John M
Super Nomad
Posts: 1906
Registered: 9-3-2003
Location: California High Desert
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Trip report part two
Before we departed El Rosario we made a stop for gasoline and at the market for additional groceries. Soon it was up the hill, leaving the neat little
village only in the mirror, wondering how different it will look when we return in July for the festival planned by Antonio.
Last year we had camped along the road leading to San Juan de Dios and so once again we turned off the highway near Km 102 drove a few miles east
along this road. We stopped to explore the wide variety of plants and took time to prepare water for hot cocoa and fresh coffee. Breakfast sounded
good, so we got out the cereal and fruit as well.
As we headed back toward the highway I noticed a little softness in the brake pedal but soon forgot about it as the scenery and pleasantness of the
morning took over.
We headed to El Marmol and the gravel road seemed smoother this year, perhaps the slower paced drive had something to do with that. Some of our
friends hadn?t been here before so we took a little while walking around the rubble, the cemetery, and the schoolhouse. A local man and his two sons
were busy gathering onyx and we spoke for a few minutes, they taking a break from their work in the warming temperatures.
Then it was off to El Volcan, on what was a cool four mile drive. Sure enough we found the start of the trail just east of the schoolhouse and drove
the two miles to a well-defined intersection. Following directions, we turned to the right and downhill for the remaining two miles. Entering the wash
right on schedule we drove another quarter mile up the wash to the ?end of the road.? Walking another few hundred yards or so and we came upon the
marvelous deposits and water pools that David K had promised. This turned out to be one of the real highlights of our trip. The closeness to El Marmol
makes this a side trip well worth the hour or two that is needed to make the drive and hike.
I should note that when we turned up the wash, the Jeep Wrangler seemed to be spinning his tires a little more than expected, but it didn?t seem too
important at the time.
We spent 45 minutes or so exploring the little pools and hoping for an eruption, but alas no luck so we retraced our steps. Getting out of the wash,
we again noticed the Wrangler spinning tires but soon he got onto the hard road and we had no more thoughts of what might be going on. Back at El
Marmol, we hunted around for the ?short cut? to Catavina, a road heading mostly south. You can see the road you want if you are standing near the
schoolhouse but with the maze of roads throughout the quarry it wasn't quite so easy to locate on the ground.
We finally found it. If we had only followed the pink ribbons tied in the tops of a few bushes we would have found our way much more quickly. We got
up the first rocky hill in grand style, with only one tire blowout. The Dodge Rader put a 1" inch slice in the inside sidewall of a tire. We decided
to make an attempt to plug the tire rather than change it. At first we tried two plugs but saw right away that the leak was winning the air pressure
battle, so we added two more plugs. When we squirted water on the damaged tire we continued to notice a few escaping air bubbles. A fifth plug was
soon added and that did the trick and we were on the road again. I'll again "plug" the quality of the Safety Seal tire repair kits.
It was mid-afternoon when we got to Catavina and as we drove slowly through town we saw that the gas pumps at the hotel were covered. Fortunately we
noticed a fellow was vending gasoline from the back of his pick-up. We passed it up for the time being and deciding instead to spend the afternoon and
evening relaxing off the highway a little east of Rancho Santa Ynez.
Distracted by a festive c-cktail hour, we erased all thoughts of car trouble from our minds. The funny acting brakes on our Jeep and the seemingly
lack of four-wheel drive on the Wrangler seemed like problems we could deal with later. We should have known better.
This story will continue, as did our troubles, and our adventure.
[Edited on 5-21-2005 by John M]
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Santiago
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3499
Registered: 8-27-2003
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OOOOOH! - can't wait.
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Neal Johns
Super Nomad
Posts: 1687
Registered: 10-31-2002
Location: Lytle Creek, CA
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Mood: In love!
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You left something out, John. Tell the whole truth! How was the south road to Catavina?
I know this man, he is not to be trusted - great story, though.
Naturally you can trust me....
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
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Mood: optimistic
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road south to Catavina from El Marmol---
I cannot say for sure, but I hear that particular road is littered with Toyota parts------es verdad? 
Great story-----and the suspense is killing me!! 
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64480
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Awesome John... keep it coming! I second the aridologist's request: details on the old south road out of El Marmol (I last traveled it in 1975!)...
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John M
Super Nomad
Posts: 1906
Registered: 9-3-2003
Location: California High Desert
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Trip report part 2 1/2
"Trust me" Neal simply can't be trusted, he blabs everything. Good thing he's around though, he keeps me honest. I now have to concoct some sort of
story trying to recall just what I told Neal. John M.
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Neal Johns
Super Nomad
Posts: 1687
Registered: 10-31-2002
Location: Lytle Creek, CA
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Mood: In love!
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Barry A, it's just not true - we carried them home - and anyway, we were off on a side road a couple of miles.
John P (for pinfeathers) you remember what you told me, lets see you get out of this one.
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
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Mood: optimistic
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Neal---it's those "side roads" that git-ya every time
Did I ever tell you about the time I blew a hole in a piston while 200 miles into Baja?? Not a pretty story-------. I have this feeling that John M
is going to "top" our stories------?
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Neal Johns
Super Nomad
Posts: 1687
Registered: 10-31-2002
Location: Lytle Creek, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: In love!
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Barry, I think it will be a classic Baja story. I have known John a long time, a really fine fellow, and this time the Gods got him because he planned
an easy, relaxed, exploring trip into places he had not seen. I am under a "NDA - non-disclosure agreement" so will say no more. As ever, Trust Me,
John M. 
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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