cupcake
Newbie
Posts: 14
Registered: 4-23-2024
Member Is Offline
|
|
Day trip to Mision San Javier on bicycle
2 May 2024. Luis, at Loreto Tours & Rentals (Madero #22), let me have a good 21 speed bicycle for a ride up to Mision San Javier. I left Loreto at
10am and was at the mision four hours later. The road is now quite good and paved all the way to the mision. The road winds in a series of ups and
downs, as it ascends in 34km to the mision. The day I went, there was a very small amount of traffic from the NORRA race taking place in Baja, most of
this had already passed by the time I commenced my late start, and just a few cars heading up to the mision. I felt the danger from traffic to be
rather low on this route, a pleasant thing for a cyclist. The greatest potential risk for me was in letting my downhill speed on the return trip get
away from me. There are quite a few small loose rocks on the route, as well as some sand and gravel. I quickly realized that I needed to keep my speed
down, so that I could change my line as I came upon these hazzards. As well, a cyclist loosing their brakes on this descent could have a catastrophic
outcome. I feathered my brakes to keep my speed down for navigating around road hazzards and so that I might be able to stop by dragging my feet in
case of a brake failure (rental bikes are not as well known as your own personal bike).
That said, I think this is a classic outing for cyclists, well prepared for the road conditions, sun, heat, and somewhat strenuous ride. There is a
well stocked mini super near the mision site, where food and drink can be bought.
The ride back to Loreto took me three hours in the late afternoon, with almost no other traffic on the road at that time. A very nice day in southern
Baja.
The Mision San Javier is magnificent, one of the most beautiful surviving stone mision churches in Baja.
[Edited on 5-4-2024 by cupcake]
|
|
|
AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5828
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
Member Is Online
Mood: Retireded
|
|
I drove that road last year. I thought at the time that going downhill on a bicycle would be an adrenalin junkie's dream ride!
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
|
|
|
cupcake
Newbie
Posts: 14
Registered: 4-23-2024
Member Is Offline
|
|
It probably is for a younger rider. I have become a frail old man, but happy I can still get out for nice trips like this one to San Javier.
|
|
|
David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64524
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
|
|
Wow, that is quite an uphill ride from Loreto!
San Javier was California's second mission, founded in 1699 where Rancho Viejo now is. About 20 years later, most mission activities had moved the 5
miles south to the mission farm of San Pablo, which became the new San Javier.
The massive church was built between 1744 and 1758... an impressive site, to be sure!
The mission was abandoned in 1817.
|
|
|
|
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
