HOW IT ALL BEGAN!

John & Maddie

Over the years, we've been asked this question  numerous times, and I'm sure it will be asked again and again. 

Our love and obsession for this magnificent part of the world began with just one trip!

Yes, that's all took!

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HOW IT ALL BEGAN!

My husband, John, and I took our first trip to Cabo in the late 90's.  It was a motorcycle ride with his buddies that started in Salem, Oregon and ended in Cabo San Lucas, BCS.  It was a life changing trip to say the least.

As a child, I had been to Mexico many times before, but usually just across the border from Texas for day trips to do some shopping.  Of course that was years ago, and I was quite excited to be riding down the Baja Peninsula to a part of Mexico that I had heard so much about.

The ride began early one cold, rainy, February morning.  The Goldwing was packed with minimal clothing, a first aid kit, and a small bag of necessities.  We made sure there was enough space to pack away our heavy riding gear once we got far enough South.  Oh, how I looked forward to warmth and sunshine. 

The ride down was an adventure in itself, but that's a whole other story.  We made it to Cabo San Lucas after 5 days and 4 nights of riding.  I will never forget the first time we rode into town.  Many of the streets that connected to the main boulevard were still dirt roads filled with bumps and holes.  We found our hotel, checked in and headed into town.  Our friends had "researched" all the hot night spots that we just "had" to find.  That night we hit Cabo Wabo, The Giggling Marlin, and of course Squid Roe! 

The next morning we were up early and headed over to see a resort that some of our other friends had told us about.  Back then, The Solmar, was the only resort on the beach and it was absolutely beautiful.  We went to the bar in the pool area and had a few drinks and quickly made about 20 "new" friends.  Funny how that happens in Cabo.  After a quick hike part way up and down Mt. Solmar we decided to see what the Medano Beach area was like.  So off we went, next stop Billygans.

Upon entering the Medano Beach area, it hit me!  I was in love with this place!  We spent the afternoon at Billygans with a whole bunch of Coast Guard boys that were down from Port Angeles, WA.  What fun they were!  The atmosphere, the weather, the company, the ocean, the sunshine, the sand, the vendors, and most importantly the feeling I was feeling ... this was the first time I'd ever felt I BELONG here!  This is where my heart has been my entire life, I just didn't know it!  That evening we hit the town again and it was another fabulous night. 

The following morning I felt it!  That dreaded feeling you get when you know you'll have to leave soon.  We had planned on being in Cabo 2 full days before riding back, which was fine with me until I got there.  Today was going to be my last full day, we'd be packing up and riding out in the morning.  We had decided that breakfast would be the buffet at the restaurant in Plaza Las Glorias overlooking the marina so John and I headed there and waited for our riding friends to join us.  They showed up a few minutes after we had sat down and told us that they had to ride back immediately.  A family emergency came up and they'd be riding long and hard to make back as quickly as possible.  Now they racing up the highway on a Triumph and a BMW and we riding double on a Goldwing keeping up with them DID NOT appeal to me at all.  I suggested that they go ahead and that John and I would ride back alone.  After a bit of discussion, my suggestion was taken.  I was soooo happy that I'd get to spend more time in Cabo!  We said our good bye's and then John and I were alone to explore even more of the wonderful place.

We took a water taxi out to tour the arch and I was mesmerized.  The feeling that came over me was something I had never felt, somewhat magical and mysterious.  These "rocks" symbolized the end of land, where beyond the waters took over.  At this very point the strong raging Pacific Ocean met the sweet calm Sea of Cortez.  To this day, I get the same feeling ... and I still can't explain it.  Once the tour was over, we were dropped off at the marian and decided we'd go into town to do some more "exploring".  A little shopping, with a lot of stopping for drink here and there was what we did.  At each stop, we made new friends, some local and some tourists but all were fun.  The evening once again ended with Squid Roe.

The following days were somewhat repeats of the previous, with the exception of a little hotel/resort on Medano Beach that we decided we wanted to take a look at.  We had passed this place going back and forth to the beach but could not find an "entrance".  There weren't even any "timeshare" information people anywhere near it.  We finally asked someone how to get into the place.  He pointed at a small opening in the concrete wall which was covered with vines.  We walking through a long outdoor hallway that looked nothing like a hotel entrance and finally got inside where we had to really look for someone who could give us some info on the place.  We were asked to wait in the little courtyard and someone would be out to help us soon.  Imagine that, we had to 'ASK FOR A TOUR".  The timeshare salesman finally came out to greet us and take us on the tour.  It didn't take very long for us to know this was it ... we were "home".  We bought 2 units for Christmas week!  Again, I was so happy!  This meant we HAD to come back at least once a year.

And so it began ... my love for Cabo has grown stronger over the years and the visits became more frequent.  During each of these visits, I'd sit on the beach and wonder ... how many others like me are out there?  How many have come to this place and become addicted?  And do they know that others feel the same way?  It was then, I decided that someday, I'd  find a way for every one of us to find each other. 

Someday came many years later, October of 2010.  Fortunately, over the years, I had picked up a little bit of knowledge about  the internet and websites.  Now I'd put that knowledge to the test.

I was finally going to DO THIS THING!