Central Baja LOOP.... WE FINALLY DID IT.....!!!!! well, partially... ....Sept 2018 ...and here's our Trip REPORT...

Quote: Originally posted by carlosg

This year (2015) in late September early October during our children�s school break we�ll be doing a LOOP in Central Baja so we can stay away from any hurricanes down further south; as always we�ll be traveling on a budget trying to stay at some hotels (suggestions welcome!!!) during our trip but mostly we�ll be camping and spending most of our time on the beach but also getting to visit and explore a couple of the Missions on the way. The First Leg of our journey will start in Chula Vista to Guerrero Negro where we plan to stay overnight and have breakfast (any suggestions?) and then drive to Santa Gertrudis (camp here) via El Arco. From here we drive down to the Gulf and camp in San Francisquito or Punta Ballena (suggestions?). Our next camping stops will be San Rafael followed by Bahia de las Animas; then we drive to BoLA and stay overnight (any suggestions?) and finally drive to San Borja Mission over to Santa Rosaliita (any lodging suggestions?) where we�ll spend the last day(s) of our journey before returning home. Our plan is to do the LOOP in two weeks, we�ll be traveling in a diesel 4x4 and hopefully we�ll have enough fuel to complete our journey between fuel stops with no problems. I have attached an image of our planned route; each color represents a leg of the journey. We will deeply appreciate any and all comments and suggestions for this exciting Baja journey, I plan to stay in touch with a satellite phone: probably buy one on eBay and buy time from a local provider (any suggestions?) then guide our travel with the help of the �BAJA CALIFORNIA ALMANAC� and/or probably buy and use a GPS (I have never used one), if so I would like to get something that is not only useful for driving but also while fishing (another trip) thus any suggestions are very welcome� like always: thanks for your time and all your knowledge BajaNomads!!! We�ll certainly post a TRIP REPORT after our journey.

PART 1...

Me and my 11yr old left Chula Vista (Sept 26th) around 3am and had to turn back from Alpine... I forgot my fishing gear....??? Arrived at Calexico just after sunrise and crossed with no problem at all... "que tengan un buen viaje..." drove thru Mexicali without an incident and we had "menudo" for breakfast in San Felipe at Rosita's" https://www.google.com/maps/place/Restaurante+Rosita/@31.025... on El Malecón.. good stuff well made, there we met two couples from Tj on four bikes on their way to Todos Santos... we drove to San Luis Gonzaga got a drink at the market...



...and found out we had a casualty...



...from there to Mex 1... stopped at Coco's because we got lost (noticed it when Coco's was on our left hand side) We got lost at what Coco called: "La Vuelta de los Pendejos" (fool's turn off)... obvious....

Quote: Originally posted by David K

I drove as much of the new roadbed as seemed possible. The approx. 1 mile of new road alignment was where it cuts into the canyon to the construction camp. The detour is rough, just under a mile long, and drops you down to the old route just east of the canyon. If you turned left there, it would take you to Coco... that would be pretty obvious the wrong way to turn to continue south. Here is my GPS track on the new roadbed, except for that last piece on the south end, which is the detour down the hill to the older road: [Edited on 10-22-2018 by David K]

...after correcting our course I continued on our way to Chapala: very decent couple of paved miles before the junction to Mex 1.

From here we drove to Punta Prieta and then to El Rosarito, where we turned off to Mision San Borja, we couldn't find our way to the road to the Mission so we stopped at the "llantera" where some men were working on their truck at the house behind it, I asked one of the guys and he gave us directions, he told us his relative (José) was in charge of the Mission but that he lived there by himself because his family had left....??? we followed his directions but we had to ask again and this time a guy driving a car said: "follow me I'll take you to where the road begins... really nice and helpful people...

Salón Social (club house) at El Rosarito



...leaving El Rosarito



The drive to the Mission is really beautiful... here's some scenes...

El Rosarito in the background



ranchito



we made a pit stop here to take care of nature's call... looking around at the trees it was apparent that when heavy rains occur the water level raises above 7-8ft in this narrow canyon



...more to come....

[Edited on 10-23-2018 by carlosg]

The desert is green, quiet and beautiful... great drive to Misión San Borja. This road leaving Punta Prieta is A LOT BETTER than the one going to BoLA from the Mission.



we came across to what appears to be an abandoned ranchito




and suddenly we drive thru this man's beautiful rancho, he grows vegetables and has some livestock as well... and... plenty of water...



once again we encounter this nice valley...



the road to the Mission is well signaled.... but you MUST read the signs and check your GPS (if you have one): we went past the entrance to the Mission for about 5 miles when I got a text message from DavidK on the inReach advising that I should turn around and head back... which I did... I was already on my way to BoLA....



...sure beats any day at work...




we finally make it to Misión San Borja in the evening just before sundown... nice and quiet.... only the wind and the birds... and José... who was very helpful and welcoming, he started a fire on the old wood stove for us to cook our dinner and chat with him under the main palapa where we camped . There's clean restrooms available and many campsites with palapas ready available for tourists to use...



Magestic view of the Main Facade of the Mission...



[Edited on 10-16-2018 by carlosg]

[Edited on 10-17-2018 by carlosg]

just as the sun is rising thru the mountains it starts to greet us on our second day of our journey...



first full light of the day upon the Mission



so we start a tour thru the premises



and José walks us thru the Mission



View of the campground and oasis from the rooftop



entrance to the Mission Site and view of the valley beyond



stairwell to the choir, bell and roof top



view of the altar and barrel vaulted nave from the choir



According to José most of the restoration work has been done by him and his family under the supervision of and Italian priest who lived here for several decades and to whom José was a very close friend. The INAH (Instituto Nacional de Antropología) has also kept a very close and watchful eye on the site.

[Edited on 10-17-2018 by carlosg]

View to the Main Entrance of the First Mission Site, built with adobe bricks



Mission Courtyard, the building on the corner...



...this building, is the "molino" (mill) where the grains would be processed, today unfortunately during the Festivities people who come here use it as a toilet....



El Cementerio (graveyard) in the background: to left the Original graveyard and to the right the communitie's new graveyard where according to José many of his family members rest today



Some Architectural pieces salvaged along the years, the first piece sitting at the right to the door is the Arch's Clue from the Original Adobe Building entrance: it was almost stolen during one of the Patrons Festivities a couple of years ago, someone in Jose's family spotted the thief and was able to save the Clue...



Doors to the Courtyard from Priests Dormitories and work areas,



Getting ready to leave. A view of the Rental Palapas and the Mission in the background...



Our journey to BoLA begins...

I just found a way to post vertical pics: cropping and resizing, so here's some pics from before our departure to BoLA:

This marker was on our way from El Rosarito to Misión San Borja next to road on the arroyo



Cardón (elephant cactus)



Main Entrance to the Mission



Main Facade



Baptismal Font at the Main entrance of the Mission



View from the Altar to the Main Entrance and Choir above with Bell in the background



View from the Priests Wing



Main Entrance to the Original Adobe Building, the pieces of the arch sitting on the floor is the door frame which is missing the Clue that sits inside the Mission (the one that almost got stolen)



[Edited on 10-17-2018 by carlosg]

The road to BoLA from Mision San Borja is rough for the first couple of miles, some uphill and downhill grades make it interesting...



..then it starts getting smoother...



...and smoother as you get closer to the highway...



We passed this cattle ranch on our way thru...



Our first glimpse of the Bay



....and theeere's BoLA....



We stopped for gas at this "new" (for us) Pemex Station at the entrance of town... here's where we found out about "Rosa" and its near path; some young guys working with SEMARNAT (EPA for US) put us up to date, we also met a guy from the company from Ensenada that's doing the maintenance-repair of the road heading to El Arco and Santa Gertrudis: new "vados" (dips) some with galvanized culverts and concrete surface others with gabions (stone baskets) and also smoothing out the road. These guys were actually staying at Pancho's place.

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Great report so far. Next trip, pair your inReach with your smartphone (download the Earthmate App) which gives you very decent topo roadmaps and shows where you are on the map. You won't miss any more 256-year-old missions that way! Glad I was home on the computer when you messaged me your location!

I did paired it with my phone... the ONLY thing is to be disciplined and to check it and follow directions... well... next trip: The Turkey-Surf-Trip.... to the Seven Sisters.... Thanks for all David...!!!!

Quote: Originally posted by BajaBlanca

That is a great trip report - so many photos! Next time, have your son take photos and put together his own trip report. It will remind him of his trips with you for the rest of his life!

Quote: Originally posted by Skipjack Joe

Good report. And the best part is that it’s actually about the journey and not about mechanical issues with vehicles. We seem to get a lot of those.

Carlos drives a Tacoma> Good choice for Baja!

After filling up on gas we head into BoLA were we had a delicious fish lunch at "Alejandrinas" https://www.google.com/maps/place/Restaurant+Alejandrinas/@2...



After lunh we stopped at "Mercado Isla" https://www.google.com/maps/place/La+Isla/@28.9516967,-113.5... to buy some supplies, among other things other than cerveza, soft drinks and some munchies we bought "Su Carne" skirt steak (marinated and vacuum packed) https://www.sukarne.com/producto/arrachera-marinada-pieza (this meat grilled is just delicious) We used the WiFi (poor connection probably due to over load of the signal) to call back home and let them know every thing is good...




We start our drive south of BoLA and enjoy every moment of our drive...



The road is (was) in good condition, a little bumpy but a good drive




We make it to San Rafael and drive to Pancho's Place...




I wanted to camp there on the beach but it seemed kind of risky driving on the sand: at the moment I didn't remember that there's a dirt trail from the road that leads to it....




So we wonder around the place for a couple of minutes take some pics...




and notice the people from the road construction crew have taken over the shade at Pancho's to set up their kitchen (notice the green tent beyond the cabin: there were a couple more scattered around the yard)

So we leave Pancho's and start our drive to San Francisquito...



Up and downgrades along the way but road still in good condition



I just have to stop and enjoy the scenery from this vantage point...



I think this is the longest grade on our way to San Francisquito



We finally make it to "signalization"...





And head to "Cabañas Playa San Francisquito"....



...at the end of the airstrip...

We arrive at San Francisquito in the late afternoon...




...and are greeted by this old timer..



I talk with Leonel, the son of the guy in charge and he tells me that we can camp anywhere we like...



... so we find a spot on the beach and set up camp, enjoy the evening watch the stars and the milky way before moon rise... sooo peaceful and beautiful...



...in the morning I wake up to last night's leftovers and enjoy a morning break with fresh coffee... ahhhh.... saaalud....!!!



Its a beautiful clear morning, no wind and the temperature probably is in the mid 80's....



Rosa's clouds are starting to appear on the horizon, during the night there was lots of lighting activity far away in the ocean's horizon...



My son enjoys every moment of the day playing and walking up and down the beach...



[Edited on 10-18-2018 by carlosg]

San Francisquito's UBER, actually this is their working mobile for getting around the area



The place looks abandoned but they still offer meals, coffee, sodas and cold cerveza. The people in charge are relatives to the couple that used to tend the place. The toilets are clean and have running water, AC power is available for a couple of hours as well. There were a couple of fishermen in charge of ice packing the catch staying there while the other guys were out fishing on the panga...



Remnants of the old Lodge started back in the day by the Valladolid brothers, today its been sold to a group from Mexico City that from whats very obvious they don't care or invest in the present operation: waiting for the right time to start a big resort... http://www.bajaexpo.com/cities/puntasf.htm



...so the only thing to do around here is loaf around and wait for the next traveler to stop by...



Everything is much abandoned but in working conditions, not a clean place but usable...



...WiFi is excellent and beer is cold...



So with not much more to do and with "Rosa" on our toes, we head out on our way passing by Rancho Escondido on a Sunday... pretty much abandoned today....



...this is the only thing around to wave us by...

Rancho Escondido is a working cattle ranch with nice and clean corrals...



....leaving the ranch this guy is there to wish us a good drive



The drive is nice and we just keep on driving on a smooth sand surface with the occasional spot with gravel and stone...



There's a lot of life along the roadside, so its better to keep a watchful eye just to be safe....



We keep on driving and finally notice we're getting closer and closer to the ocean... we took the wrong turn AGAIN.... and end up at El Barril which is not unpleasant at all since we took it off our route because of Rosa



We drive into the village and park by the Old Stone House, the fish processing plant is down by the beach, today is Sunday and it seems like its operating normally...



...this view is looking north...



The village is quite and not much activity around... probably because its Sunday

We drive around El Barril, this is the local School...



...but here at this corner is where all the activity happens when there's a festivity: the local "Cancha" (basketball court)... every town or village has it's own everywhere in Mexico... is a gathering place....



We keep on driving around, get direction as where we can buy beer: at Lalo's....



And head back to the beach...



To visit the fish processing plant and get some ice... where the men are busy cleaning up the sharks...



...filleting with surgical precision and dipping them in brine in the bucket at the right...



...and finally after drying there packed and ready to go to the local distributors... your local market....



Its a nice visit to El Barril and time to head out on our way back to our intended route...





[Edited on 10-21-2018 by carlosg]

We find our way back to the intersection we missed and get back on the main road..




As we drive we reach this upgrade that has a concrete surface... nice...



As we're driveing we rach this nice ranch on the side of the road....



The people are very warm and welcoming, I ask if they have any cheese for sale but they tell me they don't make cheese....



...probably because the young ones get the first pick....



We say goodbye and keep on driving our way on a nice sand road



We arrive at Pozo Aleman...



...take some pics...

...and scout the place...



...this must have been quite an operation back when it was "alive" and working...



Some funky caves all over the place...



...living spaces...? ....they're just one after another....




Dug deep into the earth...




Seems like the place was used to keep cattle in this corral as well...




As we head out of Pozo Aleman we stop by the local cemetery...



And we head out for El Arco...

Thanks for sharing your experience. I really enjoyed the pictures.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I really enjoyed the pictures.

...retaking the trip report as another is coming up soon....

As we try to get to the safety of Highway 1 due to the proximity of Hurricane Maria we drive past El Arco...















And continue our drive past the beautiful dessert noon..






We Arrive in Guerrero Negro and it feels like lunch...

...so we head to Mario's to say hi and grab something delicious to eat take some (more) pics...





...as we drive in town we see the "water tank"... just the night before someone jumped off to not a good ending... it was shown to us at San Francisquito by one of the keepers as he was watching it live stream on facebook...






...and just before leaving its time for a quick bite...




... and THEN.... time to start our drive north ...




[Edited on 4-16-2019 by carlosg]

We drive past the los pinos at Cataviña and keep on driving...we DON"T sponsor los pinos.



....beatiful desert sunset...




...we arrive in San Quintin after dark and its starting to drizzle, so we head to one of our favorite munching stations in Baja...





And after a satifying dinner we head to our hotel for the night: La Villa de San Quintin"... we enjoyed it....!!!!







In the morning we start our way to the border with a heavy drizzle at times and some thunder showers along the way...

By early afternoon we reach the grade at Santo Tomás and wait for our turn down the hill, there's lots of activity going on due to the road improvement works taking place...





We stop in Maneadero for some "mariscos" at "El Pariente": good food and beer right nex door at the "six"...






We take off and continue our way thru Maneadero and the infamous "death trail" https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u...




Another pit stop in Ensenada: Tacos Fenix






...and off we go to our final destination: Tecate. We cross the border to a welcoming wave telling us: bienvenidos.....

From the moment we arrived in Guerrero Negro until we drove past Ensenada there was great preparedness activity due to Hurricane María which was expected to reach our neck of the woods (Northern Baja)

CFE, Red Cross, Protección Civil, Army, Federal, State and Local Police... everyone was deeply involved. As we waited for our turn to drive down the grade to Santo Tomás a large contingent from the State Red Cross passed us on they're way south.

Some of the equipment we saw coming up the hill at Santo Tomás were these:




As well as a huge Command Center and many Red Cross 4x4's and other emergency vehicles, it sure was impressive to view the force with which they were approaching the situation. Sorry... no pics: I was just totally amazed at what I was seeing.

Quote: Originally posted by David K

It is spectacular given the energy and people needed to build the huge church. Hard to imagine there were once well over 1,000 members of this mission church. About 40 Native families lived at the mission while the others traveled to it from their rancherias (Indian villages) on rotation. .