David K - 4-10-2006 at 09:31 PM
In 1953, Lower California Guidebook author Howard Gulick traveled 2.0 miles west of Rancho El Arenoso, then 6.9 miles southerly in search of the
waterhole called Santa Ursula.
The tinaja was the first water source on the padre's El Camino Real west of Mision San Fernando. Franciscan Father Francisco Palou left San Fernando
at one o'clock on July 21, 1773 and camped at Santa Ursula that night.
In 1953, Gulick found an old adobe house and remains of an old dam and irrigation ditch for a small field below. A shallow well held water.
In 2006, I hoped to follow Gulick's directions and see what came of Santa Ursula.
At Km. 106 (sign for Puente El Arenoso II) is a gate across the the road leading a short distance to the ruins of the old ranch on the pre pavement
main Baja road. GPS at the Highway and closed gate (not locked) is 30-03.44', 115-19.24'.
==========================================================
Before reaching that point, we started with breakfast at Baja's Best (Bed & Breakfast & Restaurant) at the far end of El Rosario before
crossing the bridge.
David K - 4-10-2006 at 09:33 PM
Trash on the other side of the bridge... The No Tire Basura sign is gone!
David K - 4-10-2006 at 09:47 PM
Yucca is harvested for the cosmetic industry (Yucca Dew Shampoo?)... This truck was unloading a harvest from the interior, on the former 'Arenoso'
airstrip behind the cafe at the turnoff to San Juan de Dios and Los Martires.
David K - 4-10-2006 at 09:49 PM
It is kind of a shame, because these giant tree yuccas will be gone from the landscape before they can regrow themselves... I am guessing.
David K - 4-10-2006 at 09:54 PM
The runway with a ditch across... called 'El Arenoso' in Galen Hanselman's 'Air Baja!'
The cafe nearby goes by the name Los Martires... The old rancho El Arenoso is 3 kilometers away.
David K - 4-10-2006 at 10:04 PM
Once we went through the fence gate, I stopped at the old ranch to take a photo... Just as I was shooting, three armed soldiers appeared!!! They
apparently made a base camp behind the old ranch walls.
I was ordered to not drive away, as I was about to!
I explained what we were doing there and showed him my map and what I was searching for. The soldier went and got his big, plastic laminated topo map
to offer assistance.
It all turned out well, buit he did insist I delete the photo I took and he examined the other pictures on my camera.
As we drove away, a Humvee hauling wood and the rest of the brigade passed us heading back to El Arenoso.
As soon as we were relaxed, I stopped to photograph the scenery.
Photo near map point A
[Edited on 4-12-2006 by David K]
David K - 4-10-2006 at 10:05 PM
Here's Chris on a boojum that had fallen onto a cardon.
David K - 4-10-2006 at 10:06 PM
I just love driving in Baja!
David K - 4-10-2006 at 10:09 PM
End of (this) road (point E on map) at the edge of an arroyo. A small puddle of water was on the boulder... 29-56.39', 115-21.41'.
[Edited on 4-12-2006 by David K]
Santa Ursula, where are you?
David K - 4-10-2006 at 10:11 PM
Here's a tree yucca that hasn't been chopped down yet!
This and the following 2 photos southeast of map point D
[Edited on 4-12-2006 by David K]
Spring bloom!
David K - 4-10-2006 at 10:12 PM
This one cardon blossem was about all I noticed... So, no major bloom yet!
David K - 4-10-2006 at 10:15 PM
Some boojum (cirio) skeletons here as we continue south, beyond the roads shown in the Baja Almanac topo map.
David K - 4-10-2006 at 10:17 PM
Wow, here we see the San Fernando arroyo gorge... I am crossing my fingers that we can drive right to Arroyo San Fernando for a short cut to Las
Pintas, where we are going next!
This and the following 5 photos near or at map point F
[Edited on 4-12-2006 by David K]
David K - 4-10-2006 at 10:21 PM
I am wondering why this road was bulldozed over these hills as we get closer to Arroyo San Fernando...
David K - 4-10-2006 at 10:25 PM
The road ends at some kind of stone mine and we were so close to Arroyo San Fernando, but no cigar! GPS (NAD27) is 29-54.45', 115-20.37'.
David K - 4-10-2006 at 10:27 PM
Flat stones quarried
David K - 4-10-2006 at 10:28 PM
This followed along a vein...
David K - 4-10-2006 at 10:30 PM
This is as close as we got to the arroyo...
BOLABOUND - 4-10-2006 at 10:36 PM
GReat stuff David!
Feels like I was there thanxs..
You know Yucca takes a very long time to grow 20years for 8ft.
My uncle plants it at his ranch called the Alamo south of El ejido, Heroes de la independencia going to San Felipe.
David K - 4-10-2006 at 10:37 PM
This sign was along the road we used to return north... It reached Mex. 1 at Km. 103 (just west of Los Martires jcn., near where the yuccas were
unloaded on the airstrip).
A closed gate there is not locked... ALWAYS reclose these gates after passing through to keep them unlocked, please!
Can one of you Spanish experts translate the sign? Thanks!
This was near point H on the map
[Edited on 4-12-2006 by David K]
BOLABOUND - 4-10-2006 at 10:46 PM
It seems like it says watch it that theres traps on the road?
David K - 4-10-2006 at 10:55 PM
Here's the area with the 'new' roads drawn in. Milages along each section of road we drove.
The GPS (NAD27) for the points are:
A) 30-03.44', 115-19.24' (Km. 106, El Arenoso jcn.)
B) 30-01.20', 115-20.36' (3.0 mi. from A)
C) 29-57.97', 115-20.99' (cross road, 4.5 mi. from B)
D) 29-57.36', 115-21.22' (fork, 2.1 mi. from C)
E) 29-56.39', 115-21.41' (end of road, 1.1 from D)
F) 29-54.45', 115-20.37' (end at stone mine, 4.0 mi. from D)
G) 29-57.87', 115-19.19' (near end of road, 3.1 mi. from C)
H) 30-02.86, 115-21.33' (road in from left, 2.3 mi. from B)
I) 30-03.86', 115-21.06' (Km. 103, 1.2 mi. from H)
[Edited on 4-12-2006 by David K]
Packoderm - 4-10-2006 at 11:15 PM
Who is it who said, to paraphrase, "The most beautiful thing about a cactus is what you do with it after you cut it down."? I'd like to see some old
growth cactus saved - even if for no reason.
David K - 4-11-2006 at 08:12 PM
Map changed and more waypoints and milages added (A-I).
While we did not find the El Camino Real waterhole of Santa Ursula, we did see a new area of Baja and eliminated areas where it could have been.
I am suspecting now, that by turning west at point C and driving to Arroyo La Burra, it may be the location... specially if that is the road Gulick
traveled, as point 'I' is about 2 miles west of Arenoso, and Arroyo La Burra is about 6.9 road miles south of there. The highway is about the same
place as the old main road here.
Just past point B is a ranch site and the road south turns left and climbs up a hill. There is no road fork to the southwest as indicated... perhaps
the ranch was built on it?
Neal Johns, are you hearing me??? You can still beat me there!
[Edited on 4-12-2006 by David K]
David K - 4-12-2006 at 03:05 PM
This trip report continues on Part 3: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=16637