Acapulco to La Barrita, Guerrero //
An even more humid night than the previous few made it difficult to sleep. Although, whether I like it or not, I’m starting to get used to feeling hot and sticky. When we arrived at the coast five days ago, I felt shocked by the climate. Mark said we would adapt and that prediction is proving to be true.
At 8:30, we’re back on the road. I tell Mark at the outset of the drive that I’m hopeful that somewhere along this coast will be a place appealing enough to hang out for a few days. Driving every day is not our style, though I completely understand that sometimes it’s needed in order to cover ground. In this case, the climate and lack of attractive camping options are keeping us in motion.
It doesn’t help our cause that we seem to average about 30 mph on any given day due to speed bumps and potholes. We don’t like spending more than 3-4 hours in the cab in a day, and at this rate, that’s only getting us about 100 miles under our belt at a time. I feel Mark’s exasperation during the drive today when he mutters “f*cking topes” as we bump up and over what could easily be our thousandth speed bump encountered this winter. We both laugh. The topes might be annoying, but they’re far from breaking our spirits. We’re still feeling immense gratitude for the opportunity to be here.
Topes and all, it’s an easy drive today. Three and a half hours and 110 miles on the road land us at a small campground owned by a kind Canadian named Mark D. Casa Rayo del Sol hugs the edge of the Pacific and offers about a dozen campsites of various sizes. The two smallest sites are vacant and barely large enough to accommodate our trucks. Every other site is occupied with large RVs, most of which have Canadian plates. My suspicion is that these are mostly winter-long residents, half of whom stand outside their RVs and stare as our two loud diesel trucks pull in and carefully maneuver into narrow spaces between palapas.
Our initial impression of the place is a good one. We each have a concrete pad beside our site shaded by a sturdy palapa. Neighbors are all around us, but the thick vegetation offers privacy. There are bathrooms and showers just steps from trucks. A short walk takes us to the beach. It’s a clean beach with sand that’s good for walking and water good for swimming. Throughout the afternoon, we meet various folks occupying the neighboring RVs. My suspicions were accurate; most people have been here for months. With that, I was leery of a territorial attitude towards us. Instead, I’m delighted by how welcoming and friendly everyone is.
Everything adds up to the easy choice to hang around for a day or two. Once that decision is made, I fall asleep in a hammock. I’m not typically one to nap, but I’m also not one to go-go-go, and that’s what life has felt like lately. In the last 10 days, we’ve camped in 7 different locations. That pace leaves me disoriented to the point of not knowing where I am when I’m inside the camper. I exhale knowing our home will not be moving for an entire day, maybe two.
The mental challenge I’m facing at this point in the trip is not treating it as though it’s over just because we’re pointed north. Mark and I have both been guilty of that in past years in Baja. Every year, we find ourselves back in the US wondering why we rushed through the end of our trip when we still had time to spare. We intentionally carved out more time for ourselves to be in Mexico this year, and I’m actively fighting the feeling that we need to get back to the States. And so Mark and I pull up a map before going to bed and re-assess the multitude of options we have for the thousands of miles that remain between us and the US border. Continue to follow the coast? Or, go back inland and experience more of the mountains, lakes, and volcanoes that decorate the landscape? Our minds swell with all the possibilities. I close my laptop and conclude that these decisions can wait. For now, I’d like to simply enjoy being still.
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Street scenes in Guerrero state. 
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After yesterday’s excitement I’m sure a few days rest will be very welcome! And I agree. Moving constantly is draining and tiresome. I hope you all get a chance to rest up. Safe travels!
Thanks Rick!
Happy you found a nice campground! Enjoy your visit! I hope it’s uneventful!
Yuh know, it sounds as if you’ve had enough. Spring is on its way, but it’s still chilly here in Albert’s Turkey. Would you be bored if you dawdled north & crossed back to Baja?
We’ll make our way there eventually. For now we’re soaking up everything that mainland Mexico has to offer.