{"id":146997,"date":"2017-03-06T09:44:51","date_gmt":"2017-03-06T09:44:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/?p=146997"},"modified":"2017-03-06T09:44:51","modified_gmt":"2017-03-06T09:44:51","slug":"travelling-world-hera-van-willick-baja-california","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/2017\/03\/06\/travelling-world-hera-van-willick-baja-california\/","title":{"rendered":"Travelling the World with Hera van Willick: Baja California"},"content":{"rendered":"

I bounce around on my bike on a dirt road with washboard relief, up and down, left and right. My panniers clatter an unclear rhythm.\u00a0My bike isn\u2019t made for this! And neither am I\u2026<\/strong>
\n<\/p>\n

That isn\u2019t true, my bicycle actually is made for this! But it suddenly doesn\u2019t feel that way anymore now I\u2019ve seen the gear of the cyclists who specially came to Baja California for these trails. Mountainbikes with extreme wide tires, suspension, just a little bag here and there and a mat and sleeping bag tied to the handlebar or under the saddle. And me? I feel like I\u2019m bouncing my wrists, back and laptop to god on this washboard-road-from-hell! I couldn\u2019t resist to go on this \u2018mild\u2019 trail to skip a part of the MEX 1 (the only asphalt road down Baja), but after only 7 km I already doubt my decision.<\/p>\n

\n
\"travelling-world-hera-van-willick-encata-los-mariachis\"\/<\/a><\/div>
\n #Ride2Unite<\/a>\n <\/div>\n
\n \n

Travelling the World with Hera van Willick: Me Encata Los Mariachis<\/span><\/h3>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/article>\n<\/div>\n

I\u2019m really the only idiot on this route with a good 35 kilos of baggage. Plus at least 7 liters of water and food for 3 to 4 days. My down jacket, insulated trousers, warm vest, winter socks and 4 season tent bounce along. That\u2019s what you get when you don\u2019t fly in for this ride but came biking down all the way from Alaska.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I stop to let some air out of my tires, maybe that\u2019ll give me the much needed suspension. Kdeng, kdeng\u2026 kdeng\u2026 now I bounce all the way to the rim with every big rock I hit. \u2018Ideal\u2026\u2019 I think sarcastically. I deliberate whether to turn around and ride back to Al, the 76 year old motor-legend who friend- and fatherly took me in his house in Bahia de los Angeles, and spend another nice day there before heading back to MEX 1.<\/p>\n

\n
\"travelling-world-hera-van-willick-dripping-south\"\/<\/a><\/div>
\n #Ride2Unite<\/a>\n <\/div>\n
\n \n

Travelling the World with Hera van Willick: Dripping South<\/span><\/h3>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/article>\n<\/div>\n

Al ran a Harley Davidson business in Canada for 30 years and rode the Baja 2000 (km) race 17 times on his dirt bike and won several. Never have I seen a 70+ man with a brighter sparkle of love for life in his eyes then Al.\u00a0When I see a car coming in my direction I think of another option.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The Americans slow down to check if everything\u2019s okay with this bouncing cyclist. This is my chance..<\/p>\n

\u2018Do you guys know Al?\u2019 I ask them, \u2018He\u2019s a sort of legend, everybody in Bahia de los Angeles knows him.\u2019 But they don\u2019t, they\u2019re \u2018just on holidays\u2019 here. I explain them what I\u2019m doing and what I\u2019m running (biking) into. I know that Al will drive south in three days from now and we\u2019ve kind of said we\u2019d meet each other on the road that day. \u2018Can you please take some of my heavy luggage and drop it at his place? If you ask about him in town you\u2019ll find him for sure.\u2019 The fact that these guys are with three and that they\u2019re not really eager to accept my luggage assures me that I can trust them to drop of my stuff.\u2019<\/p>\n

\n
\"travelling-world-hera-van-willick-code-red-sierra-nevada\"\/<\/a><\/div>
\n #Ride2Unite<\/a>\n <\/div>\n
\n \n

Travelling the World with Hera van Willick: Code Red in the Sierra Nevada<\/span><\/h3>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/article>\n<\/div>\n

They agree and I start turning my panniers inside out and go through my stuff to filter out the heavy things. My toiletry bag, tent, warm sleeping bag, diary, laptop, climbing- and hiking shoes, maps from Alaska to Mexico. When they put the bag in the trunk of the car it sinks a little deeper on its axles.<\/p>\n

After I reorganize my luggage I ride on, feeling much lighter.\u00a0Three days I bike over dirt and gravel roads through the pristine nature of Baja. The car that took my stuff back to Bahia was the last and only car I\u2019d see in these days.<\/p>\n