Baja in the Slow Lane

For a motorcyclist one of the easiest and most rewarding trips a rider can undertake is Baja, Mexico.  It’s a 1-day drive to the Mexican border from most of the Southwestern United States. I have been fortunate enough to spend many months in Baja over the past four years, but always mixed the experience in with working, so I was never able to fully detach and enjoy it. For my fourth time riding Baja this had to change.  I wanted to allow myself to embrace this epic part of Mexico at a slower pace and savor each day.  It’s Baja.  This is the time and place where you are meant to slow down and relax.

The week prior to my departure a friend gifted me this giant stuffed sloth for my birthday.  I promptly named him Slothykins, which seemed to fit since I already traveled with a little stuffed lamb named Lambykins.  Two days prior to departing for Baja while packing my gear I noticed the sloth in the corner of the equipment room staring aimlessly at the wall.

At that moment an idea hit me.  Now usually (always) my ideas are a bit… off and this one would prove no different.  My thought was to use my Rok Straps to secure the giant sloth on the passenger seat of my BMW GS1200 and ride the 3,000-mile roundtrip from Sedona to Todos Santos.  What better way to embrace the slow lane of Baja life then with Slothykins as my passenger!

As we slowly departed Sedona it wasn’t long before I noticed something moving around in my rearview mirror.  I quickly pulled over and saw everything was secure and started off again.  I was in 3^rd gear and again saw a flickering of movement.  Well, it turns out it was Slothykins.  If I went above 50mph his arm would begin flapping in the wind and it gave the perception he was waving at everyone. The whole scene was hilarious.  Other vehicles along the road would slow down, scratch their heads or wave back to Slothykins as we happily motored along desert backroads on our way to Mexico.

One thing I didn’t factor into this whole scheme was the attention I would receive once crossing the border into Mexico.  This usually is a nonevent; however, with Slothykins I was promptly ushered into the “This guy definitely requires a further search” lane, to include an over friendly German Shepard which did a thorough job of sniffing Slothykins and the rest of my gear.  It took a few minutes of the dog jumping all over the BMW before the Mexican Immigration Agents cleared me to proceed.  Welcome to Mexico, Slothykins!

After the border dogs provide you with their approval to enter Mexico your senses are instantly overwhelmed with the sights and smells of fresh food, while your mind awakens to the new obstacles in the road to include but not limited to horses, donkeys, cows, potholes, and large trucks along narrow roads with no shoulder. This sensory awakening can make you become pretty hungry.  Finding some street tacos and a strawberry Fanta from one of the many vendors you pass by is a rather easy task in Mexico. While sitting on the sidewalk I begin enjoying one of the most delicious meals I’ve ever had. Meanwhile, I look over to see my motorcycle parked with Slothykins as a sentry keeping a watchful eye on the new surroundings. THIS is life at its finest in the slow lane of Baja, Mexico!

Baja is a thin peninsula with only four main highways, so when you meet fellow travelers along your journey it is more than likely you will bump into them again at some point.  The people of Baja have very kind hearts, so running into them repeatedly is a great way to build relationships along this journey.  It didn’t take long for me to inherit the nickname “The Sloth Guy.”  Which I found comical since I am a rather fast rider (ask any Massachusetts State Trooper).

For the next two weeks with Slothykins as my tent mate and passenger we happily camped on some of the world’s most beautiful beaches while riding almost the entire length of Baja to a turnaround point on Playa Pescadero, which was just south of Todo Santos.  I never tired of hearing “Hey Sloth Guy come over for a beer” or “Sloth Guy want to join us for dinner?”  The hospitality is incredible in Baja, more so for motorcyclists, and as I learned, even more so for motorcyclists with a giant sloth as a passenger.

With the relaxing two weeks nearing an end there was an outstanding question that I had to answer.  What should become of Slothykins?  I couldn’t keep him as he was much too large, and I already had the immense responsibility of Lambykins, who is quite the handful.  An idea hit me on the final night in Kiki’s Camp in San Felipe.  Why not donate Slothykins to an orphanage.  After some time on Google and Google Translate, I happened to find the manager of a local orphanage called Sonshine Hacienda who lived just a few blocks from where I was camping.  I called him and he was an ex pat who had been living in Baja managing the orphanage for several years. I promptly drove over, met him, and donated Slothykins to his new home to where he would become a big hit and make many new friends. On the return ride to Arizona the bike felt a bit lighter without my buddy on the back waving happily at passersby.  While crossing back into the United States I smiled to the border agent while reflecting on the ride, the people, and the beautiful experiences over the past two weeks of traveling through Baja, Mexico.

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Here’s a link to the Sonshine Hacienda.

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