The mission church at San Juaviar. Three years ago there was nothing but the church and a few houses. They put the plaza and a boulevard in for the Vatican visit to celebrate the 300th birthday of the church. They had added palm trees lining the road this year and there was another restaurant open in town. 

Last year the interior had been closed for renovation. It was open this year, and I was glad I was able to show it to Adam. 

Beautiful artwork and amazing amounts of history. You just have to wonder how many generations of the same families have passed down this aisle. 

Pua and Dave (Rocky) Rochlen and Jim (Buffy) Buffington. Buffy had found Pua on his mini-bike wandering lost through the desert some 30 years ago. Rocky has been very grateful (well, most of the time) ever since. 

Rocky was the ride's iron man. He's 75, and had just come out of another round of chemotherapy for his pancreatic cancer. He's everyone's hero.

The little taco stand in Constitution. Adam and I got in the first order, so we ate pretty fast. Otherwise, it's a while, as she cooks everything to order on a tiny grill.

Hanging out at the top of the dunes after the run down to the beach. This is a deep sand section that usually eats me up. The new bike made it orders of magnitude easier, actually rolling up and over the sand rather than plowing through it like the old DR. 

Russell relaxing at the top of the dunes. 

Adam approaching the end of the deep sand/dune section. When he pulled up he was muttering something about killing me in my sleep. We had told him it was about a mile, which was a tad less than reality, but I figured if I told him how long it really was, he wouldn't come along, and then he'd miss the great beach ride down the coast. 

He made it without much of a problem. He'd come a long way since day one as a rider. 

Filling up the small-tank Husaberg at the top of the dunes. 

Looking down the mega dune to the beach. Its a lot steeper and farther down than it looks here, but you actually have to gas it a little on the way down because the sand is so soft and deep. Biggest surprise is that you have to go back up another short dune at the bottom to make it over to the beach. 

Kent looking for clams and other sea life. 

Adam raising a flock of gulls along the beach. 

This was the first year that we'd made it past the rocks and ridden all the way down to the lighthouse. It was 40-50 miles or more of excellent beach riding. We found this whale skeleton just North of the lighthouse. 

Kent on the set of the Lost World. 

Arnold at the bus stop topping off the bikes coming up from the beach. 

Best kept secret in La Paz. This car wash is a block from the hotel. It costs $2.50 to get your bike hand washed, and there is a little store across the street that sells cold pop and beer. I bought the car wash owner a beer and we discussed the upcoming Mexican presidential election. There is a real middle class emerging in Mexico, and it promises to change all the old rules. 

Around the pool in La Paz. 

The girl was not on the ride, much to the chagrin of some of the riders.