David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64493
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Baja Weekend Part 1: Do you know the way... to Agua Dulce?
This was a rare trip for me, as I almost always have a friend or child along. Well, the kids were with others, jeans had appointments, and a couple
amigos I called couldn't break away (I didn't give them much advance notice).
I left Oceanside at 5pm. friday and had traffic all the way to the border, and then a line getting into Mexico, to boot! It was dark and raining all
the way to San Quintin friday night. I drove up to Gypsy's indoor camping building, put up my cot and was soon asleep. Only a couple of RVs were
parked there.
I awoke to a drizzley day, but I was dry thanks to Dave and Juanita's great idea of indoor camping. A camp dog was curled up by my tote bag when got
up. Laura was in the Wet Buzzard kitchen, and I ordered two chorizo breakfast burritos. I drove all the way to Cielito Lindo that night just for
Laura's cooking. They are also only $1 each, fantastico!
On the road, in the rain to El Rosario to top the tank. Price of Magna Sin (regular) is MN$5.59/ litre and the exchange rate is now ten pesos per
dollar, so the price of gas dropped to $2.13/gallon (if the pump is accurate).
The rain stoped as I wound through the boojum hills, and by San Agustin the sky was blue! This was Saturday morning... Trash (basura) cans are now
placed along Hwy. 1 in the hill area... hope that will help!
AGUA DULCE was an important source of water to the original inhabitants of Baja, as well as the Spanish explorers, missionairies, and early Baja
travelers. It is on the El Camino Real midway between Mision Santa Maria and Mision San Fernando Velicata. Junipero Serra and Arthur North both wrote
about Agua Dulce in their journals.
In the Baja days before Highway 1, my parents and I camped there one night, in 1966, as it was just a quarter mile off the old main road. We were in a
Jeep Wagoneer heading for the tip of Baja (a two week trip, then).
The next trip to southern Baja was in 1973, and the construction of Highway 1 was going at a feverish clip. Water was needed for constrution, so a
road was graded to the spring 2.4 miles from the new road's route. We were detoured on to this side road and ended up at Agua Dulce, again!
Unfortunately, they bulldozed the gully containing the spring and it was an 'ugly' site.
This trip, I wanted to find this (once) famous water hole, again! Using a sharp eye and noting the milage given in the Baja California Guidebook by
Wheelock and Gulick, I found the turnoff... barely! Two deep gullies almost stopped me. But, with some road-building and the Tacoma's locking rear
differential, I got through. I arrived at the old main road after about 2 miles, then the fork to Agua Dulce was a short distance beyond. I will
provide GPS and milages at the bottom of tha page.
The spring is in a gully, and vegetation had all returned. The damage done in 1973 was not noticed, even the road into the gully was greatly erroded
and only serves the cattle who come here to drink the 'sweet' water. One tall blue palm really stands out, as well. I was happy to see how well nature
reclaimed and repaired the spring. I walked down to the large pool and took some photos and GPS readings.
The next two hours, I walked the El Camino Real east, a ways (just a cow path here), then circled around the gully. I saw many clam shell fragments in
the desert, not yet fossilized. It may have been left from natives or more recent visitors, who enjoy sea food? I also climbed almost to the top of
the south mesa for a bird's eye view of Agua Dulce. That's when I noticed an Indian trail going up the opposite mesa! Baja is just so wonderful a
place for exploring... I will return to Agua Dulce!
My next stop was Rancho Santa Ynez (Ines), and I decided to use the old Baja main road as far as possible.
TO BE CONTINUED....But first...here are some GPS wayoints & milages
If you have either the Baja Almanac see map N-19(E-5) or Topo Atlas map B72(C-2). The highway is actually 1-2 miles south of where it is drawn betwen
Sonora and San Roque. The Almanac and older Topo Atlas just 'paved' the old road rather than showing the exact highway location.
The highway construction water truck road to Agua Dulce is 5.4 miles from Cafe Sonora, (Sonora is just past the signed road for El Marmol). Just past
Km. 157 the highway crosses a gully and the faint road goes off to the left (north-east). GPS (NAD27) is 29?52.59'/ 114?51.69'.
The once graded road crosses two deep washouts (4WD) and goes 1.6 miles to the old main road (29?52.99'/ 114?50.11'), where you turn right (east).
Go 0.5 mi. on the old road (note house-trailer off to right) and it brings you to the Agua Dulce road (29?52.81'/ 114?49.58') where you will turn left
(north-east).
Agua Dulce is 0.3 mile away at 29?52.97'/ 114?49.38' This waypoint is taken at the pool down in the gully. The road ends on the south side of the
gully. The tall, magestic blue fan palm will tell you you have arrived.
Back on the old road, it is a pretty good drive all the way to where it ends near the cave painting parking area/palapa two miles from Catavina. The
other direction on the old road (towards Sonora) is very bad, with deep ruts/high rocky crown. In 2000, the Baja 2000 ran through here as did the old
Baja races before Highway 1 was built.
The old southern route out from El Marmol joins in 2.4 miles from the Agua Dulce road, it is marked by a small pile of rocks (29?51.34'/ 114?48.52').
1.8 miles further is the original La Virgen shrine and once a tiny store served travelers was across the road, 29?49.87'/ 114?47.97'. A road branches
right to Highway 1, a mile away at 29?49.41'/ 114?48.63'. Continuing south on the old main road, it passes through some interesting boulder fields and
reaches Highway 1 at 29?45.15'/ 114?44.75', just north of the Pictograph parking area, or about 2.4 miles from Catavina.
Part 1-B (Agua Dulce to Santa Ynez)
It was about 1pm and I headed straight for Santa Ynez for some machaca tacos from Matilda. Mavin Patchen just had his new book published called 'Baja
Outpost'. It contains the notes and messages from dozens of travelers who have stayed in his cabin (Graham Mackintosh was the most frequent guest),
which is in the 'neighborhood'. I showed Matilda the new book and then enjoyed my tacos. Marvin invited me to use his cabin, but it was early and I
decided to drive the easy 100 miles to Bahia de los Angeles for dinner and the evening.
[Edited on 14-11-2002 by David K]
[Edited on 14-11-2002 by David K]
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64493
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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[Edited on 14-11-2002 by David K]
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reefrocket
Nomad
Posts: 224
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: Idaho
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I was just there (Amigos) and couldn't get in and just assumed it was down again.
DK I read part one last night sound like you had fun.
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Braulio
Nomad
Posts: 321
Registered: 11-7-2002
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David and reefrocket -
Thanks - guess I jumped the gun.
I deleted my message but I'll repeat the part about enjoying your posts David.
BTW - I don't hate anything - except maybe that you haven't stopped by for a taco in Mexicali - let me know - you have my email.
Braulio
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Keri
Super Nomad
Posts: 1393
Registered: 10-31-2002
Location: La Mision, Baja Norte
Member Is Offline
Mood: muy contento
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Thanks for sharing your trip with us Sounds like you had a great time. It was intresting to see the gas price has dropped. I had read it was going
down 25% but hadn't even checked it here. I'm so used to it being one price I never even question it. .. I also tried to get into amigos board this
morning. No luck. When I was on last night late it was doing that double posting again,so maybe they are just archiving this morning. k
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