San Diego to Bahia de Los Angeles report

Spent Saturday 2/3 at a friend’s house in San Diego to get an early start on Sunday morning for Baja. Thought Sundays Super bowl game will keep everyone off the highways and Mexico doesn’t wake up until 9 or 10 giving me a good start. Arrived at the border xing in TJ – San Ysidro at 8:10 am, parked the truck/trailer and headed for the Migra and the Bank to pay for the Tourist Card. 15 minutes later pushed the button, received a green light and was OFF! The scenic drive sign was easy to follow and after climbing the hill and descending at a rapid pace on the back side of the hill, turned right and about 300 meters ran into the first military check point. They were only stopping people southbound, no NB blockages. They waved me through and then off to pay the first toll. The 4 lane highway to Ensenada – piece of cake, no or very little traffic on the road. In Ensenada, took the harbor route because I remembered it as being easy. Sure enough – GREAT so far. Things changed a little once back of Hwy 1. 3 lanes – slightly narrower than a normal USA road, yet easy until the first dozen Topas arrived. Wow – 1 or 3 mph was the max you could go when stumbling over these things – grand prize – a larger mound to drive over at the end of the little topas. There must have been at least a 100 mini topas in each town. Or it felt that way.
Okay – we’re now south of Ensenada and the road immediately becomes less than appetizing with its narrowness. First on coming Bus – okay squeezed by that one. Good!
And after coming up the first major hill (after Maneadero) – HI there – another military stop :moon:. Fortune smiled upon me – waved on through. This check point stopped traffic in both directions. The highway was pretty easy to drive once you got use to a road with about a foot or so on either side of the tires. If the whole trip is like this ----- no white knuckling will be necessary. Ha ha ha. The hills and curves were another story – slightly less space than on the straight aways. Cars, buses, and trucks took their portion out of my lanes. Brake here, brake there, ooops almost pulled too far to the right and lose a wheel. Heart beat just jumped a couple of hundred beats…….. Well the old panadaria just before Colonel is gone – closed. To bad I was looking forward to some of the sweets he had made in the past. Okay on to Playa Pabellon. It’s getting to be noon and you still have a ways to drive. Stopped at a Pemex for diesel 20 km north of San Quintin. Wow, I liked this 1.83/gallon – Por Favor – fill this thing to its max. Very happy at the service and the cheap diesel compared to 2.99 or more. Slid behind a semi upon departing the Pemex station and it was a breeze following him. Everybody moved so I was all smiles. Okay, sign says Playa Pabellon RV Park 1.8 km ahead. Of course turned too soon and ended up by the Old La Pinta Hotel. Turned around and found success on the next go around. Pulled in slowly at Pabellon by 2:45 pm (roughly 4hr drive) and was waved on to any camping site. I owned this place. Found the spot which spoke to me and set up the satellite dish immediately to watch the Superbowl game. What a life!!! BBQ’d - slept like a log with the waves in the back ground – and feasted on the scenic sundown / sunrise too. Only 1 other camper there, yet the beach (a drag strip / runway for planes) was at low tide and fun to walk on – dodging cars every now and then. 10 ddls per night. Great.
Next morning – up at 5:30 after making the decision to head to BdLA instead of spending another night at Pabellon. MAN OH MAN – happy to leave as a wagon train of 40 RV’s arrived at once. They took up the whole place. Time for the road. Well Monday proved to be a lot more demanding on driving skills than Sunday. More traffic and where did all these buses and semi’s come from??? The road from Pabellon south felt as if it was half as wide as the northern portion. Breakfast at Mama Espinoza’s or around the corner for an early taco. That’s the ticket. Arrived in El Rosario and the place is packed with 12, 14, or 18 airstream trailers. Glad I got gas before San Quintin because there was no way to get breakfast, diesel, go to the rest room, stop in at the Cactus Motel, Nada. The town was a hugh parking lot. Okay moving on – another 100 topatitos and one big one. The road is so narrow now that on coming RV’s and buses are turning on the left turn signals in indicate that you’re too far left on the road. What do you mean; I can see the yellow line in my mirror. The white line on the right has already disappeared. No way can I move. Okay slow, slow, stop. Cars behind me, pls don’t honk. I don’t want to end up like another trailer or 5th wheel I saw in millions of pieces back a couple of kms. Come up the first grade after El Rosario and there’s another military stop. Okay, I’ll get out. 5 minutes and I’m on my way again. Driving slowly 30 to 50 max, I found myself holding up all the airstream travelers. Okay – pull out the first opportunity – great the heart and blood pressure can ease again. HERE COMES A CURVE AND 2 BUSES – yipes – stop and let them by since they’re taking up both lanes. Swoosh – first on coming bus passes thanks me for stopping on the highway before the curve and the 2nd jammed by. The compete distance to the Bahia de Los Angeles exit was a white knuckler where there was no room for non concentration. Took a hugh breath after the turn off. WHATE A WIDE ROAD TO BAHIA….. Arrived around 3 pm ( 7 hours driving). Of course stopped to take some photos. Daggetts had my spot already for me – great hospitality. Have a Palapa and facing the beach. The campground is pretty full but nice. Plan to spend a month here and do daily side trips.
SORRY TO BE SO WORDY – but needed to give the play by play. Next update – what ever side trip is taken.

Another photo at Playa Pabellon

Okay one more of papellon

5:30 am at Bahia de Los Angeles from Daggetts place

arriving at BdLA

The afternoon arrival at daggetts

Cirio working the heavens

Oops, Elephant sighting

A Happy Ending to a 2 day road trip. Llegamos

Oh . Almost forgot - Pabellon's camp sight.

SWEET

keep your elbow in the window!!!!

bien viaje....

[Edited on 2-7-2007 by woody in ob]

Whew! Glad we made it!
Real nice pictures, too! Thank you, Bajalover.
I look forward to... whatever side trip you take next.

Dude, that is one Kick burro report!!!! Thanks.

Bajalover.......the Faulkner of Baja.

Nice report, man.

You going down the Rosalia grade..........?

Thanks dude feels like Im right there with you

Hey can you say ARmando with the jet ski last January says Hi to Ruben and Amanda at Daggetts, if you see them, thank you....

Nicccceee

Hello Baja Lover,
Is there anyway you can ask the Daggetts people for some info on casita pricing and palapa pricing.. I don't know how often the owner (RubenDaggett) checks his hotmail but I have not heard from him in about 9 or 10 days now... Last year I sent an email and never heard from him and I see no where on his sight what the pricing is.. Is it just first come first serve? Or can I actually make a reservation or do I have to just call? What ever it is I would like to make contact with Mr Daggett...
Very nice pictures? Will you be fishing in BOLA??
SoCalAl

Bajalover...........WHAT A GREAT REPORT.......MUCHOS GRACIAS!!!!