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wilderone
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3778
Registered: 2-9-2004
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Mex. 1 in deteriorated condition - potholes OMG
Traveled March 11, returned March 23. Never seen Mex. 1 in such bad condition. There is new paving just north and ending at Guayaquil (north of
Catavina); but thereafter - until Baja Sur (south of Guerrero Negro) -- there are seriously numerous, large and deep potholes, along with deteriorated
bumpy pavement. There are a couple newly paved stretches - possibly the plan is to repave all of it, and in the intervening 12 days of my trip, there
were some potholes filled near Catavina (a drop in the bucket). A couple are so large and wide, you can't go around or skim over - I braked hard to
avoid driving into one and was almost rear-ended. Another incident, a huge semi truck was behind me wanting to pass, but potholes abounded and I
couldn't slow down or stop or pull over because the truck was on my bumper - had to swerve around potholes as he attempted to start passing me.
Really very dangerous. On the plus side, the traffic is relatively light, and the truck traffic almost decimated, which allowed me to drive 35-40 mph
to get past and swerve around or drive down the middle of the lanes to avoid the worst sections. Hundreds of miles of this. Also, the pavement is
gone in the two large dips near Catavina that usually wash out - these sections seem to be undergoing a major rebuilding - maybe a bridge is planned.
I actually saw no construction work being done at all in all of Baja norte, so will be slow to improve I think.
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Cappy
Nomad
Posts: 146
Registered: 6-4-2012
Location: Rancho Aguja
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Thank you for the report. On my way next few weeks
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toronja
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Posts: 134
Registered: 2-1-2015
Location: Eugene, OR
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Ooooof. Thanks for the update. We really wanted to visit friends in Ensenada on our way north, but sounds like Mex 5 is a comparative cakewalk right
now.
[Edited on 3-26-2018 by toronja]
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tobias
Nomad
Posts: 188
Registered: 1-10-2014
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Heading back that way soon.
Below the 5 a few months ago it was brutal. Hope its not much worse
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Bob and Susan
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8802
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
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Mood: Full Time Residents
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talked to someone that used mex5 yesterday///
he said the dirt part is REALLY BAD
23 miles of bad road
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64480
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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You guys would have freaked if you drove it around 1980-1984! The same area as today, only worse... It is just far from cities so no 'important'
people complained!!! We didn't have a Hwy. 5 option either as it took 5 hours just to drive the 45 miles from Gonzaga to Puertecitos then (in 4WD)!
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English bob
Newbie
Posts: 8
Registered: 9-15-2017
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Thanks for this...we leave to go north April 4th
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rts551
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6699
Registered: 9-5-2003
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Quote: Originally posted by David K  | | You guys would have freaked if you drove it around 1980-1984! The same area as today, only worse... It is just far from cities so no 'important'
people complained!!! We didn't have a Hwy. 5 option either as it took 5 hours just to drive the 45 miles from Gonzaga to Puertecitos then (in 4WD)!
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No David...The potholes are worse now because they are much deeper. Truck traffic I assume. The deteriorated road in the 80's did not eat wheels and
suspensions like these do...Just made us go slow.
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rts551
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6699
Registered: 9-5-2003
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Someone just reported over on TalkBaja of seeing paving machines on 5. Don't know if it is true or not but I will be going through there in another
week.
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willardguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6451
Registered: 9-19-2009
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| Quote: Originally posted by David K | | You guys would have freaked if you drove it around 1980-1984! The same area as today, only worse... It is just far from cities so no 'important'
people complained!!! We didn't have a Hwy. 5 option either as it took 5 hours just to drive the 45 miles from Gonzaga to Puertecitos then (in 4WD)!
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lol.....
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64480
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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It all depends when you drive it compared to when a crew was filling it with dirt or blacktop as to how deep they are. I remember areas around Punta
Prieta with sections like or worse than the first 25 miles to Punta Abreojos was in 2017 and in 2016 on my previous trip! Just got to go slow! The
Tortugas/ Asuncion road was bad in section in 2012. It may be based around elections, too?
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basautter
Senior Nomad
Posts: 862
Registered: 7-1-2013
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Good to know. I am heading through next month. Thanks for the report.
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bajadogs
Super Nomad
Posts: 1058
Registered: 8-28-2006
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I just drove this both directions. Heading south past El Rosario expect the nasty potholes to start abruptly at KM 145 and expect it way beyond
Catavina. It is bad through Cataviña and getting worse. One horrible pothole in an arroyo just north of Sara Maria the size of a hot tub. Lots of
cattle. DO NOT consider driving at night.
[Edited on 3-27-2018 by bajadogs]
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elgatoloco
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4323
Registered: 11-19-2002
Location: Yes
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Drove down the 18th as far as Sierra San Francisco and then a 12 hour run back up yesterday. Its as bad as advertised and as bad as its been in places
for a long time. Most of the road is a-ok its just where its bad its bad. I drive an F-250 with BFG's & Bilstiens so it wasn't as bad for me.  There were a LOT of passenger type vehicles and trucks pulling 5th wheels
slowing down to a stop at some of the big ones including the hot tub. The swerve game was in full mode. It seemed that everyone with a tent was loaded
up and heading south for a warm beach some where. It made it hard to pass and you had to be extra vigilant when using the other lane to avoid some of
the holes. Semana Santa is in full swing. YMMV. 
MAGA
Making Attorneys Get Attorneys
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billklaser
Nomad
Posts: 142
Registered: 3-31-2011
Location: Loreto, Lopez Mateos
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Driving to Loreto tomorrow. With current conditions I recommend to slow down. I noticed on my last trip in Jan. small cars seem to be traveling the
fastest. They will suffer more damage when hitting the deep " Baches", Just take more time slow down.
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bkbend
Senior Nomad
Posts: 693
Registered: 11-27-2003
Location: central OR or central baja
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| Quote: Originally posted by bajadogs | I just drove this both directions. Heading south past El Rosario expect the nasty potholes to start abruptly at KM 145 and expect it way beyond
Catavina. It is bad through Cataviña and getting worse. One horrible pothole in an arroyo just north of Sara Maria the size of a hot tub. Lots of
cattle. DO NOT consider driving at night.
[Edited on 3-27-2018 by bajadogs] |
I'll second the cattle hazard. We drove from Bahia de los Angeles to Loreto and back last week and saw much more cattle than usual munching right at
the roadside. When you are in pothole dodging mode the cows seem to pop up out of nowhere.
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BajaGringo
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3882
Registered: 8-24-2006
Location: La Chorera
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Mood: Let's have a BBQ!
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Gotta love the Mexican meme response to everything down here...
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StuckSucks
Super Nomad
Posts: 2306
Registered: 10-17-2013
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Not quite sure what all the pothole hysteria is all about. I drove thru there twice in November -- we saw these guys working on Highway 1, maybe 6-8
miles north of the Bay of LA turnoff. And yes, a great place to pass.
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micah202
Super Nomad
Posts: 1615
Registered: 1-19-2011
Location: vancouver,BC
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| Quote: Originally posted by David K | | You guys would have freaked if you drove it around 1980-1984! The same area as today, only worse... It is just far from cities so no 'important'
people complained!!! We didn't have a Hwy. 5 option either as it took 5 hours just to drive the 45 miles from Gonzaga to Puertecitos then (in 4WD)!
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Yah, I remember that,, GF and I did it in a 2wd dodge van,,hadn't seen anything like that road in my life before. Or since! <;~O. We saw
'Peurtocitos Highway' on the roadmap,, looked like a bit of a scenic shortcut. Little did we know it would be 3-4 daze before finding highway one
again.
I remember many miles on intense washboard, then driving along a cliff edge, broken cars abandoned, maneuvering around boulders on what was left of
the road. Then there was a very large arroyo, down, down, sand getting softer, knowing we'd be totally stuck if we stopped.... then saw a break in the
road!  . Locals were great,,, came along, pulled us out, and refused our peso
offerings of gratitude.
Baja 'adventurers' today are a rather different bunch. <;~/
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micah202
Super Nomad
Posts: 1615
Registered: 1-19-2011
Location: vancouver,BC
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Did the whole stretch from Rosarito N to El Rosario at night, with a stop in Guerro Negro with Shari and the grays the day between.
I found the night driving all right, just wait for someone slow, and follow in behind. There's little traffic, darkness and headlights give good
warning of oncoming traffic., lights and the vehicle ahead highlight the potholes, and the only cows to worry about are the kamikaze jumpers. You
'just' need a night driving mentality, and some Ativan if there's a wife onboard. <;~l
[Edited on 3-27-2018 by micah202]
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