BajaNomad - Stuck? Broke down????

Stuck? Broke down????

BornFisher - 7-17-2017 at 08:58 PM

Anybody have a good broken down in the middle of nowhere story, or just stuck in the mud, silt, sand, story that is worthy of retelling? A friend told me of a fellow Nomad who was stuck for 9 hours out by "The Wall". Just did a little turn around and sunk!!! Put a little rain on some silt and it`s easy for a nightmare experience!! And there is always the shell beds on the beach on the Pacific side. Ruined many a vehicle!! Also the tides of the upper gulf--- swallowed many vehicles driven by the daring who went too far and regretted their level of impaired judgement. Please tell----extra credit for pics!!

yumawill - 7-18-2017 at 07:16 AM

I saw this. Four college kids w/surfboards on a rental car drive out on the beach at Pastora. Yep, got almost there and sunk in the sand. Now since they're in college and smart they borrow a shovel and start to dig themselves out. well two hours later they've sunk down to the pan, looks like they're floating really. I'm glad I didn't get an education.

A break down coming south to La Bocana

BajaBlanca - 7-18-2017 at 07:32 AM

You just woke my nightmare up again! Just last week we (Les, myself and my 83 year old mom) returned from San Diego in Les's titan pickup. We were way overloaded: 16 solar power batteries at 110 lbs. each plus 8 suitcases - one small one for me, normal for Les and tiny for mom, and all the rest filled with clothes, shoes, shampoos, for the scholarship kids.

After Cataviña, the potholes started to get out of control. We were bouncing around like anything when Les sort of lost control and thought we might have a flat.

He stopped and went around the truck and not a flat tire to be seen. We were relieved because we were in the middle of nowhere and very few vehicles headed south. Most were headed north.

He jumps back into the car, starts up and woooooomph , truck plomps down. Kind of like our dog Rex plomps down for his belly rubs. Panic grips my heart, we both jump out. Our left rear wheel bolts have completely sheered off. This truck is no longer going anywhere.

I get out and start making sure cars are going around us safely since there is no shoulder. I ask one of the first cars to please send a grua (tow truck) from the next town which is Punta Prieta, an hour south of us.

Then I realize it is kind of dangerous to be stuck out there with my most precious mom so I flag the next car and explain the situation. He tells me his is going to Bahia Asuncion and I ask if he can drop mom and I off in G Negro at Terra Sal. He agrees, we grab our purses and squeeze into a single seat. My butt is suffering on top of a truck handbrake but I am so grateful to be leaving the middle of the desert.

Our goal is to reach P Prieta and make sure the tow truck is coming. About 30 minutes or so later, we flag down a tow truck that is headed north and he is indeed on his way to get Les. Thank goodness for good Samaritans, those first guys who recruited the tow saved at least half an hour. Since this was at about 4 pm already, this was a very good thing!

Mom and I got to Terra Sal, checked into a room. We had some lunch/dinner. I was so ready for a margarita only to find that they couldn't serve me one that day...who knows why....

Les paid a small fortune to have the Titan towed all the way to G Negro and to the garage he knows. He arrived at Terra Sal at 10 pm and I have to say, the cook at the restaurant went out of her way and made a delicious chicken fettuccini to go for him, even though they close at 10.

All in all, it ended well but I have to say that it was harrowing while in progress. and my face definitely looked just like this the whole time:

mtgoat666 - 7-18-2017 at 07:46 AM

Never overload a vehicle and then subject it to rough roads! Things will break!

Sorry, no personal baja break down stories to tell, I have always been lucky.
Got a fair number of flat tires and desert pin stripes. Had to dig out a sunk/stuck tire a time or two (hint: avoid soft sand). Do they count?

[Edited on 7-18-2017 by mtgoat666]

David K - 7-18-2017 at 08:09 AM

To avoid soft sand would be like to avoid half of Baja! Sand is the main reason I have 4WD and an air pump. Deflating tires about halfway (ie. 30 psi to 15 psi) is generally what it takes to not get stuck in sand.

pacificobob - 7-18-2017 at 08:32 AM

Quote: Originally posted by yumawill

I saw this. Four college kids w/surfboards on a rental car drive out on the beach at Pastora. Yep, got almost there and sunk in the sand. Now since they're in college and smart they borrow a shovel and start to dig themselves out. well two hours later they've sunk down to the pan, looks like they're floating really. I'm glad I didn't get an education.

yes! i agree! ignorance is every bit as good, perhaps better, than knowledge. everyone knows that people become stupid when exposed to education!

SFandH - 7-18-2017 at 09:33 AM

I had a transmission break 1/2 way between Vizcaino and Guerrero Negro, heading to GN. Me, wife, and two dogs, pickup with a camper. Tons of blue smoke and fluid pouring out onto the ground. A passerby said he would send a tow truck from GN and a while later it arrives. Spent 5 days at the Malarrimo Hotel. Parts had to bussed down from Ensenada and it took a couple of times to get it fixed. The first test drive failed and they had to redo the repair.

[Edited on 7-18-2017 by SFandH]

Hook - 7-18-2017 at 10:07 AM

In the early 90s, I was towing a 19 foot aluminum boat, single axle trailer with 13" tires, to Chivato one June. We were somewhere south of GN and came across an arroyo that was flowing from bank to bank. Heavy rain in the mtns, east of Hwy 1 was making its way to the sea. We waited with everyone for a few hours (much drinking and sharing of food) until it appeared to recede and a Mexican in a passenger car on the other side gave it a try. He made it, just barely, as he did get going sideways for a bit. That got the exodus going.

When I attempted to cross, my boat had trailering straps attached to the transom from the trailer. I was in an S-10 blazer 2wd. It was owned by my new girlfriend, whom I had convinced to let me take it to Baja (foolish girl still trusts me to this day, as my wife).

Anyway, we got about half way across and the boat starts to float the trailer downstream! It eventually got about 75 degrees off the back end of the Blazer and was moving the back of the Blazer, too!

I gunned it (what else can you do?) and the rear tires caught more firmly or maybe we got shallow enough and it eventually came along. But that's a weird sight, looking in your rear view mirror and seeing the boat and trailer floating away to the side of you.

We got out on the other side, opened more celebratory beers...........and somehow made it to our destination.

[Edited on 7-18-2017 by Hook]

BajaTed - 7-18-2017 at 10:22 AM

TBT
While driving in an 18 wheeler with a race buggy and pre-runner between Loreto and Bahia Concepcion, the power steering hose burst while going down the grade. Of course, just prior to getting to the downgrade, my brother who was driving said " If I miss a downshift get ready to jump out", needless to say, when moments later the power steering hose blew, I was freaking out. Brother dear screams for me to help him on the steering wheel. I'm 6'3" 250 lbs and my brother is almost the same. It took every bit of our strength to turn the wheel as were going down the grade. Wheels are locking up, the Jake brake is on solid and somehow we drifted down around two more corners and got on a straight. Brother is turning white and motioning his head toward my door to jump. He decides as a last ditch effort to drop the front wheel over the right shoulder which is about 8 -12" inches tall and he started jacking the front wheel against the shoulder while in full 18 wheel lock up. The rig is going back and forth between tipping and getting back on the road. Right front wheel finally started to dig into shoulder and we stopped really fast and it was all over. We limped into El Requeseon and parked by the restaurant to decompress. It took two more adventure filled days running around the area meeting folks and finding parts to get the hose fixed by shear local ingenuity.

TMW - 7-18-2017 at 10:27 AM

Back in the winter of 1977 we lived in Argenta,IL north of Decatur. I had been in Decatur and was going home around 11pm when it started to snow. It started snowing harder and harder until I could not see the road. I pulled over and spent the night in the van. I had my coat, gloves and cap but no blankets etc to keep warm. I mostly ran the heater when the van got cold. About 6am it had stopped snowing but the drifts were so high I didn't think I could get thru them. I got out and could only see the power lines above me. It was foggy and visibility was maybe 75 -100 feet. I started walking back because I thought I had seen a house before I stopped. I didn't know exactly where I was at . Anyway I keep walking and I spot the house and as I got closer I could see it was a green house that I recognized. Had I walked the other way I'd be home. I was cold and didn't feel like walking the two miles home so I went to the house and asked if I could stay for a while and warm up. They were very kind people and fed me breakfast and I laid on a sofa and got some sleep.

Later the sun came out and I saw a snowplow go by. It was about noon so I went back to my van hoping the snowplow may have moved enough snow for me to get out. No such luck they actually packed more snow under and around my van. I started walking toward home when two snowmobiles come up behind me. One told me to get on and he would take me home. I told him I was OK and didn't live far. He said I am suffering from the cold and didn't know what I was doing. I got on and he took me home. I thanked them and they left.

mtgoat666 - 7-18-2017 at 10:40 AM

I think my story will top all stories!
Once when parking my Saab in downtown Seattle I attempted to raise all 4 electronic windows simultaneously, and blew the fuse. There was no spare fuse. I had to drive to the auto store with the windows open. I later learned there is a mechanical way to raise windows when electronic was dead - but as a true man, I of course could not be bothered with reading the owners manual.
:biggrin:

MMc - 7-18-2017 at 11:11 AM

I went to Erendira for a long weekend back in the 80's. For some reason lost to me now, we took the chevy caprice. We went south of town, (There were no buildings along the coast just fields). I punched a hole in the oil pan, driving a bit faster than I should have. Walk down to the beach and find a chunk of wood a carve a plug from it. Pound it back in the hole, clean the wood and pan with gas and slop a bit of silicone over both. I dumped the qt of oil that I had and drove to a hi spot and set up camp. We had a great weekend. We went to San Vicente on the way out to pick up more oil. I drove it 3 weeks before I took it to my repair guy. I still talks about it.

del mar - 7-18-2017 at 11:18 AM

Quote: Originally posted by MMc

I went to Erendira for a long weekend back in the 80's. For some reason lost to me now, we took the chevy caprice. We went south of town, (There were no buildings along the coast just fields). I punched a hole in the oil pan, driving a bit faster than I should have. Walk down to the beach and find a chunk of wood a carve a plug from it. Pound it back in the hole, clean the wood and pan with gas and slop a bit of silicone over both. I dumped the qt of oil that I had and drove to a hi spot and set up camp. We had a great weekend. We went to San Vicente on the way out to pick up more oil. I drove it 3 weeks before I took it to my repair guy. I still talks about it.

great story! might be wise to carry a couple wooden plugs that boaters use in the tool kit!

A good Karma breakdown

AKgringo - 7-18-2017 at 11:46 AM

On my last trip SOB (Nov/Dec) I stopped four times to help motorists in distress (all Mexican residents). One was a ranch truck that needed my jack and shovel, another with battery and cable problems, one guy was out of gas just at dusk, on the pavement with no shoulders east of San Ignacio. And then there was the guy that ruined two tires on a rock fall on Mex 5 south of Puertecitos.

I aired up his flat spare, but he still needed another rim and tire, so I hauled him to San Felipe. We stopped at a couple of tire shops with no luck, so he had me drop him off at the Pemex on the south side of town where he met his cousin.

Back on the road again headed toward the main round-about, after one of the many stop signs my Kia did a weird fishtail as I shifted into second gear!

I thought 'blow out' but when I pulled over to the curb, all my tires were fine. I got back behind the wheel, but when I tried to take off, the right rear tire bit the fender well. The bolt connecting the axle to the frame was gone! The shock absorber and the drive shaft were all that kept the axle kind of/sort of where it should be!

About the time I was thinking 'What now', a guy says in perfect English "Do you need a mechanic?" His name is Henry (Enrique), and he owns the Oasis mini market!

I said "I sure do!", so he came across the street and knocked on the door of the house I broke down in front of. I don't remember the guy's name, but he was a mechanic that happened to be home that day. It was a couple of days before Christmas, and the shop he worked at was closed for the holidays.

Anyway, I gave him a couple hundred pesos and he left to go get the correct grade 8 bolt and lock nut that I needed. Meanwhile, Henry and I went back to his tienda where he had just brewed a fresh pot of good coffee. I also had fresh pastries, a tour of his rental unit, and a great conversation!

Less than an hour later, the mechanic said I am good to go, and we were even. I looked at his Christmas tree (shrub) and his small children, gave him a couple hundred more pesos, and said "Para La Navidad!"

It was not just a fortunate place to break down, Think of the consequences of that bolt falling out at highway speed on any of the vados or curves between San Felipe and Puertecitos. I would have been off the road, with a Mexican citizen in the car as added liability!

Good Karma was on me!

[Edited on 7-18-2017 by AKgringo]

Don Jorge - 7-18-2017 at 11:49 AM

Summer of 1973 on a surf trip to the tip stopped in at Conejos. There we found 2 guys camped, surfing, from Newport Beach. Of course, best left around would have some Newport guys in a Beemer on it. They were in a BMW 2000 and it needed front axle work. They had been stuck there 5 days when we showed up in our Chevy Luv. With waves, some beers left and food too they were not quite stuck, yet.

We camped and surfed till the swell died and then gave them a ride to La Paz where they ordered the part and stocked up on food and beer. Good thing, we were really low on beer by the time the swell died.

Remember those days when you waited in line to get a phone to use in a "private" booth, mail came to you listo de correos and you had money wired to you? Everything took time. The day in La Paz took lots of time but we got it done with our broken Spanish and the karma of youth.

We went back to camp and surfed smaller stuff a few days more. We moved on, left them waiting for the parts to arrive and the alfalfa grower cattle ranchero dude at Conejos to give them a ride to La Paz the next week. I really dug that place back then with it's irrigated alfalfa, nice looking cattle, humble feel and right on a pretty solid break.

Two weeks later we ran into them again at Shipwrecks where we were camped. Saw that orange BMW 2000 driving in, smiled, knew it was them. Shared some big waves there for a few days and then we all went to Cabo. Never saw them again but whenever I see an Orange BMW 2000 I still smile.

1973-bmw-2000-tii-inka-orange-107.jpg - 191kB

1973-bmw-2000-tii-inka-orange-107.jpg - 191kB

Sandlefoot - 7-18-2017 at 11:52 AM

The day after Newton, September 7, 2016 Kimberly and I were packed and ready for our semi-annual road trip back to Oregon. Newton, a class one hurricane, had pasted the day before leaving a path of some disruption from a lot of wind and a few inches of rain. As we left La Paz we anticipated some problems with the road, but according to my research once we cleared Mulege we would be through the worst of it. The first real indication of up coming road problems was around KM 157 coming up to the lower part of Conception Bay, just before the turn off to San Nicolas. As we came around the corner the road headed down a small hill into an arroyo. The entire right side of the road was gone and there was a small car filling the hole where the road used to be. Windshield was broken and the car was empty. Fortunately someone had piled rocks on the road at the top of the hill warning us of the danger. By a little after noon we made it on into Mulege, stopped for lunch at El Gecko and had some really killer blackened fish. No power, very little cold beer, but really good fish!
I had committed to a friend of mine in La Paz that I would give him a road report when I was “through it all”. Called, gave my road report, finished my pretty cold beer and hit the road north. Little did I know that my day was just getting started!
Fifteen miles north of Mulege, just beyond the Puenta Chivato turn off I came up behind a long row of trucks waiting on the road. No on coming traffic, so I got out and walked down the road to see what was the hold up. Got down about a half mile and there was no road, just lots of water! Walked down stream looking for a place to cross, nothing looked good, looked up stream and found a place where others had gone through. Looked doable to me, so I hiked back to my car, 07 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and headed across the small river. Success! Now, having traveled this road for seventeen years, I knew the next question: What is next, and is it passable? Almost a half-mile up the road I found out.
A twenty-foot section of the bridge was missing. There was very little traffic so I found it easy to park to go have a look see. Yep!!!! The road was gone!!! A Federal police officer was there “monitoring” the situation and as I walked by he said in Spanish “only a bird is going to get to the other side of the road”! I tucked my hands into my armpits and flapped like I was going over, he laughed? Now it was going to take days to fix this, I had just come through Mulege and the power was out. That meant no cold beer and no air conditioning; I did not want to go back there! I had to find a place to cross this, as a friend later called it, “river of doom”. From the bridge I looked down stream and there were four or five “cars” that had tried to cross and they were “waiting” for the water to go down so they could complete the crossing. Looked up stream and it was the same picture, Half a dozen cars all but floating in the middle of this rather large, flowing body of water. I found a route that I thought was possible. It would mean crossing the water at an angle, there-by increasing the length of water to cross. I was guessing about 250 feet of water, and then there was about a half mile of open arroyo to get through before and after the water. I went back to the end of the bridge, Shifted into 4 low, found a place to get off the road and down into the arroyo. Then my eyes got opened real wide!!! The rocks in this arroyo were the size of truck tires!!! I was bottoming out and dragging off each rock I tried to get over. Of course I was trying to go over only the small ones!!! The route I had picked was in an area where there were rapids and once I got to the waters edge I knew I would not be able to pick my route through the rocks very well because the water was a couple feet deep! As I was bouncing and scrapping my way for the first fifty feet or so I came against a rock to large to go over and it killed the engine. Tried to re-start and nothing!!!! Hit the hood release and got out, the water was a little over my knees! Opened the hood and all I could see was water flowing through the engine compartment. Shut the hood and got back into the car to talk to my lovely wife and try to explain why I am so dumb as to try to cross a river with truck tire sized rocks in it! As I set down in the seat, holding my head low, I told her “I guess we will have to stay here until the water goes down so I can find what I knocked off and fix it”. Then I noticed the car was still in drive! Of course it would not start! Tossed the lever into park and hit the key and was up and running again. I know I probably stopped a murder suicide, or at least a murder, but all in all she was a great sport and as usual a great co-pilot! We were on our way and had no problems that stopped us all the way across. Now we had to find a place to get back up on the bridge. Followed the tracks of the “floaters” back under the bridge and there was the road that goes out to the little airport, I think it is called Aeropuerto de Santa Rosalia. When I got to the asphalt I stopped and looked under the car. No apparent damage, just all the skid plats were “shaped differently”. Once I got back on the bridge I stopped again, got out of the car, faced the police officers, put my hands into my armpits and flapped like a bird! They were to far away to know if they had seen me but I wanted to do that just in case. What next?

Further down the road, at the next washout, the flow of water was less. But getting off the road, down into the arroyo was steep. I had shifted into four low and at the bottom I was pushing rocks with the bumper and I was hoping to not hit something that did not move and thereby stopping me from going on, or back up! Cleared the entry, and about then there was a small car that had tried to get across from the other side and they had made it the length of their car and was stuck blocking the road. He had a rental car, front wheel drive and very low clearance. As I got to the bottom of the arroyo he came running over to me asking if I had a tow strap he could buy! Of course I had one, but did I want to sell it? Sure, I think he needed it more than I did, 200 pesos. We had to move a lot of rock but I was finally able to get behind him and pull him out of the rock pile. He went to help some of his friends, because he now had a tow strap, and I headed on north. What is next?
As we got to the next wash out they became more routine. Steep drop-offs, water crossings, and more rocks. Total of eight places the road was non-existent. We saw why the power was out in Mulege, the poles were stacked up against the washed out road in places! We finally got into Santa Roselia and it was another disaster. At the intersection of the street that goes up into town were three huge piles of mud and rocks. Piles the size of houses that all but hid the train engine that sets near there. Cars were buried where they had just piled the dirt and rocks to open the main roads in and out of town. Talked to some of the locals and the reports I got was that while we had about three inches of rain that fell over a twelve hour period of time and they had over ten inches that fell in less then seven hours! That is a hurricane for you!!
Upon arriving in Santa Roselia I had noticed there was no one following us through that mess and we saw no one heading into it after the little car got towed out of the way. It seemed we were the only ones dumb enough to try to get through it. But motivated by “no cold beer”…. Once we cleared Santa Roselia we had a couple of small washouts that may have been notable on another trip, but hardly noticeable on this one.
I was pleased at the performance of this jeep. I have owned jeeps for several years but never had an opportunity to “test” one like this. It did everything I asked and came out the other side with only some extra “Baja Pin Stripping”, and some nice scares to brag about. Once in Oregon I put it in the shop for a bumper to bumper, and the only thing needing attention was the plate on the rear differential had been rolled up and was slightly leaking fluid, I had the plate replaced. There was one thing that I did not even think of until we were in a room that night…..PICTURES…..we did not take pictures! Oh well that gives me something to look forward to next time!

Mike Rogers

Blanca's breakdown

AKgringo - 7-18-2017 at 02:23 PM

Blanca, the heavy load may have been a factor, but since the failure was on the left side drive wheel I suspect that the lug nuts were not properly torqued.

Up until the early 50s, Dodge used left hand threads on the left side to prevent the lug nuts from backing off for that very reason. If the acorn nuts back off far enough, the load is not evenly distributed to all the lugs.

If the rim was also damaged, that could be the explanation.

StuckSucks - 7-18-2017 at 02:55 PM

I don't get stuck.

David K - 7-18-2017 at 05:26 PM

Quote: Originally posted by StuckSucks

I don't get stuck.

Because getting stuck ... sucks!
Also, because we have Toyota Tacomas, perhaps?
Getting stuck just doesn't happen with the A-TRAC 4x4 system... but I keep trying! LOL

Pappy Jon - 7-18-2017 at 06:57 PM

Two stories. Yep, what is a Baja trip without a few adventures.

1) Went out to Boca Grande (Bahia San Rafael). This place, as I found out later, has quite the reputation. Made it out to the wall on the beach. Looked around. Didn't like the camping so I turned around following my tracks. Oops. I will let the picture say it all. Took me 6 hours to get out.

2) I had just started my trip and ducked up Matomi Canyon to make camp. I didn't make it very far. On one of the woops the input shaft on my transfer case stripped. Thanks to my Delorme inReach I was able to call for help. David K emailed PaulW in SF. After spending a very sleepless night where I broke, texting back and forth with David, Paul came out the next morning in his big-azz Ford and dragged me back to Pete's Camp where I spent a few nights waiting until Monday and a nearby shop opened up.

[Edited on 3-31-2018 by BajaNomad]

MMc - 7-18-2017 at 07:01 PM

This is about getting stuck or breaking down, I sure you have a story to add before the Toyotas.

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Quote: Originally posted by StuckSucks

I don't get stuck.

Because getting stuck ... sucks!
Also, because we have Toyota Tacomas, perhaps?
Getting stuck just doesn't happen with the A-TRAC 4x4 system... but I keep trying! LOL

David K - 7-18-2017 at 07:24 PM

Quote: Originally posted by MMc

This is about getting stuck or breaking down, I sure you have a story to add before the Toyotas.

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Quote: Originally posted by StuckSucks

I don't get stuck.

Because getting stuck ... sucks!
Also, because we have Toyota Tacomas, perhaps?
Getting stuck just doesn't happen with the A-TRAC 4x4 system... but I keep trying! LOL

Oh yes, you bet! I was just singing the praises with StuckSucks.

Here is one of my infamous stucks in Matomi Canyon, as a flash flood nearly took away my Subaru in December 1978:

Before the water got into the vehicle, it dawned on me that it was sand... underwater sand, but still, sand that was holding my Subaru there.

I deflated the tires (only 13" tires, mind you) and drove out before the river rose too high. I crossed here just minutes earlier and it was dry. When I came to the next crossing, with water on the road, I turned around.

This stuck, like all others I remember, I never needed a pull and always got myself out.

The salt mud of crossing over to Shell Island got me real bad, once. I slept in the Subaru. The next morning, I found some boards on the beach and jacked up the wagon, put the board under the stuck tire, and drove out.

Sand stucks were solved by digging and deflating more.

chippy - 7-18-2017 at 07:36 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Pappy Jon

Two stories. Yep, what is a Baja trip without a few adventures.

1) Went out to Boca Grande (Bahia San Rafael). This place, as I found out later, has quite the reputation. Made it out to the wall on the beach. Looked around. Didn't like the camping so I turned around following my tracks. Oops. I will let the picture say it all. Took me 6 hours to get out.

Here I thought you where talking about this wall :lol:

If you aint been stuck in the grease you aint been stuck :lol:

[Edited on 7-19-2017 by chippy]

[Edited on 7-19-2017 by chippy]

DanO - 7-18-2017 at 09:01 PM

In October 1994, on a camping trip to the Sierra San Pedro Martir, I was going too fast with too much air in the tires about halfway between Rancho Meling and the Observatory (this was before a lot of the paving of the section below Meling's, and the section above Meling's was pretty sketchy in parts). Big sharp rock tore a 2 inch gash in the tread of one of my BFG T/A's. While I'm on the ground swapping in the spare, my wife starts off an interesting conversation:

Wife: "You only brought one spare?"
Me: "Uh, yup."
Wife: "What if we get another flat?"
Me: "Uh, we camp. Right there. And wait for someone to come along."
Wife: "On THIS road? We haven't seen anybody for hours." (In fact, in our three days up there we only saw one other vehicle on the road.)
Me: "No problem, we've got plenty of food and water."
Wife: [Glares, taps foot.] "Well, you just better drive more carefully."

So we got up to the Meadows just before dark, set up our tent, made chow and settled in for a cold night (low 20s overnight, froze all of our water). In the morning after I thawed the water for coffee, we drove up to the Observatory with the wounded tire, and a couple of the guys in the shop there worked for over an hour trying to repair it before sadly pronouncing it muerte. I offered money, which they politely declined, but they were pleased to accept half a dozen beers for their efforts. We had a great three days hiking and exploring, and I drove back down the mountain like a grandma. Bought a new spare at a llantera on the way back north.

P.S. Don't tell my wife, but half the time we head out I still forget to throw that second spare in the back of the pickup.

Barry A. - 7-18-2017 at 09:26 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Pappy Jon

"Boca Grande"----------almost ate my F-250 4x4 many years ago. Took me most of an entire day to extricate myself. (saved by deflation of my huge tires, and a lot of luck and digging). Upon arriving home, bought a winch and a pull-pal so NEVER AGAIN would I have that desperate and helpless problem to confront. Scared the be-jusus out of me!!!

Fatboy - 7-18-2017 at 10:20 PM

Been delayed here and there a time or two.

A friend and I decided to ride our XT350 dualsports south until we ran out of time and/or money back in the early 1990's.

We rode from San Diego to La Paz, and then we hopped on the ferry across to the mainland. From there it was south past Acapulco a few hundred miles before turning inland and back up central Mexico and northwards to the border and home.

One day a few weeks into our trip we passed several kids holding out large lizards as if we should stop and buy some, and to this day I have no idea why someone would want them.

After passing the last of them we were riding along a remote section of the Pacific coast when I saw a large tarantula crossing the road.

Swerving to miss the monster spider the motorcycle hiccuped and told me I had better switch over to reserve. I now needed gas within the next 25 miles or I would be pushing the bike.

10 miles later my tension drained away as we spotted a large plywood sign with that magical word 'gasolina' spray painted on it.

Pulling in we saw a few small tables and chairs under a thatched roof and a few yards away a barrel of gasolina that would allow us to continue onwards.

It was a few minutes before anyone came out and when the six or seven year old little girl came out with a nearly naked two year old on her hip it was quite the sight.

We asked for gasolina and she said there wasn't any. Thinking maybe that they only sell to the locals, or she was waiting for her parents, or that we had committed a social blunder we changed tactics and asked for some sodas.

After paying a few pesos for our sodas we sat at one of the small tables glad to be off the bikes and to actually have something cold to drink while the young girl with her baby sister watched us from the other side of a low wall.

Finishing our sodas we again ask for gasolina, and again we are told no gasolina even though the barrel was only 15 feet away. Pondering this for a minute, I then walked over to the barrel to find it empty, ahhhhh.

My friend had yet to put his bike on reserve and thought he might make it to the next gas station and bring back some fuel for me. I ask for another soda as he suits up and rides away leaving me alone with 2 kids in foreign country where I do not any of the language and enough fuel to go maybe 10 miles where the nearest gas station was 40 miles away.

With the children watching me sip soda, and my mind wondering how long Matt will be gone I am answered by the sound of him returning. That means there must be gas at the bottom of the hill!

My hopes are quickly dashed as Matt takes off his helmet and tells me he had to switch to reserve as soon as he left and a sign down the road said the next gas was 50k, way further then either of our bikes could go on reserve.

'Sodas all around!' we ask the children. At this point we have yet to see an adult and we ponder our next move 1400 miles south of the border.

Sodas almost gone, it was hot that day and we were young, when a phone company truck pulls up across street and begins opening a gate to a dirt road. Before they have a chance to leave we run across to .... well, I do not know what was said that day, since I really did not know more than a few words of spanish.

What did happen though was that the gentlemen allowed us to siphon a few liters of gas out of his work truck. What a relief, now we might make it to the gas station.

Matt leaves before me and my only thought as I kicked my bike to life was how long it would take me to catch up to him. That thought turned to worry 20 miles later, then concern at the 25 mile point.

A few miles later on a sharp corner several things happened at once, the bike ran out of fuel again while a policeman directed traffic around a horrible accident.

As I coasted up to him, I used up half of my spanish by saying 'No mas gasolina' to which he promptly replied 'Veinte kilometers'. I answered in serious tone with 'No MAS gasolina' as I patted my empty gas tank.

He now understood, but I wasn't so sure I understood him. Did he really want me to siphon gas out of the red toyota pickup that looked as if someone had just died in?

Yep.

Walking over to the remains of the truck with the two-liter soda bottle, and short piece of hose the officer had removed for the trunk of his police car I prepared to siphon gas for the second time that day but I had one more problem, a locking gas cap.

Bringing the officer over to show him my most recent dilemma, he shrugs, walks back to his squad car and returns with a large screwdriver.

O.K. a few seconds later I am siphoning gas.

With my two-liter soda bottle full of fuel I am getting ready to stand up when Matt walks up and ask why I did not stop at the second place selling gasolina a few miles back and that he has plenty of gas for me?

Holding up my newly acquired soda bottle full of fuel I say, 'And so do I'

[Edited on 7-19-2017 by Fatboy]

cliffh - 7-19-2017 at 06:01 AM

Hi Les and Blanca, how was the crossing with all of those batteries?

nbentley1 - 7-19-2017 at 10:02 AM

I can confirm that Malareemo quick sand is no joke. Bust the bolts on my rear prop trying to get out. it was an 8 hr round trip to get the parts to repair.

David K - 7-19-2017 at 11:45 AM

MALARRIMO = BAD TO GET NEAR!

chuckie - 7-19-2017 at 12:22 PM

While I Baja, I have NEVER:
Gotten Stuck
Broken Down
Consumed too much alcohol
Consorted with loose women
OR
Told a lie

Barry A. - 7-19-2017 at 01:07 PM

I have always considered that my "winch and pull-pal" are insurance against those terrible muddy "stucks" and worth every penny. Peace of mind is soooo important and worth paying for, to me at least. LOL

TMW - 7-19-2017 at 01:47 PM

3 or 4 years ago I stayed at Mikes Sky Ranch. The next morning after breakfast I drove my Tacoma up the hill and headed toward El Coyote. I did not take the more northern route around but the more direct route that is similar to the race course. It's about 10am and I'm driving along kind of slow enjoying the scenery etc when all of a sudden my right front wheel drops into a ditch. Everything is in slow motion as I see my passenger side mirror coming into contact with a large rock. Everything is stopped. I feel I am on my side. I try to open the driver door and it must weight a ton.

I crawl out the window and the left rear wheel is off the ground at least 2 or more feet. The right front is in a 3 foot deep ditch. I open the camper shell and everything has been thrown to the right with ice everywhere. I clean out the truck bed and get most of the ice back into the cooler. I carry a portable winch so I get it out and several tow straps. I link the straps back behind me to a tree maybe 75+ feet back. I strap the tree then connect the straps to the winch. I get in and shift to 4L and with the winch and the truck I back out. The passenger door and part of the fender had damage and the mirror was busted.

I bought a simple car mirror and duct taped it on and when I got home I went to Macco and they fixed the door and fender for $500. A new mirror from Toyota was $150.

BajaBlanca - 7-20-2017 at 12:48 PM

Scary scary stories!

Cliff - look at the beginning of this thread to see how we rolled that day. A nightmare story that turned out expensive but OK, all things considered.

StuckSucks - 3-27-2018 at 05:00 PM

While attempting to turn around, I learned (again) that river bar gravel can be soft.

The good news: my MaxTrax were back at home, safely in my garage.

The bad news: without getting really creative, the guy in the truck with me couldn't pull me out.

The good news: I got unstuck by myself, but lost a back seat floor mat in the process.

Cue the tire pressure discussion.

chavycha - 3-27-2018 at 05:14 PM

I thought Tacomas were impervious to that sort of thing???

David K - 3-27-2018 at 05:17 PM

Too much air in the tires! :biggrin:

StuckSucks - 3-27-2018 at 06:03 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Too much air in the tires! :biggrin:

12 psi is too much? Would it improve floatation if I remove the valve core? No A-TRAC here.

TMW - 3-27-2018 at 09:46 PM

I've been down to 10 psi to get out of sand. We dropped a race truck BFGs to 4 psi. Only had 1 wheel drive because of a broken rear axle and he almost finished the SF250 race. He came upon a stuck buggy coming out Matomi Wash and got stuck trying to get around.

4x4abc - 3-27-2018 at 09:48 PM

yes, if needed go to 5psi
valve core out is a bit too dramatic

I remember a training I did for the military
we were climbing a hill of lose sand
8 psi on 35's
all lockers engaged
halfway up the hill the car stopped moving with the tires rotating in place
in low range that is 7 tire rpm
so I jumped out and told the driver to keep the tires rotating
I removed the valve cores from the rotating wheels for quick air release
within 2 minutes the tires moved the car again
we were at 3 psi at that moment
I jumped back in and we continued to the top

David K - 3-28-2018 at 08:43 AM

:light:

I have dropped to 6 psi once (my previous Tacoma, no A-TRAC) and to 8 psi a couple times... works like a charm.

The other thing to do if possible Jim would be to not take such a direct approach for the climb out of the arroyo, but to go diagonally so you are not so steep and the vehicle weight is a bit more shared rather than 90% going to the back tires.

Harald did a write up on using different tire pressures front and back (due to weight inequality)... and that applies for steep climbs, too.

John Harper - 3-28-2018 at 10:33 AM

August 1984 in my 1971 VW bus. Drove the old dirt road out to Abreojos, 42 miles or so IIRC. Just before the point, we drove through a shallow saltwater marshy area. Got out there, set the parking brake, camped and surfed for about 5 days. Huge surf, clams from the estuary, plenty of cervezas. Camped next to some crazy Aussies. A little bit of heaven.

After 5 days, fired up the van, released the brake, popped the clutch, and.....nothing. The rear shoes had fused to the drums.

Found a fellow surfer with a 4WD to hook up to me, revved the engine, dumped the clutch, while he hit the gas and yanked the van at the same time. Fnally got one wheel loose, then after him dragging me and revving motor/dumping clutch a few more times, it finally broke free on the other wheel.

We continued on after that as far as Bahia Concepcion and back up to LA Bay, but also found the low octane gas (ran out of octane booster) made the van almost impossible to start in the morning. Took about an hour each morning to get her fired up. Once started, she ran like a champion all day long. The minute I reached the states and put in some US gas, had no problem starting in the morning ever again.

I always brought a can of starting fluid after that experience, and plenty of octane booster.

John

[Edited on 3-28-2018 by John Harper]

StuckSucks - 3-28-2018 at 10:41 AM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

The other thing to do if possible Jim would be to not take such a direct approach for the climb out of the arroyo, but to go diagonally so you are not so steep and the vehicle weight is a bit more shared rather than 90% going to the back tires.

I get that, but I was mid-turnaround when it dug in. Uphill is not good, but it was out of my control at that point.

David K - 3-28-2018 at 11:13 AM

The good news is that you made it out and are here to share the fun!

chippy - 3-28-2018 at 02:05 PM

Quote: Originally posted by John Harper

August 1984 in my 1971 VW bus. Drove the old dirt road out to Abreojos, 42 miles or so IIRC. Just before the point, we drove through a shallow saltwater marshy area. Got out there, set the parking brake, camped and surfed for about 5 days. Huge surf, clams from the estuary, plenty of cervezas. Camped next to some crazy Aussies. A little bit of heaven.

After 5 days, fired up the van, released the brake, popped the clutch, and.....nothing. The rear shoes had fused to the drums.

Found a fellow surfer with a 4WD to hook up to me, revved the engine, dumped the clutch, while he hit the gas and yanked the van at the same time. Fnally got one wheel loose, then after him dragging me and revving motor/dumping clutch a few more times, it finally broke free on the other wheel.

We continued on after that as far as Bahia Concepcion and back up to LA Bay, but also found the low octane gas (ran out of octane booster) made the van almost impossible to start in the morning. Took about an hour each morning to get her fired up. Once started, she ran like a champion all day long. The minute I reached the states and put in some US gas, had no problem starting in the morning ever again.

I always brought a can of starting fluid after that experience, and plenty of octane booster.

John

[Edited on 3-28-2018 by John Harper]

Were those crazy aussies in a cal. plated baja bug?

StuckSucks - 3-28-2018 at 03:34 PM

Not sure if this classifies as a "stuck."

There were four of us in two Toyota trucks prerunning the Baja 1000, circa late 80s. The course passed through Mike's, so after a full day of prerunning, we all decided to stop and have a margie. What started as one margarita, morphed into a few more. It was decided to press on -- the course departed Mike's, ran through Coyote and over to the Observatory Road. In those days, the Observatory Road was dirt all the way down to Highway 1.

Once we got off the relatively slow Coyote portion of the course, we headed west and down the hill on the graded Observatory Road (read: graded road + margies = road rally). We continued down the hill in an expeditious manor; I was keeping an eye in the mirror for the other Toyota's headlights, not that we were racing.

About half way down the hill, I noticed the other headlights were missing, so I slowed down and finally stopped. And waited. We decided to head back up the hill, to see what the problem was.

The problem was this: the other Toyota had rolled in a sharp, right-hand curve, tumbling him 1-1/2 times until he came to rest on the passenger's side of the truck. These guys were lucky x1000 -- there were many opportunities to skid off the road and down a steep ravine, but instead they managed to roll into one of the few places which had a large, level turn-out on the left side of the road. When we arrived, both occupants were out of the truck standing next to it, both OK -- the truck's headlights were on as well as the emergency flashers.

The windshield was completely broken and had to be hacked out with a hatchet. Not a single piece of sheet metal remained straight. We tipped the truck back on its wheels and decided that *this* was a perfect spot to camp for the night.

The next morning we drove down the Observatory Road toward Highway 1, our destination was Ensenada.

While passing through a small town while heading north on the highway, we got pulled over by a police officer who wanted to see our accident report. We told him it was a solo accident and there was no accident report. He became rather insistent, but we played the mordida card and the problem went away. But when passing through Ensenada, we encountered a second helping of police and accident reports.

The good news was we were in front of Roberto's Restaurant in Ensenada, and as soon as the cop started giving us problems, Roberto came running out of the restaurant and got in the cop's face, until the cop finally backed off and went away. Roberto was a great guy, allowing us to store the broken truck in the back yard of his restaurant before we moved it to a repair facility in Ensenada (we subsequently spent thousands of dollars at his restaurant).

The truck was repaired in an Ensenada shop over the course of the next 12 months -- they did a great job of restoring the wadded mess.

John Harper - 3-28-2018 at 05:38 PM

Quote: Originally posted by chippy

Were those crazy aussies in a cal. plated baja bug?

No, they had an old blue Ford with a camper shell. A few days later they wrecked it heading north, but were okay. Lost touch after that.

John

Cancamo - 3-29-2018 at 08:58 AM

I believe it was in the winter of the early 80's, traveling north. We came to the big drainage/vado north of Jesus Maria with at least 6' of water briskly flowing across. Traffic including buses, trucks, military etc. backed up on both sides. It was way too deep and moving too fast to pull anyone across, although the dozer was patiently standing by. We waited overnight into the next day, the rain was intermittent and water wasn't going down any time soon. I as well as a couple folks with me had a pressing business commitment and had to be back NOB in a few days. Mulling all options,we drove back to Guerrero Negro.
Going to the bus station looking for a trip south we came across many other wayward travelers and no bus transport either direction in the near future.
From there we went to the airport where we found the well known Baja pilot Francisco Munoz and his older twin engine aircraft. He had been servicing all corners of the peninsula way before the highway was built much less many roads. Many Nomads know whom he is.
Us, along with other stranded travelers were able to charter a trip out of there with Sr. Munoz. Others included a doctor and his wife, a cruise ship steward, an elderly couple with pending health issues, two college kids, and couple of missionaries. Everybody had critical commitments north and couldn't wait it out or they would lose their job, their health, their semester, their patient, their connecting flight back to Europe, etc...Captain Munoz would not take us north to Tijuana due to the continuing storm and turbulence, although he would fly us back to La Paz. From La Paz we could potentially book a flight on a larger, commercial plane which could get us to Tijuana.
We arrived in La Paz thanks to Capt. Munoz, and our disheveled group spent the night sharing the large dormitory room at the old Pension California downtown. That was all that was available at the late arrival time, and we were too exhausted to search around.
The next morning we boarded a commercial flight to Tijuana. From Tijuana we went our different ways. Some of the group were traveling without tourist cards, (common in Baja then), and had issues with Immigration at the airport.
My friend whom we were traveling with overland, stayed in the van at the arroyo and was able to cross through the water a few days later after it subsided. He eventually tied in with us NOB.
We were able to get back to our work obligations just in time.

I've got a few more stuck stories, including the three week transmission rebuild in La Paz in 1981. I really got to know the town as a pedestrian, great walking town. Bent tie rod at Punta Prieta, thank goodness for old Fords, parts everywhere..... More later......

David K - 3-29-2018 at 09:59 AM

Cancamo, excellent story!

A few years ago Capt. Muñoz was discussed (The Kissing Captain) and I scanned a few photos of him taken mostly in the 1960s when Erle Stanley Gardner used to contract with him. It was rumored that Gardner helped him get the bigger twin plane to help his little airline...

Quote:

Originally posted by willardguy
the kissing captain.

Yes!

Some photos from an Erle Stanley Gardner book (1967):

The family at EL BARRIL