I turned off highway 1 at San Ignacio and headed south toward San Juanico. I took the road through El Patrocino to El Cuarenta, which put me on what
I believe is "the high road".
I will comment more about that part of the drive later, but the road trap that I was not expecting was on the stretch south of E.C. at about K 54 -56.
I had not seen another vehicle all day, and thought one was ahead of me raising a dust cloud. It wasn't a vehicle, but wind driven dust that hid a
huge silt bed that I did not see until too late.
The graded dirt was very good up until that point. so I was driving at about 35 mph. I hit that hole at about half that speed, and the silt
completely covered my windshield! Clearance is a problem with my Honda Element, so I was high centering while steering right and left trying to get
on some high ground and maintain momentum.
All that driving blind with a car filling with dust was the worst road hazard I have encountered on this trip! There were several others in that same
stretch that I stopped and scouted before either crowding the side, or leaving the road completely to get around them.
The rest of the drive to San Juanico was normal. I think I will check out the road through La Purisima and San Isidro to MX 1 tomorrow, starting with
the dirt road jus south of S>J (approx km 17)
I don't know when I will have WIFI again, and My ATT pre-paid service does not work where it used to in many places!David K - 1-4-2025 at 06:17 PM
Thank you very much for the report!!! Sorry you high centered the Honda. I look forward to your next report. So, there are kilometer markers on the
high road now? Rancho Cuarenta is a short distance off the main road, is it not? That was a checkpoint in the early 1000 races ('67-72).mtgoat666 - 1-5-2025 at 10:35 AM
Akgringo,
There is hidden spanish treasure at mesa el cuarenta… you should return and look for itBooJumMan - 1-5-2025 at 11:26 AM
I think I know the silt beds you're talking about. They do come out of nowhere. They were there 2 years ago last time I took the high road. Otherwise
a pretty nice road, very scenic. Saw only 1 other vehicle going down and back.
This past year I took the low road on the salt flats. Dry as a bone FYI. No summer or winter rain down there and generally a smoother drive. The route
I took did go through a lot of soft sand but, not bad. lencho - 1-5-2025 at 12:47 PM
Clearance is a problem with my Honda Element, so I was high centering while steering right and left trying to get on some high ground and maintain
momentum.
You clearly weren't going fast enough. If you hit that stuff flat out, you just skim along the top.
Or so I've heard... surfhat - 1-5-2025 at 01:40 PM
The moon dust silt beds north of San Juanico in my old 4wd Ford van decades ago had me giving up and turning around and has always made me wish I had
a fellow traveler along in his own vehicle. If I had, I would gladly have followed him north through the moon dust silt beds.
Gawd they were the worst. That fine moon dust knew no boundaries. I ran my ac in a feeble attempt to keep the moon dust from coming inside.
If wishes were true, it would a dream. It was not at the time. I am forever in respect of those who drove north out of San Juanico.
So, there are kilometer markers on the high road now?
Not just kilometer markers, The road from El Patrocino to El Cuarenta had some 40 km speed limit signs, and a do not pass sign on a washed-out grade
that was almost rock crawling.
I encountered no one on that drive, except a woman and young boy moving a waterline at a ranch house that the road passes through.
The only tire tracks that did not have animal tracks on them were mine!4x4abc - 1-7-2025 at 12:25 PM
the road through Patrocinio is not the high road
it feeds into the high road at Rancho Cuarenta
we have to come up with a new nameAKgringo - 1-7-2025 at 04:51 PM
the road through Patrocinio is not the high road
it feeds into the high road at Rancho Cuarenta
we have to come up with a new name
I agree with you. The first 15 miles going south were excellent dirt, but after that, there are numerous old wash outs that add to the adventure of
the route. I like the various terrain changes, it is not flat and boring!
The "high road" from El Cuarenta south was also very good, until I hit the silt bomb!
