David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64595
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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BAJA 1/09... So super fine! Part 2: Why we continued south!
This is Part 2, continued from Part 1 here: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=36237
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Just over a month ago, I received an email from Sharksbaja asking me if the attached Google satellite image might be the wall described by Choral
Pepper that she and others with Erle Stanley Gardner found in 1966.
I thought that the wall shape and location made it a prime candidate for a personal inspection... I had the support of my wife (she really IS a Baja
Angel) and L.A. Bay was our next stop!
[Edited on 1-4-2009 by David K]
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64595
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Sharksbaja (Corky) is really good with the Google satellite stuff... it is inspiring! Got me to post the El Camino Real images last month.
Corky has been looking over the area real well and even spotted the sleeping circles and more walls... Exploring Baja from your home PC... who would
have ever guessed!??
I (naturally) couldn't sleep for the past month with so much excitement over seeing a site I have wanted to see since reading Choral's book in 1973.
When I finally got to talk with Choral, that was my main question: "Where was that site?" She didn't know exactly... We met, became friends, inspired
me to find it even more!
Now, with the image from Sharks/ Google Earth... I had to get there to confirm it!
Thursday morning, BajaRob and Connie followed us to Chelo's Cafe (Km. 35.5/ Colonia Delicias) and joined us for breakfast... after which, Elizabeth
and I headed on south.
We found the turnoff to Rudy's new beach property and drove the short distance to the coast...
Camp Whenever-you-want will be a fun place for future Matomi Gang parties! It is nearly opposite where the Arroyo Matomi road reaches Hwy. 1.
See the 'Lost Mission' location in the next installment! Coming soon!!!
[Edited on 1-4-2009 by David K]
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64595
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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The new paved highway now runs for 4 miles south of the Puertecitos paved exit and new roadbed can be driven for a couple more miles... then back to
the rough, unmaintained graded, rocky road, over the volcanic ridges. A couple new highway photos at http://vivabaja.com/908/page6.html
Near Miramar (Okie's Landing area), we took a side road inland, covered with shells and found some horses. One was very friendly!
South of Gonzaga Bay (about 3 hour drive from Puertecitos/ 45 miles) we pulled over to see the Camino Real where it is right next to the graded
road... Here just a well worn animal track:
We arrived at Bahia de los Angeles, filled up the gas tank (only 11 pesos per dollar here) at the new station, then find a place for the night... It
was just getting dark.
I have heard good reports on Costa del Sol... and that is where everyone was... Well, the original motel has 7 rooms and tey added a new building with
3 more now available. We got a room (the last one) in the new building.
Staying there was a Baja Nomad who read my posts... 'Baja Chris' and his wife... We chatted for a while about off road racing and exploring Baja. We
were really tired after driving the road south of Puertecitos, and so we turned in early.
The bed was almost as hard as a rock, the shower barely could get you wet, and at $60 it sure wan't any Baja Cactus or even close! I will tell you
that the lady who runs the place was very nice and we ate there and the food we had was very good (corn chowder, carne asada & fish tacos, fresh
guacamole & chips). The next morning I asked one of the people staying in the original rooms how the bed was, and he said 'no complaints'. So,
avoid the new building or at least Room 8!
Here are some photos we took the following day, in town:
New 3.5 lane main street... east bound is a couple feet lower than west bound, and erosion already taking place. Westbound is only a lane and a half
wide...
The first Internet store was closed... in fact the whole town looked dead... China (Chee-nah) said there isn't any tourists... The terrorism in
Tijuana is hurting all of Baja.
 China's taco stand, between the Lizeth market and Las Hamacas restaurant.
 Here's China... her tacos are great! Baja Angel had her first fish taco here in 2005 on our first Baja trip together. http://vivabaja.com/105
 The Las Hamacas Restaurant... dead on a Friday afternoon!
This story continues on Part 3, here: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=36243&pag...
[Edited on 1-5-2009 by David K]
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8923
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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Fish tacoes for less than $1??
I love Mexico because the prices are so much more reasonable. I wish I could have tasted these goodies. Next year for Baja Grande, I'll be sure to
stop at China's Tacos..
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64595
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Yes Ken... and note the 'got baja?' sticker of approval... It is one of the small ones like on the back of your Jeep... We have always recommended
China's tacos... Paulina turned us on to her place many years ago!
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desertcpl
Super Nomad
Posts: 2394
Registered: 10-26-2008
Location: yuma,az
Member Is Offline
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thanks david
great photos, thanks for sharing,, thats really terrbile about LAbay,, the tourists not coming,, must be very hard on them,, we are hearing the same
thing about san felipe,, people just are not coming
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Fred
Senior Nomad
Posts: 500
Registered: 3-15-2007
Location: Las Vegas
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Mood: Laid Back
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David..........another great report with pics. Thanks. Hoping to head down there soon. Stuck in Vegas until my daughter finds a job (she rents my
house).
Fred
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64595
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Thanks guys! There is a LOT more still to come... Part 3 showing the road in and the dam and palm already posted and Part 4 with photos from the top
of the mesa at the walls and sleeping circles is about to get posted.
Photos from El Rosario on Saturday coming too...
Continue to Part 3: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=36243
[Edited on 2-7-2009 by David K]
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: optimistic
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Bump
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Lindalou
Senior Nomad
Posts: 623
Registered: 1-12-2004
Location: Punta Banda Baja
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Meme, I can't find you or Jim in any of the pictures. Did you go this year?
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64595
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Bump to bring together...
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