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Pacifico
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Gonzaga to Chapala Improving!
I just returned from a trip down south and went through Gonzaga to Chapala. Going south, there was a lot of work going on and had to detour off of the
blacktop quite a bit. However, the good news was coming back north a week later; we only had to do a little bit of dirt near Highway 1 and the hills
where they are cutting through the mountain. Once we were on the blacktop, it was smooth sailing all the way to Gonzaga! It was our fastest trip yet
from Highway 1 to Rancho Grande; only 35 minutes! We were able to run on new asphalt the majority of the way!
I don't know if they have a new company doing it, but they are really making progress! Lots of work going on in several different sections... It might
just get completed yet!!! If they keep it up, it will be done in 2020! (fingers crossed)  
"Plan your life as if you are going to live forever. Live your life as if you are going to die tomorrow." - Carlos Fiesta
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JZ
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How many miles of dirt did you run do you think?
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Pacifico
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hmmmm….. hard to judge off the top of my head. I would guess 8 miles or so? The dirt we did run was in great shape and nicely graded. I was
surprised though, once we hit the asphalt we ran it all the way into Gonzaga! I think this changes daily depending on what they are working on. Some
of the road was only paved on 1 side, but we could still run it.
"Plan your life as if you are going to live forever. Live your life as if you are going to die tomorrow." - Carlos Fiesta
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David K
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Thanks Pacifico.
Did you use the new bypass or go past Coco's Corner?
Did you note any kilometer markers at the new points of interest?
Thank you.
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Pacifico
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Quote: Originally posted by David K  | Thanks Pacifico.
Did you use the new bypass or go past Coco's Corner?
Did you note any kilometer markers at the new points of interest?
Thank you. |
I used the new bypass...no longer have to go by Coco's. Sorry, no km markers noted. I'm sure some of the detours change day to day as they work on
different sections. But, a lot more paving has been completed!
"Plan your life as if you are going to live forever. Live your life as if you are going to die tomorrow." - Carlos Fiesta
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ehall
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Going to be tough to maintain with the violent flash floods they get off the mountains.
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BajaRun
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The llantera at Chapala is going to lose a lot of business
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David K
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Let us know when they begin replacing the 9 bridges washed out almost 1 year ago, south of Puertecitos. Also, the progress of the highway work north
of Puertecitos.
Thanks.
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Pacifico
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| Quote: Originally posted by David K | Let us know when they begin replacing the 9 bridges washed out almost 1 year ago, south of Puertecitos. Also, the progress of the highway work north
of Puertecitos.
Thanks. |
There were some improvements on that section too, David. I didn't count the number of detours, but there were less than before. That one big one that
went under the bridge was no longer there...if I remember right. 
"Plan your life as if you are going to live forever. Live your life as if you are going to die tomorrow." - Carlos Fiesta
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David K
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Thanks amigo!
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SoCalAl
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Thanks for the update.. Do you know how much of the road is asphalt from Gonzaga to Highway 1?
Ahh Baja.... Where you can hear yourself think & commingling with the locals will humble you.
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Pacifico
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My last experience (and I may have been very lucky), was that there was more pavement than dirt. It changes constantly depending what they are working
on and where they route you. I'm not sure I can answer your question mileage wise. Sorry...
"Plan your life as if you are going to live forever. Live your life as if you are going to die tomorrow." - Carlos Fiesta
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David K
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I was a passenger six months ago so no odometer notes, but the road was paved all the way across the Chapala Valley except for the mile beginning at
Hwy. 1. I imagine they left that dirt so people on Hwy. 1 don't get the impression it is paved all the way to San Felipe, yet.
There were about 9 unpaved miles through the canyon and to Las Arrastras where the older road via Coco's Corner branches off.
New paving was ready to be applied or was and we couldn't yet drive on it from Las Arrastras north to the detour at Km. 168.5. That was about 5 miles.
Total unpaved distance today is probably between 10-15 miles of the 32-33 new highway miles from Gonzaga to Chapala... or 35 miles if via Coco's
Corner.
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Ron in BC
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That's good news. Last Feb. 3 newbies tagged along and we took Mex 5 just after all the damage happened. They weren't impressed with road
conditions. But I had warned them pretty clearly so, tough, that's the way it worked out. 
Fortunately fiberglass trailers are a bit more tolerant of the rock and roll of rough roads. But, unless I saw posts like this one start happening, I
was thinking that I'd be using Mex 1 this coming Feb.
Ron
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Pacifico
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I'll be on it tomorrow...I'll give an update soon!
"Plan your life as if you are going to live forever. Live your life as if you are going to die tomorrow." - Carlos Fiesta
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Ron in BC
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I'll appreciate that, thanks.
Ron
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Tioloco
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As of today, 1 mile of dirt from Chapala to the new asphalt, then 4.5 miles of dirt thru the mountain. Fastest trip ever for me.
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David K
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| Quote: Originally posted by Tioloco | | As of today, 1 mile of dirt from Chapala to the new asphalt, then 4.5 miles of dirt thru the mountain. Fastest trip ever for me.
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Amazing, so after the 4.5 miles you can stay on pavement all the way to Gonzaga Bay?
5.5 total unpaved miles of the ~33 miles from Chapala to Gonzaga?
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Tioloco
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DavidK- Yes
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Pacifico
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| Quote: Originally posted by Tioloco | | As of today, 1 mile of dirt from Chapala to the new asphalt, then 4.5 miles of dirt thru the mountain. Fastest trip ever for me.
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Just got back from Baja. This info is spot on!
"Plan your life as if you are going to live forever. Live your life as if you are going to die tomorrow." - Carlos Fiesta
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