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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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4th of July 2010 Amigos on Shell Island (Parts 1 & 2 of 3)
It really was about perfect... great place... great weather... great people... great vehicles! Too bad more Nomads were not there to enjoy the weekend
in person!
Through photos and text, I will share our trip with you all...
Trip details:
Hwy. 5 (Mexicali to San Felipe) has many, many dusty detour miles between La Puerta and Rio Hardy as they continue to widen the road to 4 lanes (or
maybe just repairing the earthquake damaged section). Also, near the Hwy. 3 junction is a shorter dirt detour.
The new wider 2 lane runs for 10 miles. It starts about 2 miles south of the Hwy. 3 junction and the final 19 miles into San Felipe is 4 lanes wide.
The desert about 60 miles south of Mexicali was 100ºF at midday but dropped as wer neared the coast. It was never more than 86ºF during our days on
the island.
We arrived about 1:30pm Saturday and set up camp. Ken and Leidys arrived an hour later... and in another hour we spotted Art's motorhome about 2 miles
down the beach. Ken and I jumpen into the Tacoma to go help.
Road to Shell Island from Hwy. 5. It is less than 2 miles to the beach from the highway. Road is very sandy in a couple spots... 4WD best.
The useless (now) concrete bridge onto the island. Looking west across the mud flats that do go underwater at highest tides of the month. That 'road'
across the flats was once an elevated causeway with the bridge at the end... built in 1984 for a development that never came. Being a barrier island,
within the high tide federal zone, I doubt if anyone could 'own' it.
Ready to cross the deep sand.
Ken and Leidys arrive.
Art (edm1) and his 4WD motorhome... Letting air out of the tires is required for floatation... Even my Tacoma and Ken's Jeep had to deflate to 12 psi.
After some digging, and pouring buckets of sea water in front of the tires, Art drove out and with the tires deflated had floatation!
Our three camps, on the island... We mostly hung out at our camp and had nightly campfires there.
MUCH MORE TO COME.... STAY TUNED!
[Edited on 7-8-2010 by David K]
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Bob H
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5867
Registered: 8-19-2003
Location: San Diego
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Looks like a nice set up for a good time. I remember Surfer Jim standing on that useless concrete bridge (back in 2004?)
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surfer jim
Super Nomad
Posts: 1891
Registered: 8-29-2003
Location: high desert
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I was just looking at that photo and thinking...."That bridge is still there?"
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Curt63
Super Nomad
Posts: 1171
Registered: 3-28-2009
Location: San Diego, Ca.
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Mood: Fish tacos and Tecate
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Real nice! That sounds like a great short trip I'll be taking sometime this year. Great pics as usual.
I didn't know about the wetting the trail trick for getting out of deep sand. Thanks for that!
Cheers, Curt
No worries
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Iflyfish
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3747
Registered: 10-17-2006
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Looks like fun!! Thanks for sharing this side of Baja.
Iflyfish
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Part 2
The terns were still active with nesting on the island, as they were in May... With the global weather getting so much cooler, maybe they thought it
was May?
They are in the open, no nest other than the shells... and on the beach, just above the high tide line...
Mama
We went shell collecting while Art took a much needed nap. The young 'pre-flight' terns can be seen beyong the gull.
Ken 'got baja'... for Baja Jeepin'
MUCH MORE TO COME!
PART 3 of 3: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=46622
[Edited on 7-8-2010 by David K]
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Curt63
Real nice! That sounds like a great short trip I'll be taking sometime this year. Great pics as usual.
I didn't know about the wetting the trail trick for getting out of deep sand. Thanks for that!
Cheers, Curt |
Wet sand, like the stuff at low tide below the high tide line, is easy to drive on, even in 2WD... It is the deep, dry sea shell mix sand on Shell
Island that is 'bottomless'... Since the ocean was lapping at Art's van, water was available to pour in front of the tires to 'firm up' the sand to
get moving. Mind you, it was Art deflating the tires to 12 PSI that allowed them to 'float' rather than dig into the sand. The digging away of built
up sand and pouring sea water into the track made his monster truck just easier to get rolling.
Last New Year's I was thrilled when I first took my new Tacoma onto the beach at Bahia Santa Maria (just 2 miles south) WITHOUT letting any air out.
It was the new traction control system (automatic limited slip) that made the difference. However, on Shell Island with more shell pieces in the mix,
and a hotter July day... I began to struggle at 30 psi, and deflated to 12 psi... no more problem.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bob H
Looks like a nice set up for a good time. I remember Surfer Jim standing on that useless concrete bridge (back in 2004?) |
Prez Day Feb., 2004:
[Edited on 7-8-2010 by David K]
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edm1
Senior Nomad
Posts: 568
Registered: 8-23-2006
Location: Oak Hills, Ca
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Thank you David for posting the trip report and pics, and I'm grateful I'm a part of it!
Another memorable 4 wheeling and camping weekend, this time with 2 terrific couples - David K and Baja Angel - I'm getting addicted to them :-) and
Ken and Leidys Cooke. David and Baja Angel are one of the most hospitable, sharing, and thoughtful couples I've met, we pretty much spent the nights
around their campfire and days under their shade, eating and drinking their abundant food supplies! Ken and Leidys are a very sweet couple - I think
they're still in their honeymoon period :-) and I am amazed how fluent Ken speaks Spanish! I even learned a few words and sentences. Leidys' native
language is Spanish but she speaks enough good English, too.
I was there alone in my motorhome this time, but now that I have confidence driving on soft blow sand, I will bring my family (at least my wife, if
the kids couldn't make it) next time around, without scaring them stuck.
I'll say this sand is tougher to manage, at least for my motorhome, than the boulders through the Widowmaker :-)!
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edm1
Senior Nomad
Posts: 568
Registered: 8-23-2006
Location: Oak Hills, Ca
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" After some digging, and pouring buckets of sea water in front of the tires, Art drove out and with the tires deflated had floatation!
"
Well, David's oversimplifying it :-) LOL. It took us over an hour to get me out of there! Even with deflated tires, since my rear has fishtailed and
sanked into the waterline (scary, the tide was rising) I tried many times to climb up the sand berm away from the water, and dang heavy motorhome
couldn't climb like it does up the Widowmaker.
Well, finally David instructed me to go downhill towards the waterline (huh, even more scary, who wants to get stuck into the waves), so even if I
understood the logic of it and my brain was working, my steering muscles weren't cooperating; I kept steering *away* from the water :-) funny, until
after a few coaxing I finally dove down into a downhill momentum next to the waterline and then gradually drove back up over the sand berms.
Thank you Ken and David for coming to my rescue!
On fairly level sand, I found that the best combination was 4HI, 2nd gear, rear locker engaged, front locker open. Engaging the front locker was
needed when climbing.
[Edited on 7-8-2010 by edm1]
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viabaja
Nomad
Posts: 277
Registered: 10-6-2003
Location: Georgia
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Dave, nice pics. How was the weather?
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Ken Bondy
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3326
Registered: 12-13-2002
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Mood: Mellow
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Wonderful pictures and text David, thanks so much. I am living vicariously through you guys.
carpe diem!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by edm1
Thank you David for posting the trip report and pics, and I'm grateful I'm a part of it!
Another memorable 4 wheeling and camping weekend, this time with 2 terrific couples - David K and Baja Angel - I'm getting addicted to them :-) and
Ken and Leidys Cooke. David and Baja Angel are one of the most hospitable, sharing, and thoughtful couples I've met, we pretty much spent the nights
around their campfire and days under their shade, eating and drinking their abundant food supplies! Ken and Leidys are a very sweet couple - I think
they're still in their honeymoon period :-) and I am amazed how fluent Ken speaks Spanish! I even learned a few words and sentences. Leidys' native
language is Spanish but she speaks enough good English, too.
I was there alone in my motorhome this time, but now that I have confidence driving on soft blow sand, I will bring my family (at least my wife, if
the kids couldn't make it) next time around, without scaring them stuck.
I'll say this sand is tougher to manage, at least for my motorhome, than the boulders through the Widowmaker :-)! |
We also enjoy camping with you, Art... You are an amazing human with so much talent and knowledge. Thanks for the kind words!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by viabaja
Dave, nice pics. How was the weather? |
It was amazing... in the mid 80's during the day... even slightly cool at night... slept great! The water was perfect for swimming, but a bit rough in
front... We drove to the north end of the island, at the mouth of the Percebu lagoon to swim in calm water. It was only a quarter moon, so the lagoon
didn't fill up... otherwise we would have swam by our camp, on the lagoon side of the island.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Bondy
Wonderful pictures and text David, thanks so much. I am living vicariously through you guys. |
Thank you! Part 3 coming up... 
Here is PART 3: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=46622
[Edited on 7-8-2010 by David K]
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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Thanks DK for the pixs and report. Did anyone do any fishing?
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by TW
Thanks DK for the pixs and report. Did anyone do any fishing? |
No... Art had thought about it, but he needed rest more than fish. Maybe next time!
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edm1
Senior Nomad
Posts: 568
Registered: 8-23-2006
Location: Oak Hills, Ca
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| Quote: | Originally posted by whistler
David,looks like you had a great time.
Ken,the Jeep is lookin good!
edm1,looks like you got your shock problems figured out.I know you do most of your fabrication.What kind of equiptment do you have?
Speaking of fabricators,anybody hear from Gadget lately? |
Yes the Monroe shocks made for Freightliner (class 6 trucks) work great on my motorome, on or off pavement.
For fab equipment I have a 205AMP 4-in-1 chinese (Everlast) TIG welder-plasma cutter, plus of course those cheap Harborfreight tools and supplies that
work well for occasional use. The custom part that I fabbed and most proud of is the brake system upgrade I did for my Dana 60 front axle - the
massive Ford F450 14.5" rotors and calipers. Next of course, was fitting that Dana 60 under the van's stock cross member.
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edm1
Senior Nomad
Posts: 568
Registered: 8-23-2006
Location: Oak Hills, Ca
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| Quote: | Originally posted by whistler
edm1,you did a great job!People see the finish product and don't realize how much design and engineering time went into it.
You must have a pretty good compressor.I can't imagine doing the work you did without air tools.
Speaking of brakes,I just purchased a flaring kit and benders.I have to relocate brake lines.
What next?No fabricator is ever done! |
Thank you Whistler, I have a Craftsman 25gal 9CFM compressor, good enough for most air tools, including LVLP paint sprayers which I used for my own
primer/paint job on the motorhome, did it in my own backyard, believe it or not.
These fab projects are a money sink!
[Edited on 7-9-2010 by edm1]
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8946
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
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| Quote: | Originally posted by edm1
Another memorable 4 wheeling and camping weekend, this time with 2 terrific couples - David K and Baja Angel - I'm getting addicted to them :-) and
Ken and Leidys Cooke. David and Baja Angel are one of the most hospitable, sharing, and thoughtful couples I've met, we pretty much spent the nights
around their campfire and days under their shade, eating and drinking their abundant food supplies! Ken and Leidys are a very sweet couple - I think
they're still in their honeymoon period :-) and I am amazed how fluent Ken speaks Spanish! I even learned a few words and sentences. Leidys' native
language is Spanish but she speaks enough good English, too. |
Thank you for the compliments.
Leidys and I had a great time with you, David and Baja Angel on this trip. This was Leidys' and my first real vacation after our wedding, and we have
enjoyed every minute.
The Jeep has performed well, without any problems thus far. I was a bit concerned with the cooling system, but we made it out of the San Felipe
desert yesterday without even a hiccup, and into the cool air of the Pacific.
Leidys has enjoyed her first trip to Mexico. More to come from us soon as well.
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