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HeyMulegeScott
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Location: Orygone/Mulege
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Back to Baja
We are headed back to Mulege next month in our 36ft RV towing our Jeep. I kind of hate going through Ensenada but don't want to do Highway 5. Maybe
next year.
We haven't been to Bahia de Los Angeles yet and definitely want to check it out. Does anyone know if La Gringa is accessible for an RV? iOverlander
seems to say yes - http://app.ioverlander.com/places/203-la-gringa
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Tioloco
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Easily accessible by RV
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HeyMulegeScott
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Thanks Tioloco. Nice spot?
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David K
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Do you really want that cross-city Ensenada nightmare and all those farm towns with slow traffic over a few dirt detours? There is only about 6 miles
unpaved now, south of Gonzaga. I would rather dive slowly in the open desert than on crowded streets! Whatever you do, have a great trip!!!
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Tioloco
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It is a nice relaxing little town. Amazing views!
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David K
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La Gringa is popular with people who tow small boats down as they are easy to launch there over the gravel. There is also a white sand beach nearby
(before the gravel berm begins that people usually park on).
There is no town there and it is a mile beyond the end of the pavement! The town is 7 miles away.
Look on Google Earth to see how it is laid out... https://earth.google.com/web/@29.03726513,-113.54235293,-0.7...
[Edited on 10-17-2019 by David K]
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HeyMulegeScott
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Quote: Originally posted by David K  |
La Gringa is popular with people who tow small boats down as they are easy to launch there over the gravel. There is also a white sand beach nearby
(before the gravel berm begins that people usually park on).
There is no town there and it is a mile beyond the end of the pavement! The town is 7 miles away.
Look on Google Earth to see how it is laid out... https://earth.google.com/web/@29.03726513,-113.54235293,-0.7...
[Edited on 10-17-2019 by David K] |
Thanks, David. Maybe we will stay at Daggett's first and check it out?
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mtgoat666
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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| Quote: Originally posted by David K | | Do you really want that cross-city Ensenada nightmare and all those farm towns with slow traffic over a few dirt detours? There is only about 6 miles
unpaved now, south of Gonzaga. I would rather dive slowly in the open desert than on crowded streets! Whatever you do, have a great trip!!!
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I prefer hwy 1.
I dont think ensenada traffic is a “nightmare”. Ensenada drive is fun, i always spot a new store or restaurant to try.
San q traffic is not bad, it is a brief delay.
The scenery on 1 is better than 5
The weather is cooler on 1.
Best of all, the 1 route has catavina.
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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Alm
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Yes. $7 per person won't break your bank.
The town of BOLA is a dusty town that is nothing special in itself. It's surrounding waters that make it attractive - if you bring a boat or a kayak.
The town is hugging the coast for 20 miles or more but all stores, services, fresh water etc are in a 3-mile stretch of downtown.
With 36ft rig your best bet is Daggets. Otherwise I would stay in Archelon.
Ensenada is not a nightmare. Just be there in daytime so that you won't miss 1) left fork to Ensenada vs right fork to the port, and then 2) in
downtown - left turn to Hwy 1 and then after a few blocks - right turn to Hwy 1 again. It is a regular street at that point, and does NOT look like a
highway. There is a sign, but you know Mexican signs... Until you get to step 2, just follow signs to Zona Turista or El Centro.
No worries, it's not as bad as it sounds. You'll be on a paved road all the time and will enjoy nice desert scenery.
[Edited on 10-18-2019 by Alm]
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JZ
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I vote for Hwy 5. Less stressful. A lot less traffic. A lot less stop and go. Avoids the most curvy / mountainous parts of Hwy 1.
Bahia de Los Angeles is awesome. Lots of places down there for an RV. I'd go somewhere easy first. Drive around in the jeep until you find your
favorite spot(s).
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David K
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If you are in a motorhome towing a Jeep, ANY city traffic can be a nightmare. Ensenada has grown a lot and the main street is full of big holes
driving to Maneadero ( 8 mos. ago). The view of the Enchanted Islands sure beats a lot of other highway views in Baja. Just want you to have the best
time.
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JZ
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How long are you going to be in BoLA? We can help you map out some good day excursions in the Jeep.
Here is one. Out to Bahia Las Animas. About 37 miles from town. Easy drive, very nice bay.
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HeyMulegeScott
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| Quote: Originally posted by JZ | How long are you going to be in BoLA? We can help you map out some good day excursions in the Jeep.
Here is one. Out to Bahia Las Animas. About 37 miles from town. Easy drive, very nice bay.
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That looks interesting. We are pretty flexible in our plans maybe a week or so depending on how we like it and the weather. Thanks for the ideas.
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JZ
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Here is another. Part of the Window Rock trail. Go back out the hwy about 14 miles, then cut up through the lake bed about 15 miles. Turn towards
the Sea of Cortez - 10 miles to the West. A really nice beach, bay up there. Easy drive in a jeep.
You can't go East out to MX 1 (single track) or South down from the bay, need to have a bike and be a good rider. Great 80 mile r/t day excursion.
50-60 miles of it are super easy, fast running.
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Lee
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Don't let anyone scare you off 1 through Ensenada. Understand how it would seem like a nightmare to tourists. The rest of us know the drive is
fine. Stop/go, heavy traffic usually around rush hour.
I go N/S early Sundays. Just not a problem.
Never taken 5 and probably never will. I like to stay and eat at Jardines.
I've driven 1 in an RV many times. No big deal.
US Marines: providing enemies of America an opportunity to die for their country since 1775.
What I say before any important decision.
F*ck it.
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JZ
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| Quote: Originally posted by Lee | Don't let anyone scare you off 1 through Ensenada. Understand how it would seem like a nightmare to tourists. The rest of us know the drive is
fine. Stop/go, heavy traffic usually around rush hour.
I go N/S early Sundays. Just not a problem.
Never taken 5 and probably never will. I like to stay and eat at Jardines.
I've driven 1 in an RV many times. No big deal. |
He's a tourist bud. We do 1/4 MX 1 and 3/4's MX 5. Anyone denying that MX 5 isn't a good bit easier is lying.
Plus, you feel like your are in Baja sooner as well. Down MX 1, Baja doesn't start to me until you hit San Quintin. Just a bunch of chit-kicker
towns until then.
On MX 5, Baja begins the minute you get outside of Mexicali.
[Edited on 10-18-2019 by JZ]
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David K
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If one never drives the 5, how can you know it isn't the nicer, calmer, way south? Yes, the highway is not finished, but if a graded dirt road is a
problem then Baja California is probably not a good travel choice. The road to Jardines (a good restaurant) is not paved!
Go down the 5 and come back north on the 1... then tell us which was more pleasant and experience.
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Pacifico
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I just did exactly that... South on 5 and unfortunately HAD to go back on the 1 to bring a trailer of mine back north to a friend's place in Ensenada.
The best part was dinner at Jardines!
"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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HeyMulegeScott
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Thanks for the input. I've driven both the 1 and the 5. Two years ago we stayed in Gonzaga Bay and took the Jeep up to Catavina. It was definitely a
no go for the RV. This was a recent report on Talk Baja Road Conditions that looks hopeful for the 5. Maybe we will come back that way in the spring -
"South of San Felipe, in the area signed as Zona de Vados, they are putting in culverts and leveling the road. As of early October, there was a
10-mile stretch of road with about 10 detours starting about 30 miles south of San Felipe. This is only the beginning. From there until you get to
Gonzaga Bay (south of Puertecitos) there are about 20 more detours. The farther south you get, the longer and rougher the detours get. They aren’t
unmanageable, but I wouldn’t want to tow anything through there if I had an alternative. It appears they are making a lot of progress and this
section should improve fairly soon.
From Gonzaga Bay to Hwy 1, the road is greatly improved. There’s still a 5-mile stretch of dirt/gravel with some steep hills that I would not
recommend for towing unless you really know what you are doing. A few big rigs were using the road. The rest is paved, save for the last couple of
miles of smooth-ish gravel road just before you get to Hwy 1."
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Alm
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I would say "only" around rush hour. With the trip (preferably) including one night btw the border and BOLA - somewhere at El Rosario or Catavina -
you'll be in Ensenada in the morning well past 7.00am rush hour. Unless you live in South San Diego and cross the border at 6.00am - though there is
not much sense leaving that early if you plan one night stay before BOLA.
The traffic you will encounter in San Quintin area all day long (much less traffic on Sundays, yes), but it is not stop-n-go city-like traffic. You're
just going comfortably 30-35 mph along with the farm traffic. It actually helps having cars in front of you in SQ, because when they slow down from
30 to 3, you do the same, and then you see that it was a speed bump 
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