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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64523
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Yah, where is the soil compactor they usually roll up and down those berms? 
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freediverbrian
Senior Nomad
Posts: 617
Registered: 2-24-2007
Location: Papas Gonzaga Bay
Member Is Offline
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In the picture the road is not completed, most of the road is very good, high speed , my only complate is the road cuts Thur the mountains are not
very wide and the rocks some big fall on the road. Very dangerous.
[Edited on 3-1-2013 by freediverbrian]
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BAJACAT
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2902
Registered: 11-21-2005
Location: NATIONAL CITY, CA
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"I SURVIVE PUERTECITOS-GONZAGA ROAD" SHIRTS are in order,I also have the honor of using the old road, I have 2 crak teeth to prove it.
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dizzyspots
Senior Nomad
Posts: 603
Registered: 9-22-2008
Location: Mescal AZ
Member Is Offline
Mood: rather be on the beach at Gonzaga
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2 please both 2X ! 1st trip 2007 brand new FJ I know I know...amongst the legions of Mads...i remain a rookie
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DianaT
Select Nomad
Posts: 10020
Registered: 12-17-2004
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As of today, the bridge has a top, but not completed or connected to the pavement, so the traffic is diverted around to the back of the mountain and
then up to connect with that great pavement.
Road from Highway 1 to Gonzaga is rocky, bumpy with some surprise holes and interrupted in some places by a quite smooth road. From Highway 1, it is
40 +/- miles to pavement.
We and one other traveler were stopped before it climbs into the hills by a pilot truck and had to wait about 20 minutes for three HUGE over-sized
trucks and he was correct---we could have not passed them in the hills. Later, I have a picture of the trucks. The first one was the largest with a
monster piece of some type of equipment for the mines in Santa Rosalia. I just cringed at picturing them passing the RV caravan we saw and picturing
them going down the mountain into Santa Rosalia!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64523
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Thank you for the update!
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rts551
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6699
Registered: 9-5-2003
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Thanks for the report Diana but no GPS waypoints or maps? Wonder why the heavy equipment are using that route? Think I will go that way next trip.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64523
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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From Mexicali or the mainland trucks, using Hwy. 5 to get to Baja Sur saves hundreds of miles and many extra hours vs. going to Hwy. 1 from Mexicali.
The Mexicali-San Felipe corridor is already 1/3 4 lanes wide and 1/3+ new, wider 2 lane highway... with the remaining soon to be completed.
San Felipe to Puertecitos corridor is the issue... old style, slow narrow highway with steep dips...
Puertecitos to (almost) Gonzaga Bay is new, wide, fast highway... as will be the final 38 miles from the new bridge to Laguna Chapala.
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willardguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6451
Registered: 9-19-2009
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I have seen these monstrous pieces of equipment rumbling thru coco's and gotta say it looks like quite a feat for these truck drivers. wonder why they
dont put em on a boat and ship em across? 
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rts551
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6699
Registered: 9-5-2003
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
From Mexicali or the mainland trucks, using Hwy. 5 to get to Baja Sur saves hundreds of miles and many extra hours vs. going to Hwy. 1 from Mexicali.
The Mexicali-San Felipe corridor is already 1/3 4 lanes wide and 1/3+ new, wider 2 lane highway... with the remaining soon to be completed.
San Felipe to Puertecitos corridor is the issue... old style, slow narrow highway with steep dips...
Puertecitos to (almost) Gonzaga Bay is new, wide, fast highway... as will be the final 38 miles from the new bridge to Laguna Chapala.
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I know all that David, since it is one of my favorite routes to and from Aeizona. But the section from Gonzaga to Chapala has to be rough on them.
You been that way RECENTLY.
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DianaT
Select Nomad
Posts: 10020
Registered: 12-17-2004
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| Quote: | Originally posted by rts551
Thanks for the report Diana but no GPS waypoints or maps? Wonder why the heavy equipment are using that route? Think I will go that way next trip.
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My GPS has a very dead battery and is just waiting for me to decide which local I want to have it (with new batteries).. We think that too much GPS
destroys the sense of adventure and discovery. 
You wanted a map? OK
On the dirt those trucks, especially the lead truck, were crawling along that dirt. As they crawled down that last little hill, but went just far
enough past where we and the other vehicle were pulled way off the road, and they stopped. They looked very exhausted from driving through those
hills and frankly, there are places I really wondered how they got through. But at least, there was not much in the way of on coming traffic.
I just hope they and everyone else along the main highway made it OK!
[Edited on 3-4-2013 by DianaT]
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rts551
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6699
Registered: 9-5-2003
Member Is Offline
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wow Diane. Nice current, first hand report!
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J.P.
Super Nomad
Posts: 1673
Registered: 7-8-2010
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
Mood: Easy Does It
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WOW
Those pictures shure Kill the argument for high clearance 4 wheel drive vehicles to travel that road,
[Edited on 3-4-2013 by J.P.]
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DianaT
Select Nomad
Posts: 10020
Registered: 12-17-2004
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by J.P.
WOW
Those pictures shure Kill the argument for high clearence 4 wheel drive vehicles to travel that road, |
No, one does not need a high clearance 4 x 4 for that road. It is rocky and bumpy through the hills --- just need to avoid the holes, the places
where the road is crumbling on the side, and some of the bigger rocks on the road. The people who were stopped with us said they met someone who had
taken their fifth wheel trailer over the road. Not sure I would want to do that, but they made it just fine. With our Subaru, we just drove rather
slowly.
[Edited on 3-4-2013 by DianaT]
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micah202
Super Nomad
Posts: 1615
Registered: 1-19-2011
Location: vancouver,BC
Member Is Offline
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....funny thing,,,,,~3 weeks ago when my son and I arrived at the area of 'end-of-road' daveK's picture,,,the dirt mound wasn't fully in place,,,no
signage for a detour,,,detour road not very visible,,,,,,,,,,,,2 workers not fully paying attention,,,,but then -thankfully- motioned for us to take
the detour rather than carrying on at highway speed!!
....I reallydo -love- baja for things like this!!!
[Edited on 3-4-2013 by micah202]
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J.P.
Super Nomad
Posts: 1673
Registered: 7-8-2010
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
Mood: Easy Does It
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DianaT
| Quote: | Originally posted by J.P.
WOW
Those pictures shure Kill the argument for high clearence 4 wheel drive vehicles to travel that road, |
No, one does not need a high clearance 4 x 4 for that road. It is rocky and bumpy through the hills --- just need to avoid the holes, the places
where the road is crumbling on the side, and some of the bigger rocks on the road. The people who were stopped with us said they met someone who had
taken their fifth wheel trailer over the road. Not sure I would want to do that, but they made it just fine. With our Subaru, we just drove rather
slowly.
We had a 98 Subaru that we used to travel Baja in It never let us down. When I sold it it had almost 300 thou. mi. on it and i still see it around
ever once in a while. |
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rts551
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6699
Registered: 9-5-2003
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DianaT
| Quote: | Originally posted by J.P.
WOW
Those pictures shure Kill the argument for high clearence 4 wheel drive vehicles to travel that road, |
No, one does not need a high clearance 4 x 4 for that road. It is rocky and bumpy through the hills --- just need to avoid the holes, the places
where the road is crumbling on the side, and some of the bigger rocks on the road. The people who were stopped with us said they met someone who had
taken their fifth wheel trailer over the road. Not sure I would want to do that, but they made it just fine. With our Subaru, we just drove rather
slowly.
[Edited on 3-4-2013 by DianaT] |
But it sure makes you feel important when you say its a special road and only 4x4 high clearance need apply.
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tripledigitken
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4848
Registered: 9-27-2006
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by rts551
But it sure makes you feel important when you say its a special road and only 4x4 high clearance need apply. |
It does, until you get a flat in your 4x4, and a local driving a Toyota Tercel stops and helps you change the tire.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64523
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by J.P.
WOW
Those pictures shure Kill the argument for high clearance 4 wheel drive vehicles to travel that road,
[Edited on 3-4-2013 by J.P.] |
Not sure what was edited, but so all newbies to Nomad are clear... it was before 1986 when you needed such a vehicle, except if there was a flash
flood washout after then.
In 1986, the Mexican government replaced the 'jeep trail' between Puertecitos and Gonzaga Bay with a graded dirt highway... Now, that dirt highway
wasn't maintained after 2005 and it got really rough and slow to drive, but high ground clearance and 4WD was still not needed. 2007 saw the start of
the newer paved highway heading south to Gonzaga... at about 6 miles a year progress.
From the south, in 1983 a graded dirt highwaty was built from Laguna Chapala to Puerto Calamajue and where Coco's Corner would eventually be, you
could turn north to Gonzaga Bay... and it was not too difficult to drive in 2WD, from Hwy. 1. By ~1987, the new graded road from Puertecitos reached
the Coco's Corner intersection completing the government grading of Mex. 5.
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DianaT
Select Nomad
Posts: 10020
Registered: 12-17-2004
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by tripledigitken
| Quote: | Originally posted by rts551
But it sure makes you feel important when you say its a special road and only 4x4 high clearance need apply. |
It does, until you get a flat in your 4x4, and a local driving a Toyota Tercel stops and helps you change the tire.
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