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David K
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Posts: 64890
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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2/06 El Rosario Weekend (Petrified Forest, La Bocana)
An easy get-a-way weekend for us is to shoot down to El Rosario which is the gateway to so many interesting sites, home of many good restaurants, and
the location of Baja Cactus Motel... a first class motel with a very low price.
We crossed the border about 3:30 Friday afternoon (Otay) and popped in to see Antonio's (BajaCactus) parents and pick up the latest printing of the
'got baja?' stickers (Made in Tijuana, Baja Calif.) that were waiting for me there.
We passed by Ensenada and saw the beached freighter as we headed south on Mex. 1 (near the Cosco)... behind the new Home Depot.
As we neared San Quintin (about 7:30 pm), I thought it was a great chance to try JARDINES restaurant (Km. 2) a mile west of the highway... Glad we
did!!! Great food and atmosphere. See the Restaurant Review Forum for photos and food details.
About 9 pm, tummies full, we rolled into The Baja Cactus Motel... Reservations are a good idea as the place has been discovered and fills up. HBO has
been added to the list of English satellite channels... Until heaters are added, winter nights are chilly, but there is plenty of blankets on the bed
to stay warm.
Saturday morning Rob, Anthony (of Diamante Del Mar) and Rob's girlfriend Karen came by so we all could have breakfast and chat... We went to Primo's
La Bocana Beach Restaurant, which is next door to the Sinahi Motel and RV Park... along the highway as you head out of town... We always have good
food there, and the Agua de Melon (Cantaloupe Juice) is great... we had two pitchers!
Primo told us that he had acquired the Sinahi Motel and RV park and will be remodeling it over time...
Baja Angel wanted to return to the petrified forest we had seen at last year's Baja-Rosario Fetival http://vivabaja.com/705/page6.html The 'forest' is inside Diamante Del Mar property, so permission was first received.
My only quest this day was to do a road log from El Rosario out to La Bocana Beach via the 2WD 'HIGH' road and the 4WD 'VALLEY' road.
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EL ROSARIO TO LA BOCANA BEACH (High Road):
0.0 Turn right off Hwy. 1 at the sharp left curve (by Espinoza's)... Continue straight passing the left turn to El Roasrio de Abajo/ Punta Baja/ and
Valley Road to La Bocana.
0.8 Fork, go right.
1.2 Fork/ Road curves right, uphill (road left soon ends).
1.5 Palapas and Banana Trees on left. Road climbs uphill.
2.2 High Point (view of La Bocana)
2.6 Fork, lesser road left down arroyo. Go straight ahead.
2.9 Fork, go left. Road right to closed gate.
3.0 Fork, right to Diamante Del Mar security gate, go left.
3.6 Road to right, better road bends left for La Bocana.
3.9 Fork, go to right.
5.3 LA BOCANA BEACH
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EL ROSARIO TO LA BOCANA BEACH (Valley Road/ 4WD):
0.0 Turn Right off Hwy. 1 at the sharp left curve. In about 100 yards take the left (south) fork... signed for Punta Baja.
Cross over the El Rosario River culvert and follow main road as it turns right (west) and crosses some water before reaching the south bank and
entering the town of El Rosario de Abajo.
1.5 El Rosario Museum on left (Open Mon.-Fri. 9-6, Sat., Sun. 10-3) Photos inside at http://vivabaja.com/505/page6.html
1.6 Rosario de Abajo mission ruins on right
2.5 Road left for Punta San Antonio and coast south of Punta Baja.
2.9 Road left for Punta Baja... Continue ahead (west) for La Bocana.
3.1 Turn right/ north for La Bocana... ahead to rancho. Deep water crossing soon.
4.2 Come to fence, turn left to opening then continue west. Deep sand section ahead.
5.1 LA BOCANA BEACH
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I was surprised that the distance from Hwy. 1 was almost identicle for both routes. The high road being far easier to drive.
Dinner Saturday was at the El Grullense restaurant where they have a mini buffet with three large pots of slowly cooked soups/ stews... We had a bowl
of the beef and a bowl of the chicken... Both were good, albeit the chicken was spicy. Lots of hot tortillas came with the dinner... Tecate beer sold.
Sunday morning we slept in and decided to skip breakfast and go back to JARDINES for lunch... It was very good again! The shrimp salad was great!!!
Ensenada was a nightmare to get through with some big carnival closing off the main street through town... about 30 min. to detour around the mess and
to the back road to the toll highway.
We reached the San Ysidro border line about 6:30 pm, and were inside the U.S. A. in 50 minutes...
Here are the photos of the petrified forest and La Bocana taken Saturday... The hike into the canyon...
[Edited on 3-1-2006 by David K]
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David K
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Registered: 8-30-2002
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View of La Bocana from canyon trail...
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David K
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A cross shape cholla along the trail...
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David K
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Petrified wood lines the trail... some being placed as markers and other just exposed from rain or wind erosion.
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David K
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more...
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David K
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Some of the 'wood turned to stone' has different colors than others
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David K
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You can see some entire logs being exposed in places...
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David K
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Really a neat place to see pre-history Baja! Do come to El Rosario for the next festival (July 21-23, 2006) for a guided tour to this petrified
forest!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64890
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Baja Angel on the trail...
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David K
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Interesting erosion...
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David K
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David K on the trail...
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David K
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Baja Angel and David K in the petrified forest of El Rosario
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64890
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Exposed petrified log...
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David K
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Posts: 64890
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La Bocana Beach
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David K
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North end of La Bocana Beach
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64890
Registered: 8-30-2002
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Toyota Tacoma at the north end... 6 months and 20,000 miles from when it was first here, the day after I got it!
Hope you all enjoyed the report and photos!
Please share yours!!
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Bajaboy
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DK-
thanks again for the info....I hope you were being sarcastic about Carnival in Ensenada?!
We headed down to the Halfway House on Saturday for lunch and were amazed with all the southbound traffic. One of these years I plan on hitting the
fiesta.
Zac
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BOLABOUND
Junior Nomad
Posts: 61
Registered: 1-25-2006
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Mood: wish I was lost in deep BAJA
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killer report and pictures
Thanks for sharing
I love your attention to detail of the driving directions
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bajalou
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajaboy
.I hope you were being sarcastic about Carnival in Ensenada?!
Zac |
I was in Ensenada one year at carnival time and they had many streets blocked off with flatbed trucks each block with a different band on each one -
quite a party.
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: 64890
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajaboy
DK-
thanks again for the info....I hope you were being sarcastic about Carnival in Ensenada?!
We headed down to the Halfway House on Saturday for lunch and were amazed with all the southbound traffic. One of these years I plan on hitting the
fiesta.
Zac |
Here is what I said about Ensenada:
Ensenada was a nightmare to get through with some big carnival closing off the main street through town... about 30 min. to detour around the mess and
to the back road to the toll highway.
That is what was going on, no sarcasm... I am amazed we squeezed through that mess without a longer delay...
How was lunch? What was good?
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