Anonymous - 5-23-2005 at 11:26 AM
We are heading south from Redding, CA to BOLA and points south this June. What route is shortest timewise. We only have 15 days and we want to get
through So. Cal as fast as possible. We have gone through Mexicali, Tecate and TJ before. Dirt roads and back roads are fine. We will be traveling
from Coalinga around 7am on a Friday Morning so that would put us in the L.A. area around 10, 11am on a work day if we go I5 south through L.A., San
Diego and TJ. If go through Mexicali, we can hit the beach sooner south of Puertecitos and start camping on the beach sooner, but what is the quickest
way to Mexicali? I think(probaly incorrectly!) that the driving time will only be 2 hours longer at most going through Mexicali/San
Felipe/Puertecitoes than the L.A./S.D./TJ route due to traffic and our inability to drive very fast with our setup. Any estimates on time with the
various routes? We are driving a Jeep Wrangler with 2 Kayaks so we will not be setting any speed records! Our ultimate goals is San Francisquito with
camping on the way.
Thanks
Tucker - 5-23-2005 at 11:39 AM
99-58-395-15-5
wild man driving
yankeeirishman - 5-23-2005 at 12:20 PM
The road to Puertecitos then to Gonzada Bay from San Felipe will take you 5 hours! It's not paved. From Gonzada Bay to BOLA is another 5 hours. We
just got back fron San Felipe in 11.5 hours to Sacramento doing 75 MPH . A good tip...get thru the Mexicalli post between 12 and 6 a.m. No waits
I-5/ 210/ 215/ so forth. Oh....and it's hotter than the norm there
[Edited on 5-23-2005 by yankeeirishman]
David K - 5-23-2005 at 06:06 PM
Use Tucker's route (except it is 15 to 805 for the last part) unless you can pass through the L.A. nightmare on I-5 between 11 am and 2 pm... or
before 6 am! To L.A. Bay is faster via Mex. 1. In El Rosario, fill up there and your empty jerry cans too... no full jerry cans allowed across border.
[Edited on 5-24-2005 by David K]
thebajarunner - 5-23-2005 at 06:42 PM
Tucker's route is basically good.
We usually go down 99 (or parallel on (I-5) and up the Grapevine.
As soon as possible start listening to KNX (AM 1070)
You can hear if the 5 or the 405 are open or blocked (assuming you are going mid-day)
If any problems, then head East on the 210 through Pasadena and catch the 15 South out beyond Cucamonga, then down 15 to the border and across.
Mex 1 is faster, better services, and of course, you get to experience Catavina, which is the best that Baja has to offer!
Oh yeah, be sure your co-pilot has the AAA Southern California map open and at the ready all the way across the Southland. (And spend as little time
as possible in deepest, darkest LA and environs)
Baja Arriba!!
Any-mouse...
Mexray - 5-23-2005 at 07:27 PM
we do this several times a year - only from the Lodi-Stockton area...
We use Hwy99 all the way south until it meets up with I-5 below Bakersfield. 99's actually a bit shorter than I-5, and there are no more signals,
these days - also lots of places to stop for services, etc. We travel this section at night, so there's no real chance of traffic snarls in Fresno,
etc.
WE usually leave Home in the evening hours (on a weekday), so by the time we reach the Los Angeles Basin, it's the wee hours of the morning and most
traffic jammers are at home and out of our way!
We use I-405 instead of I-5 through LA. We ALWAYS take the Roscoe Ave exit on I-405, turn right 1/2 block and stop at the Original Tommy's Burger
joint (open 24/7). They are right across the street from the big Budweiser Brewery and They have the greatest fast-food - everything's covered in
their own special chili! We usually stash a few of their tamales in our ice chest for snacks later - yummy! There's a couple of gas stations nearby
if you need fuel.
Back on I-405, we head south till we hit the San Diego area and take the I-805 around the 'downtown' area - it dumps you right on the border at the
southern end!
You can get your tourist visas at the TJ border facility - and you have two options; (1) keep to the extreme right as you cross, and park in the area
that's used for vehicles with good to 'declare' - then get your visa, pay at the bank booth, etc - they will direct you. When finished, you have to
go through the 'traffic signal', push the button to see if you get the green or red light. Every time I've used this system, the officials always
stop me to as if I have stuff to declare - whether the light comes up green or red! So I devised option (2)...Don't pull to the Right, just stay with
the bulk of the traffic and go through the Red/Green lights - most get 'greens' and you continue right on through...then stay to your right and look
for a place to park, just past the border offices - it will be the wee hours of the morning, and I've always found a place! Then just walk back and
do the tourist visa thing as above, return to your rig, and you're on the way!
We take the toll road to Ensenada - just under $7 - and usually hit town just as they are waking up! We do some shopping at the Giante Super Market
in Ensenada - maybe some fresh bread, a few veggies and fruits, and of course some booze. If you like Rum, pick up some of that dreamy Cuban Rum -
cheap, and REALLY smooth...Tequila is also mandatory!
Then it's Baja Hwy 1 all the way south to BOLA (or Mulege, where we go). We now make it all the way down to El Rosario before stopping - and stay at
Antionio's great Baja Cactus Motel, right next to his Pemex station.
Get an early start the next day, fuel up the machinery, and you'll make it to BOLA in no time!
Have fun!
rts551 - 5-23-2005 at 08:20 PM
The quickest way to mexicali is to take 10 to Indio/Coachella and the take hiway 86 or hiway 111 to Calexico/Mexicali.
Anonymous - 5-24-2005 at 04:02 AM
Thanks for all the replies, basically what I am hearing is that going through L.A. late in the morning and San Diego in the early afternoon on a
Friday should be easy traffic wise? Last thing I want to do is sit in traffic on a summers day in L.A. or San Diego, YUCK!
elgatoloco - 5-24-2005 at 07:34 AM
Friday summer traffic in the greater LA/SD area.
I travel a LOT between LA and San Diego. Fridays can be really bad in the summer particulary. If you take Mexray's advice and hit the stretch from San
Fernando thru Long Beach before the sun comes up , you will have no problema. After that all bets are off. From the OC down to the border after 3:00
Pm on a Friday you best roll down the windows crank up the tunes and consider it part of the adventure.
Can you call in sick and leave on a Thursday?
i prefer small aircraft
eetdrt88 - 5-24-2005 at 07:53 AM
or helicopter....if that is not available i will ride along with anyone as long as i have taken extra doses of my meds
thebajarunner - 5-24-2005 at 08:11 AM
After you re-read all the advice....
Be sure you note the two important things that I stated:
1. Always listen to AM1070 across the basin. (You may discover that the abovementioned comment about always taking 405 is not so good- often the
405 is jammed up and 5 is a breeze- KNX will tell you)
2. Keep the 210 East option open before you commit to the coastal route.
It is about 10 or 15 miles further, but you almost never slow up, or even worse, stop on the freeway.
Good travels.
Baja Arriba!!
yeah for Tommies
BajaVida - 5-24-2005 at 11:12 AM
many years ago we drove a 1967 VW bug as it turned 100,000 miles into Tommies on Rampart
yum
Mexray--if you ever 
make a Baja Time clock, I will buy one
BajaVida....
Mexray - 5-24-2005 at 11:18 AM
You're looking over my shoulder...they are being put together in a smoke-filled, back room as we speak, and I'll let you know when ready...
Burgers not withstanding......
Hook - 5-24-2005 at 11:36 AM
......I always avoid any use of the 405 thru LA, if I can. The airport and the I-10 can create problems at any time of the day.
I'd plan on coming straight down the 5 if I were you and monitor 1070 AM radio to see if there are any problems ahead. Even if you did encounter some
slowing (not as likely after 10am), it would probably be quicker than the 58-395-15 route. the 58 is not that quick through the Tehachapis.
elgatoloco - 5-24-2005 at 01:08 PM
Tommy's
I grew up in San Gabriel Valley. We would use ANY excuse to head for Rampart and Beverly and chow down. Open 24 hours and many a hard night partying
was followed by a double chile cheese or two! There was a guy who worked there for years who had a zen master thai chi kind of stlye to wrapping your
burger and putting in the box. He was a kick to watch.
Radio traffic
I always toggle back and forth between 1070 and 980. 980 has the reports on the ones (9:01 9:11 9:21, etc) when not broadcasting Dodger games. 1070
roughly every six minutes.
210
An excellent choice indeed. When you first hit it at Sylmar area look east and appreciate that the mountains you are viewing rose 4-6 inches in the
1971 earthquake! Also you can exit on Hill Street in Pasadena and hit the Tommy's there. It's also open 24/7.
10/405 Interchange
It is considered the busiest freeway interchange in the WORLD!
Have Fun!
Original Tommy's...since I brought it up...
Mexray - 5-24-2005 at 10:37 PM
I googled, and sure enough they have a web site:
http://www.originaltommys.com/locations.html
I see by their map, they have 'invaded' as far north as Magic Mountain! We can always hope they 'invade' Northern Calif...'In-n-Out' has finally made
a go of it all over the place up here...
Mexray
BajaVida - 5-25-2005 at 10:39 AM
living just down 99 from you in Motown, I will bring you a bottle of Lodi Zinfandel (among the best) when I come pick up the clock (and pay for it)
I might even bring thebajarunner with me if he promises to behave
thebajarunner - 5-25-2005 at 10:12 PM
I will try to behave, promising is too risky.
Yep, I will be happy to accompany the bottle of Lodi grape back to its rightful home place.
Of course, BV and I live in the home town of Ernest and Julio, so you know where our loyalties lie.
Baja Arriba!!
Anonymous - 5-25-2005 at 10:13 PM
Thanks Everyone,
Not just for the route advice but for the burger joint, guess between dodging traffic, listening to the radio, looking for highway signs, reveiwing
the map, wondering if there was something we forgot and hushing the children, I will also be having a Tommy Burger. Hope it is worth it! 
If ya make it up north around Portland go to Burgerville and have Tillamook
Cheeseburger.
Looks like 5 south then either it, the 405 or the 210/15 route to the border. If it doesn't work you will be hearing from me. 
BV & BR...
Mexray - 5-25-2005 at 10:30 PM
we try to make it to Franzia's overstock sale every year, there on hwy120 between Manteca and Escalon. We've snagged some great bargains there and
restocked our wine closet!
Lodi's a stone's toss from us and have some great vino, but E & J's Jug wine used to visit my folks table all the time - not too bad for the
price, in those days!
El Otro option
El Camote - 5-26-2005 at 09:37 AM
Lo Siento, mi fellow nomads but I have to strongly disagree on your suggested route. If you have a sturdy, reliable vehicle with working A/C take the
scenic east coast. Instead of running through the entire length of Hell-A., O.C. and San Diego Counties as well as TJ and the Ensenada to San
Quintin-slowly-snake-through-the-cities-and-putt-putt-behind-semi-truck-nightmare (I'm not even mentioning the mordida and tope-from-hell risks), take
a drive through the country.
Taking the west coast runs you through populations of say 12 million people. What are the odds you're going to be stuck in traffic no matter what
time of day? Taking the east coast you'll pass through maybe a total of 3 million. I like those odds much better!
Go 5S to 210S to 210E (the 2nd half of this is brand new and lightly traveled!) to 15S for only 5 miles to 10E. Get past San Bernadino and you're
wide open for a scenic, fast desert drive. 86S expressway (wide open, baby!) to Westmoreland then rt turn onto S30 at the only stop sign in town.
This takes you directly down to 8E bypassing both Brawley and El Centro. If you need to supply up before crossing, stay on 86S into Brawley and
through town to 111S (another new portion of hwy) through Calexico and direct to the border.
Mexicali can be a pain to get through during the day (but easier than Ensenada imho) so another option is to bed down in the Brawley/El
Centro/Calexico area. There's a recent thread on good motels if you do a search. Get up with the roosters and you'll fly through Mexicali (the
border guards aren't awake enough to bother searching you if you're red-lighted) and easily make BOLA before dark with time for stops, if you wish,
but there's cool spots to camp along the way. I really don't believe the south of the border drive from TJ to Bola vs. Mexicali to Bola is any
different time-wise and it's a hellava lot more relaxing and scenic - with the right rig.
Here's a rough timetable:
Pasadena (210) to the border - approx. 225 miles - 4 hrs.
Border to San Felipe - 125 miles - 2.5 hrs.
San Felipe to Puertecitos - 52 miles - 1.5 hrs.
Puertecitos to Gonzaga Bay - 48 miles - 2.5 hrs.
Gonzaga to Hwy 1 at Chapala - 36 miles - 1 hr.*
Chapala to BOLA turnoff - 32 miles - .5 hrs.
BOLA rd. - 41 miles - 1 hr.
*actual time will be longer as this leg (pardon the pun)requires a stop at Coco's Corner and a fria cerveza or two.
now Mexray why would you buy wine
BajaVida - 5-26-2005 at 12:57 PM
between lard (Manteca) and a hard place (Escalon=step)?
or is that between a rock and a hard place (I get confused sometimes)
El Otro option....
neilmac - 5-26-2005 at 03:31 PM
I thought it was a lot longer from Puertocitos down to the hwy.... How fast do you take the washboard to make it in a half day?
I've only been as far as Puertocitos, that last 15 mile took an hour.... what's the rest of it like? I'm in a 2x import truck...
Neil
Anonymous - 5-26-2005 at 06:44 PM
El Camote...
that was route I wanted to go except I don't know the best way from Coalinga to Mexicali and I don't know how much longer (timewise) it would be. 2
hours longer is no biggie. Remember with the Wrangler and Kayaks I can not haula$$ on any open sections. The road south of Puertecitoes is fine, I
have driven to Mex 1 several times via that route. Unless I can save 5+ hours going to SD/TJ and Mex 1 south I would just as soon go through San
Felipe. So how time would I save going the 'regular' route????
rts551 - 5-26-2005 at 07:32 PM
I agree with El Camote. I have been traveling south for many years and only take HWy 1 if I have a trailer.
Crossing at Mexicali is a breeze in the off hours. Usually take my time south of San Felipe. Spend the night in Gonzoga or Guerro Negro (destination
Punta Abreojos).
Traveled this route from Sacramento many years.. and the last ten from Tucson. The only difference is I bypassed LA completely by going through
Palmdale when living in Sac.
BajaVida...It's really quite simple...
Mexray - 5-26-2005 at 10:03 PM
In life, we take one STEP at a time, and a little LARD must fall.
OF...to find Franzia's liquid treasures, one must get out of the FAT, but not go so far as to get STEPPED on!
In reality, during the overstock wine sale in the fall, they usually don't have much of their 'boxed' wine, but rather bottled vino under several
other labels they use. We've bought great white table wine bottles for around $8 a case (that's right 12 bottles!) (take that, Chuck!). Also some
very drinkable reds for $20 a case, and some really mellow stuff for less than $30 a case! We like it on our corn flakes when the milk sours in the
frig...
The Road
El Camote - 5-28-2005 at 03:28 AM
Neil, that last 15 miles or so into Puertecitos is the worst of the entire trip! South of Puert. is just honest dirt w/ some washboard and a bit
rocky climbing the 3 hills. Honestly, it's been a year since I've been on it but I doubt it's changed much.
Anon, I just realized you're driving a Wrangler. How do you attach the Kayaks, on top of the hardtop? Make sure they're padded well and stop to
check them often once you hit the dirt. First time on the SF to Gonzaga leg I was driving a CJ-7 with very stiff suspension. The CJ had leaf springs
front and back. We averaged 10 mph. and took 2 days to do it! The road is much improved now and I think the Wrangler has much more keister-friendly
suspension. I really don't think you'll find much of a time difference taking the east coast. Please keep track of your driving times for each leg
and report back after, or during, the trip. I'd be very curious to know.
Ray, I never knew the true meaning of Manteca. That tops Atascadero, which I've heard meant mudhole, for unappealing town names. You're scaring me
with this talk of fine boxed wines and vino on cornflakes. Are you trying to fill the soggy shoes of Mike Humfreville while he's away? 
thebajarunner - 5-28-2005 at 01:55 PM
Baja Vida and I can go 'Lardsville' (Manteca) even one better.
Just South of Manteca is our Stanislaus County town of Salida.
Can't you imagine the perplexity of a visitor from Mexico when he spots the big road sign that says "Next Exit-Salida"
(For the Spanish impaired.... salida translates to exit)
By the by, I still say it is not worth doing the San Felipe washboard to miss the glory of Catavina, not to mention honorable gas at El Rosario.
Baja Arriba!!