Baja California - Biking around San Jose del Cabo, Mexico

[Neno09]

Cycling in Baja California
O.K. so I read about all the people who cycled from California all the way down south to Cabo San Lucas, most of them on mountain bikes. I’ve seen lots of their pictures taken during these rides. Still, I haven’t heard about someone’s experience riding a road bike in San Jose del Cabo and roads around that town.

I am planning to arrive via Air Canada from Edmonton and will stay in San Jose del Cabo for 2 weeks in December. I will bring my road racing bike with me. I am serious bicycle rider who does about 500 -700 kilometers weekly. Since I ride my bike all the time, I decided to bring my bike with me to Mexico on my vacation as this might be a good winter training. I am planning on riding my bike between San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas. I am also planning to take the road all the way to La Paz and back. I’d like to explore other smaller roads in the area on my bike. I can/will do more than 100 km daily… up to 200km!

Does anyone out there has similar experience and can you tell me about your adventures? Did you have lots of flats? Any traffic incidents? How is that road going east towards village of Terranova into the Laguna hills and further along the coast? Is it doable to complete the loop through the National Park Cabo Pulmo following the shore to Buena Vista and return on highway 1 back to San Jose del Cabo? How long is this loop and what’s the condition of this road? Am I allowed riding the bike on highway 1 towards Santa Anita (out of San Jose del Cabo and back)…

So many questions, so few answers… Please let me know.

Thanks! regards, Zdenko.

 

[SacCylclist]

First let me say that your trip sounds awesome and that I wish I was travelling to Mexico (or anywhere) in December.

I don't have experience in that exact area, but if the roads there are like the others that I've experienced in Mexico I'm not so sure about your plans. I have yet to see a lot of shoulder space on any road in Mexico, which means riding off the road is quite likely. Not ideal for a road bike, especially a racer.

Riding on a highway in Mexico is truly taking your life into your hands. Driving is a different animal there and staying within the lines isn't a notion taken nearly as seriously as in the US or Canada. I would be deathly afraid of getting hit. Seriously.

Road conditions are really hit or miss. Hoping to cover a lot of ground like you are I think it's very likely that you'll encounter some pretty rugged road conditions. Again, not conducive to a racing road bike.