TMW - 11-21-2005 at 08:51 AM
On Saturday morning as the 1000 race was winding down we decided to look for the road from the wells to the Pole Line road. During the Pole Line Rd
run last April we came to a jct and everyone went left that led to the Saldana ranch at the south end of Luguna Salada. The branch to the right does
or should meet the 1000 race course somewhere near the well pumping station fore the mine north of three poles off hwy 5 at KM123.
We went in at KM89 and followed the road west first branching right then taking the next left branch and finally meeting the 1000 course 8.5 miles
from the hwy. 31-46-35 x 115-14-58 @113ft elev. Following the race course south we reached the wells in 3.7 miles. First well is 31-42-08 x 115-15-19.
At race mile 175 (31-37-20 x 115-15-27 el 804ft) the race course turns out of the wash to proceed south. We followed the wash. 20.7 miles from the
wells we reached the dam @ 31-28-31 x 115-22-36 @2071ft. The dam was mostly washed away. There was some leftover pots etc of someone having lived
there at least for a while. We continued making our now throw somewhat dense brush in the wash. At 24.7 miles from the wells (31-27-09 x 115-25-33
@2383ft) we were stopped by large rocks. I was on a motorcycle and may have went further but decided to turn around. Bill was in the chevy truck and
had no choice. In the almanac this is very close to Arroyo Grande ranch, I assume that is what it was or is.
It was an easy trip in, until the end. On another trip we may try coming in from the south at or near Choyall off hwy 3.
Coming back we met a class 11 chase race team that had broken down with a hole thru their oil pan. A little JB Quick weld did the trick and we gave
them some water.
I should haved added that we never did find the access to the Pole Line Road that we were looking for.
[Edited on 11-21-2005 by TW]
bajalou - 11-21-2005 at 09:21 AM
Great report Tom - thanks
mcgyver - 11-21-2005 at 09:25 AM
Thanks for such a good report, most of the year you will not see anyone out there!
TW-------four questions------
Barry A. - 11-21-2005 at 09:38 AM
4 questions:
#1-- on the Almanac map, where is the "wells" that you refer to?? I plotted your coordinates on the Atlas map and they end up being in the middle of
no-where, or about 1-1/2 miles west of Arroyo Grande----is that right?
#2----do you know if the road shown on the Almanac map (pg 9) from highway 5 at La Ventana to Arroyo Grande actually exists, and is passable by 4x4
truck?
#3-----your reference to KM-89---is that the road in the Atlas (pg 6) that is the turn off to Ejido Saldana?
#4-----concerning Arroyo Grande: do you think it is possible to make it thru the "rocks" that you refer to, or is it hopeless? In other words, is it
possible to make it thru to highway 3 via Arroyo Grande? (nice to know that the "dam" is washed out)
Many thanks. Barry
Ken Cooke - 11-21-2005 at 11:50 AM
TW,
Thanks for the information. On our first Pole Line run with Neal, he told me that the route south of the T Intersection [located at N31 39.041 W115
18.217] would be impassable due to a "boulder field."
I am assuming the route north of the "T" intersection is unchanged?
TMW - 11-21-2005 at 04:38 PM
Thanks Ken. We had tried ealier in the year to find it in my Toyota and we ended in a bolder field and had to turn around. I hope to try again maybe
just on my motorcycle.
Barry, your right they do appear in the middle of nowhere on the almanac. The road in the almanac is a little misleading. The coorinates are correct.
If you turn off hwy 5 at KM107 there is a road that parallels a wash back in. There are a couple of block walls you can see from the hwy and that is
the road. I think it is 5.7 miles from the hwy you meet the water pipe. Turn right (north) and you can follow it to the wells and this years 1000
course. I don't have my almanac with me right now so my milages could be off a little, but when you reach the water pipe turn right and in about 2-3
miles is another wash and cross ways is the CODE race course from last December. I think it comes out near 3 Poles (hwy3/5jct). Paul could say for
sure since he raced it.
There are two Saldana turn offs, one at KM87 where the old military bldgs remain and at KM89 just south of the new cell phone tower. The roads use to
be marked as Saldana and Saldana 2. I haven't checked it out but they may be different ranchos in there.
I think a high cleanence vehicle, preferably a narrow one too could probaly get thru. I think the SquareCircle went up the road then the wash sometime
back and had reported on here. I had the coordinates for the dam in my almanac from someone. We didn't try to explore much at the end so it is quite
possible with a little effort we may have been able to get thru. The almanac show a road coming off hwy 3 that joins Arroyo Grande.
The dam is chain link fence across barb wire with rocks place across it between the canyon walls maybe 25+ feet wide. It appears heavy water flow took
it out. A center section of about 10 feet wide with a 1 foot drop off lets you get thru.
TMW - 11-21-2005 at 04:51 PM
The people we met that were broke down were two guys and a girl. One of the guys was a driver for a class 11 car. It had broke and on Sat morning they
got it going and two of the team members went out with the race car to get help for the ones that stayed behind. They both had satellite phones but
the ones that went out didn't have their phones turned on so they had not talked to each other for many hours. The ones left on the course didn't seem
too concerned but they also didn't have a clue as to where they were, none had been to Baja before. I pointed out ot them to back track to the wells
for water if needed and the hills with the sand at the base was on the west side of hwy 5. The chase crew had come in from La Ventana to the water
pipe line and that's how they wanted to get out in case their friends were comning back for them. After we left them we stopped at the wells for 30
minutes or so and we didn't see them coming out. I hope they made it OK.
Neal Johns - 11-21-2005 at 05:11 PM
Ken, the road is not closed by a boulder field, but by the washout of the road cut into the vertical ten foot bank of an arroyo. I thing Squarecircle
said he found a way around. Just don't try it from the south at night. 
Thanks for the good info, TW------Neal-----
Barry A. - 11-21-2005 at 05:49 PM
we ran into a locked gate at the south end of the Arroyo Grande road near Choyall, about 100 yards north of highway 3. This was a couple of years
ago. Do you know it that gate is still locked up?? I note that the AAA map shows another locked gate several miles north from Choyall, before
entering Arroyo Grande-----never got that far to check it out.
Neal Johns - 11-21-2005 at 06:03 PM
Dunno about gate. Have not checked for south gate for years.
From space
bajalou - 11-21-2005 at 06:07 PM
Here'w TW's waypoints on the Satellite view of the area - in the order he had them in his trip report
TMW - 11-21-2005 at 06:33 PM
Lou can you edit the map or post a new one with Ken Cooke's GPS for the T section. N31.39.041 x W115.18.217. That would give me a better ideal on how
close it is.
bajalou - 11-21-2005 at 06:48 PM
right after I eat - maybe 10 min?
David K - 11-21-2005 at 06:54 PM
This is awesome!
You guys are the best!!!
TW and Ken
bajalou - 11-21-2005 at 07:23 PM
Ok here it is with TW's waypoints and the one Ken mentioned. Might be zoomed in a little closer ??
Ken Cooke - 11-21-2005 at 07:40 PM
Additional GPS Waypoints and descriptions can be found on my webpage. Here is the link: http://www.thedesertoutlaw.20megsfree.com/photo6.html
And here is a picture of TW on the far right holding a cup of Coffee in Canyon Jaquegel!
The squarecircle - 11-21-2005 at 09:45 PM
Greetings All: >>>>>> The gate at Choyall is still there and not securely locked as it has been in the past..It is now a drive
thru.. Close the gate behind you please.. All future turns are to the right until you get on the ridge route that leads directly to the Rancho Arroyo
Grande site.. The ridge route is quite rocky,sharp and hard on your tyres.. 4 wheel drive is best used here to evenly spread stress on your rubbers..
It is a very scenic drive.. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>Best Regards, sq.
TMW - 11-21-2005 at 10:16 PM
Thanks Lou and squarecircle. I think this route needs futher exploration, wheres Corky when you need him? Seriously this looks like a doable route.
TMW - 1-26-2006 at 02:40 PM
Bill and I will be down for the SF250 race and plan on exploring Choyall up as the Squarecircle has mentioned above. Either before or after the race.