Driving the road

Ok, let's start an argument. Yes I know, we are all related as Nomads, so we all like everyone and all get along.

This is one that John and I differ in opinion. Other than driving through the cities, which stretch of Highway 1---are you the least comfortable driving?

I vote for the Santa Rosalia grade and the stretch of mountains just south of El Rosario.

Oh, this is just about driving, not about bandits, kidnappers, hijackers, or police---it is also not about Highway 1 in Alta California.

Diane



[Edited on 1-31-2008 by jdtrotter]

The worst stretch for me is the San Quintin corridor.

Hey, we live in that area. We love those wide open spaces.

Quote:

Originally posted by comitan The worst stretch for me is the San Quintin corridor.

add my vote to this!!

Quote:

Originally posted by Gadget Quote: Originally posted by comitan The worst stretch for me is the San Quintin corridor. Ditto!!!!

I get very uncomfortable in the section just south of El Pabellon and the inland/uphill turn a few miles south. It's just a few miles, but the road is narrow there, and especially if I'm towing something that stretch gives me the willies and I get more alert.

The rest is a piece of cake. Especially at night!

P.S. The last trip down, I crossed at 4:00 AM, and took the free road through TJ to Rosarito. I must say that, for the first time, I was really uncomfortable until I got to Ensenada. A first.

[Edited on 2-1-2008 by Roberto]

Quote:

Originally posted by Roberto I get very uncomfortable in the section just south of El Pabellon and the inland/uphill turn a few miles south. It's just a few miles, but the road is narrow there, and especially if I'm towing something that stretch gives me the willies and I get more alert. The rest is a piece of cake. Especially at night! P.S. The last trip down, I crossed at 4:00 AM, and took the free road through TJ to Rosarito. I must say that, for the first time, I was really uncomfortable until I got to Ensenada. A first. [Edited on 2-1-2008 by Roberto]

Glad someone agrees with me---I find those two areas white knucklers.

I said John does not agree---he agrees with the north of El Rosario, especially the San Quintin area, and one nasty curve around KM119 north of Catavina that really sneaks up you. There are always fresh tire tracks off the road right there---fortunately, not ours.

Diane

Ok, a VERY funny story about the checkpoint on the Mesa. In March of '05, I was returning from a whale trip at GN with my wife, a friend and his 4-year old son. Got stopped at the checkpoint, and they have jury-rigged two lanes there. We do the usual checkpoint Samba (or is it Mambo Mexicano) and the soldier says go. I get started and at just exactly the right moment, the soldier in the lane next to us (right side of the truck), opens the door of the brand-new Jeep Cherokee next to me and I -- rip of the door (or close to it) .

Now, I'm not shy at these checkpoints, and I'm mad. I get out of the truck, the soldier says I cause an accident and I lose it. I start calling him a marooon, WTF is he thinking, and get his commanding officer RIGHT 'ffing NOW - all in Spanish. My wife is looking to see if she can fit under the seat, where she would be out of sight. She always says (did you notice they have GUNS? :lol. My friend, who is a newbie, but knows me well, is not sure how to react, but he's starting to crack up. The Mexican has the same reaction I have and starts shouting from his end saying look what you guys have done to my car, etc. etc. So here we are - waiting for the Jefe, and the soldados are looking mighty confused. It gets better. It turns out that the guy in the other car is Mexican, lives in Tijuana and is an attorney!

Long story short, it takes almost three hours, and various rounds of negotiations, but we leave with CASH to repair the Jeep. The Jefe was a major on tour from the D.F.

I didn't need any money, because when an F350 hits a Jeep ... well you get the picture. There was a tiny scratch on the bed that I rubbed out with some compound at home. My wife is incredulous, my friend is rolling on the floor, and the Mexican attorney gives me his business card and a major thumbs-up!

Another adventure in Mexico!

Took me a while to live down the "Captain Crash" moniker I earned from those that shall remain unnamed.

Carry on!

Gee the hills out of El Rosario is where you first see boojum trees and can pretend you have just landed on another planet!

If I had to name a least favorite part of Mex. 1 (outside of cities), I would say just south of Maneadero to Km. 0 south of San Quintin, because of heavy traffic or trucks that you want to pass because the road is busy enough to be a four lane highway, but isn't. The other place is between Constitucion and Santa Rita (or El Cien)... just so dull...

most of it...

up until the last 7-10 miles where we turn off and head for the coast.....

sabe?

[Edited on 2-1-2008 by woody in ob]

Along the border fence always gets to us too. This is what we saw everyday out the windows of our school in Honduras



And several of our students were only able to attend our school because a relative was working in the US.

OK, I am hijacking the thread I started---

Woody, what part of Peru is your wife from? Have some great memories from Peru.

Diane

Love the drive down hwy 1. The drive back sucks,it means the trip is almost over until next year.

[Edited on 2-3-2008 by Steve&ebby]