BajaNomad

Baja 525: Missions & More, Part 8 (The Voyage Home)

David K - 5-20-2025 at 02:12 PM

Report continued from Part 7: https://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=101853

What a rush, in the past two days (May 10, 11), we went to eight mission sites, Albertino Mine, La Lobera, Antonio's luxurious Baja cactus Motel, Hugo's Tacos Misión (and art studio), El Rosario's La Bocana beach, El Mármol and El Volcán, the spring were Serra and others on El Camino Real rested, and the San Judas onyx mine!

For dinner, we went to Aniceto's in Colonia Delicias (Km. 35.5, south of San Felipe). I had the breaded fish plate and ice-cold Dos Equis Lager. We visited with a couple of loco gringos there, as well.
The evening was great and I slept on a cot, under the stars, with the lapping Sea of Cortez as a lull-a-bye.

The next morning (Monday May 12, 2025) was ideal... high clouds made a beautiful sunrise and kept the sun from cooking us too early. I will guess it was around 80°. We packed up and drove into San Felipe for a really good breakfast, at the far north end of the Malecon. I ordered us a pitcher of (fresh squeezed) OJ to go with our chorizo or machaca and eggs. It was more juice than the two of us could drink, but I was celebrating and didn't mind paying the 350 pesos. I just love fresh squeezed juice, so common in Mexico!

We headed for Tecate, via 2-D, west from Mexicali. The military inspection at the Mex 3 junction waved us through, but we were pulled over at the base of the Rumorosa Grade on Mex 2-D. It still went pretty quickly.

At the Tecate border line around 3:30 pm and it was 42 minutes until we got to the booth, showed our passports, and were waved on into the USA.

Overall, a super, jam-packed trip (or expedition). Dave and I were very happy to see as much as we could. A future trip will be back to Dave's beach house and have some excursions to see (again for me, fist time for Dave) sites around Gonzaga Bay: missionaries' warehouse site, the soda/onyx springs behind Rancho Grande, Molino de Lacy, and maybe the water of Las Palmitas oasis and La Turquesa Canyon.

The Gonzaga warehouse, in 1958:


What is it that I say? So Much Baja... So Little Time!

PHOTOS:
Last supper, Aniceto's


At Dave's beach house


Low tide, north and south views:




San Felipe gas price


Gas station exchange rate ($4.77/ gallon for Regular)


Tecate Border


I hope you have enjoyed this tour/ trip report.
Please feel free to ask questions.
Soon, I will be making a photos album/ webpage for this trip on VivaBaja.com It will be more selective with photos and perhaps more details will be included. The other thing I am doing with the new mission photos is either creating a web page for each mission or add the newest photos to any existing mission pages I already have made.

I did make one for Descanso, yesterday: https://vivabaja.com/el-descanso/

I hope to see your Baja trip reports too... Please share with us!

watizname - 5-21-2025 at 09:01 AM

I really enjoyed your trip report. Brings back lots of memories of fun times we've had. I like Dave's place. Reminds me of a spot I had on Shell Beach in Chivato during much simpler days. I would council to keep it that way. Just a comment on your last meal, I'm sure it was dee-lishous, but on first glance, it looked like a deep fried pair of fishing gloves. LOL. The last shot of the downhill at Tecate, ---ahhh the memories. Keep the reports coming.

[Edited on 5-21-2025 by watizname]

David K - 5-21-2025 at 12:06 PM

Glad you like the nauseating details of my reports! I love reading other's reports, as well.
I wonder how Russ is (of Shell Beach)?
The fish was overcooked and dry, sadly.
Next, web pages to build.
Hope to get back to Baja, at least one more time!

watizname - 5-21-2025 at 03:51 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
Glad you like the nauseating details of my reports! I love reading other's reports, as well.
I wonder how Russ is (of Shell Beach)?
The fish was overcooked and dry, sadly.
Next, web pages to build.
Hope to get back to Baja, at least one more time!



Maybe they were old fishing gloves. Sadly, Russ passed a few months back. He had been in the states for a while at the VA hospital. For sure, he was a Baja character. We had some good times with him, and he will be missed. Thanks again.

David K - 5-21-2025 at 06:33 PM

Quote: Originally posted by watizname  
Quote: Originally posted by David K  
Glad you like the nauseating details of my reports! I love reading other's reports, as well.
I wonder how Russ is (of Shell Beach)?
The fish was overcooked and dry, sadly.
Next, web pages to build.
Hope to get back to Baja, at least one more time!



Maybe they were old fishing gloves. Sadly, Russ passed a few months back. He had been in the states for a while at the VA hospital. For sure, he was a Baja character. We had some good times with him, and he will be missed. Thanks again.


I apologize for forgetting he passed. I was his guest on two trips during my Baja Bound mapping expeditions of 2017. Russ was so kind and a good guy. I hate to lose Baja amigos like that! Heck... one day, I too will be a memory, good for some and bad for others, LOL!