BajaNomad - TW's New Years Adventure

TW's New Years Adventure

TMW - 1-7-2006 at 01:32 PM

A trip to Baja brings friends and excitement together for unforgettable moments. Shirley and I arrived at the Tecate border later than expected on Friday Dec. 30th. It took forever to find a parking spot, then another 15 minutes at the bank to pay for the visas due to computer problems with the truck drivers permits that were in front of us. Finally on our way to Mexicali by the toll road. Beautiful scenery all the way. South on hwy 5 to our friends Mick and Penny near KM49. An evening of fun.

Sat. morning Shirley and I leave early to look for the south connection to the Pole Line Road thet Ken Cooke was on. We'll join Mick and Penny later at Bajalou's turkey feast. Anyway we turn off hwy 5 at KM89 and drive back and connect with the Baja 1000 race course. Past the well pumping station and down to Score race mile 175, this can be found on the Off Road site below under Arroyo Grande. From Lou's satellite picture we should be directly across the arroyo from the trail. So cross country we go. On the north side of the arroyo I hike up the bank and walk around finally seening a low spot to the northeast. Back to the truck and over to it. It was a road and had been marked by rock pilings on each side. We're about 18.5 miles from hwy 5. Datum Nad27 31-37-33x115-15-41@780ft elev.

We take off on the road driving north. My notes are not clear at this point on milage, but maybe a couple of miles there is a side road at 31-37-59x115-16-44@788ft. Another couple of miles is a telephone pole about 5 ft tall with the top burnt at 31-39-13x115-17-28@710ft. Now we know we're on to it. Another couple of miles and we come to the wash that Neal Johns says the road was washed out and there is a 10 foot wall. Well he's right the road is washed out, but someone makes another entrances about a 1/4 mile to the east that drops into the wash and goes back up to join the original road at 31-39-06x115-18-00@748ft. From the stacked rocks to here is about 10-12 miles but that's more of a guess. Also you cross a wide sandy wash where the road is hard to find if no one has been on it for a while. From the stacked rocks back is another and better road than the race course for about 3.7 miles.

We turn around and head back to the hwy and down to San Felipe and Lou's. Arriving there about 2pm we find many people still enjoying the fixings and conversations. Again Lou and his wife and everyone involved have put on a great New Years Eve dinner. Several Nomads are there. Later we go into town and the El Capitan hotel. There we find the motorcycle birthday boy and his friends. An evening along the sea walk and a few margaritas and later the fireworks and music that lasts thru the night and into morning. For us it was to bed before midnight.

Sunday morning knowing that all the resturants would be late to open if at all we go to AM/PM and get a couple of hamburgers and start south ( they really do taste good). Stopped just in time to catch Rudy, Tunaeater's dad, packing up and going north. At Gonzaga bay the gas station was closed with federal banners wrapped around the pumps. But the store had gas so we take on about 5 gallons and some ice.

Next it's to Coco's. We find him giving advice to a north bound traveler who had a pontoon type sailboat (I forget the real name) on top. Coco has tied a large red banner ( mens longjohns) to it since it was hanging about 5 or 6 feet past the rear of the truck. We give Coco a couple cases of 7 up and a few other things. While there a young couple come riding in from Calamajue on a 3 wheeler with a flat tire, side wall tear. They were staying at Papa Fernandez area. Coco calls on the 2 way radio to someone and then the man talks to them to come get them. I'm impressed. I never knew Coco had radio communications. After a while we say good bye and start out to hwy 1. along the way we meet BajaXplorer and his wife. They had been to LA Bay for New Years. You just never know who you might meet on a road in Baja.

At hwy 1 we start looking for a road David K has told me about and Lou printed a satellite pix of it. After a couple of false starts we gave up. Also instead of going out to pacific to explore some routes we decided to change our plans and head north to San Quintin. It turned into a long day with us arriving about 7pm. Had a great fish dinner at the Old Mill. We stayed at a new hotel that had opened last summer called the La Villa de San Quintin. The owner is Ray Nelson and yes he's Mexican. He also owns a hotel in TJ. I met his son and daughter last summer when they opened.

Monday we take the Observatory road back to the Meling ranch area to where the Baja 1000 course went around thru Santa Cruz, Valladares and El Carricito. It's about a 30+ mile off road adventure. The first 10 miles and last 10 miles are sand roads up and down the hills. The middle 10 miles is in a tree filled canyon, crossing a water stream several times, sometimes with a foot or more of water. I was a little concerned here because the weather turned foggy and it appeared it was getting ready to rain. But all was good and we made it thru OK so off to Ensenada and the Ensenada Inn.

Tuesday was a lazy day and drive to Tecate with many stops to enjoy the country side. We got to the border in the early afternoon and was the 3rd car there. Another successful New Years travel. I'll post some pictures later. Tuesday evening we had dinner at the Godfathers resturant in Kearny Mesa with several old and dear friends, some we had not seen in many years, 16 of us together again.

Too bad FSU lost.

David K - 1-7-2006 at 08:25 PM

The mystery road we wanted TW to check out is between the original L.A. Bay road (via Desenga?o) and paved one into L.A. Bay, off Mex. 1... It goes west to San Antonio (Codornices) on the road to Punta Blanca... it is not on any map... But, you can see it plain as day in the satellite image at: Shortcut to San Antonio (Codornices) at Mex. 1

In the image you can see the old L.A. Bay road just north... just under 3/10 mile (1,500'/ 500 meters).

bajalou - 1-7-2006 at 08:42 PM

Great report Tom - another great Baja adventure.

Was great to see you and Shirly again at the party - glad you could make it. I thought Rudy was going to be here but he didn't make it.

Waiting for your pictures.

Thanks for the report

Ken Cooke - 1-8-2006 at 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by TW Another couple of miles and we come to the wash that Neal Johns says the road was washed out and there is a 10 foot wall. Well he's right the road is washed out, but someone makes another entrances about a 1/4 mile to the east that drops into the wash and goes back up to join the original road at 31-39-06x115-18-00@748ft.

Those washouts were most of the fun! You've gotta see Chris' Ford Explorer travel down the 4' cliff/road we 'constructed'.

From space

bajalou - 1-8-2006 at 05:09 PM

And here's where you went TW

A little closer vies

bajalou - 1-8-2006 at 05:11 PM

TMW - 1-9-2006 at 08:30 AM

Thanks Lou. Would you combine these with the ones on the Arroyo Grande pix so they are all together.

bajalou - 1-9-2006 at 08:50 AM

Was thinking of doing something like that Tom. Have to find the file with the other wpts.

From space

bajalou - 1-9-2006 at 10:39 AM

Well here's a shot with TW's 2 trip wpts and some from Ken from one of his trips - might not be able to see much from this altitude

Anyone wants a bigger view, Email me

tunaeater - 1-9-2006 at 07:13 PM

Tom,
Great report.
My dad told me he saw you down at his house. Glad you got some good baja adventures once again. Let me know when you want to come ride with me down here. Break in that XR 250...

Neal Johns - 1-9-2006 at 10:56 PM

Good job, TW!

Trip Pictures

TMW - 1-14-2006 at 10:21 AM

Here are some pictures starting with the search for the Pole Line Road south entrance. This is where we found the road and is 1 on Lou's satellite closeup .

TMW - 1-14-2006 at 10:22 AM

This is a closer look same spot.

TMW - 1-14-2006 at 10:24 AM

The remains of a telephone pole 3 on the satellite map.

TMW - 1-14-2006 at 10:25 AM

This is the washout of the road. 4 on the satellite map.

[Edited on 1-14-2006 by TW]

TMW - 1-14-2006 at 10:28 AM

The wash out from down below looking up.

TMW - 1-14-2006 at 10:30 AM

The road to Santa Cruz near Meling Ranch.

TMW - 1-14-2006 at 10:32 AM

Another on the Road to Santa Cruz.

TMW - 1-14-2006 at 10:35 AM

This is seen from the Road to Santa Cruz and on the road after the stream wash. They appear to be for channeling water, perhaps during heavy rains. We never saw any water like in a pond or lake, only running in the stream.

David K - 1-14-2006 at 10:51 AM

Great TW... The photos matching with map is great...