BajaNomad

First time trip - 13 days from San Francisco to Baja and Back

expatwanderer - 11-12-2006 at 03:19 PM

I've been wanting to head down to Baja for many years and have finally been able to make it happen. Been researching the forums a lot and think I have nailed the route. On the recommendations from some earlier postings, and perhaps for the benefit of others, I am posting it here for comment and feedback.

We (4 guys) have 13 days to do the trip -- the idea is to get a sampling of what Baja has to offer. We don't want to spend every hour in the car, but it is a roadtrip so we are OK clocking up some miles. We will just be touring and relaxing - no surfing or fishing planned.

The (single) vehicle is an Audi Allroad AWD with around 8 inches of clearance, and regular all season tires. Not the ideal vehicle, but we decided it is too expensive to rent a jeep. We are experienced campers and will have the appropriate gear, including a second full spare for the car. We have checked "The List" posting carefully :-)

We are traveling starting Thanksgiving week (after the Baja 1000!).

So, our route is below. This looks overly "planned", but that is not the idea. We wanted to sketch out what we could do, and then we will adjust depending on roads, what we like, etc.

My questions:
- Does this look like a good trip for a first time to Baja?
- Any of these roads impassible in our car? It already looks like Day 9 is a problem right now :-(
- I've noted some of the recommendations I have found on the forums, any additional comments are of course welcome

Day 1 - 500 Miles - Freeway

San Francisco to San Diego

Day 2 - 240 Miles - Paved Road

San Diego to San Felipe via Tijuana, Ensenada

Accomodation Recommendation: San Felipe, Hotel El Cortez
Fuel: Gas should be available in San Felipe

Day 3 - 105 Miles - Paved/Graded/Dirt

San Felipe south to Bahia San Luis Gonzaga via Puertecitos

Accomodation Recommendation: Gonzaga, Camping (recommendation to find isolated beach spot north of Gonzaga)
Dinner recommendation if not camping: Alfonsina's Restaurant and Motel in Gonzaga

Day 4 - 100 Miles - Gravel/Paved

Bahia San Luis Gonzaga to Bahia De Los Angeles via Coco's Corner, Hwy 1

Accomodation: Hotel - Villabahia, Bahia De Los Angeles. Or camp.
Fuel: Pemex in Bahia De Los Angeles should be open
Dinner recommendation: Restaurant Las Hamacas

Day 5 - 80 Miles - Graded Dirt/Dirt

Bahia De Los Angeles to Bahia San Francisquito

Accomodation: Camping at Bahia San Francisquito

Day 6 - 210 miles - Dirt/Graded Dirt/Paved

Bahia San Francisquito back to Hwy 1 via El Arco and then south to Mulege

Accomodation Recommendations: Hotel Cuesta Real, Hacienda Hotel in Mulege

Day 7 - 80 miles - Paved

Mulege to Loreto

Acomodation Recommendations: Iguana Inn (www.iguanainn.com).

Day 8 - 130 miles - Graded Dirt/Dirt/Paved

Loreto to La Purisma via San Javier Mission and east to San Domingo, and north to La Purisma

Fuel: Barrel gas in San Isidro and La Purisma, if available.
Accomodation: Basic camping just outside La Purisma, or very basic Motel Nelva in San Isidro

Day 9 - 200 miles - Dirt/Graded Dirt/Paved

La Purisma east to Hwy 1 and north to San Ignacio
Alternative: to San Ignacio on paved road south via Insurgentes, and north thru Loreto and Mulege

Accomodation: Casa Leree, San Ignacio

Day 10 - 310 miles - Paved

San Ignacio to El Rosario

Accomodation: Baja Cactus Hotel, El Rosario

Day 11 - 150 miles - Paved

El Rosario to Ensenada

Day 12 - 115 miles - Paved

Ensenda to San Diego via Valle De Guadalupe and border crossing at Tecate

Day 13 - 500 miles - Freeway

San Diego to San Francisco

Packoderm - 11-12-2006 at 04:01 PM

That's quite a bit of planning done, and it seems a bit busy. If it were me, I'd cut out Loreto completely and replace La Purisima with Bahia Asuncion in order to make a little free time in case you see something you like and want to stay an extra day. You'll see other missions. The Hacienda in Mulege is a good bet. While in Gonzaga, check out Papa Fernandez's campsite around the bend on the open water for camping. You might like that.

David K - 11-12-2006 at 05:49 PM

Pretty intense... great planning... However, I would recommend one full day (2 nights) at Bahia de los Angeles... Don't burn out with too much driving.

The road to Hwy. 1 from the San Francisquito to El Arco is shorter and better than driving through El Arco. It passes through Guillermo Prieto. An interesting side trip off that road is to Mision Santa Gertrudis.

IF you go to Loreto and San Javier... then you can take the road direct to La Purisima via Comondu... It can't be too much rougher than any of the other dirt roads in that area... They all got rough after the last hurricane season. Consider Packoderm's idea... Or, skip the Loreto/La Purisima loop and spend extra days at Bahia Concepcion, Mulege, San Ignacio and as I said earlier, L.A. Bay.

Mision San Borja is a good side trip, 22 good dirt miles from both the L.A. Bay hwy. and Hwy. 1 at Rosarito (south of Punta Prieta). It is the furthest north stone mission on the peninsula. Jose and his family offer several tours from minutes to hours long... you chose.

Whatever you decide, have a GREAT trip!!!

BajaJim - 11-12-2006 at 05:52 PM

If you want to save some time, have you thought about driving to Mexicali and crossing into Mexico to get to San Felipe?

I know that from San Diego to San Felipe is about 4 hours. I think it may be a little bit long from Ensenada, although I have never driven it that way.

Either way sounds fun.

David K - 11-12-2006 at 05:54 PM

The Ensenada route is the same distance, but takes an hour longer... BUT it is SOOO much nicer a drive than across the desert and salt flats...

Bajaboy - 11-12-2006 at 09:26 PM

I'd always make a plan b in case the winds pick up. I usually have a destination on the Pacific to head towards if the winds start to blow on the Sea of Cortez.

Have a great trip!

Zac

TacoFeliz - 11-12-2006 at 09:57 PM

You'll have a great trip. Probably by day 3 or 4 the group won't care where you are or if you're on schedule because the air feels great, the sky and water and desert are beautiful and you have a cold beer in hand. One potential problem with this itinerary is that you may not have any interest in making the trip back north, I think.


:spingrin: :spingrin: :spingrin:

DavidT - 11-12-2006 at 10:27 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by expatwanderer




Day 3 - 105 Miles - Paved/Graded/Dirt

San Felipe south to Bahia San Luis Gonzaga via Puertecitos

Accomodation Recommendation: Gonzaga, Camping (recommendation to find isolated beach spot north of Gonzaga)
Dinner recommendation if not camping: Alfonsina's Restaurant and Motel in Gonzaga

Day 4 - 100 Miles - Gravel/Paved

Bahia San Luis Gonzaga to Bahia De Los Angeles via Coco's Corner, Hwy 1

Accomodation: Hotel - Villabahia, Bahia De Los Angeles. Or camp.
Fuel: Pemex in Bahia De Los Angeles should be open
Dinner recommendation: Restaurant Las Hamacas

Day 5 - 80 Miles - Graded Dirt/Dirt

Bahia De Los Angeles to Bahia San Francisquito

Accomodation: Camping at Bahia San Francisquito








You're getting into an area where you might want to spend more then just an afternoon. Realistically, by the time you wake up, S,S,S, coffee up and hit the road you are looking at four to five hours travel time on each leg. Start at 7 am and you only have 4-5 hours of afternoon sun to get settled in and see the sights. You might consider more then one night at any of your stops, anywhere along your route. And if you have one in your group who has to stick to a rigid schedule, medicate 'em with tequila, put them in the back seat and turn up the stereo.:biggrin:

Alan - 11-12-2006 at 10:32 PM

I would say that Thanksgiving weekend is not the time you want to find "Baja" in San Felipe. Additionally you have a lot of dirt road driving scheduled for 4 guys stuffed in an Audi. Northern Baja is likely to be a zoo over Thanksgiving. I would head south as fast as possible. Like San Diego to Catavina or to Bay of LA. If the wind aren't blowing spend a day and rent a kayak. If the wind is blowing head south to Mulege with a lunch break in Guerrero Negro, San Ignacio or Santa Rosalia then on into Mulege. Spend a day at Bahia Concepcion or use that as a base for day trips to Loreto etc.

If you want to get into Gonzaga Bay I think the road from the south is better but don't quote me because I've never bothered to go there.

vgabndo - 11-12-2006 at 11:35 PM

Any way you do it, you should have a great time with buddies. I'm inclined to agree with Alan. The sooner you can be in Mulege the sooner you can make the time to do something other than driving for distance. Even driving the Carretera is an adventure. It just has a white line. IMHO, the farther south you go the better it gets. Right up to a certain point (or cape) as the case may be.:lol:

It'll be fun to read your report. D.D.A.N.;)

bajarich - 11-13-2006 at 03:38 PM

My first trip to Baja (from Salt Lake City). Our priorities were: (1) Spend the second night out of Salt Lake camping on the beach: (2) Go whale watching at Guerro Negro, and (3) Get to Bahia Conception and spend as much time on the beach as possible and then make the drive home in 3 days.

You'll have plenty of years in the future to see all of Baja. Why not stop and relax in one place for a while. Moving everyday will wear you out.

Does the Audi still have 8" of ground clearance with 4 people and all of their gear in it? And have you taken into consideration that most backroads in Baja are severly washboarded? I doubt you will be able to fly over the washboard at 30mph with that heavily loaded car without breaking something or having tire problems.

[Edited on 11-13-2006 by bajarich]

Hook - 11-13-2006 at 05:41 PM

Agree with the idea of blowing off San Felipe to Gonzaga and out. BOLA to San Francisquito and out to Hwy 1 will give a better offroad experience IMO. But you better be able to repair a tire, if necessary, as the route gets much less traffic than SF-Gonzaga-Hwy 1.

I 'd also allow for a second day in BOLA and the Mulege area and cut out Loreto.

Consider driving all the way to Ensenada on that first day and stay at the Motel Colon for a decent, inexpensive flop pad. Walking distance to the main section of town and you can get ATM pesos at the bank and shop for the basics (like tequila, cerveza, tortillas, avocados) before you depart the following morning. You will also have already dealt with the border and the FMTs. You will only add about 1.5 hours to the first day's drive, INCLUDING THE FMT PROCESSING.

The toll road to Ensenada can be driven at night; just watch for bullets around La Salina. :lol:

expatwanderer - 11-13-2006 at 09:15 PM

Thanks for all the feedback so far. Tons of great advice. I was a little worried about the Thanksgiving crowds, so it is interesting to hear that confirmed - we may flip the route around based on this aspect alone. I guess the other part is the balance between "see the Baja sample pack", or "chill and let the Baja experience absorb you". The good thing is that we are flexible and will adjust as we go.

In answer to a couple of Qs in the thread:

The 8 inches of clearance should be constant -- self leveling adjustable suspension. Catch is that if you go more than 30mph plus, the car lowers itself. Nice until you hit that wayward rock on the otherwise smooth dirt :-) We will be watching out for that.

Tires are definitely the weakest point. We will be carrying an extra full spare, plus the "get you home" spare, plus tire repair kit plus slime.

rivergirl - 11-15-2006 at 06:34 PM

You might pick up one of those little portable air compressors that plug into your cigarette light or accessory outlet in your car. It really saved us last year. We actually picked up some kind of puncture right at the military check point below Ensenada on our way home.... boy was I mad:fire: My husband had stopped the truck got out to let them in the back of the truck and saw the tire going flat. I think they heard me yelling at him when he told me, so they didnt even look at anything just told him to go ahead so we could take care of the tire. We have a big diesel truck, my husband had a tire plug kit & the little compressor and a can of fix a flat, jack and it made the hole process easy…. The plug held great all the way home….800+miles. :D

kellychapman - 11-17-2006 at 05:28 PM

thank goodness it is for the boys as I am exhausted just thinking of such a schedule........too much work...lol....may your trip be one worth all the planning...and eat drink and be merry.....and Loreto is a beautiful town to kick back and have some liquids.....and eat all the wonderful food!!! Be Safe in your travels.....