TRIP #5 (June 2017): Central Baja: El Arco to El Barril, San Francisco de la Sierra, Bahía Tortugas, Agua Dulce, more!

EDIT: Report & Photos sized for message boards and no watermarks are here: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2017-baja-expedition-5-c...








I will post notes and photos until all 7 days are here, until then, please return to see additions.

DAY 1:

My fifth research trip for the Baja Bound Map/Guide ran from June 2-June 8. I crossed south at Tijuana and drove to Mission San Fernando where I camped near the petroglyphs, on the cliff, west of the mission.

At San Ysidro, I converted dollars to pesos and the rate was 17.80 pesos: dollar. The border was a bit of a mess as the left lane had to merge into others at the final curve near the crossing.

The three tolls to Ensenada were (in dollars) 1.80, 1.80, 1.95.

On the way south, at Km. 88.5 south of Ensenada, I popped over to see if the gate for Mission San Vicente (1780) was open (it had been closed on previous trips since my last time on the site in 2000 or flying over by helicopter in 2014). It was open, and the caretaker (Samuel) was there at the museum, 1 km. from the highway.

At El Rosario, I filled up the tank (16.02/liter) and my Tacoma was getting 17.8 mpg for the 280 miles since my fill up near home. Antonio ('BajaCactus') was getting a newly acquired (for the Desert Hawks Rescue Service) 4x4 Isuzu Trooper repaired and I did not see him this day. Isela told me where to look for him but I missed making contact. I did see the Hugo Lopez' rebuilt 'Tacos Misión' restaurant (about Km. 59.5) was open and had lunch there. Hugo has begun painting again! The first El Rosario mission (1774) is nearby, uphill from the highway on a concrete street, about Km. 58.5.

On south, the drive was easy, only a few holes in the highway (it gets worse further south). I take the old main Baja road shortcut to reach Mission San Fernando de Velicatá (1769). The old road is at Km. 118.5. It is easier to just go on to Km. 121+ at the abandoned El Progreso restaurant and go the 2.3 miles to the mission.

A cattle control gate now must be opened (and closed) 1.1 miles before the mission. No humans were beyond, but a family of cattle greeted me at my camp later!

I also went past the cliff to see the pila (reservoir, made for the mission) and an abandoned ranch, just past. Of all the times I have visited the petroglyphs here (1974, 1975, 2000, 2003, 2005), I have never gone beyond to see the reservoir.

OK today's photos:

Mission San Vicente Ferrer, 1780










The above two from inside the museum.

Hugo's latest, at Tacos Misión Restaurant, El Rosario:





Looking down on Hugo's mission table:









Mission San Fernando de Velicatá, 1769:



Aqueduct and Reservoir, 0.9 mile west of mission:





Petroglyphs, including the 'galleon', 0.7 mi west of the mission:





In the morning I take more photos with the sun on the cliff, see tomorrow's post. I set up camp nearby...



Stay Tuned for Day 2 (Saturday, June 3)...






[Edited on 6-5-2021 by David K]

Here's another Hugo Lopez painting, that didn't get into the first post:

DAY 2 (Saturday, June 3, 2017)

I had a very nice, quiet sleep... once the cattle moved on. Just as it was getting dark, a bull with his cows and several young calves came to munch on the shrubs by my tent.

I had an easy drive south to Guerrero Negro. The highway has a few holes south of El Progreso becoming more numerous nearing Cataviña, but not as terrible as in the past. You can see a lot of patch work. Where it got really annoying was south of Laguna Chapala and very bad the final few miles before the L.A. Bay Junction. South of there, it was pretty good sailing with a few holes until south of Villa Jesus María where more pot holes awaited. Once across the state border, no more holes in the highway that I noticed... until taking the road to Punta Abreojos (more on that later).

I took a side trip west of the highway to the Sarafan Sand Dunes (this was the name that Jim Hunter gave them in his 1977 book, Offbeat Baja). The edge of the dunes is just 1/2 mile from the highway at Km. 121.5. A road just north, I took first, crosses the dunes and heads across the flatlands to the south shore of Laguna Manuela.

With all the chatter about the 'other way' into Guerrero Negro, I had to see it for the first time. The road just goes around the west end of the Guerrero Negro airport runway, beginning at Km. 124.5 as the paved airport road. Beyond the airport entrance (all military looking) the road becomes a wide, graded road. When my GPS indicated I was at 28° latitude (the border), I took a photo. I also took photos at the other two, dirt road border crossings, to the east.

I saw a car with the hood open out on a dirt road just east and a man was walking towards me from it... A young guy whose battery was dead. Why he was there, north of town, with a bad battery is anyone's guess. I jumped the battery and waited until he was on the wide road and heading south to town. Good karma for my taking the backroad into Guerrero Negro this day! He would be the first of three hombres I would assist on this trip.

The airport back road comes into town near the bank and almost to the old harbor road. I drove through town and topped my gas tank there.

Magna gas in Baja Sur was 16.40 pesos per liter, which made the cost close to $3.50/gallon at the 17.80/dollar exchange (which is what I got at the border). Stations are giving 16.50-17.00 pesos per dollar south of Ensenada if you are using dollars... and that makes the cost as much as $3.76/gallon.

I headed for El Arco, back across the border, and back into Pacific Time Zone. The El Arco "highway" (Mexico #18) is at Km. 189 for southbound traffic and 188.5 if northbound. There is a big Y, like the way the L.A. Bay highway meets Hwy. 1.

Once paved (in the mid-late 1970s), the asphalt is now gone, but the roadbed was quite good. This was not the case when I last drove this very road in 1983. The pavement was all broken up and full of holes (even worse that the northern half of the Punta Abreojos highway now).

El Arco was once a major gold mine center from the 1930s. It was also on the old main road to La Paz. Copper was discovered and the town hoped for new prosperity in the early 1970s. That copper mine plan was never developed. There are some modular 'homes' up on the hill to the southeast of town. Perhaps they belonged to the new mine engineers?

Guerrero Negro didn't exist before the late 1950s. When the Transpeninsular Highway was surveyed and built in central Baja, in 1973, poor El Arco was bypassed in favor of Guerrero Negro. Not to totally dismiss the town, it got a paved highway off the new road. A major military base was located there, too.

The road is 25 miles from Highway 1 to El Arco at a fork by the abandoned military base. The right fork is signed for Santa Gertrudis and again for Vizcaino (the old main road). It passes a church, and the entire town except for a ranch now is abandoned. The left fork passes the ranch and leaves town for Pozo Aleman, Piedra Blanca, El Barril and Punta San Francisquito.

I will take a break and post photos to this point...


Petroglyph cliff, near Mission San Fernando


Pertos as seen from the road.


Big cardón by the cliff.


See the three vultures having a sunbath?




Mission San Fernando, in the morning. The petroglyph cliff is the light-color rockface, to the right of the palms, in the distant background.


Edge of the dune field. The sun was just poking through the June Gloom and lit a part of the dunes.


State border on the Guerrero Negro airport road. Looking south.


State border on the El Arco road. Looking south.

In El Arco:




El Arco church.


Display ore cart by church.






See the 'mine hole' in the bottom of that cliff? That was a storage area for dynamite and doubled as a jail... no smoking!

To be continued...

[Edited on 6-19-2017 by David K]

From El Arco, it is just 2.3 miles to the Pozo Aleman road (to the left 1/4 mi, passing a graveyard).







Pozo Aleman was a gold mine that operated around 110 years ago. The miners lived underground to escape the heat.



I headed on eastward for El Barril, a fishing town on the Gulf of California coast, made famous in the 1960s when it was just a ranch, in the adventure books by famous author and Perry Mason creator, Erle Stanley Gardner.


Boojum tree with Ball Moss


Top of the now concrete paved grade, Cuesta de la Ley. The Gulf of California is in the distance. This is 27.4 miles from El Arco.

More to come!

The Ybarra House in El Barril... The seaside port for supplies to the gold mines. There may be a pearling connection and I know that Choral Pepper thought there may be a Mormon connection (from when the Mormons were moving to Utah and had to get around government blockades). I will research that story again, it has been some years.





[Edited on 6-10-2017 by David K]

Okay amigos... more...

I get into posting photos and captions for the photos and forget the notes I write down, so let me catch up here...

Highway 1 to Punta San Francisquito/ El Barril Mileage Log:

Hwy. 1 to El Arco (fork in road near military base) is 24.8 mi.
El Arco to Pozo Aleman road is 2.3 mi
Pozo Aleman road to the El Camino Real crossing is 9.6 mi
E.C.R. to Guillermo Prieto shortcut road is 3.6 mi
Guillermo P. (& Mission Sta Gertrudis) shortcut to Piedra Blanca is 1.7 mi
Rancho Piedra Blanca to top of Cuesta de la Ley concrete grade is 10.3 mi
Top of grade to L.A. Bay road left is 8.1 mi
L.A. Bay road to El Barril road right is 0.3 mi (faded sign for Rancho Escondido here)
El Barril is 8.8 mi south and Punta San Francisquito is 12 miles east.

Total Hwy. 1 to El Barril is 69.5 mi
... or to PSFO is 72.7 mi

The road is almost all very good, graded road with many sections safely allowing 45-50 mph (Toyota Tacoma, Bilstein 5100 shocks)



[Edited on 6-11-2017 by David K]

Quote: Originally posted by chuckie

Looks like you having fun as well as getting work done! I (foggily) remember a mine of sorts up in the El Arco area, where we used to buy showers....Shower head affixed to a pila and a rope actuator...about a dollar I think...Ever hear of that place? We always looked forward to it....

DAY 2 (Saturday, June 3, 2017) continued

After looking around mostly deserted El Arco, my next stop was Pozo Aleman, a most interesting ghost town where some miners lived underground. I wrote about its history for Baja Bound a while ago... https://www.bajabound.com/bajaadventures/bajatravel/pozo_ale...

There is a modern ranch house there, but nobody has been home my last couple of visits.

On to the east on a very good dirt road, perhaps one of the best long stretches of graded road in Baja?

I passed by the road to the giant painted cave trailhead (see https://www.bajabound.com/bajaadventures/bajatravel/painted_... ) and note where El Camino Real crosses (the north direction has become an auto road to Rancho La Unión).

The shortcut road to Hwy 1 if southbound (via Guillermo Prieto) is noted (I will be using this road tomorrow) and I stop at Rancho Piedra Blanca where a motorcycle group is, getting gasoline. Piedra Blanca is both a cattle ranch and a guest ranch with cabins and meals available. See their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Rancho-Piedra-Blanca-11752899493822...

As I saw last September on my Baja Extreme 2016 tour, the Cuesta de la Ley (The Grade that Rules) is now concrete. Once at the bottom the speed was back up. Rancho El Progreso is passed (no activity was seen) and the T-junction where the road to Bahía de los Angeles goes left and the road east turns right. Just 1/4 mile to the right is the Road south passing Rancho Escondido (closed) and going to El Barril. The road straight continues east to Punta San Francisquito. See my TRIP #1 for details.

El Barril is a small town with power poles and wires all over! I soon learn from a local that they had a generator for the town. When it broke down, nobody could fix it. Instead, they all have solar panels on their homes, now!!!

There is a brick, two + story building on the cliff, with some interesting stories behind it. It is sometimes known as the Ybarra House, named after the mining company that brought supplies in from Sonora to El Barril for the Calmalli (and Pozo Aleman) area mines.

My friends asked me to go to Rancho Ilusión, being so near El Barril and ask the owner about future gates on the No Whimps Trail (the track that goes south along the coast via Los Corrales to Rancho La Trinidad and meets the road from San Ignacio via Santa Marta).

I end up camping in a sandy arroyo about a mile from La Ilusión. It was a perfect spot, no bugs, no cows, perfect!

End of DAY 2.

More Day 2 Photos:










Church at El Barril


One of the fancier cattle control gates. If they are not signed to keep out or locked, then proceed through and close behind you.

DAY 3 (Sun. June 4, 2017)

Easy camp take-down on a beautiful morning. I head on east on the road, in the arroyo. The graded road between El Barril and Ilusión is reached 3.4 miles from Ilusión and the El Barril road junction is in just 0.4 mi.

At Mile 8.5 from the above junction is the San Francisquito-El Arco road and the time is 8:02 am Pacific Time. I make notes on the various road points driving back west. Rancho Piedra Blanca is reached at 8:42 am.The Guillermo Prieto road fork (unmarked) is in the arroyo plain where the El Arco road climbs up, on the west side. It is 1.7 mi from Piedra Blanca (8:46 am).

The road crosses the wide Arroyo Purificación and with all the rain this past winter, the road is very sandy at the crossing. If you don't have 4WD, then get your speed up, momentum is your friend in 2WD. On the south side of the crossing is a big hill the road climbs over, and once again the recent wet weather has made an easy hill a bit slower and there is a detour route around a real rocky section of the old graded road where the fill dirt has washed out leaving big rocks exposed. The detour road is short but slow.

Other than the wash and hill (both together at the very north end of the Guillermo Prieto cut across route) this is a fast and easy road between Vizcaino and Punta San Francisquito or to reach Mission Santa Gertrudis.

If you are in a heavy rig, camper, or towing, perhaps better to not use the northern section until the grader goes over it again?

Where the road crosses El Camino Real is easy to spot on Google Earth, but I spent a half hour walking the desert on both sides of the road looking for some sign of the ancient highway that here dates back to 1759 when San Borja da Adac was made a visita of Mission Santa Gertrudis.

11.9 miles from the San Francisquito road, I reach the intersection with the road between El Arco and Santa Gertrudis. Straight across is the road to Guillermo Prieto and Vizcaino. I turn left (east) to visit the mission. It is 9:43 am (includes the 30-minute walkabout looking for El Camino Real.

Rancho Miraflores (made famous in Graham Mackintosh's second book, Journey with a Baja Burro) is just a kilometer away and the road circles around it to the north side. Another ranch (Guadalupe) is 4.6 miles past Miraflores. The road to the mission is 10.9 miles long and fast for 7 of those miles with the last 4 very rocky (again from the floods of this past winter).

The oasis at the mission is a beautiful site. A village was once here, but now, just two people inhabit the mission area other than the ranches. One is named Francisco and he is in charge of the mission grounds and museum there. My past visit here found the mission locked, so it was with great pleasure to see the door open. After photos inside and out of the mission and its remote bell tower, Francisco opened the museum for me. It is small but has a library (mostly with books for children and National Geographic magazines). I thanked Francisco and left a donation. This corner of historic Baja California receives little attention from either tourists or government.
I was at Santa Gertrudis from 10:15-11:00 am.

Back at the Guillermo Prieto intersection at 11:32 am and turned south. The state border between Baja California and Baja California Sur is 2.5 miles away. A cattle control gate is just a few feet north of the invisible border line. The clock goes from 11:44 am to 12:44 pm as I enter Mountain Time Zone.

To Be Continued...



Photos along the road from El Barril back west and then south to Mission Santa Gertrudis and to the state border...




Cuesta de la Ley concrete grade as seen from the east.


Fast road




Great truck


Beautiful country


Shortcut road crosses Arroyo Purificació. The only deep sand of the entire shortcut road.






Santa Gertrudis oasis comes into view.





Mission Santa Gertrudis, 1752-1822

Looking straight up.





Founded by the Jesuits in 1752, the mission consisted of adobe rooms until the Dominicans were given charge of the Baja California missions and constructed the stone churches here, at San Borja and completed the San Ignacio stone mission church.


Correct if we deduct the hour added for Daylight Savings, it was about 9:45 Standard time/ 10:45 Daylight time.

Santa Gertrudis is the only mission in Baja with a remote bell tower... note the mission in the distance.






The museum at Santa Gertrudis.







I leave Santa Gertrudis at 11 am and returned back to the Guillermo Prieto intersection (10.9 mi west). A couple miles from the mission, El Camino Real can be seen going up the hillside, heading for San Borja, three days ride to the north...




Cattle fence, just a hundred feet or so north of the border with Baja California Sur, 28° North Latitude.


Per my GPS, the state border, and change to Mountain Time Zone. 11:44 am to 12:44 pm.

To be continued...

Afternoon of Day 3...

Now inside the state of Baja California Sur heading south on a great road.

I arrive in the center of Guillermo Prieto, 13.3 miles south of the Santa Gertrudis/ El Arco intersection, at 1:06 and take 10 minutes to make a PB&J sandwich. The town was abandoned long ago but the playground equipment at the school remains. One home has become a ranch.


Curve to the right to pass clean through Guillermo Prieto (Dark William).





One kilometer (0.6 mi) south of 'downtown' Guillermo Prieto the southbound road comes to a T junction. To the right (west) is the road to Hwy. 1 and Vizcaino, San Ignacio, etc. To the left, is a huge farm and on the other side, and old ranch called Prosperidad and an old road south to San Pablo Canyon. In the canyon is a major mission visita ruin, one that had many in the past believe it was a "lost mission" of Dolores del Norte! Baja Nomads (XR Phil, Kevin in Oklahoma and others) have been down this road so I went to see how far I could get...

Stay tuned!!!


The mileages I penciled in are from my 2012 trip. My new figures are just a bit under these (13.9 vs 14.2 and 11.8 vs. 11.9) for the two section north of and southbound from Guillermo Prieto.

Prosperidad and San Pablo Canyon, almost!

Just 0.6 mile south of 'downtown' Guillermo Prieto is the T junction. We always go west here for Hwy. 1, Vizcaino, etc. This time, I turned east to see how far into San Pablo Canyon the road went. There is a big farm just east and there is a road around the north side of it.

0.0 T junction (0.6 mi south of Guillermo Prieto and 11.8 mi northeast of Km. 154.5 on Hwy. 1)
1.5 Big Farm Entrance, cattle guard, turn left outside entrance.
1.8 Fork, go left. Road soon bends east and follows farm fence line.
3.5 Northeast corner of farm, the road bends to the southeast and leaves the edge of the farm.
4.6 Cattle gate, pass through closing behind you.
4.9 Prosperidad brick building on a knoll to right and active ranch off to left. The road turns south from the brick building.
5.6 Cattle gate.
5.8 Cattle gate.
The road is an old-old roadbed perhaps made by the French Boleo Copper Mine company.
8.4 Locked gate at the entrance to San Pablo Canyon.







Near the northeast corner of the big farm.



Prosperidad, north-east side.


Prosperidad, south side.


Sign just west of Prosperidad.


Old-old road southbound from Prosperidad.




Entrance of San Pablo Canyon. The locked gate was just ahead.


The dramatic mountainside, northwest corner of San Pablo Canyon entrance.

Coming up next: San Francisco de la Sierra!



[Edited on 6-27-2017 by David K]

Day 3, late afternoon, San Francisco de la Sierra

Baja California is sometimes called 'a thousand miles of fun'.
In fact, it is not only a thousand miles from north to south on the highway, but when you add all the criss-cross and other roads I hope to travel in 2017, it seems like a million miles!
I have already logged over 7,000 Baja miles on the five mapping trips this year!

With a goal of getting as many roads and interesting sites as you Baja Nomads and Tacoma World guys like to read about documented, I made the run up to San Francisco de la Sierra before resting for the day.

The paved road up the mountain is at Km. 117+, about 17 miles south of Vizcaíno, on Hwy. 1. It was about 3:30 when I headed up. In just 0.5 mi the old main road between Ensenada and La Paz is crossed. A farm (El Porvenir) is on the south side but you can look north over its route...


This was the road my folks and I drove over in 1966. A year later, it would become the Mexican (and Baja) 1000 race course for several years!



The road soon begins a steep climb up the sierra. Free range goats begin to appear and beautiful vistas of the big canyons on each side of this ridgeline road are hard to not stop and take in.


Looking back down. That's the Sierra Santa Clara, in the distance.






Old and new... the highway circles around near the top edge of the canyon while ancient trails, such as El Camino Real, are carved into the canyon sides.

The pavement comes to an end after Km. 29, 18.3 miles from Hwy. 1. There are still 4.3 miles to the village.. and they are slow, scary for some, miles.


Three miles from the end of pavement is the entrance to Cueva El Ratón. Locked entrance. A minor cave when compared to the others in the canyon below. Because it is easily reached, without a mule ride, it sees many tourists.


San Pablo Canyon (the upper end of where I was at earlier today).


Looking down, from the road!


3.7 miles from the pavement and 0.6 before the village is this hostel, named after the first Arce in Baja California, Buenaventura.


Dining area. Machaca is the main dish.


Each cabin has two singles and a bunkbed, plus bathroom.




Cost is 200 pesos per person (=$11.24 at this time). Ramón is the manager.


The end of the road at Rancho San Francisco. It is 4:30 and the elevation is over 3,640 feet.


Ancient walls that the villagers told Choral Pepper in the 1960s were the remains of 'Mission Dolores', as that was what they believed.
Actually, San Francisco was a mission ranch station attached to San Ignacio. Dolores del Norte was the proposed name for the next mission north of San Ignacio and was used in Jesuit documents and maps. However, when the mission was established, it was named Santa Gertrudis in honor of the wife of the benefactor. The adobe ruins far below San Francisco, in the canyon of San Pablo, were also mistaken for Dolores del Norte by early writers.


Church in San Francisco.


Heading back down the mountain.


Note the road on the opposite side of the deep gorge.


Crossing El Camino Real, one of three primary routes north from San Ignacio (Golfo, Sierra, Pacifico).





I choose to take a break from camping and go to maybe the next best comfort and value motel, after Baja Cactus, the La Huerta in San Ignacio.



The river crossing between Highway 1 and San Ignacio's plaza is one that always makes one feel calm and relaxed. The motel had just one single room left, it was next to the office, but I did not hear any noise at all. The cost was US$39.

While there is a nice restaurant on the hotel grounds, as well as a market, I opted to walk the block to the town plaza facing the mission. Victor's was closed (I learned he had passed away) but I spotted a taco stand at the opposite corner of the plaza, operated for 30 years by Agustín. Only carne asada... I ordered two... and two more... they were incredible! The meat was tender, tasty, and a real winner. 4 tacos, with a coke, 107 pesos (=$6.01).

Good wifi and the Internet so I could check in with you guys and check emails. I had a great night's sleep.

END of DAY 3. with 4 to go!

[Edited on 6-14-2017 by David K]

Quote: Originally posted by BajaGeoff

Great stuff DK! Any idea when Cuesta de la Ley was paved? I hauled a trailer through there for the NORRA in 2012 and it was pretty brutal terrain.

Quote: Originally posted by BajaGeoff

Great stuff DK! Any idea when Cuesta de la Ley was paved? I hauled a trailer through there for the NORRA in 2012 and it was pretty brutal terrain.

Good stuff! Keep it up! Tho I have to admit the first pic kinda scared me..

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Nomad 'Geoffff' was here in 2014 and took close up photos of the brick building. There is a date above the doorway, too. http://octopup.org/baja2014/gertrudis The year was 1916 and he uses the name "La Casona" for the building. 'La Casona' translates to 'Big House' or 'Villa'.

Quote: Originally posted by geoffff

Quote: Originally posted by David K   Nomad 'Geoffff' was here in 2014 and took close up photos of the brick building. There is a date above the doorway, too. http://octopup.org/baja2014/gertrudis The year was 1916 and he uses the name "La Casona" for the building. 'La Casona' translates to 'Big House' or 'Villa'. I referred to it as "La Casona" because I found this Panoramio photo which called it "La Casona de Pedro Altamirano": http://www.panoramio.com/photo/42375959 -- Geoff

I only made it about a mile south before getting tired, only half-heartedly looking for a way into the canyon. Yes, an odd very straight road right to the Casona, now apparently much less used.



It's a pity about the locked gate.

[Edited on 6-15-2017 by geoffff]

DAY 4 (Mon. June 5, 2017) San Ignacio to Bahía Asunción

Had a very good night's sleep at the La Huerta hotel (motel), and the Mountain Time Zone change didn't bother me too badly. I was on the road before 8 am. Leaving, I noticed a new RV Park next to Ignacio Springs Bed & Breakfast. If it isn't new, I did not see any signage when I was here a few months ago. Called 'Don Chon' and it's right on the river.



I topped my gas tank at the San Ignacio Pemex: 350 pesos for 21.35 liters (@16.40/liter) for the 96 miles since Vizcaino fill up. The tank was just under 3/4 full but I was heading out the Vizcaino peninsula next and you never know if a key supply point will be closed.

Some kilometer notes (the numbers are from Santa Rosalia and increase northbound, 1 km. = 0.62 mile)

San Ignacio entrance is at Km. 73 (just east of the Pemex station)
Rice & Beans (restaurant & motel) is at Km. 74
Military Checkpoint is at Km. 77
Airport road is at Km. 78
Punta Abreojos Highway is at Km. 97+

The fastest way to Bahía Asunción is to go to Vizcaino and take the all paved route west from there (Km. 143.5). The Abreojos route is an alternate for those who want to see the remote coast region and other fishing towns. I was just on the road last September (2016).

The highway between Mexico #1 and Punta Abreojos is 84 kilometers (52 miles). The first half (~25 miles) is in bad condition with many deep holes and sections of missing blacktop. It was this way 9 months ago when I was last over it, so nothing much done in all that time. Signs from the government announced it is being fixed and I actually saw about a half mile of new road work started but no equipment in sight. The second half is fine.





I drove over for a look at Campo Rene and there was no activity or campers at the palapas. The restaurant parking was roped off but a vehicle was parked inside.












Big beach just south of Campo Rene.



Km. 0 Hwy. 1 (Km. 97+) Restaurant Crucero del Pacifico at the junction.
Km. 1 (0.6 mi) Old main road to La Paz (original Baja 1000 road) is crossed.
Km. 43+ Rancho Santa Clara road west.
Km. 73.5 Campo Rene signed road (2.5 mi in).
Km. 75 Another road to Campo Rene joins the previous.
Km. 84+ End of pavement, Punta Abreojos entrance.

Pemex station, car wash, and tire dealer are 1/4 mi ahead, on the right.
The end of the road straight across town ends a mile further near the lighthouse. The popular salt flat road to La Bocana and Bahía Asunción is reached by turning right just past the school on Juan de Barrera street or the next street to the right.


Punta Abreojos

Set odometer to 0.0 here.

Easy driving (today) on the salt flat, parallel to the big lagoon of La Bocana.

7.5 a beach on the lagoon
8.2 The salt flat road merges with the graded dirt road (which follows the power poles between towns).
10.5 La Bocana town entrance. Motel Las Cabañas (closed) and signs for Blanca and Les' hotel on the opposite side of town.


Lagoon beach near La Bocana.


Las Cabañas motel (closed) by the entrance sign to La Bocana. Signs point the way to Blanca and Les' B & B and the road to Bahía Asunción, just beyond.







Reset odometer to 0.0.

22.0 Fork (left to stay near the coast)
24.4 San Hipolito, small fishing town.
29.4 Punta Prieta, another small town.


San Hipolito


Punta Prieta, B.C.S. (not to be confused with Punta Prieta, B.C. on Hwy. 1)

An old man was standing by the road with two net bags seeking a ride to Asuncion. As it may be hours or days before another comes along, I made room for him in the truck (he began to head for the back/bed). His name was Eligio and he was from Sinaloa selling 'natural' vitamins from town to town. He had an honest and innocent face so I was not worried.

47.3 (17.9 from Punta Prieta) is the paved Bahía Asunción highway, 5 kms. east of town.
50.4 Entrance of Bahía Asunción. Pemex just ahead, on the left.
500 pesos for 30.49 liters for the ~135 miles driving from San Ignacio.

I head across town to Shari's La Bufadora Inn.


La Bufadora at Bahía Asunción.


Just amazing how the June Gloom vanishes most of the day at Asunción.


I get a room with a view!

More Asunción photos taken the next couple of days.
Tomorrow I drive to Bahía Tortugas and out to the very tip of Baja's hook, Punta Eugenia.

Stay Tuned!



[Edited on 6-17-2017 by David K]

Maps are from 2010 printing (but field research in 2004 and 2007). Paved road to Punta Abreojos was completed near the end of 2007. The northern half (~25 miles) has deteriorated with many holes now slowing the drive.



DAY 4 Blue Arrows, DAY 5 Red Arrows.

The road all the way into Asuncion from the north (Tortugas highway) is totally paved and the road west from that junction to Bahia Tortugas is all paved EXCEPT for 9 miles (15 kms) eastbound beginning just east of San Jose de Castro/Malarrimo Beach junction.



[Edited on 6-16-2017 by David K]

DAY 5 (Tue. June 6, 2017) To Bahía Tortugas and beyond!

Today's goal was to check out the two main routes to Bahía Tortugas and as much exploring as time allowed.



The June Gloom was so thick, normally clear Asunción even was gray in the morning (sunny later). La Bufadora Inn is on the point, west of town. To get to Tortugas, one drives back through town going east. Here is the town just over the rise that blocks it from Shari's inn.


This is the sign pointing to Juan and Shari's campground just as you enter town.


Mostly just a place to park near the beach with a bathroom/ shower and electricity. A new hotel is just beyond, the La Playa.


The beach at Campo Sirena and Bahía Asunción is endless!


Hotel La Playa (nobody was there).


Looking back to Bahía Asunción and Asunción Island just off the point. Shari's place is on the other side of the point.


The direct (dirt) road to Tortugas from Asunción is mostly good and typically follows the power lines.

To find the unmarked road for Tortugas, head east on the paved road from the Asunción Pemex Gas Station for 0.3 mi (1/2 kilometer) to a curve in the highway where the propane filling tank is located. The Tortugas road forks off to the left (northeast) at the curve. This would be Km. 38.5 if there were half-kilometer signs.

Set odometer to 0.0 at the paved road/ Tortugas dirt road junction.

0.8 Fork to right for the airport. A newer airport road goes directly to the highway at Km. 37.
12.3 Road to the south (toy soldier photo).
21.6 Road south to Bahía San Cristóbal.
32.8 Abandoned buildings off to the right.
33.0 Rancho San José de Castro.
34.0 Tortugas/ Vizcaino Highway, Km. 117.5, Sign "Rancho San José"


Mexico is the amigo country!


Intersting 'monuments' along the way.


Near the end of the dirt section was this dramatic peak.


Some abandoned buildings are next to the working ranch of San José de Castro. The map shows a fork here with one branch going north to meet the highway and the other continuing west to meet the highway in a couple miles. This day, the only traveled road curved north here, past the ranch entrance, and met the highway in a mile.






The highway between San José de Castro junction and Bahía Tortugas is all good and fast.

More to come!

Quote: Originally posted by David K

The KILOMETER posts are physically there (most of the time) and no electronics needed to use them... that was my thinking. To use GPS, one must go through the tedious work of downloading waypoints into the GPS (if you even have one). = = Murdock nav Gps maps for Garmin and Lowrnace have WPs for all federal highways KM markers. = = As for the dirt road miles, most vehicles now have a trip odometer on their speedometer or can do an easy calculation with the odometer. = = Yes your posted maps with miles are very helpful. I never do that due to to much down time to create the log. Keep up the good work. = = If there is any question or when the choice is not obvious I have included GPS in my trip reports. I thank you for your input and can add GPS to the report. In the future Baja Bound online map, I am working on, every point of interest or important road junction has a GPS waypoint... so that is in the works! I can't get to everyplace this year, so contributions to the map and guide are welcomed!

Bahía Tortugas June 6, 2017

It is almost 33 miles from the Rancho San José/ Bahía Asunción dirt road junction to the entrance to Bahía Tortugas. It is all well paved.


Km. 128 and 128.5 are turnoffs left to the coast at Puerto Nuevo. This sign was at the turnoff:



Approx Km. 168 or 24.5 miles after the above road junction is the road that heads northwest to fish camps, shown on maps as Malarrimo and El Queen.

The kilometer signs near the end of the highway are missing, but it would be Km. 172 at the entrance to Bahía Tortugas.

There is a Pemex station on the left but a busier and bigger one is a bit further in town and on another street paralleling just west (to the right). Just 1/10 mile past the Pemex is the signed road right to Punta Eugenia.

It is a mile from the town entrance to the bay shore. I drove around a bit, spotted one hotel (Motel Rendon) and it was across from the Restaurant El Moroco.

I drove over to a view spot just west and saw a 'City of the Dead', which is what a scaled down or mini town, over a cemetery, might be called. Perhaps the most interesting thing I saw in this compact and busy little city (or big town) of Bahía Tortugas.

Some photos...




'City of the Dead'




View back east to the town from just beyond the cemetery.

Now, it was on to Punta Eugenia, the tip of Baja's big hook into the Pacific.

Quote: Originally posted by David K

There is a Pemex station on the left but a busier and bigger one is a bit further in town and on another street paralleling just west (to the right). Just 1/10 mile past the Pemex is the signed road right to Punta Eugenia. It is a mile from the town entrance to the bay shore. I drove around a bit, spotted one hotel (Motel Rendon) and it was across from the Restaurant El Moroco.

Quote: Originally posted by David K

It is almost 33 miles from the Rancho San José/ Bahía Asunción dirt road junction to the entrance to Bahía Tortugas. It is all well paved. Km. 128 and 128.5 are turnoffs left to the coast at Puerto Nuevo. This sign was at the turnoff: Approx Km. 168 or 24.5 miles after the above road junction is the road that heads northwest to fish camps, shown on maps as Malarrimo and El Queen. The kilometer signs near the end of the highway are missing, but it would be Km. 172 at the entrance to Bahía Tortugas. There is a Pemex station on the left but a busier and bigger one is a bit further in town and on another street paralleling just west (to the right). Just 1/10 mile past the Pemex is the signed road right to Punta Eugenia. It is a mile from the town entrance to the bay shore. I drove around a bit, spotted one hotel (Motel Rendon) and it was across from the Restaurant El Moroco. I drove over to a view spot just west and saw a 'City of the Dead', which is what a scaled down or mini town, over a cemetery, might be called. Perhaps the most interesting thing I saw in this compact and busy little city (or big town) of Bahía Tortugas. Some photos... 'City of the Dead' View back east to the town from just beyond the cemetery. Now, it was on to Punta Eugenia, the tip of Baja's big hook into the Pacific.

Quote: Originally posted by norte

Quote: Originally posted by David K   There is a Pemex station on the left but a busier and bigger one is a bit further in town and on another street paralleling just west (to the right). Just 1/10 mile past the Pemex is the signed road right to Punta Eugenia. It is a mile from the town entrance to the bay shore. I drove around a bit, spotted one hotel (Motel Rendon) and it was across from the Restaurant El Moroco. If this is going to be a travel guide wouldn't it have been worth someones while to get out and ask questions. I am sure there are more hotels and restaurants there? Just a suggestion.

Quote: Originally posted by Bajaboy

Tangaliote is a secret gem. Great place and wonderful people!

To Punta Eugenia

Set odometer to 0.0 at the signed junction to Punta Eugenia on the Tortugas entrance road, 0.1 mi south of Pemex.

0.1 Cross Street The road to Punta Eugenia angles to the right, heading northwest. Left on this cross street goes to the larger Pemex gas station and eventually out to the cemetery in 1 mile.
7.2 Road south to coast.
16.0 Punta Eugenia, town, boat launch, transport across to Isla Navidad, a popular surfing location.
17.8 Punta Falsa. Several ruined palapas once served campers here. A fishing camp is just east. View north of Isla Cedros and the salt hill where salt from the Guerrero Negro facility is barged out to Cedros Island. There it is then transported onto large ocean ships.


Except for the part close to Bahía Tortugas, the road out to Punta Eugenia is excellent.


Isla Natividad is only 5 miles offshore from the point, ahead.


The town of Punta Eugenia


Boat launch at Eugenia. Isla Natividad just 5 miles away.


Looking back at the harbor of Punta Eugenia from the road to Punta Falsa.


A reef creates a natural breakwater.






Isla Cedros, to the north of Punta Falsa. I added the circle around the salt hill.


Abandoned palapa campground in ruins.


Shore below the palapas at Punta Falsa.




Punta Falsa fish camp.

Heading back to Bahía Tortugas...


Excellent dirt road.

Coming up next... Can I get to Malarrimo Beach today?

Quote: Originally posted by kevin_in_idaho

Punta Eugenia looks like a great place; the kind of place we like to go to but not sure what all there is do there, if there's any services, restaurants, etc. Too bad the camping palapas are in ruins. Mallarrimo Beach sounds good too and will await some future trip report. Impossible to answer (I know) but do you have a top-10 places in Baja you like?

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Quote: Originally posted by kevin_in_idaho   Punta Eugenia looks like a great place; the kind of place we like to go to but not sure what all there is do there, if there's any services, restaurants, etc. Too bad the camping palapas are in ruins. Mallarrimo Beach sounds good too and will await some future trip report. Impossible to answer (I know) but do you have a top-10 places in Baja you like? Baja has so many different places for different purposes. Here are 10 places I could easily go back to multiple times, and have: *As you may know, for all out relaxing on the beach and doing nothing, without any need for any services or facilities, and within an easy day drive from home, it is Shell Island for us. *For its tropical appeal, Mulegé, and Bahía Concepción. *Loreto and *La Paz, for nice tropical cities. *For a nice Pacific side retreat and nice people, it's Juan & Shari at Bahía Asunción. *For a beautiful location on the sea with history all around, it's Bahía de los Angeles. *A very special place for me, beautiful beach and interesting desert around, it is Gonzaga Bay. *A town most people blow through but has interesting sites all around and a great friend who owns the Pemex and Baja Cactus Motel is El Rosario. *Exotic and very hard to get to, Mission Santa María de los Angeles. *Fascinating, great people (José), and easy to get to Mission San Borja.

Malarrimo = 'Bad to be near'

Back on the pavement on the north edge of Bahía Tortugas heading east, I double check my odometer mileage and kilometer post notes.

[The K figures in these brackets are what the Km. position should be IF there were kilometer markers nearby]

0.0 Punta Eugenia signed road at the pavement, Bahía Tortugas. [K172.5]
0.1 Pemex station[K172+]
1.7 Road off to the northeast for fish camps 'Malarrimo' and 'El Queen' (not signed). [K169.5]
2.0 Road south to El Rincon and Bahía Cambrey (not signed). [K169+]
2.7 Km. 168 marker.
22.4 Km. 135 (my odometer figure is about a 0.7 mi too fast over the 20 miles if the kilometer location is correct).
33.0 Rancho San José (de Castro) and road I came in on earlier. [K117]
33.3 Old road north to Malarrimo Beach, also called the 'Arroyo Road' [K116.5]

It is already after 3 in the afternoon but I give it a shot... The road first passes the foundations of an abandoned ranch, just north of the highway. The road is not used by any recent traffic beyond. It goes through a pass in the hills and brush is overgrown onto the road.


Eastbound from Tortugas towards Vizcaino.


Malarrimo road where it leaves the highway. Abandoned ranch site is the cleared area.


The Malarrimo road, just north of the abandoned ranch and highway junction.


Vegetation is soon overgrowing onto the road.


It is clear this side trip requires a full day devotion and time to explore the beach, 26 miles away. I turn around a mile from the highway and continue on to Bahía Asunción.



The end of the pavement going west is clearly visible from the Malarrimo road junction.


Looking back east. The sign facing westbound traffic where the pavement begins (Km. 116 + 200 meters) driving to Tortugas... just east of the Malarrimo old road, and 1 km. east of the Rancho San José (de Castro) road.

There is a pipeline road that crosses the Malarrimo arroyo (old) road coming from the highway closer to the Asunción highway junction. Some have reported that being the preferred route over the arroyo road?



The unpaved section of the Tortugas highway is 9.2 miles long (per my odometer). [It begins near Km. 100, making the dirt section 16 kms or 10 miles long]


Pavement begins. Approx. Km. 100.


The Pipeline road to access Malarrimo is at Km. 83, 10.9 miles from the pavement start (eastbound).


The little curb along the highway has been busted up to allow access onto or off of the pipeline road. A second access is just west.


The Bahía Asuncióon highway junction is at Km. 75 or 15.7 miles from the start of pavement westbound and 8.0 miles from the pipeline road junction.

Km. 0 on the Asunción Highway begins here. It is 39 kilometers to the town entrance of Bahía Asunción. (24 miles). They are fast and easy driving miles.



The road south along the coast to Punta Prieta, San Hipolito, La Bocana, and Punta Abreojos is at Km. 34.

The direct dirt road to San José de Castro by the Tortugas highway is at Km. 38.5 (just past the propane tank).

The Bahía Asunción Pemex station would be Km. 39, if there was a sign.


View back east to town from the road to La Bufadora Inn and point.

I get back to Shari and Juan's La Bufadora Inn at 5:05 pm. It is 1.5 miles from the Pemex station, across town. Take paved street through town, fork left at the fisherman statue, turn right after the pavement ends and just head west the final 1/4 mile to the Inn on the bluff above the sea, over to the left.


Sundown from La Bufadora Inn.





Shari invites me to dinner she has been cooking all day and it was great: Rabbit with mole sauce (say "mo-lay", not the underground animal). It was great and was my first rabbit, too!

The ocean sounds just outside my room (The Dolphin Room) at La Bufadora Inn are wonderful for sleep.

END of DAY 5.

Tomorrow, I make a run for El Rosario and take the time to visit the pronghorn research center and Agua Dulce historic spring on El Camino Real, the mission road in Old California (Loreto to San Diego).

David K wrote:

["The Pipeline road to access Malarrimo is at Km. 83, 10.9 miles from the pavement start (eastbound)."]

Where does the pipeline start and finish at?

This is it crossing the arroyo going to Malarrimo Beach.

Quote: Originally posted by BornFisher

Lots of info here, looking forward to more! By coincidence, i was recently out to road`s end at Punta Eugenia. It was a beautiful day but the wind must howl there as the elephant trees looked like ground cover!!!

It was a great 'day trip' from Shari's. Going to Malarrimo Beach would need to be a separate day trip, and I was out of days this time. I very much enjoyed seeing the tip of the hook of Baja!




The entire road is now paved from the Playa Malarrimo junction to Bahía Tortugas. 9 miles of unpaved begin just past the Malarrimo road heading east, then all paved to Vizcaino.

Quote: Originally posted by salttram

Concrete on the Cuesta? Is NOTHING sacred?

DAY 6 (Wed. June 7, 2017) Pronghorn Reserve, Agua Dulce, El Rosario

A second great night at La Bufadora Inn, with the sounds of the ocean splashing below, had passed. Today, I must migrate north to make the final drive home easily doable in a day's drive.

Shari made me breakfast and coffee so I had a good start. The truck was loaded and I was about to leave when a young man walked up looking for Shari.

His name is Martín and he had been invited to Bahía Asunción as a diver to harvest sargasso (kelp). When he arrived, the co-op or whoever changed their needs, and he had no job after all. Shari asked if I could take him to El Rosario and he could then catch a bus to Ensenada where he could find work.

No problema, I made room easily for his suitcase and a tank and off we went. He spoke no English, but my Spanish was enough for us to communicate. He understood that I was on a mapping and research trip with some side trips along the way to El Rosario.

We left Shari's La Bufadora Inn at 9:05 am. Martín needed to stop at someone's house to get something and again at the market in town to sell something. Both stops required about 10-15 minutes of waiting for the person he needed to show up. Obviously, I was not sure what was happening and I did not want to become a drug transporter (worse case scenario). I bought a bag of ice at the store ($1.50) while waiting for Martín to conclude his business. Finally leaving town and it was a fast drive on the good highway (no potholes). Arrived at the Tortugas highway at 10 am and at Vizcaino at 10:40 am.

Crossing the state line at the Eagle Monument, there was no immigration stop. 11:30 am became 10:30 am with the crossing back into Pacific Time.
The Km. marker on the north side of the Eagle traffic circle is Km. 127.

At Km. 123 (2.4 miles north) is the signed road east to the Pronghorn Research and Breeding Facility. It is an easy 1.6-mile dirt road in, a fence needs to be opened just before the buildings, where you park.

Two young ladies and a young man were there and welcomed us. Nobody spoke English but I was able to understand the majority of her explaining the program.

The director's name is Ana Isabel Razo Zaragoza and the website is http://berrendo.endesu.org.mx/acerca.html
and http://berrendo.endesu.org.mx/

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Berrendo-Peninsular-PRBP-1750464048...

Email: endesugn@gmail.com to perhaps arrange a group tour?

BERRENDO = PENINSULAR PRONGHORN

PHOTOS:


Highway One across the Vizcaino Desert.


Pronghorn Reserve sign.





The future museum and observation room.


Observation tower.



Ana and the rest of us walked down the dirt road, passing the large pens where the females and young are (on the left) and approached 'loose' roaming machos (breeding males).


This macho berrendo just wants to be close to the ladies.


Very relaxed, we slowly got to about 50 feet of him.


The blue tub is filled with water.


This was a great experience. I have seen them at the San Diego Zoo, but seeing these much larger machos 'in person' was much better!


From where we walked looking back west towards the museum, tower, and parking area.






Snake track.





Well worth the time to visit!

Coming up next, a re-visit to the historic spring on El Camino Real, Agua Dulce... STAY TUNED!

Day 6 cont'd... Agua Dulce

One of the most important sources of water in central Baja, before the modern times, was Agua Dulce (sweet water). Located in a very dry desert plain, between Mission Santa María and Mission San Fernando, on the Camino Real. This large spring made the trek possible for man and beast on the mission road.

Likely, this was the spring discovered by the Wenceslaus Linck-Jesuit expedition seeking future mission sites on March 3, 1766, and named Keita by the native Californians.

When the Franciscan leader, Junípero Serra, traveled from Loreto to San Diego, the future saint rested here and named the spring "Sweet Water" (Agua Dulce). That was in May of 1769.

In the old dirt road days of Baja travel, Agua Dulce was just 1/4 mile off the main road to La Paz. My parents and I camped there on our Jeep trip to Cabo, in 1966.

In the summer of 1973, the new Transpeninsular Highway was built about a mile west of, and parallel to, the old main road (in this area). When we passed by this site, the detour off the new roadbed took us back to Agua Dulce. The highway crews bulldozed a ramp down to the pond and used the water for highway construction and looked to have really destroyed the historic site.

I returned in 2002 and found that Nature had done well at healing the 1973 damage and spent some time there thinking of my parents, who had both left this world years before. In 2005, I once again returned to Agua Dulce with my future wife ('Baja Angel') to show here the famous spring. It was looking better than ever, with much water (but the presence of cattle and their droppings made it not so 'sweet'). A new, better access road to the spring was made and reported by Neal Johns.

I recent years, friends on Baja Nomad forums reported a ranch was established by the spring and a gate blocked access to it. I HAD to see if that was still the case.

Km. 160.5 and hard to spot, but the only auto track around going to the east of Hwy. 1... I hit the brakes and got right on it. Martín probably thought I was nuts.

It is 1.2 miles over to the old main Baja road (the original 1967-1972 Mexican 1000 road). Turn left (north), over a crest of granite to a fork at Mile 1.6, and to the right through an open gate and right past the front of the ranch house to park above the spring, in a gully below, Mile 1.8 from Km. 160.5.

I drove very slow, parked and got out... a few ranchers came out of the house to see who just came into their back yard. I waved and asked if it would be okay to take some photos of the spring. They enthusiastically welcomed me to go right ahead.

PHOTOS:


Martín standing on the old main Baja road where the Km. 160.5 access road joins in, 1.2 miles from the highway.


Before late 1973, this was the "highway" to La Paz and Cabo!


Looking north on the old main road, Agua Dulce is on the other side of this rise, 1/2 mile away.


Agua Dulce with a pump to take water to the ranch, nearby. A lone blue palm is just beyond.


I climb up from the gully. My truck on the opposite side by a windmill that was not over a well, but used also or instead of the gasoline pump, to bring water up.


Looking down at the beach next to the spring's pond.


I walk around back to the truck, above the spring. I am (in my best Spanish) telling Martín the history of this place.




Rancho Agua Dulce

Back out to Hwy. 1 and an easy drive to El Rosario, getting there about 4:30. I drop Martín off at the bus station but wait to hear if he makes the connection okay. He comes back out to tell me the bus to Ensenada will be there in a few hours, but he is 100 pesos short on the ticket cost. No problem, I took care of that. The poor guy had to hear my history lesson in bad Spanish, after all!

Around the corner to Baja Cactus Motel and a little bit of heaven on the highway! Antonio is there and inside my room, a new surprise (inside all the new rooms, in fact)...




Large, flat screen TVs! It was just installed and not even connected yet... but it was soon after I took the photo. More TV news, instead of the so-so some snowy, local satellite TV (12 channels, half in English), there will be Dish Network TV with 60+ channels in high definition and music channels, too.

An interesting historical note, my first time staying at Baja Cactus was Thanksgiving weekend, 2004, when Antonio brought the new rooms their TVs, purchased in San Diego. So nearly 13 years later, new TVs again... Good job Antonio. Sure, I know we don't go to Baja for TVs, but he wants you all to have a top rate room experience on par or better than any other similar place in either country. The in-room coffee makers are a hit.

In my final day's report, I will show you photos of the room at Baja Cactus and give you the last day's road notes.

Stay tuned for DAY 7.

DAY 7 (THU JUN 8, 2016) El Rosario to San Diego County

[I apologize for not completing the trip report sooner. Typically I get these done in about a week. This one has taken over 2 weeks. I was working still on the TRIP 4 chapter of the road guide I am writing and after a technical issue which caused me to re-make several pages. I finally got that completed and can now complete this TRIP 5 report for you all!]


Just a comment to add to yesterday's report post:

Martín and I left Agua Dulce and as we passed the ranch house, I confirmed with the ranchers standing about that their ranch was named the same as the spring, ie. Rancho Agua Dulce.

My impression should any of you come by and the gate is closed (but not locked or signed no entry) to let yourself in, ask if you can take photos, and enjoy the time travel experience here. Gates that are not locked are to control livestock not keep out visitors. I have never met an unfriendly in the backcountry of Baja and that includes the time (17 years ago) I unknowingly hiked into a marijuana growing project in a canyon near San Felipe! All smiles!!


OK... DAY 7. Today I was heading home, I had a great night at Baja Cactus (Room 202). Antonio, Isela, and I went to the Restaurant 'Loncheria El Faro'. It is a newer place, owned by a man from Faro San José and his wife who cooks with the flavor of her native Oaxaca. This was my third meal at Loncheria El Faro (previously had a shrimp dinner and a breakfast here, both were great). (at the moment I can't find his card with his name)

We all had the fish dinner, choices were halibut and corbina. It was excellent! The lemonade made with mineral water (we got a pitcher) was great. The cost for dinner was US$20 (that was all three dinners, drink and tip). Unbelievable! My treat!! El Faro is at Km. 59, next to the San Borjas Tire Shop, left side of the highway if southbound.

Antonio ('BajaCactus') and Isela were busy with prepping for the Baja 500 support when I was coming through El Rosario earlier this week. The Red Cross in Camalu asked for the services of Antonio's rescue service: Halcones del Desierto (Desert Hawks) https://www.facebook.com/HalconesdelDesierto/

The energy this man has and his quest for quality and fairness is so admirable. For those of you unfamiliar with Antonio Muñoz: He assumed operations of his family's business nearly 20 years ago. At the time, a small motel and the Pemex gas station (next door). He built a new, modern motel on the site with amazing rooms and services generally unknown in central Baja or on many highways in either Mexico or the United States. His rates are crazy-cheap for such luxury and he even maintains a few of the original motel rooms (but they were recently refurbished) at even lower prices.

The El Rosario Pemex gas station is famous for having 100% honest pumps, not all that common in Mexico where an 80-liter tank can magically hold 90 liters out of a tampered pump!

A few years ago, seeing the need, Antonio and volunteers from El Rosario received EMT training and he has a fire/rescue service that has rendered help all along Highway One between San Quintin and Punta Prieta... 200 miles of (mostly) dangerous highway! See the Facebook link above.

The government provides almost no help, so donations are all that keep Antonio going with this (and any profits from staying at his motel or buying his gasoline).

Antonio sells my Baja mission history books (I donate them so all sales income goes to the Desert Hawks) as well as other items, in the motel lobby.

Here's a photo of Antonio and I taken last year by my wife when I presented him with my books donation...


The book regular price is $29.95, but at Baja Cactus, they are discounted and the sale helps to fund the Desert Hawks. He also has a few copies of the (out-of-print) The Old Missions of Baja & Alta California book, as well.

Oh, Isela's daughter (Itzel) who many of you know from her open heart surgery performed in the United States, is doing great and growing up fast!

A single Baja Cactus Motel Room is under $40, features a king bed and now all LED lights, flat screen satellite TV, coffee maker, pressure boosted shower, bottled water, phone, wifi, secure parking...














Antonio ready to roll with the newest addition to the Desert Hawks fleet, an Isuzu Trooper 4x4.

I say goodbye, top the gas tank at his Pemex station (15.99 pesos/liter) and 50 liters is about 800 pesos. You can use a debit card here with only the 3% bank fee added. Dollars this day were valued at 17.00 pesos each, at El Rosario, if you don't have pesos.

I was on the highway at 9:45 am.
I made many notes for kilometer markers of various spots to add to the list I had already started, plus GPS marking certain points for the future Baja Guide and Map for Baja Bound.

Ensenada traffic was not fun, and I reached the north end of town, by the harbor, at 1:45 pm (150 miles from El Rosario).

Taking Hwy. 3 to Tecate, I stopped at the Guadalupe mission and museum to see the latest additions. A very clean bathroom building (with toilet paper even) was a nice touch (note to new Baja travelers, especially the ladies, toilet paper is typically not supplied in public bathrooms).




Guadalupe mission site foundations. The Guadalupe mission was the last California mission to be founded. The year was 1834 and in 5 years, Indian raids destroyed the church and mission here.

Inside the museum:







Outside...








To find the mission, take the paved road going into town, at the Pemex station for Guadalupe (Francisco Zarco). Go 1 mile to a cross street. Ahead the road is divided, turn left to the museum, passing a school.

I reach the Tecate border line at 3:27 and I am cleared into te United States at 3:31. With afternoon traffic, I get home at 5:30. 1,743 miles traveled.

VIVA BAJA!

I will, I will!