Pappy Jon
Nomad
Posts: 494
Registered: 8-27-2003
Location: Wrong side of the Continental divide.
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Baja Adventure: Part One
Just a quick disclaimer. This was written for some of my friends that don't understand. They have never been to Baja, let alone thought of camping in
a remote place like Baja. Some of this might be hoo-hum. I'm talking down to this audiance, but not on purpose.
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The objective of this adventure was to get down further on the peninsula than I have been before. My last trip took me to Loreto and the mountains to
the west, the Sierra de la Giganta. This trip I wanted to visit the Sierra de la Laguna which run between La Paz and Cabo San Lucas. I really didn't
want to visit Cabo, just the sub-tropics around the Cape.
I made it to the Lagunas, but only for one day. I really needed another 4-5 days to visit this mountain range. There are some pinon forest in the
higher reaches I wanted to see. My map shows a "trail" into the area, but sometimes these trails are primitive roads. I've seen the map go both ways.
Campo Forestal was missed this time, maybe next. It's a long way down, and I did lolly-gag getting there.
The first two days were spent driving south. I woke up Tuesday, 7 March, to a flat tire in the motel parking lot, and found a nail. This was at 6am. I
wanted to cross the border early and miss the activity of Algodones, the border town where I cross. I had to wait until 8:30 until the Discount Tire
opened, but fortunately the manager saw me in the lot when he pulled in and took me in at 8:15. Fortunately, the tire had a huge gash in it from my
last trip. I say fortunately because it was one of those Kelly tires I bought in Moab last year. You could see the steel and they would not fix the
tire. Something about DOT. I really didn't care for the tires so I had no problem shelling out for a fresh pair of BFG MT/KM's and tossing the good
Kelly on the bumper to replace the trash spare I had there.
I finally got underway and crossed the border at 9:30am. Note that all times are Mountain Time. Algodones is in California, and Baja California norte
is Pacific Time. Baja California Sur is Mountain Time. I made my way through the border ag fields, down Mex 2, BCN 3, BCN 4, to Mex 5 where the
journey really starts. I stop quick in San Felipe for fuel and cerveza, and I was on my way. The road from San Felipe to the fishing village of
Puertecitos is rather infamous. It's just plain bad. They attempted a pavement years ago and it's now just one giant pothole. Nobody likes that road.
They keep threatening to pave it, but right now it's only paved to KM52, noted on the KML. In fact, I've heard rumor they want to pave the road all
the way to Gonzaga Bay. It would be a shame. Gonzaga is one of the nicest bays in northern Baja and I think paving the road would kill this quaint
little town.
Anyway, I camped near the volcano, in the area I usually camp, right on the beach. Most of the time there is nobody in the area, but I had to share
with two other campers. One I knew about, but a second came in sometime after me. Fortunately, we didn't know each other existed. We were spaced far a
part with geology in between us. I didn't make it down as far as I liked today, and did stop early. Welcome to Baja Bushrat!
The next day was a long drive. I made a traditional stop at Coco's Corner, but Senor Coco was not in. There was a couple living there and the young
man gave be a Coco's Corner sticker. Woohoo! Anyway, I bought my usual Coke (10 pesos) but no t-shirts, admired his ceiling, noted that Coco had moved
his trailer, and went about my merry way to hit the asphalt on Mex 1. The road south of Puertecitos is graded dirt and from Puertecitos to Gonzaga Bay
is miserable washboard. And I mean miserable. [On the way back home I met a couple coming down from Las Vegas and they were not happy at all. They
were also a bit soft, and decided to stay at Alfonsina's.] From Gonzaga Bay the road improves slightly to Mex 1.
On the highway it was bonzi for the state line. At the Immigration/Ag stop they sprayed my truck with water (supposed to be Malthion) and asked me for
30 pesos. I gave him the stink eye, and handed him 10 pesos. They are NOT supposed to charge, but frequently will ask. The going bribe, eh, er ...
rate IS 10 pesos. I then had to deal with the Immigration bozo. Usually they don't check going south, only coming back. This time though the guy
wanted my papers. I had acquired my Tourist Card in October when I passed through San Felipe and sensing a return had the officer make it out for 180
days, which is marginally legal, but still legal. He also used the form you get from the airport, not the usual form. Well, the Immigration guy had a
fit. "Where did you get this" he yelled at me. Then he tried to tell me it was expired (BULL). Then he asked me when I was returning, and told me it
would expire before I return (BULL). Then he told me there would be a penalty (BULL). Anyway, he didn't want to give it back but I just kept my hand
sticking out, told him it expired on April 8th, and I would be out of his country by then. This is the only time I've heard of trouble with this stop.
Down the highway I went, stopping in San Ignacio for fuel, but the taco stands were not open, so I continued on. San Ignacio is a charming little
village tucked in a large palm oasis (date palms and Mexican fan), complete with large natural lake. There is an old stone Mission there that is worth
visiting. I really like their town square with giant trees (can't remember what they are). Then down to Santa Rosalia (boil on the gulf), Mulege
(another nice town, my usual ice stop), finally camping late on the east side of Bahia Concepcion. I had not camped here before, but heard from a
California buddy that camping was available on the east side of the bay. Conception Bay is absolutely beautiful. Rugged steep cliffs with real nice
sandy beaches in between, each with a pack of houses. Camping is limited on the west side of the Bay, but the east side is wide open. It doesn't have
the sandy bays, at least on the southern end. I didn't explore much north. If you look at the KML there is a fence marked and that is as far as I
went. It wasn't locked, but I needed to head south.
The Baja was very dry. Clearly they didn't get any rainfall this winter. Their season is technically summer. There was very little to nothing
blooming.
The military stops along the way were mostly empty. I was waved through at Mex 3&5. San Felipe was empty. Gonzaga was empty. At Mulege I was waved
through.
Google Earth file at http://ratstew.home.comcast.net/BajaAdventure4.kml
Slide show at: http://ratstew.home.comcast.net/BajaAdventure4_1.pdf
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64526
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Hi Jon,
I just finished part 1 and looked at the 43 photos... I am looking forward to the other parts.
What does this line mean, by the way?: "If you look at the KML there is a fence marked and that is as far as I went. It wasn't locked, but I needed to
head south."
Thanks a lot!!! Trip reports are the best!
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Pappy Jon
Nomad
Posts: 494
Registered: 8-27-2003
Location: Wrong side of the Continental divide.
Member Is Offline
Mood: Temp rising.
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Hi Jon,
What does this line mean, by the way?: "If you look at the KML there is a fence marked and that is as far as I went. It wasn't locked, but I needed to
head south." |
In this Part I have a link to a Google Earth file. They are either KML files or KMZ. If you have Google Earth installed and broadband you can follow
my tracks and waypoints/camps.
Jon
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Bob and Susan
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8807
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
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Mood: Full Time Residents
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obviously google earth is the next generation in gps data....
david...jon would be the guy to go with and NEVER get lost!!!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64526
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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I have it installed, but I need some instruction on how to put your huge file into it/ make it show... Thanks
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eetdrt88
Senior Nomad
Posts: 986
Registered: 2-20-2005
Location: Az/Ca/Baja
Member Is Offline
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the quality of photos lately on this forum have been outstanding which is good because i'm nearly losing it waiting 4 more weeks for my next trip
south,thanks pappy for the great pics
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Pappy Jon
Nomad
Posts: 494
Registered: 8-27-2003
Location: Wrong side of the Continental divide.
Member Is Offline
Mood: Temp rising.
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
I have it installed, but I need some instruction on how to put your huge file into it/ make it show... Thanks |
David,
The file should not be that big, only 172kb. If it doesn't open Google Earth automatically just save the file and open it from your hard drive
directly. It will then fire up Google Earth. Make sure the KML extention is with the file name, eg:
BajaAdventure4.kml
On my computer I just double click the file name and Google Earth loads, the track/waypoints are plotted, and Google Earth zooms into Baja.
Again the link is:
http://ratstew.home.comcast.net/BajaAdventure4.kml
A few GE tricks.
- Put the mouse pointer anyplace on the screen, click and hold with the scrool button, and drag up or down to tilt the earth.
- Put the mouse pointer at the top of the screen, click and hold with the scrool button, and drag left or right to rotate.
- Left click anywhere on the screen to drag the earth around.
- Use the scroll button on the mouse to zoom in or out.
Of course there are controls on screen to do this if you don't have a mouse with a center scroll button.
On the left should be a sort of menu with items listed and boxes checked. You can turn these off and on. For instance you can turn off all waypoint,
or all tracks. You can turn all the tracks off, then turn each one on to see what I did each day.
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bajalou
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4459
Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
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Worked fine for me when I clicked on the link - thanks
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64526
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Hmmm... I click the link and a long page of GPS waypoints shows up here.
I have the Google Earth on my desk top, by the way...
Any more hints? 
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Pappy Jon
Nomad
Posts: 494
Registered: 8-27-2003
Location: Wrong side of the Continental divide.
Member Is Offline
Mood: Temp rising.
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DK,
Once you have that page up hit <file><save>, make sure the KML extention stays on the file name. Then open the file from your hard drive.
You are not the first person to have this problem.
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kcabo
Newbie
Posts: 4
Registered: 6-17-2005
Location: Vancouver, WA
Member Is Offline
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Pappy Jon-I'm enjoying your trip reports and photos. I did the same trip, sounds like about the same route, in Sept 2001-was in fact locked accross
the border in Mexico on 9/11; had no choice but to continue trip south. I love looking through my pictures from that trip. Happened to do it on a
Honda Prelude, though, without the luxury of 4x4. My ex was a little stubborn when it came to things like that.
If you ever want to discuss further, please feel free. I'm always open...
Karen K, 46 yo from Washington State
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