us to "La Paz" so we can cross to the mainland (Mazatlan) with the 12 hour ferry. But one step at a time. It will take us 4 days to get there! Yesterday, we met Bob (not our Bob, but Bob, a San Diego born gentleman, at this glorious Irish bar in San Diego so we could send us off the proper way to Mexico. Connecting is what matters... and we had fun ... read more
Francois's frequent pass time
Coronado Beach
Notre ami Bob!

North America » United States » California May 22nd 2009

Bon ben nous avons complete la 1ere etape: Route 66: merci! Nous sommes chez Helene (soeur de Francois et Marc, cousine d'Andre et de Lina) et Allan a El Cajon, en banlieue de San Diego. Helene est venu ici en voyage il y a quelques 35 ans et n'est jamais revenu au Quebec: la froidure et Helene, ca ne va pas bien ensemble... We are enjoying our first "day off" since we left 2 weeks ago or so. The bikes are getting a tune up, we too. A little oil for the bikes, a little tequila for the bikers. We are staying with Helene & Allan for a few days then we are taking off for Mexico, a planned 3+ days in the Baja peninsula, then across to the mainland and Guadalajara chez Luc et France, ... read more
Crossing the mountains
What kind of moose is that?
Courbes apres courbes!

North America » United States » California May 20th 2009

Salut la gang! Hello friends! A quicky this morning before we take off from Yucca Valley (Joshua Tree National Park) to go to San Diego. We will complete the first section of our journey later today: Route 66 has been good to us! Thanks for joining us! Thx Rey for the spirited and timely jokes! Merci a tous pour vos contacts! On a toujours hate de garder contact! Cheers! ... read more
Pit stop in "29 Palms"
Desert
Faut pas rester en panne...

North America » United States » Nevada » Las Vegas May 20th 2009

Holly molly! You want hot? First time riding in such heat where the breeze from riding actually burns... Yet, what amazing scenery! The Joshua tree National Park offers quite a unique scenery with 85 million year old rock formation and a forest of Joshua trees where each is as different as human beings are. Yesterday, the as unique Las Vegas. But the highlight of today: crossing the desert without gas & water... We stop at a gas station to fill up only to find out that they have been out of power for 24 hours. No choice but to pursue our journey and get to the next town, 50 miles away, on gas fumes... Luckily as under 110 degrees heat and no shade, that would have redefined "painful" in a very personal way! Normalement, quand on ... read more
En construction
Moto "Car wash"
Ouch!


Maudit qui fait chaud ! nous avons rouler, surtout en fin de journee avec un thermometre frisant les 100 degres F, heureusement qu'Andre a flairer une petit saloon ou nous avons pu nous humidifier le gosier avant de faire les derniers 17 miles nous separant de Kingman, Arisona . Comme de raison, il doit en sortir autant qu'il en entre donc voir une des photos pour constater... La biere etait excellente car apres avoir traverser des reserves indienne ou aucune boisson ne peut etre vendue ou consommee... Nous sommes encore renverses par l'immensite du Grand-Canyon, wow... Nous avons pris un tour d'helicoptere de 30 minutes, suffisamment pour apprecier cette merveille du monde. Je suis sur qu'apres avoir vu quelques photos jointes a cet envoi, vous nous comprendre, malheureusement ca ne rendra pas la moitie de ce ... read more
P1020104
Grand Canyon
Grand indeed the Canyon!


Magnifique journee dans l'Arizona, decor a perte de vue... indescriptible.passage dans une reserve "seche" (pas de vente de biere) mais la chance etait avec nous: un jeune indien nous a invite chez lui . Tres belle rencontre avec sa jeune femme dans leur maison typique dans le plus vieux village Hopi de l'Amerique du Nord. Le Nouveau-Mexique etait tres contraste avec le Texas: beaucoup de betails, mais pas beaucoup de cowboys. What a day we had in New Mexico and Arizona! Where to start?... How about where we finished: in the small village of Kikotsmovi, Arizona, the oldest settlement according to our host Waylon Namingha and his wife Jenny Nauywaima, from the Bear clan of the Hopi tribe. Here's how it happens: we stop to snap a picture of an old village on top of a ... read more
A perte de vue
P1020033
P1020027

North America » United States » Texas » Amarillo May 15th 2009

What a great day! We saw quite a bit today, despite a short day, from Cadillacs buried in the middle of a field to a bra factory closed to become the barb wire museum (the Turnpike and cheaper labour in Mexico being the culprits...) Une courte journee, 300 kms a peine, de Clinton, Oklahoma a Amarillo, Texas. On a vu la premiere station Phillips 66; 10 Cadillacs enterres a moitie... folk art des annees 70's... Hier il faisait 90, aujourd'hui 60... Demain, on s'attend a du soleil toute la journee. Pas de casque requis au Texas: yeah! On commence a voir des cowboys! Chapeaux et bottes inclus... On est dans le far-west! Champs a perte de vue; America is huge! We realize that we must start our days earlier if we are to maintain a reasonable ... read more
Cadillacs
Route 66
Phillips 66




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