David K
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Location: San Diego County
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El Rosario & Sidetrips 11/04 (Part 4, Old way to Punta San Carlos)
Saturday, Nov. 27, 2004: Antonio needed to install the motel's new high water pressure system (with his crew), so I went out alone for this day's
expedition.
Baja Cactus will soon have 50 psi at the shower instead of the pila's 8 psi. The new rooms have such wonderful big showers (room for 2 or more!), that
they couldn't be appreciated without the water pressure we take for granted at home.
My destination for today was to take the old road southeast from El Rosario towards Punta San Carlos. Baja Almanac Map 15, see Canada San Fernando...
so named as it was the route to & from Mision San Fernando to Mision Rosario that the Camino Real used.
At the sharp curve in Hwy. 1 (by Mama Espinoza's) set odometer to 0.0 and go on the dirt street west (that goes to La Bocana and Punta Baja).
Very soon you come to a fork, go left, across the Rosario river. On the south side of the river, go left (east) this is 0.3 mi. from Hwy. 1.
Continue east to Mile 1.6 where you will turn right (south) and head up Canada San Fernando which is extensively farmed. GPS at the right turn:
30-03.45', 115-42.40' elev. 158' (NAD27 Mex.). The 'through' road seems to stay to the left edge of the farmed canyon floor. You will pass a lot of
smelly dumped sea urchins and other shell fish remains.
At mile 3.7, the main road turns sharp right and snakes around the base of a mud hill, climbs up it, joins with another road that was going along the
right edge of the canyon and crosses a cattle gaurd at Mile 3.8. GPS at the gaurd is 30-02.42', 115-41.09' elev. 336'. A truck frame is just past the
gaurd.
Mile 6.2 is an important fork, heaviest travel goes right from farm traffic. GO straight/left.
Mile 10.2, reach the summit of Sierra La Sierrita, with a view to the south. GPS: 30-00.35', 115-35.90' elev.1,535'. Long easy down grade to the
valley below. (Photo below from here)
Mile14.3, junction with the newer Punta San Carlos graded road at 29-57.36', 115-34.21' elev. 709'. Punta San Carlos is about 30 miles south and
Highway One is 6.0 miles north (at km. 80+).
To Be Continued (The Camino Real discovery)
[Edited on 12-2-2004 by David K]
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64525
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Yah that would be a good detour... 2WD is okay, but no low cars.
Paulina has got the best story on the time she ran that road block! P, you out there?
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academicanarchist
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Nice color
The photo you posted here has nice blue color in the sky.
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academicanarchist
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My Recent Side Trip
I was in San Antonio on Monday and Wednesday of this week on business, but on Tuesday took a quick trip into northern Mexico with a friend. We visited
the ruins of San Bernardo mission, which is located near the Rio Grande River in northern Coahuila between Piedras Negras and Nuevo Laredo. The
Franciscans established the mission in 1702, and the ruins are of a church started around 1760, but that was never completed. San Bernardo dates to
the same time as the first Jesuit missions in Baja California.
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academicanarchist
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My side trip2
In 1700, the Spanish established San Juan Bautista presidio, that protected San Bernardo mission and a second also named San Juan Bautista. A third
mission established in the area, San Francisco Solano, was later transferred to the San Antonio River in Texas, and became the Alamo. The town of
Guerrero, Coahuila, now occupies the site of the presidio, but there are ruins from the presidio complex still preserved in the town.
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academicanarchist
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Second photo of the ruins of San Juan Bautista Presidio
This is a second photo of the ruins of the presidio still preserved in Guerrero, Coahuila.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64525
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Thank you Robert... the sky looks blue because it was in that photo... overcast in the others (grey).
Nice mission pics!
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