BajaNomad

Bahia San Luis Gonzaga Road Closed

Bajaboy - 10-25-2006 at 07:50 AM

Can anyone confirm the followiing report taken from Baja Insider
http://www.bajainsider.com/driving-baja/baja-road-report.htm


October 16, 2006
Bahia San Luis Gonzaga
by Diane Heliotes
Veteran Baja Driver
We just returned from Bahia San Luis Gonzaga. We were told that the road between San Felipe and Gonzaga was totally destroyed by Hurricane John, so were prepared for some tough driving.

The road between San Felipe and Puerticitos was just repaved. Some rough spots south of Puerticitos, rock slides, washouts, but overall not bad.

No vehicles are getting through from Highway 1, no gas at the Pemex in Gonzaga, limited supplies. Gas can be obtained from a tank at Rodriguez' store.

David K - 10-25-2006 at 08:33 AM

Zac, that section is the Baja 1000 course and they are pre-running it now... Your Tacoma will not have any problems, I am sure. I did read the link, and the road closed part was hear-say by the contributor who did not even drive north from Gonzaga.

I still hope people who went to Gonzaga will post to put your mind at ease...

Last week, The Squarecircle drove it (and that was after Hurricane John) in his 4Runner... The only report is that the Pemex was closed. He went all the way to Hwy. 1 south of El Arco, past San Rafael...

Have a great trip!

[Edited on 10-25-2006 by David K]

Natalie Ann - 10-25-2006 at 10:02 AM

On 10/14 - road's fine, pemex still not open.
Have fun!

bajalou - 10-25-2006 at 11:31 AM

TW went down as far as Coco's last Sat with no problems

Natalie Ann - 10-25-2006 at 11:50 AM

The Road
10/14/06

the-road.jpg - 48kB

bajaden - 10-25-2006 at 04:09 PM

First I read that Coco is dead, and now the road is closed. I wish people would get the facts first, before they start rumors. Both are fine. Its possible to be run over by racers on their practice runs though. The Pemex was closed and unfortunately Rodriguez was also out of gas. He was expecting some in a couple of days.

Diver - 10-25-2006 at 04:26 PM

I can feel the anticipation as you see the bay in front of you !!
What a feeling to be there; I can't wait !

Thank you Nena
.

Bajaboy - 10-25-2006 at 05:23 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Zac, that section is the Baja 1000 course and they are pre-running it now... Your Tacoma will not have any problems, I am sure. I did read the link, and the road closed part was hear-say by the contributor who did not even drive north from Gonzaga.

I still hope people who went to Gonzaga will post to put your mind at ease...

Last week, The Squarecircle drove it (and that was after Hurricane John) in his 4Runner... The only report is that the Pemex was closed. He went all the way to Hwy. 1 south of El Arco, past San Rafael...

Have a great trip!

[Edited on 10-25-2006 by David K]


DK-

I won't be returning via Gonzaga but was surprised nothing was mentioned here. But, I will be heading out to Playa San Rafael via Vizcaino and am curious about that road with all the rain this week. Could be fun/interesting.

I'll post my findings around election day.

Zac

Ken Cooke - 10-25-2006 at 09:33 PM

I'm heading from Hwy 1 to San Felipe in 3 more weeks. I really don't like rumors...

elchinero - 10-28-2006 at 08:30 AM

I marked the "1000" course and all roads/course sections were passable, and actually sorta-good.

koru - 11-10-2006 at 09:39 PM

Rumors...rumors...rumors.....

This however is true.

We just drove San Felipe to Gonzaga on OCT 15th - no problemo. The road is now paved from south of SF to almost Puerticitos. NICE! It took us about 3 hours to drive from Puerticitos to Gonzaga...cruising and taking photos. Lots of rough spots but we did it in 2wd vehicles. yes the hurricane came thru and the road from Puerticitos to Gonzaga was the roughest I've ever seen. It's like springtime in baja because of all that rain they got.

Pre running for the baja 1000 race has been open since Oct 14. Don't rely on gas at Gonzaga....plan ahead and be self contained for your trip.


Baja does a body and soul good!

Ken Cooke - 11-11-2006 at 12:42 AM

7 more days... Our group of Jeeps will be looking for damaged roads!:bounce:

ezzy - 11-25-2006 at 08:16 PM

Could I drag my small (18Ft) travel trailer from San felipe to Bahia San Luis Gonzaga.?? The trailer is high clearance and I have a good 4x4. but i don't want to beat the crap outa my trailer over nasty washboard. Have heard this road was murderous on trailers? Is it true? I hope not. Would love to go that route.

Geronimo - 11-25-2006 at 09:34 PM

Just did the trip from Coco's and back after the race last weekend. It is real tore up, I would recomend low tire presure and a 10mph average. lots of exposed rocks up in the sisters. It is nothing that would require 4x4 but clearance is a must. I would be concerned for tires, one of our trucks (FX4 F350) cut a 2" gash in a OEM BFG rough country with 70% tread.

Ken Cooke - 11-26-2006 at 08:41 AM

Our 10 Jeeps traveled this road with air pressure in our tires at around 15 p.s.i., swaybars disconnected, traveling between 5 m.p.h. and 40 m.p.h. Near the Huerfanito grades we saw the most erosion, and adjusted our speeds accordingly.

Ken-----

Barry A. - 11-26-2006 at 10:16 AM

Maybe a "novice" question, but why do folks disconnect their Sway Bar when travelling on marginal roads??
Barry

Ken Cooke - 11-26-2006 at 10:23 AM

Instead of having the vehicle move in tandem with the curves of the road/trail, the suspension does all of the work, giving a less tippy ride. The disconnected swaybars "level out" the road from behind the driver's seat providing much less driver and occupant fatigue. Our philosophy is..."Every little bit helps."

That makes good sense------

Barry A. - 11-26-2006 at 12:37 PM

----thanks for the explanation, Ken. I am going to try that next time out.

oldhippie - 11-28-2006 at 10:43 AM

Ok, I just read this thread and I'm still not clear about driving to Gonzaga Bay, one of the Baja spots I have yet to visit. I'll be making my 10th trip to Todoa Santos BCS this January and I want to take a side trip to Gonzaga Bay on the way down.

I'm driving a 2WD Ford F-150 with a Callen over the cab camper shell, so it's a bit on the heavy side. It's also a little "tired", being 15 years old.

It makes sense to go through San Felipe and then take the road out to hwy 1 and continue southbound.

Do the baja pros here see a problem with that plan given the latest road conditions?

Thanks in advance.

BTW, I found the Callen camper via help from folks here. Thanks.

MICK - 11-28-2006 at 10:52 AM

Sounds like a good trip. If you take your time you should be fine. The road is opwn and many people have been on it. Have fun
Mick

David K - 11-28-2006 at 06:00 PM

I was on that road Saturday, the 18th of this month... YOU will be fine... Just go slow. The bad part begins 10 miles south of Puertecitos and goes for 10 miles (over the grades). The remaining 30 miles to Puertecitos are mostly level and until a graded scrapes the road, slow going.

Go to Alfonsina's for dinner... Camping at Beluga at 1.3 miles south of Alfonsina's is recommended.

[Edited on 11-29-2006 by David K]

1106 224r.JPG - 49kB

Ken Cooke - 11-28-2006 at 08:37 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
I was on that road Saturday, the 18th of this month... YOU will be fine... Just go slow.


On Friday the 24th of this month, it was exactly as David K described. Take your time and enjoy the beautiful scenery.

Gadget - 11-29-2006 at 05:07 PM

Or...no its not fair to recommend that you spend the kind of time and money on suspension I have on the GSB Bronco prerunner unless you have a very patient and understanding wife. But my son and I ran Puertocitos to Gonzaga in the dark race day eave in a little over 1 hour. It is the roughest I've ever seen it and that was before the race. We left our pit down course after the race headed for BoLA but I'm sure it was worse after. You know one of the things about Baja I think I enjoy the most is after conquering some trail and counting my good fortune for have such a worthy ride is having a load of locals pull up beside me in a 1972 Ford club wagon with no shocks and 4 baloney skin tires. Patience and driving skill is REALLY all you need to get around 99% of the time.;D

For a "Newbie" you sure have it nailed!

thebajarunner - 11-29-2006 at 05:30 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Gadget
Or...no its not fair to recommend that you spend the kind of time and money on suspension I have on the GSB Bronco prerunner unless you have a very patient and understanding wife. But my son and I ran Puertocitos to Gonzaga in the dark race day eave in a little over 1 hour. It is the roughest I've ever seen it and that was before the race. We left our pit down course after the race headed for BoLA but I'm sure it was worse after. You know one of the things about Baja I think I enjoy the most is after conquering some trail and counting my good fortune for have such a worthy ride is having a load of locals pull up beside me in a 1972 Ford club wagon with no shocks and 4 baloney skin tires. Patience and driving skill is REALLY all you need to get around 99% of the time.;D


It really is a great moment to finish a run over a really rough road, congratulate yourself on your skills and the awesome endurance of your rig, only to be met/passed by a vehicle packed with locals, the looks of which would barely make it down Main Street in your home town.
Shhhhh. Don't tell them that it is not possible to cross that terrain, they do it without a care in the world, and most expeditiously too, I might add.

Gadget - 11-30-2006 at 05:51 PM

First off guys and gals, I am only a newby to this site. I've been bouncing around off road in Baja since I was 15 and I'm pushing 50 now. Also the locals are doing the races at in many classes and are really competitive. We can't forget that favorite and most respected of all classes, class 11 :biggrin: which embodies all the aspects of sheer will and luck coupled with lots of skill to get across the finish line. I have never laughed soo hard as watching my friends in car video of his Baja 500 run in his big gnarly class 8 truck fighting multipal mechanical issues passing and getting passed a dozen times by the same class 11 as he struggled along. It was the the tortise and the hare story on wheels. The class 11 finished the race and he gave up at RM 120 or so.

Hook - 12-1-2006 at 12:53 PM

What is class 11.....some kind of stock vehicle category?

Is there one for trucks with cabover campers????:lol:

bajalou - 12-1-2006 at 01:14 PM

Class 11 - Stock VW (with some safety stuff added)

Gadget - 12-1-2006 at 05:48 PM

Quote:
Is there one for trucks with cabover campers????:lol:


There is. It's called sportsman class and it's run what you brung. You have to have some safety equipment, but there has been all kinds of crazy stuff run over the years. There was even a guy in a souped up Bronco years ago who towed a little travel trailer in the Baja 500. I don't remember if he finished or not but he was welding and changing tires on the trailer every few miles.:?:

Ken Cooke - 12-2-2006 at 08:40 AM

Here's my photo of what the road conditions looked like about 5 mi. south of Puertecitos:

Tore up stretch of road south of Puertecitos

Nothing any high-clearance 2WD pickup/suv or stock 4WD cannot handle. Unfortunately, a family in their minivan bashed and punctured their tranny oil pan and were stuck at Coco's while Coco did much of the work to get them back to Hwy 1...