We pack up the camper and drive 15 minutes in to town to run a few errands. It’s a small, modest village with few services but we’re hopeful we can check off everything on our list.
First off is disposing of our trash which turns out to be pretty easy. There are public bins all around town.
Next is stopping by the market to hopefully find some eggs and produce. As we walk in the door we’re greeted by the local security, a dog on the roof loudly barking down at us. I look at Mark in confusion and he points to the staircase on the side of the building that leads to the roof.
We find just the right amount of produce that we need plus eggs and beer for a total of $14. The only thing they didn’t have was a water fill station so we head to the only other mercado in town. We get 7 gallons of fresh water for 75 cents and this time are greeted by a sweet little tail-wagging stray at the front door.
Coming and going from the mercado are many other fellow travelers looking weathered and content, just like us. Many Europeans, Canadians, and Americans, in vans, on bicycles, and motorcycles. We see a couple bikepacking with a “just married” sign on the back of their bikes. What a memorable way to kick off your union.
It’s lunchtime so we go check out the gringo campground on the edge of town with a well-rated bistro. We over-order then proceed to stuff ourselves with smoked fish tostados and egg, bacon, avocado toast. A stroll around the campground shows us what we could be getting for $20/night vs our spot that’s free. It’s a nice enough place but we wouldn’t trade.
One last chore before heading home, dumping our toilet. We pull in to Jim and Maria’s “RV park” which looks more like someone’s house with two RVs parked out front than an actual business. Maria is kind and welcoming and points us to the dump station. A few minutes later we’re on our way home.
We’re delighted that this little town had everything we needed, meaning we’re all set to spend a few more days here in paradise.
Enjoying your posts and dreaming about a future trip to Baja, especially after shoveling out 10” of snow yesterday here in Colorado.😁
Question: we know how to find free camping on public land in the US. How do you know where you can camp free there?
Thanks!
Oof, I can’t say I miss those days! But I’m happy to hear that Colorado is getting lots of snow. In response to your question, there is an app called iOverlander that is really useful for finding free spots. We’re not entirely certain how the land designation works here but a large part of the coastline is open to the public. The only caveat is that certain spots have “caretakers” that will ask for a small fee (usually about $10) and in exchange they provide trash removal and a primitive bathroom facility.
Sounds like a town that is right up my alley…and just about the right size 🙂
That’s exactly how we feel!
Excellent details of day-to-day reality. Not just the splendors of paradise, but cleaning up the trash, too. Good to hear there still are free campsites at B de LA. Thank you again for sharing your adventures with us.
Thanks so much for reading and following along!