I WAS STUNNED AND AWED BY MY BAJA MOTORCYCLE TRIP

Last March, on my 38th birthday, I was laid off from work.

I wish I felt bitter. I wish I was angry that I was let go, or sad that I was forced to leave. At least then my emotions would fit with how I imagined I should feel. Yet, I felt none of that. Rather, that morning, I witnessed a tremendous weight lifted from off my shoulders. For years, I had grown increasingly restless with my current circumstances. I attempted to distract myself or to focus my attention elsewhere, but to no avail. Suddenly, however, I found myself with an abundance of time and an excuse to do almost anything. I was eager to make the most out of this opportunity.

As an avid adventure motorcycle rider (a style of riding that involves longdistance motorcycle travel across varied terrain), I’ve toured large portions of the

American Southwest. My favorite places include Joshua Tree, Death Valley, and the sprawling deserts across central and southern Nevada. As I grew more proficient at riding, I yearned to explore the vast wilderness located south of the U.s.-mexico border in Baja. Now was my moment to live that dream.

The Baja California peninsula, a part of Mexico, is a long and narrow landmass that borders the United States. To its west is the Pacific Ocean, and to its east is the Sea of Cortez (also known as the Gulf of

California). This peninsula is well known for its marine life and notable landscape, but also infamous for its harsh and unforgiving climate. I spent weeks preparing for this trip. In April, I finally rode my motorcycle across the border. At that moment, I embarked on my first grand adventure.

A rich variety of marine life thrives throughout the peninsula. For instance, during the winter and early spring months, large pods of gray whales migrate south from the cool waters along Alaska to mate and breed in the warm waters outside of

Baja. While these whales congregate in many locations, thousands of them visit Ojo de Liebre Lagoon (Eye of the Hare Lagoon) each year. This large body of water is situated by the Pacific Ocean, but far enough inland to shield these animals from the rough waves of the open sea.

The day I visited, it was warm but overcast, and as we traveled deeper into the lagoon, we encountered a host of vibrant sea life, including dolphins, ospreys and sea lions. After only an hour in the water, we finally spotted two gray whales, a mother and her young calf. Throughout the day, we encountered many more. The curious calves tapped on our boat and rose above the water, as if to look at us and to see what else lay inside. One whale drew so close to me that I could almost touch it. As it submerged again, I felt a cold splash of ocean water spray across my face. Shortly thereafter, I spotted another whale slowly gliding past me, waving its flipper as it moved away. As I watched on, I couldn’t help but wave back at it. This experience