BCM
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Driving to Loreto
We are driving to Loreto in January. My husband wants to drive from San Diego, through Tijuana, spending the night in Guerrero Negro and arrive in
Loreto the next day. Is this realistic? We are planning to start early and end before dusk. Your opinions and comments are greatly appreciated.
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vandenberg
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Total distance is about 700 miles, so a 2 day drive is easily done. First day to Guerrero Negro would take appr. 7 hours and the following day takes
about 5 hours.
Have fun!!
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dtbushpilot
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Welcome to Nomads BCM.That is easy to do as long as you get an early start and don't do much sightseeing. Keep in mind there will be less daylight
hours in January. We usually hit the San Ysidro border at 6am. Drive careful, have fun...
You might consider staying in Catavina the first night. If you have never driven the Baja highway your first day will be a bit of an eye opener. The
drive between TJ and El Rosario will be the slowest section of the drive, lots of small towns, slow vehicles and pedestrians. The motel in Catavina is
very nice with a great area for an afternoon walk and nice restaurant. It is a bit pricier than some places but they are off the grid so it is to be
expected. Loreto will be an easy drive the next day.
[Edited on 7-31-2014 by dtbushpilot]
"Life is tough".....It's even tougher if you're stupid.....
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dtbushpilot
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| Quote: | Originally posted by vandenberg
Total distance is about 700 miles, so a 2 day drive is easily done. First day to Guerrero Negro would take appr. 7 hours and the following day takes
about 5 hours.
Have fun!! |
58mph average speed? maybe for you or me, probably not for most. We usually figure for 10 hours to GN from San Diego.
"Life is tough".....It's even tougher if you're stupid.....
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BCM
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Thank you for taking the time to answer. Since this will be our first trip, getting your advice and wisdom makes me feel better!
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ncampion
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I concur with pilot. That time of year with the short day length, GN is a long haul and you probably won't make it in daylight. It's slow going
until you get past San Quintein. Catavina is a good one day trip from the border, then a pretty easy second day to Loreto. We frequently only make
it as far as El Rosario the first day, it takes so long to get through the Northern section now. Still make it easy to Loreto on day 2. Have fun,
enjoy the ride and be safe.
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David K
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I drive fast where it is safe to do so, but I figure on 50 mph average speed because there are slow sections (farm towns on Hwy. 1), you get trapped
behind slow trucks and cars for miles and miles, military check points take time (you will have about 5 to Loreto), and you will take necessary and
food breaks every 100-200 miles.
El Rosario is 5 hours + from San Diego; Guerrero Negro is at least 4 hours further... best to figure 5, so 10 hours from San Diego. It gets dark early
in January and to give you time to check out the many motel options there, arrive by 4 pm (leave San Diego at 6 am or sooner).
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BajaRun
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I figure 50 mph average speed also. With traffic through the cities, getting stuck behind busses or big rigs, stops for fuel and food and bathroom
breaks.
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bajabuddha
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I THINK THEY'RE ALL WRONG.
At a 50 mph average, it's 10<+ hours to Guerrero. Less daylight in January. Traffic, construction, potty/food breaks, checkpoints, you'll do good
to get to Cataviņa; if you're in San Quintin by 3 pm, you can make it up the hill in less than 2 hours. Cat's got a nice (pricey) hotel, and a budget
motel.
There. I'm glad I thought of it.  
By the way, if you're in San Diego, get your FMM and Mex. auto insurance BEFORE your trip; take an hour or so out to do it, get that part out of the
way first.
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
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chuckie
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Hey! If these folks have not driven that road before, maybe they don't want or need to maintain a 50 MPH average. What ever happened to enjoying a
trip to Baja....??? Stop and look at a rock now and then? Have we all gotten so amped about getting "there" that we have forgotten it's the journey,
not the destination, that counts?
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Lee
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BCM
We are driving to Loreto in January. My husband wants to drive from San Diego, through Tijuana, spending the night in Guerrero Negro and arrive in
Loreto the next day. Is this realistic? We are planning to start early and end before dusk. Your opinions and comments are greatly appreciated.
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I'll assume it's your first drive down and you're limited in your total stay.
Stay in San Quintin first night, GN or San Ignacio second night, arrive Loreto early afternoon third day.
Enjoy the ride, take breaks, see the sights. I'm good for 6 hours of driving and any more is no fun.
Maybe push for one overnight returning home. Personally, I'd take Tecate Northbound unless you don't mind waiting. I prefer driving further,
than waiting in line. Have fun. Loreto is a good town. Coco Cabanas is a nice place.
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tehag
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SD - GN - Lto
Works for me.
Certainty is the child of ignorance, knowledge is the mother of doubt. Question everything!
http://bcsbirds.com |
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vgabndo
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I recently did G. Negro to Ensenada in 10 hours and that was holding to short breaks and brisk driving. I don't think I would want to ride with
someone going from the border to GN in 7 hours!! Roll cage, five-points, helo overhead...maybe.
New to the Baja Highway? I'd stretch the adventure by a day. San Quentin and El Rosario have lots to offer for overnight, and GN and Loreto are easy
drives the next two days. In my judgement, the first day offers most of the objective dangers of the drive. Allowing more time to transit the crazy
traffic in Tijuana and Ensenada and the busy agricultural communities of the north is less stressful. I'd be safer and more patient if I wasn't trying
to get to reservations at the state line!
And, consider the driver. A moment's carelessness on the 1, can be the end of any of us. The faster I drive, the less of Baja I see. A while back I
got to ride with someone else and I was blown away at what there was to see when I wasn't trying to keep from getting us all killed. At a slower pace
the hard working Baja driver gets to steal a few more glances at the countryside.
Those people who fly past me on the carretera always seem to be parked at the flagman when I cruise up to the next construction zone.
Undoubtedly, there are people who cannot afford to give the anchor of sanity even the slightest tug. Sam Harris
"The situation is far too dire for pessimism."
Bill Kauth
Carl Sagan said, "We are a way for the cosmos to know itself."
PEACE, LOVE AND FISH TACOS
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woody with a view
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| Quote: | Originally posted by vgabndo
The faster I drive, the less of Baja I see. A while back I got to ride with someone else and I was blown away at what there was to see when I wasn't
trying to keep from getting us all killed. |
but I just can't let someone else drive! I know each and (almost) every curve in the road and just feel safer driving. but I hate the fact that I
don't get to take it all in.......
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BCM
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajabuddha
By the way, if you're in San Diego, get your FMM and Mex. auto insurance BEFORE your trip; take an hour or so out to do it, get that part out of the
way first. |
How do you get your FMM?
[Edited on 8-2-2014 by BCM]
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BCM
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Can you get an FMM in San Diego? Thank you for your help.
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David K
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BCM
Can you get an FMM in San Diego? Thank you for your help. |
Yes.
Discover Baja Travel Club sells them pre-paid.
Note: You will STILL need to stop at the border, walk to the INM office and have the pre-paid FMM validated (stamped).
Since this is the same place you get an FMM, the advantage to having one already is if there is any issue with someone at the border to pay for the
FMM (off hours, Tecate, etc.).
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Marla Daily
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Location: Loreto, BCS
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Hi,
We drive this 3-5 times a year. From San Diego our preferred stop is Cataviņa ~ beautiful high desert with spectacular boulder fields and endemic
boojum trees. We don't like to end the driving day with the 150 mile stretch between Cataviņa and Guerrero Negro. (From Cataviņa to Guerrero Negro it
is 3 hours (150 miles); from Guerrero Negro to Loreto it is 6 hours.
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