Along the way we happened across our third overturned truck. This one hadn't been so lucky, considering the black ash surrounding its hull, the ambulances. The chassis may be Mercedes or Freightliner, "but," said Father, "the weight-load is sometimes four times capacity. The truck just buckles under the pressure." Overturned trucks are commonplace in Baja; northward freight is a tight business, deadlines are tough to meet, roads have tight curves; a recipe for disaster.

We stopped at a Federale outpost,for questioning. A shrimpy sport said, "You speak Spanish?"

"Absolutely not a word."
"Open your trunk."

"Nice backpack," the federale said to my brother.
"How much does it cost?"
"Two hundred."
"Two hundred pesos?"

"Two hundred dollars." He examined it with his counterpart, looking at the straps, and the way the cumberbund was fashioned. I respected the admiration, because it spoke of their tough desert training, and respect for quality.

Unlike the local Policia, the young Federale is motivated not by corruption, but by adventure. The shrimpy Federale said, "you want to learn some Spanish?"

"Yeah," Hans said.

The boy hung his hands below his chest and said, "Chicas. You like Chicas?"

His pudgier comrade with an AK-47, who was watching a fly, took a moment to pause and say, "Chicas," he said. "Chicas." North of Guerrero Negro, we followed the tangled system of unused roads to the sea and left the truck in the road. Brother and Father walked north, into miles of white-grey dunes. I began to set camp before following their footsteps along the sea, where dunes spilled into a slender bay - part of a system of lagoons that bear the annual migration of the once extinct-bound gray whale.

Maps and Journals Baja Map

Desert Mexico Sonora, Mexico Sierra del Pinacate Range Travels and observations in North America's oddest desert. Baja Norte, Mexico Tijuana and El Rosario The first stretch of traveling into Baja Norte. Bahia de Los Angeles A bay riddled with islands and wind. San Felipe Strange times in this tourist-riddled town. Mountains of Baja Norte On the old dirt bikers route across the Baja Peninsula. Canyons of Baja Norte Refuge in the quiet canyons of the north. Baja Sur, Mexico Mulegé The old town and its river. The Islets of Bahia Coyote Kayaking in the cactus islands of the Sea of Cortez. Guerrero Negro Wandering in Baja Sur's gray whale capital. Isla Espiritu Santo A week exploring the Sea of Cortez' most famous sanctuary.