I didn’t spend much time in San Ignacio, the thought being that I could pass back through on the way north. I was eager to see friends and make the New Years Eve bonfire and dance in San Juanico.

I planned on taking the coastal route and understood that there were two trails that crossed the roughly 100 or so miles. I decided on the beach route, but overshot the turn and just kept plugging away on the ‘northern road,’ watching miles and miles of lava-topped cliffs tick by.

The trail was a mixture of rocky two-track that didn’t seem used all that frequently. I was sure that everyone was on the beach trail, but the weather was perfect and was enjoying the moon-dust, rock washes, and desolation of my little slice of trail. It wasn’t entirely desolate. Out of a little wash a man who could have been 80, but was probably 60, came bounding up the trail to give me a note hitting passers-by for a few bucks. No worries, I knew where I could find him if I ran out of gas.

By the time I reached Cadeje, 10 miles outside of San Juanico, I was starting to wonder if I would have to hit reserve or put a splash of gas in the bike. It was also getting late in the afternoon and I was eager to see friends. And then, all of a sudden, there it was, San Juanico. I headed through town and up a hill as if pulled along by invisible string. On the other end of the string was a waving hand of Mike, who casually slid aside his gate to allow me to drive right in to his combo. Jan, having, seen me coming through town whilst shopping, pulled in behind me and in an instant I was surrounded by loving company. THAT is a good day riding.