BajaNomad

Where the pavement once ended... near Km. 120, south of Ensenada.

David K - 4-13-2022 at 03:13 PM

As early as 1956, the roadbed was ready for paving to San Quintín, another 50 miles south. Yet, the blacktop ended here at Arroyo Seco, north of Colonet, until about 1968 when new blacktop began being extended south, taking five more years just to reach San Quintín!

1965 (as thankful northbound travelers kiss the pavement):


Google Street View:


My camera, last month:


Places like this in Baja were the subject of a recent article: https://www.bajabound.com/bajaadventures/bajatravel/pavement...

Where did the pavement end on your first Baja trips? Gotta photo?

bajatrailrider - 4-13-2022 at 07:50 PM

David is that a 59 GMC 4x4?

David K - 4-13-2022 at 08:45 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bajatrailrider  
David is that a 59 GMC 4x4?


If you say so!
My trip was the following year in a '65 Kaiser-Jeep Wagoneer with the 327 Rambler V-8. I was just under 9 years old in that 1966 trip to the tip.

bajatrailrider - 4-14-2022 at 01:39 PM

Was asking as could be 56 to 59 GMC locks like manual hubs in front . If so a very rare truck

AKgringo - 4-14-2022 at 02:43 PM

58 was the first year of double headlights!

David K - 4-14-2022 at 03:57 PM

From about minute 6:30 to 7:45, the end of the pavement location is featured in this film about the 1967 Mexican 1000: https://youtu.be/vpNlLzwxY4U

bajatrailrider - 4-14-2022 at 04:04 PM

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo  
58 was the first year of double headlights!
Thank you I forgot that correct

Vince - 4-14-2022 at 08:01 PM

Thanks for that old video! I remember going to San Quentin with my parents in 1950, towing a small camping trailer. It was demolished inside by the time we got there. We had a fun time fishing on fresh water lakes and catching many bass using small frogs as bait. That set the hook for me for a lifetime of wonderful trips to Baja. I didn't drive my first trip to La Paz until 1970, in a VW bus. That was also a great adventure.

David K - 4-15-2022 at 08:06 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Vince  
Thanks for that old video! I remember going to San Quentin with my parents in 1950, towing a small camping trailer. It was demolished inside by the time we got there. We had a fun time fishing on fresh water lakes and catching many bass using small frogs as bait. That set the hook for me for a lifetime of wonderful trips to Baja. I didn't drive my first trip to La Paz until 1970, in a VW bus. That was also a great adventure.


Very cool! I am guessing the fresh water lakes were by Santa María, where the Sky Ranch would be developed in the late 1950s?
The 1970 trip had to have been epic!

While I recall most of the 1966 trip to the tip, I wish I was a bit older to remember even more detail. One of my dreams was to drive the original trans-peninsular road myself! Alas, Mexico paved it all, the year I turned 16!

I did drive the original gulf road (San Felipe to El Crucero or later to Laguna Chapala) a few times before it was all graded in 1987 (and all paved in 2020)!

thebajarunner - 1-24-2023 at 04:53 PM

My first trip down was 1971 and it ended just at the north limits of Camalu. Then came the notorious "whoopies" across the San Quintin valley.

My first race was 1972 Baja 500 and pavement ended same spot.
We bent the I-beams on our F150 about an inch back on that nasty stretch across to San Quintin.

David K - 1-24-2023 at 05:32 PM

Indeed... Mexico went gangbusters in 1973 to finish the highway by the end of the year... Basically, San Quintin to San Ignacio in one year!
The southern crews working north were way ahead of the game on speed...

I do wish I could get a 1970 AAA map, it would really show how the south half progressed from what the '69 map showed (paving north of La Paz ending in just 110 miles or so... to the '71 map with paving at Santa Rosalia!

SEE how the highway was shown from before any new construction, north from La Paz (1969 map) to the completed road ((1974 map):

1969 AAA Map

1971 AAA Map

1972 AAA Map

1973 AAA Map

1974 AAA Map

Again, please look in your collections for the missing 1970 map... and a better 1972 map than I have! Thank you!!

Here are all the Auto Club Baja maps I have preserved: https://vivabaja.com/automobile-club-maps/

[Edited on 1-25-2023 by David K]

freediverbrian - 1-24-2023 at 08:29 PM

I remember the payment ending there and thinking this is not so bad until!!! The silt whoppies heading into San Quintin. The worst form of punishment.

watizname - 1-25-2023 at 10:35 AM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
As early as 1956, the roadbed was ready for paving to San Quintín, another 50 miles south. Yet, the blacktop ended here at Arroyo Seco, north of Colonet, until about 1968 when new blacktop began being extended south, taking five more years just to reach San Quintín!

1965 (as thankful northbound travelers kiss the pavement):


Thanks for the Google view. With that, I know exactly where it is, having driven that stretch many many times in the past, but after the paving was completed.


Google Street View:


My camera, last month:


Places like this in Baja were the subject of a recent article: https://www.bajabound.com/bajaadventures/bajatravel/pavement...

Where did the pavement end on your first Baja trips? Gotta photo?

David K - 1-25-2023 at 10:49 AM

My first time south of Ensenada was the trip to the tip, summer of 1966. The pavement ended at the place in the photos, today's km. 120, north of Colonet.

A photo from that trip, that has survived the past 57 years:




A couple more are here: https://vivabaja.com/album/

[Edited on 1-25-2023 by David K]