tiotomasbcs
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Advice on Mexicali Crossing North from Hwy 5
I am making my first trip North thru Mexicali Border on Hwy 5. How long does it take to travel the Guerrero Negro to Mexicali section? Any special
advice on border crossing and reaching US 8 in California? I have read most posts and have a good idea of road conditions. Going up for Father's
Day. Mil Gracias. Tomas
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woody with a view
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It takes the same amount of minutes if you go 1 or 5. Same thing only different movie out the windows. Once you cross there is construction detours.
Follow the signs.
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David K
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I came north on Hwy. 1 yesterday...
There is no comparison (for me)...
Hwy. 5 wins, even with 23 dirt miles.
*There are no 'dozen' farm towns and San Quintin traffic to go slow through.
*There is no mountain winding road (south of El Rosario and between Maneadero and Colonet).
*There is no city of Ensenada and traffic (midday even) with dozens of red lights (un-synced, of course).
Northbound through Mexicali is not too hard (although living in San Diego County, I usually opt for Tecate border crossing and use 2-D avoiding all
Mexicali traffic)... At the junction with Hwy. 2 where Hwy. 5 cross the railroad tracks, proceed straight across to the opposite side of the traffic
circle... and stay north on the multi-lane street, passing the Hotel Lucerna.. and reach the border fence street, where you turn left for the downtown
Calexico (Mexicali West) crossing.
Here's a map...
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woody with a view
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In this hectic, fast paced world sometimes it's nice to just get in line and look at the world go by. I enjoy looking at the people in the towns going
about their daily grind.
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David K
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Yes, I hear you... and it is great that Baja offers us two or more choices of so many things...
Two coastlines with two bodies of water is one big one for many of us here!
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SFandH
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Quote: Originally posted by tiotomasbcs  |
How long does it take to travel the Guerrero Negro to Mexicali section?
Any special advice on border crossing and reaching US 8 in California? |
Not sure about how much time it takes but GN to TJ is 12 hours for me. Driving a loaded RV.
Make sure you get in the lines that agree with your docs, regular, ready, sentri. Not sure about Mexicali but at TJ daytime northbound crossing 4 to 6
PM, weekdays, is your best bet if using regular or ready. But it's tough to predict.
[Edited on 6-10-2017 by SFandH]
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mjs
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GN to Mexicali is 8 to 10 hrs depending on traffic and how you drive (pace on the dirt and/or pavement, etc). Use the West crossing if you have Sentri
otherwise the East crossing is usually quicker.
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woody with a view
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don't fool yourselves. google the routes. reality is a close second to google, AND i did both routes in the past 2 weeks. same only different views.
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SFandH
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| Quote: Originally posted by woody with a view | | don't fool yourselves. google the routes. reality is a close second to google, AND i did both routes in the past 2 weeks. same only different views.
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So how long does it take you?
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woody with a view
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9 hours down via 5 with a stop in SF for mariscos. 9 hours up with a stop at Traileros for tacos via 1.
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David K
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I document much of my trips with times and mileages, kilometer post, etc.
When I did a straight drive from Mexicali border to Guerrero Negro this year, I crossed into Mexico at 10:12 am and entered Baja Sur (by Guerrero
Negro) at 5:29 pm (Pacific Time) and that included brief stops to stretch legs or buy gasoline (San Felipe and Villa Jesus María) and a 20-minute
taco stop. So about 7 hours without tacos. About 360 miles. Average driving speed works out to about 50 mph.
When I drive Hwy. 1 without a lot of stops, it takes 6 hours just to go from El Rosario to the border (much more traffic, towns, and signal lights
through Ensenada) and El Rosario to Guerrero Negro is at least 3 hours for the 225 miles... making the 'all Hwy. 1' route 9 hours... or 2 hours
longer!
Now, the Hwy. 5 route has 23 unpaved miles and a poor highway between Puertecirtos and San Felipe with steep dips. I may be able to drive both of
those sections faster in my Tacoma than other vehicles. But, still not 2 hours faster.
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woody with a view
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my estimate above is from LA Bay, so subtract +/- 45 minutes for the drive to/from the 1 to the bay. i do TJ to turnoff to Mike Sky Ranch in 3.5 and
to ER in 5 hours. YMMV
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mtgoat666
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from san diego, i find the driving time to GN is same for 5 and 1, plus or minus 15 minutes..
once the pavement is done on 5, the traffic will increase on 5, the pavement on 5 will begin to fall apart, and driving time on 5 will be slower than
today - that's my prediction.
personally, i prefer 1, because i usually overnight at catavina so i can spend a good part of the day playing on the rocks.
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mjs
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Yes, to San Diego the times are similar. But the OP's question was GN to Mexicali to 8. Maybe they are going east on 8?
My times align with DK's. I probably drive a bit faster on the dirt / rough parts then others. 
YMMV
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bkbend
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Like Woody I take about 9 hours from BdeLA to the line at Mexicali East and that includes a stop in SF for lunch. Add about an hour for the trip from
GN, subtract an hour if you don't stop for eating or to let a dog run around. From Mexicali East you depart customs and curl to the right around a
gas station/mini-mall following signs to Hwy 7. Take the onramp to 7 and head north 10 or so miles to I-8. No construction problems five weeks ago
but there has been some off and on in the past.
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SFandH
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That's an average of 75 mph!
I drive A LOT slower and stop more often than you guys.
Consistently, border to Catavina 8 hours, Catavina to GN 4 hours, hwy 1 all the way.
[Edited on 6-10-2017 by SFandH]
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David K
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Well, I said AT LEAST... in order for it to match with Woody's 9 hours... Yes, 4 hours is more typical for 200-250 mile highway sections.
In reality, with traffic in Ensenada and San Quintin, 10 hours using Hwy. 1 all the way and 7-8 using 5.
Now, with the 5, you are still 2 hours from San Diego (from Calexico). Making the San Diego to Guerrero Negro time almost the same either way.
The question posted was to Mexicali.
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tiotomasbcs
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Amigos, thanks for all the info! I drove up from Pescadero yesterday and am pleasantly enjoying the beaches and town of Mulege. Approx 7hrs
cruising style. Not too hot here and the warm water, not hot, feels fantastic. Swimming and beers on Playa Cocos. My Black Lab loved swimming in the
calm Bahia waters. It's been windy and cold on the beaches down south. I am thinking of adjusting my schedule a little and leave here manana for
Papa Fernandez or Alfonsinas. No hurries no worries, verdad?! Easy trip up to Mexicali. Again thanks for sharing your knowledge...makes things a
bit easier. Let me know if you're ever passing thru Peskys. Tio
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mjs
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FYI, Dogs not allowed in rooms or restaurant at Alfonsina's
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Santiago
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From BOLA it took us exactly 7.5 hours to Mexicali, and this from Camp Gecko. I noticed the 23 miles took us about 15 less than last time; there are
areas of base rock and it seems the road has less of the really slow, rocky areas.
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