Day 222 - 10th January, Cataviña - Bahia de Los Angeles junction, 43.53 miles

Beautiful sun rise, long mountain shadows. We went downhill to the valley bellow our campsite, racing with the wind (so steep was that hill and so straight was the road). We got some water for free in Luncheria San Ignacito which was down in the valley. Then continued on its other side, now fighting with the long and steep uphill (but with spectacular views). When we finally finished the ascent, in the narrow saddle-back the cold wind tried to blow us back down. After that long hill with sun roasting us, this was a nice change, at least for a while.
We entered the huge mountain plateau with dried lagoons or lakes. Volcano Cerro Tomás was dominating the horizon on the left side . On the right side the rest of the plateau was slowly rising up and another mountains and smaller volcanoes were seen. It was windy there and quite cold. Almost no traffic on the road.
 The plants we saw were mostly small shrubs, the ground was covered with rocks or dust, everything was in the colors of brown and red. What a surprise when we suddenly came to the small hill or very big pile of boulders lying in the middle of plateau. It looked like if it didn't belong here. In the middle of red and brown there was this huge pile of white and yellow. These rocks were different also geologically, like piece of mountain which got here by some accident and then fell apart and created this huge pile of gigantic boulders. Interesting and strange place it was.
In the late afternoon we came to another dry lagoon called Laguna Chapala, where another small restaurant is found and even the phone service is here (since we left El Rosario we didn't have any cell-phone service). Another nice downhill ride and the road was probably repaired just recently, it was really good. South from us we could see saw-back top of the volcano Cerro Dos Picachos. After crossing one ridge of small hills we could see it, towering over the huge valley full of cardons and disappearing in south horizon. From that ridge, we rode basically just downhill,  in the sun set. Today's campsite was right opposite of the magnificence Cerro Dos Picachos, red and purple in the setting sun. There was nobody around us within miles, this was one of the most peaceful nights we'd had so far.