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Ateo
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La Fonda Weekend and Popotla
A friend was trying to convince me to take him to Baja for the swell that was about to arrive. He had only been to Cabo where he got extorted, chased
out of the surf lineup by a grumpy local and was almost forced by an MS13 gang member to purchase marijuana before having to be escorted out of the
bar by local police. I kept telling him he needed to try Baja again.
I checked with the wife and she said, "Let's go!" Then at the last minute my buddy called and said that he couldn't go because his US insurance had
lapsed and the Mexican insurance website was asking for a US policy number. Oh well, next time......
Too much info right?
We booked a room at La Fonda after trying a last minute Gaviota rental.
We ended up bringing my sons friend. It was his first trip to Baja. Unfortunately this meant we couldn't do Sentri on the way back!!!!
Poco Cielo for a great dinner and we called it a night!
Giving these bikers some room:
We headed to Popotla for lunch. Mariscos Juquila was where we ate. I can't say much because all I had was a shrimp quesadilla. The wife did have
some excellent bacon wrapped shrimp.
The locals were partying it up on the beach at 11AM and it was a swell time.
I needed to surf, so we bailed the restaurant and headed for a beach.
[Edited on 1-25-2014 by Ateo]
[Edited on 1-26-2014 by Ateo]
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bajario
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We did the same last year when we returned from Scorp with some friends in tow. Told them next time they're on there own. We'll never cross w/o our
Sentri again. Nice report.
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Whale-ista
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Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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wow, great beach photos. I had heard surf is up this weekend. this reminds me I need to slow my roll btwn TJ/ensenada and check out these places. I
tend to overlook them as I get in the "final lap: heading home" mindset.
Have u tried ReadiLanes on Otay? The corridor 2000 was empty Tues night, and I made it from Popotla/Otay very easily. But I approached at night
Tuesday and missed the Readylane entrance. Had I been in that lane it woud have been zero wait time at 9 pm, instead it was 30 minutes. not bad, but
wish I knew approach secrets for readilanes.
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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Ateo
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Whale-ista
wow, great beach photos. I had heard surf is up this weekend. this reminds me I need to slow my roll btwn TJ/ensenada and check out these places. I
tend to overlook them as I get in the "final lap: heading home" mindset.
Have u tried ReadiLanes on Otay? The corridor 2000 was empty Tues night, and I made it from Popotla/Otay very easily. But I approached at night
Tuesday and missed the Readylane entrance. Had I been in that lane it woud have been zero wait time at 9 pm, instead it was 30 minutes. not bad, but
wish I knew approach secrets for readilanes. |
Yeah, Ready Lane at Otay is my preferred route, when I can't do Sentri.
Yeah, check out Popotla next time. It's something I always passed as well, but there's a reason it's always packed. To get to the Otay Ready Lane
from the 2000 just pass the right turn that says "Border/USA" and head up a few blocks. Then make a right. Go straight till the next street and make
another right and you're in the Ready Lane. Clear as mud?
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Whale-ista
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Location: San Diego
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Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Ateo
| Quote: | Originally posted by Whale-ista
wow, great beach photos. I had heard surf is up this weekend. this reminds me I need to slow my roll btwn TJ/ensenada and check out these places. I
tend to overlook them as I get in the "final lap: heading home" mindset.
...
Yeah, Ready Lane at Otay is my preferred route, when I can't do Sentri.
Yeah, check out Popotla next time. It's something I always passed as well, but there's a reason it's always packed. To get to the Otay Ready Lane
from the 2000 just pass the right turn that says "Border/USA" and head up a few blocks. Then make a right. Go straight till the next street and make
another right and you're in the Ready Lane. Clear as mud? |
kinda like Tecate for FMM office; right, right, right... I will try this next time. thank you |
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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bajadock
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Complete Otay reg, ready and sentri instructions
And very nice trip report Ateo. There is plenty to explore in the TJ-'Nada stretch that many people miss. Your photos capture lots of that fun and
the fishies.
CHEERS
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Ateo
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Thanks for the directions bajadock! That map in stellar.
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Terry28
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Ateo,
We got back from Las Gaviotas last night...4-7 ft, no wind and only 6 guys in the water mid week....sweet....30 minute ready lane wait yesterday
Be careful at Popotla...one of the best places to get your car stolen...
Mexico!! Where two can live as cheaply as one.....but it costs twice as much.....
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Ateo
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Terry28
Ateo,
We got back from Las Gaviotas last night...4-7 ft, no wind and only 6 guys in the water mid week....sweet....30 minute ready lane wait yesterday
Be careful at Popotla...one of the best places to get your car stolen... |
You scored! Regarding Popotla: I had a feeling when I parked my truck that something could happen. The vehicle was kind of far away and secluded.
Same feeling as in the old days when parking at Baja Malibu. Never got broken into though - only break in was across the street from La Mision Hotel
just north of La Fonda on the free road, in broad daylight.
But, while walking back from lunch, there were 2 police officers guarding the cars. Who knows what they were up to, but they helped me back out in
that tight alley that straddles Fox Studios!
Next time I will drive down to the beach and park.
[Edited on 1-26-2014 by Ateo]
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woody with a view
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back in the day (1980?) we used to park under the "monument" and walk in to Popotla. the boys told me it meant "beach" in Nahuatl so that is what it
is....
foto #2 is classic, just don't inhale, it's bad form in front of the kids....
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Ateo
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tokin' off a toothpick!!
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Whale-ista
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Location: San Diego
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Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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Thank you for map/photos bajadoc.
(apolgies to Ateo for hijacking his Popotla trip report)
Just to be clear: you have to enter the ready lanes from the west? Which means do not take that 1st turn as indicated, from ave industrial, but go to
the next right turn?
If so, I'm not seeing signs to make that right turn for ready lanes in your photos. Do they exist? Or should I be looking for some other landmark?
Also, what are considered rush hours at Otay?
Thank you again.
[Edited on 1-26-2014 by Whale-ista]
[Edited on 1-26-2014 by Whale-ista]
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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Hook
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This whole map and route is very valuable info for you Baja guys. Too valuable to be buried in a trip report. Some should post it in a new thread for
future searching ease.
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bajadock
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Whale-ista,
Your "just to be clear" statement is correct.
The big blue mariscos restaurant, "Marcisos Negro Durazo"(photo 2 with the Coca Cola sign) is the landmark for your turn east into Otay Ready lanes.
Humboldt is the name of the street. Yeah, signage in Mexico???
Hook, I'm not a serial poster, but I'll ponder your good suggestion.
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BajaBlanca
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We don't have sentry passes as we head north once, maybe twice a year at the most BUT those of our friends that do usually take the sentry across and
have their guests meet them there after walking across.
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willardguy
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im curious about the tj ready lanes. are you saying all the east lanes are now closed?
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desertcpl
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Thanks for sharing,,very nice photos
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Ateo
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| Quote: | Originally posted by willardguy
im curious about the tj ready lanes. are you saying all the east lanes are now closed? |
I'm saying the eastern Ready lanes were closed. The ones that start over by the two towers. Alfonso Reyes is the cross street (?) Don't know the
street names.
EDIT: My wife is saying that they were closed because of the MLK holiday. I don't know if I believe her but that's what she's telling me the vendor
guy said. I wasn't listening.
Here's the lane:
[Edited on 1-26-2014 by Ateo]
[Edited on 1-26-2014 by Ateo]
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Ateo
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BajaBlanca
We don't have sentry passes as we head north once, maybe twice a year at the most BUT those of our friends that do usually take the sentry across and
have their guests meet them there after walking across. |
I've heard people say this but some part of me thinks it's rude to cross and tell your friend to get out and get in line. =) Then you still have to
sit there waiting for them for another hour or two. I figured let's all wait together. Plus the non sentri person with us was a first time to Baja
13 year old. =)
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yellowklr
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just crossed the border at SY the ready lanes WERE open today…..
I was in the sentri but the ready lanes were just to my left
Derek
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