The Cactus Trip Diaries

Today we decided to explore the Vizcaino peninsula, south of Guerrero Negro. We had been here in 2008 but experienced our first double puncture that tended to distract from cactus exploring a bit.

This time we decided to stick on the main road, hard top according to the map, but in reality there was a badly graded section that probably loosened most of the fillings in my teeth!

We made four stops (S2210 to S2213) but more for scenic than floral records.

The hope was to get to Punta Eugena, right at the end of the Peninsula, opposite Isla Natividad where we saw some interesting cacti last year. However, today was about time and fuel budgets. We had to turn around at 2 pm yto get to San Ignacio before dark. There was supposed to be fuel at Punta Tortugas, near the end of the peninsula, but ‘supposed to be’ and finding it, are two different things.

In the end we made it to the fuel stop but there was only ‘normal’ fuel, not the ‘premium’ that Eunice’s car runs on. But by now we had used up our time budget, so never reached Punta Eugena – never mind.

Based on advice from fellow travellers at the Desert Inn, we had booked ourselves in for two nights at the San Ignacio Springs Bed & Breakfast. (http://www.ignaciosprings.com/) this is an amazing place alongside the lagoon, amidst a forrest of palm trees. Accommodation is in ‘yurts’ – Mongolian tents, but these are furnished with solid beds, better than many of the beds that I have slept in these last few months! Gary and Terry made us feel very welcome and excellent food was presented in the communial sitting area with wifi, from where I type up today’s notes.

The surprise of the day was running into Ruth Bataista. Ruth was at the Larry & Raquel B&B in Bahia de Los Angeles in February 2008 and had helped us to arrange a trip to the islands in March that year. She was now helping out here – what a coincidence!

Tomorrow we go plant hunting in the Sierra San Francisco.