David K
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Posts: 64525
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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El Rosario & Sidetrips 11/04 (Part 3, La Vibora Road)
Fri. 11/26/04: Today was planned that Antonio get some vacation time away from his businesses. He has been up past midnight working every night. His
wife back in Tijuana (Lorenia), asked me to get him away for a bit as he works too hard!
There is a nice 'cardonal' (cardon cactus forest) a few miles east from the bridge that crosses the Rosario River, Antonio wants to show me. I also,
want to continue on that road which parallels the San Juan de Dios river east, going up a grade called Cuesta la Vibora.
Leave Hwy. 1 after crossing over the bridge, 5.1 miles from the sharp curve in Rosario (the curve next to Mama Espinoza's). Turn left as you climb
uphill where the guard rail ends, GPS (NAD27 Mex.): 30-05.69', 115-39.50'
We drove past onion fields that were just harvested. Big burlap bags were filled and waiting to be loaded. Workers were busy picking and stuffing as
we drove by.
The big cliff 'El Castillo' (The Castle) is across the valley.
About 6 miles from Hwy. 1 is a fork, and we go right (southeast). The cardonal is entered. While not as big as the cardons south of L.A. Bay, they are
impressive and make a good show for the new Baja visitors. 8.6 miles from Hwy. 1 are some large shade trees at an abandoned ranch site. We stop here
to make lunch, GPS: 30-08.08', 115-33.66' elev. 401'.
The road continues about a mile from the trees and ends at a gully that once was the site of an earth dam. Some water in in the gully and a small
boojum was waitng to have its picture taken!
We go back, past the trees and into the cardonal (note Mesa el Cardonal in the Baja Almanac, right above this side valley). At a fork, we go right
(north-northeast) to return to the Vibora road a short ways east of where we had earlier left it. Back at the Vibora road, reset odometer to 0.0 mi.,
GPS: 30-09.12', 115-34.39' elev. 355'. We turn right, east.
Soon we are climbing Cuesta la Vibora (Rattlesnake Grade), which is steep, but the road was bulldozed and is not a problem. The off camber pitch
mentioned by Mexitron might be a bit scary if you were going west, down the grade. Going up was not a problem, in my opinion.
The road reaches the top of the ridge where boojums live happily undesturbed. At mile 3.4 is a concete squre claim survey marker on the left, some
mine digging on the right, and boojums with long strands of Spanish moss hanging from their thin limbs. GPS: 30-08.98', 115-31.52' elev. 1,282'. Green
barrel cactus with purple spines are soon encountered... just a lovely desert garden!
Intersection, at Mile 8.5 (5.1 from previous point)! This road stays on the ridge spine and a well used road turns left, north. This is shown in the
Baja Almanac going north to Los Martires and beyond. A faint road goes south, and our road continues east on the ridgeline. GPS: 30-08.54', 115-27.13'
elev. 1,528'.
This pleasant road reaches the main road between Hwy 1 and Los Martires and San Juan de Dios at Mile15.2 (6.7 from previous point). GPS: 30-07.05',
115-21.31' elev. 1,309'. We go right, southeast and in just 0.3 mi., come to the San Juan de Dios river crossing at 30-06.83', 115-21.28'.
This time the river was dry! In my first trip here, July, '00 it was very full and ducks were swimming in the pond just upstream. My next trip here
was in November, '02 and there was less water, but the tires got good and wet. This November, just damp mud. I guess summer is best to find lots of
water here!?!
1.3 miles from the river, the old Sauzalito copper mine is passed and the road curves sharp left, east.
Highway One is reached at Mile 20.4, 3.6 miles from Sauzalito. An unsigned truck cafe is at the junction, between Km. post 103 and 104. It is 23.6
miles back to the point where we left Hwy. 1, at the bridge, and 5.1 more miles back to Mama Espinoza's.
TO BE CONTINUED!
[Edited on 12-1-2004 by David K]
[Edited on 12-1-2004 by David K]
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64525
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Boojums with Spanish moss...
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64525
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Barrel Cactus or in Spanish: 'Biznaga'
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64525
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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At the dam site, beyond the trees and cardonal. This friendly boojum allowed Antonio to take its photo with me.
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Mexitron
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3397
Registered: 9-21-2003
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
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Mood: Happy!
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That's a nice healthy Boojum yer huggin there DK........your killin me--got to get back down there!!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64525
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Hugging a Boojum
Yes, that boojum was a young one, but when they are mature, I advance to kissing! 
This was along the road to Yubay.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64525
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Okay, on with the show... I will work on Saturday's expedition and how I found the Camino Real, just off the San Carlos road, near Mex. 1. Stay tuned!
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