Day 13: Gonzaga Bay To Coco's Corner

We woke up to the sunrise and headed to the Pemex to get water and juice before tackling what would be our hardest and most rewarding day of cycling so far.  Our goal for the day was to reach Coco's Corner, a tiny but iconic oasis in the middle of the desert.  We had been told by the gentleman who bought us breakfast near San Felipe that we needed to meet Coco, an amputee who wheeled himself into the desert and decided to stay.

I was a little nervous about this section since other trip reports noted that this section was a mix of sand and rock, some sections would require walking the bike, the road was basically one big gradual climb, and that previous cyclists did not reach Coco's Corner until nearly dark.

While this looks rideable... sand is the devil.  That is all (photo credit: Gonzalo).

Even the flat parts can be unrideable because of the sand.

I learned to love the bumpiness of compacted washboard section of the road... because it meant I was still riding (photo credit: Gonzalo).

Taking a minute to admire an ocotillo cactus.

This section also had some short but steep hills that reminded me of non-technical mountain biking.

Gonzalo climbs up a bumpy section.

About 40km and 8 hours later, with just two short stops for snacks, we saw a vision arising out of the desert.  Was that a roof?  Were we really there?  Yes... almost.  The promise of a cold drink was a cruel one as you can see Coco's a couple kilometers before you actually get there.  I rolled up a couple minutes after Gonzalo to a desert burlesque empire decorated with empty beer cans, underwear, miscellany, and toilets.

The entrance to this quirky and absurdly awesome empire.

Coco did not simply greet us, but rather he opened his empire to us and commanded us in Spanglish to sit, have a drink (be it water, a cold soda, or a cold beer) and rest.  This was the most important thing to do first.  Rest.  Cool down.  If we deigned to do anything else, he chided us in the kindest of ways.  Then he explained that we will have a place to stay and a shower (a la bucket n' cup) and that we would pay for nothing other than your drinks.  But first, we must cool down before showering.  Then, he pulled out a thick guestbook, drew our mode of transport and asked us to sign.

Coco loves ze ladies... here, I'm doing as told, drinking my cold beer and cooling down with Coco (photo credit: Gonzalo).

Signing the guestbook... if you look closely, Coco has drawn some pretty gnarly bicycles.  He also tells us we just missed another cycle tourist, a Mexican guy (photo credit: Gonzalo).

After a bit, Coco decided we had cooled down enough and escorted us on an ATV to our home for the night, a camper that a gringo gave him.  But before settling in, he told us it was time to shower before the sun went down.  Coco explained how the shower works... take the cup of water and dump it over your head.  Don't be like some other stupid gringos and try to splash in the bucket, he told us, his Spanglish almost incomprehensible.

We get the primo spot next to Coco's camper (photo credit: Gonzalo).

The bathrooms are the cleanest pit toilets I've ever seen.

The living room...

The lobby.

The artwork.

After we showered, we decided to make dinner in our camper.  Coco stops by to talk and to see if we need anything.  How do you feel?  Like a queen?  Absolutely.  A shower in the desert?  Yep, like a queen.  We decided to get a couple rounds of beer, and Coco zooms off on his ATV to fetch them, then came back to talk to us as we drank our beers.  We learned that 23 years ago, Coco came here by wheelchair with 10 pesos in his pocket and slowly built this empire.  He is 76 years old, swears like a sailor, and has more life and character in him than most people I know.

Sunset over Coco's Corner.

A few travel notes for cyclists:

• The Pemex in Gonzaga Bay opens at 8am!

• I actually had the foresight to deflate my tires a bit to give me better traction since I tend to run my tires towards the upper end of the pressure limit on the road.  Just don't forget to re-inflate them once you hit pavement again.

• I am a beginner-intermediate mountain biker and tend to ride on the slow side... however, I have a lot of endurance so can ride for hours without stopping.  I think most cycle tourists, even with traditional set-ups, can make it from Gonzaga Bay to Coco's in a day.  It may not be the most comfortable, but it's doable and well worth it.  There is almost no traffic on this section, but we still had one couple ask us while we were on a snack break if we were okay.

• Coco has water, sodas, and beer... he offered to fill our bottles, but we didn't need it.  I think he has some limited food there, but it's best to bring your own.  If he isn't there, a family also lives in his empire... he took them in when they were kicked off another ranch and had nowhere to go.  Now they take care of him and he provides them a place to stay.