BajaNomad

4th of July 2010 Amigos on Shell Island (Parts 1 & 2 of 3)

David K - 7-7-2010 at 07:10 AM

It really was about perfect... great place... great weather... great people... great vehicles! Too bad more Nomads were not there to enjoy the weekend in person!

Through photos and text, I will share our trip with you all...

Trip details:
Hwy. 5 (Mexicali to San Felipe) has many, many dusty detour miles between La Puerta and Rio Hardy as they continue to widen the road to 4 lanes (or maybe just repairing the earthquake damaged section). Also, near the Hwy. 3 junction is a shorter dirt detour.

The new wider 2 lane runs for 10 miles. It starts about 2 miles south of the Hwy. 3 junction and the final 19 miles into San Felipe is 4 lanes wide.

The desert about 60 miles south of Mexicali was 100ºF at midday but dropped as wer neared the coast. It was never more than 86ºF during our days on the island.

We arrived about 1:30pm Saturday and set up camp. Ken and Leidys arrived an hour later... and in another hour we spotted Art's motorhome about 2 miles down the beach. Ken and I jumpen into the Tacoma to go help.


Road to Shell Island from Hwy. 5. It is less than 2 miles to the beach from the highway. Road is very sandy in a couple spots... 4WD best.


The useless (now) concrete bridge onto the island. Looking west across the mud flats that do go underwater at highest tides of the month. That 'road' across the flats was once an elevated causeway with the bridge at the end... built in 1984 for a development that never came. Being a barrier island, within the high tide federal zone, I doubt if anyone could 'own' it.


Ready to cross the deep sand.


Ken and Leidys arrive.




Art (edm1) and his 4WD motorhome... Letting air out of the tires is required for floatation... Even my Tacoma and Ken's Jeep had to deflate to 12 psi.





After some digging, and pouring buckets of sea water in front of the tires, Art drove out and with the tires deflated had floatation!



Our three camps, on the island... We mostly hung out at our camp and had nightly campfires there.



MUCH MORE TO COME.... STAY TUNED!





[Edited on 7-8-2010 by David K]

Bob H - 7-7-2010 at 07:15 AM

Looks like a nice set up for a good time. I remember Surfer Jim standing on that useless concrete bridge (back in 2004?)

surfer jim - 7-7-2010 at 07:42 AM

I was just looking at that photo and thinking...."That bridge is still there?"

Curt63 - 7-7-2010 at 09:26 AM

Real nice! That sounds like a great short trip I'll be taking sometime this year. Great pics as usual.

I didn't know about the wetting the trail trick for getting out of deep sand. Thanks for that!

Cheers, Curt

Iflyfish - 7-7-2010 at 09:43 AM

Looks like fun!! Thanks for sharing this side of Baja.

Iflyfish

Part 2

David K - 7-7-2010 at 05:27 PM

The terns were still active with nesting on the island, as they were in May... With the global weather getting so much cooler, maybe they thought it was May?



They are in the open, no nest other than the shells... and on the beach, just above the high tide line...





Mama





We went shell collecting while Art took a much needed nap. The young 'pre-flight' terns can be seen beyong the gull.











Ken 'got baja'... for Baja Jeepin'



MUCH MORE TO COME!:cool:

PART 3 of 3: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=46622

[Edited on 7-8-2010 by David K]

David K - 7-7-2010 at 05:36 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Curt63
Real nice! That sounds like a great short trip I'll be taking sometime this year. Great pics as usual.

I didn't know about the wetting the trail trick for getting out of deep sand. Thanks for that!

Cheers, Curt


Wet sand, like the stuff at low tide below the high tide line, is easy to drive on, even in 2WD... It is the deep, dry sea shell mix sand on Shell Island that is 'bottomless'... Since the ocean was lapping at Art's van, water was available to pour in front of the tires to 'firm up' the sand to get moving. Mind you, it was Art deflating the tires to 12 PSI that allowed them to 'float' rather than dig into the sand. The digging away of built up sand and pouring sea water into the track made his monster truck just easier to get rolling.

Last New Year's I was thrilled when I first took my new Tacoma onto the beach at Bahia Santa Maria (just 2 miles south) WITHOUT letting any air out. It was the new traction control system (automatic limited slip) that made the difference. However, on Shell Island with more shell pieces in the mix, and a hotter July day... I began to struggle at 30 psi, and deflated to 12 psi... no more problem.

David K - 7-7-2010 at 05:38 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bob H
Looks like a nice set up for a good time. I remember Surfer Jim standing on that useless concrete bridge (back in 2004?)


Prez Day Feb., 2004:




[Edited on 7-8-2010 by David K]

edm1 - 7-7-2010 at 06:32 PM

Thank you David for posting the trip report and pics, and I'm grateful I'm a part of it!

Another memorable 4 wheeling and camping weekend, this time with 2 terrific couples - David K and Baja Angel - I'm getting addicted to them :-) and Ken and Leidys Cooke. David and Baja Angel are one of the most hospitable, sharing, and thoughtful couples I've met, we pretty much spent the nights around their campfire and days under their shade, eating and drinking their abundant food supplies! Ken and Leidys are a very sweet couple - I think they're still in their honeymoon period :-) and I am amazed how fluent Ken speaks Spanish! I even learned a few words and sentences. Leidys' native language is Spanish but she speaks enough good English, too.

I was there alone in my motorhome this time, but now that I have confidence driving on soft blow sand, I will bring my family (at least my wife, if the kids couldn't make it) next time around, without scaring them stuck.

I'll say this sand is tougher to manage, at least for my motorhome, than the boulders through the Widowmaker :-)!

edm1 - 7-7-2010 at 06:55 PM

" After some digging, and pouring buckets of sea water in front of the tires, Art drove out and with the tires deflated had floatation!
"

Well, David's oversimplifying it :-) LOL. It took us over an hour to get me out of there! Even with deflated tires, since my rear has fishtailed and sanked into the waterline (scary, the tide was rising) I tried many times to climb up the sand berm away from the water, and dang heavy motorhome couldn't climb like it does up the Widowmaker.

Well, finally David instructed me to go downhill towards the waterline (huh, even more scary, who wants to get stuck into the waves), so even if I understood the logic of it and my brain was working, my steering muscles weren't cooperating; I kept steering *away* from the water :-) funny, until after a few coaxing I finally dove down into a downhill momentum next to the waterline and then gradually drove back up over the sand berms.

Thank you Ken and David for coming to my rescue!

On fairly level sand, I found that the best combination was 4HI, 2nd gear, rear locker engaged, front locker open. Engaging the front locker was needed when climbing.



[Edited on 7-8-2010 by edm1]

viabaja - 7-7-2010 at 08:00 PM

Dave, nice pics. How was the weather?

Ken Bondy - 7-7-2010 at 08:03 PM

Wonderful pictures and text David, thanks so much. I am living vicariously through you guys.

David K - 7-8-2010 at 07:12 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by edm1
Thank you David for posting the trip report and pics, and I'm grateful I'm a part of it!

Another memorable 4 wheeling and camping weekend, this time with 2 terrific couples - David K and Baja Angel - I'm getting addicted to them :-) and Ken and Leidys Cooke. David and Baja Angel are one of the most hospitable, sharing, and thoughtful couples I've met, we pretty much spent the nights around their campfire and days under their shade, eating and drinking their abundant food supplies! Ken and Leidys are a very sweet couple - I think they're still in their honeymoon period :-) and I am amazed how fluent Ken speaks Spanish! I even learned a few words and sentences. Leidys' native language is Spanish but she speaks enough good English, too.

I was there alone in my motorhome this time, but now that I have confidence driving on soft blow sand, I will bring my family (at least my wife, if the kids couldn't make it) next time around, without scaring them stuck.

I'll say this sand is tougher to manage, at least for my motorhome, than the boulders through the Widowmaker :-)!


We also enjoy camping with you, Art... You are an amazing human with so much talent and knowledge. Thanks for the kind words!

David K - 7-8-2010 at 07:16 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by viabaja
Dave, nice pics. How was the weather?


It was amazing... in the mid 80's during the day... even slightly cool at night... slept great! The water was perfect for swimming, but a bit rough in front... We drove to the north end of the island, at the mouth of the Percebu lagoon to swim in calm water. It was only a quarter moon, so the lagoon didn't fill up... otherwise we would have swam by our camp, on the lagoon side of the island.

David K - 7-8-2010 at 07:18 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Ken Bondy
Wonderful pictures and text David, thanks so much. I am living vicariously through you guys.


Thank you! Part 3 coming up... :light:

Here is PART 3: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=46622

[Edited on 7-8-2010 by David K]

TMW - 7-8-2010 at 07:19 AM

Thanks DK for the pixs and report. Did anyone do any fishing?

David K - 7-8-2010 at 07:55 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by TW
Thanks DK for the pixs and report. Did anyone do any fishing?


No... Art had thought about it, but he needed rest more than fish. Maybe next time!

edm1 - 7-8-2010 at 12:02 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by whistler
David,looks like you had a great time.
Ken,the Jeep is lookin good!
edm1,looks like you got your shock problems figured out.I know you do most of your fabrication.What kind of equiptment do you have?
Speaking of fabricators,anybody hear from Gadget lately?


Yes the Monroe shocks made for Freightliner (class 6 trucks) work great on my motorome, on or off pavement.

For fab equipment I have a 205AMP 4-in-1 chinese (Everlast) TIG welder-plasma cutter, plus of course those cheap Harborfreight tools and supplies that work well for occasional use. The custom part that I fabbed and most proud of is the brake system upgrade I did for my Dana 60 front axle - the massive Ford F450 14.5" rotors and calipers. Next of course, was fitting that Dana 60 under the van's stock cross member.

edm1 - 7-8-2010 at 06:13 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by whistler
edm1,you did a great job!People see the finish product and don't realize how much design and engineering time went into it.
You must have a pretty good compressor.I can't imagine doing the work you did without air tools.
Speaking of brakes,I just purchased a flaring kit and benders.I have to relocate brake lines.
What next?No fabricator is ever done!


Thank you Whistler, I have a Craftsman 25gal 9CFM compressor, good enough for most air tools, including LVLP paint sprayers which I used for my own primer/paint job on the motorhome, did it in my own backyard, believe it or not.

These fab projects are a money sink!

[Edited on 7-9-2010 by edm1]

Ken Cooke - 7-8-2010 at 07:27 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by edm1
Another memorable 4 wheeling and camping weekend, this time with 2 terrific couples - David K and Baja Angel - I'm getting addicted to them :-) and Ken and Leidys Cooke. David and Baja Angel are one of the most hospitable, sharing, and thoughtful couples I've met, we pretty much spent the nights around their campfire and days under their shade, eating and drinking their abundant food supplies! Ken and Leidys are a very sweet couple - I think they're still in their honeymoon period :-) and I am amazed how fluent Ken speaks Spanish! I even learned a few words and sentences. Leidys' native language is Spanish but she speaks enough good English, too.

Thank you for the compliments.:spingrin:

Leidys and I had a great time with you, David and Baja Angel on this trip. This was Leidys' and my first real vacation after our wedding, and we have enjoyed every minute.

The Jeep has performed well, without any problems thus far. I was a bit concerned with the cooling system, but we made it out of the San Felipe desert yesterday without even a hiccup, and into the cool air of the Pacific.

Leidys has enjoyed her first trip to Mexico. More to come from us soon as well.

fishabductor - 7-8-2010 at 07:57 PM

Ken,

What are you running for a cooling system? I just upgraded to a 4 core extra thick radiator and I am now running cool as ever. even in the BCS heat in my 66 bronco with 400+ horses. I was going to go aluminum, but changed my mind at the last minute to a traditional style for ease of repairs in baja.

David K - 7-9-2010 at 07:35 AM

Ken, are you guys back north? Would like to hear about Tijuana and how the border dudes/ dudettes handled Leidys paperwork... Looking forward to YOUR trip report!

wessongroup - 7-9-2010 at 07:43 AM

Just great to see folks out having a great time.. with the entire beach to themselves... nice rides and thanks for all the photos.. and Ken.. good to see you finally got the whole thing together and down to Baja.. get job.. took you a while.. but, you did it!!!

Ken Cooke - 7-10-2010 at 12:05 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Ken, are you guys back north? Would like to hear about Tijuana and how the border dudes/ dudettes handled Leidys paperwork... Looking forward to YOUR trip report!


I am proud to say that I handled 100% of Leidys' case, and we successfully made it back across the border and we are back home, unpacked, and I'm getting ready to get some well-deserved sleep.

The Tijuana/San Ysidro crossing took a whopping 25 minutes to cross Friday afternoon at 5:10 p.m. The Border inspector reviewed my Passport stamps (several pages worth), but was very accomodating since my Jeep was literally loaded down with camping gear and supplies for the past week Leidys and I spent in Baja, Mexico. Leidys cannot wait to go back - she had a wonderful time, and I loved the food both in San Felipe and in Tijuana. I will post a trip report later today after I get some sleep, though.

Buenas noches, Nomads...

David K - 7-10-2010 at 08:11 AM

Wonderful news Ken!

As usual, another awesome trip into the wilds of Baja California!
:biggrin:

David K - 11-24-2010 at 11:44 AM

Has anyone heard from Art?

BAJACAT - 11-24-2010 at 10:23 PM

Iwas wondering the same David.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Ken Cooke - 11-24-2010 at 10:55 PM

Riding in David K's "new" Toyota Tacoma


David K - 11-26-2010 at 10:59 PM

That was about 9 years ago... It was such a great truck I haven't driven any other brand since... Thanks Ken!