Off Road...First, Find the Road!

Looking....looking for the road...

Our back road adventure takes us to the mountains in "back" of Mulege to the west.  This road was passable two years ago...that was before the hurricane and then the tropical storm brought torrents of water from the mountains to the sea.  Seems simple enough to just start driving away from town and aim for the mountains.  Within 10 minutes we are stopped and scratching our heads, looking at maps, looking at the disappearing road...

Thanks to the Mexican farmer as he points us in the right direction.

It's not long before a truck drives toward us from a field of vegetables and a local farmer is happy to point us in the right direction...which is yes, the opposite way.

It's off across the arroyo!

Translation: Please, no heavy loads thank you.

Lots of little "signs" ....but what do they mean?

We cross the huge river bed, travel on a track, find many pieces of cloth flagging...something...but what?  Sometimes the track splits three ways...we take a chance and keep the mountains in view.

This arrow is tempting.

Powerful water forces have passed this way.

Consultation...two paths diverged in a wood, and I...

The trip up into the mountains takes three hours as there is much to consider winding our way along places where the road is a clear track, and places where...it isn't.

Regular highway signs???

We are stunned to suddenly see formal road signs, after yellow painted arrows or white flagging!

Keep the hills in sight!

We pass two cattle guards and one sign that indicates there is a rancho somewhere nearby.

"If open the gate, please close it!"

Now the road starts going up...through narrow places where the floods demolished it, and around the bridge that is no longer a bridge, over rocks and boulders, and back to a dirt track.

Clear but rougher than it looks

Not so clear....

Check this out for "UP"....see it?

Two motor trail bikes surprise us by racing by...too fast for photos.  Maybe travelers from the recent Baja race?

Who surprises who?

That's not all that is a surprise!  Around the next bend we find some water...three cows and a small roadside shrine!

Shrine for....who?  

Desert surprise!

At the top of the next rise, the motor bikers reappear...racing back our way.  The news:  the road is totally closed ahead.  That means it's time for lunch and a turn around!

Glenna and Wayne eat rolled tortilla sandwiches

Barb, Joan and Jim have barb-q-ed chicken!

Steve and Nan have guacumole and carrots...

Can we get out now?

Picnic stop on top.

The trip back takes only an hour and 20 minutes.  No stops for consultations..."the way in is the way out."  A turn around, and follow the path that is in front of you.

We keep an eye on Wayne, he checks for us in the rear view.

The quiet as the sun goes down and dusk settles over the sea ahead.

So, it's back to Mulege for us...and back to the beach.  A good back road trip, with no real "adventures" of inconvienence, just enough adventure for fun!