BajaNomad

Mex 5 "road" from Puertecitos to Gonzaga Bay

bonanza bucko - 4-20-2007 at 08:01 PM

We just got back from an in and out trip to Alfonsina's from Mexicali via Mex 5.

The road south or Puertecitos is worse than it has been in 20 years. It has not been graded in at least 4 years and in that time there have been two Baja 1000 races over it. There are "stair step" grades all through the Tres Marias (the first three mountains south of Peurtecitos) and washouts the size of half your truck in the middle of them. That part of the road is potentially lethal. The washboard south of the Tres Marias is worse than it has been in years.

It took us 2.5 hours from Puertecitos to Gonzaga Bay going south (51 miles) because we were not up to speed on the road...thought it was like it was a year ago on our last driving trip..we usually fly. Coming back north we took 3 hours +. We drive a Toyota Tundra TRD 4X4 that is made for this stuff and the truck did a good job. But there are spots where I don't think an Abrahms tank would have a decent ride. I would not drive a passenger car over that road as it is now.

I don't think they are gonna grade it in the future because they are at work on paving the entire route. If history is a guide that will take a couple of lifetimes and the road that we have been using will get worse and worse.

The road from San Felipe to Puertecitos is freshly paved and can be driven at about 30 MPH....can't go faster because the vados are steep and hitting one faster would put you airborne.

Anyone interested in a fast trip down there is gonna turn around if he has a brain or get wrecked if he doesn't. Us old desert rats and bush pilots are safe from the week end warriors in their campers a little while longer.

gringorio - 4-20-2007 at 08:09 PM

We did that drive just last month in my brothers Nissan Titan and sometime between Puertecitos and Gonzaga were were passed by Subaru Outback loaded to the gills with 4 people and gear. My brother tried hopelessly to keep up but were were getting rattled to bits - its a tough road indeed!

BAJACAT - 4-20-2007 at 08:53 PM

Haa I love Baja, I will be on that road on late may, for the firts time. I can wait. thanks for the report ...

[Edited on 4-21-2007 by BAJACAT]

jimgrms - 4-21-2007 at 07:16 AM

Bad roads make good people ,, should have done it in 63 it was really bad

TMW - 4-21-2007 at 07:46 AM

If any grading is to be done they will surely wait until after the 1000 as it most likely will go thru there this year on it way to Cabo.

DianaT - 4-21-2007 at 07:59 AM

I guess it is just a matter of expectations. We were on that road at the end of Feburary, and yes it was not as good as in the past, but we didn't think it was that bad----just went slower.

Also there were two old VW camper vans traveling that road and doing fine---just slow.

We arrived at Gonzaga on the road from Highway 1 and that one was a lot worse that last time----very washboardy, even the side roads. Again, just slow---besides, in 2003 we were on it right after they paved it, drove too fast, and a rock ate a sidewall.

Guess it is easier being retired---can just take it slow and easy and not worry about getting anywhere quickly.

Diane

David K - 4-21-2007 at 08:45 AM

Photo taken 2 months ago (Feb. 07) of a place where the rocks in the roadbed are exposed south of Puertecitos.

Just go slow, 4WD not needed but you could engage it if you want to avoid some tire spin/ wear. In ' 05 we zipped over it easily... then the storms of summer/ fall '06 washed away base dirt exposing rockbed and the '06 Baja 1000 in November added some wear from the traffic... So the 1.5 hour drive in '05 changed to a 3 hour drive in '07.

It is really a special route with the view of the islands, etc.

However, no low cars or motorhomes/ big campers...

Thanks for the new report Bonanza... the longer it stays dirt and 'bad', the more time will pass before Gonzaga Bay is ruined any more by development!

Bad roads = Good people!

207 071r.JPG - 48kB

baitcast - 4-21-2007 at 09:07 AM

I do this everytime one of these posts pop up,but I can,t help it,what we are talking about is the new road! and how tough it is:lol::lol:
Alot of the old timers can tell tails of the climbs,and the problems incountered on the old road,the run from San Felipe to Puertecitos was time consuming enough,To do SF to Gonzaga in a day was hellish,so we spent the nite in Puertecitos and made the run in the next day,We made 2 or 3 trips a year and always took 6 hrs or more in the early 60,s ,one year after a bunch of storms it took a bit over 8 hrs
It sames a bit insane to abuse ones body as well as ones equipment and call it fun.
When we would get to the top of the last hill I would stop the truck and we get out and cheer my girls would dance and be silly and I would feel like Daniel Boone :biggrin:

BAITCAST

larry - 4-21-2007 at 09:16 AM

That stretch of road is my favorite driving experience. I have done it north (Dec 2005) and south (last Dec). The first time was in a 2WD Dodge Caravan and last year in a Suburban. Having made it in the minivan, I think most any vehicle can get through if driven with a lot of care, but that road feels like a small adventure for us city folks. And because of that, it preserves the beauty and isolation of
Gonzaga Bay---what a beautiful place.

jimgrms - 4-21-2007 at 12:34 PM

I took my 57 international there in 63 and had to ouload going up the the 3 b-tches and pack the gear on foot. had a 4 speed with coumpond low that diddn't work plus no horse power. remember they would patch the road by throwing bags of redimix in the potholes

Cypress - 4-21-2007 at 12:50 PM

Looking like an adventure to be had.:bounce::D

Roberto - 4-21-2007 at 07:08 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by TW
If any grading is to be done they will surely wait until after the 1000 as it most likely will go thru there this year on it way to Cabo.


That would imply that there will be no issues with the Ejido - and I wouldn't necessarily count on that.

Ken Cooke - 4-22-2007 at 12:08 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Photo taken 2 months ago (Feb. 07) of a place where the rocks in the roadbed are exposed south of Puertecitos.



Rocks in the roadbed are still exposed as of 1 week ago. Very rough and demanding stretch of road. Use caution.

David K - 4-23-2007 at 12:13 AM

Last time I drove it before the new road construction (of '85-'86) was in November of 1979... almost impassable! Here's a couple shots when I took the time to stop and photograph the road south of Puertecitos... Muy steep!

[Edited on 4-23-2007 by David K]

nomad 061.jpg - 49kB

Muy steep

baitcast - 4-23-2007 at 09:55 AM

For sure,I can remember like it was yesterday making my first run at the third b-tch and nearly getting hung up on the dreaded ledge,sliding back down with the brakes locked up and my kids screaming in my ears:O
Not a good way to start your vacation:lol:
BAITCAST

David K - 4-23-2007 at 10:10 AM

That was the way it was!!! If those grades weren't so long, I think most passengers would get out and walk!

David K - 4-23-2007 at 10:31 AM

Cliff Cross in his 1970 Baja Guide showed the grades well, and had this map to describe them:

crossgonzaga-r.JPG - 49kB

David K - 4-23-2007 at 10:32 AM

Here is a zoom in on the road between Puertecitos and Gonzaga Bay:

Copy of crossgonzaga-r.JPG - 49kB

SoCalAl - 4-23-2007 at 12:14 PM

My pal Juan,
Was there in March and then again on Tuesday of last week. He took about 2 to 3 hours this time around but the crazy guy and his cousin Frank did it on quads. There nuts these, guys on the wa back they drove over an 1 1/2 at night from Alfonsina's to Puertecitos. In March he did it in his 97 Bronco and mangaed to make it back in 2 1/2 hours again from Alfonsina's to Puertecitos. I plan (God willing) on going with him in May and hope to have something to say about it then.. ;)
SoCalAl

thebajarunner - 4-23-2007 at 12:20 PM

People who b-tch about rough roads in Baja should stick to their neighborhood Costco parking lots....

Seriously, the first time I drove that route was pre-running for the '72 500, and we were running it Northbound.

Darn near went home and stopped building the truck, figured if all of Baja racin' was like that then there was no point to keep at it.

(Ah, but we did come to love those kinds of roads, didn't we?!!!)

Doug- how do you do that??

thebajarunner - 4-23-2007 at 12:23 PM

I just finished posting the previous and I spelled out b-tch, and then my post came up and you had already 'bleep-spelled' it.
Amazing!!!
The other day I put 'peeed off' in a post by I somehow added an extra 's' and it came off just fine.
and no, I am not peesed at your censorship...
well, not much anyway.

Costco parking lots

baitcast - 4-23-2007 at 01:25 PM

:lol::lol::lol: I don,t remember six climbs,heading south it seemed like everything was up hill:O,I guess it was the last climb that had the dreaded ledge,one year I had a buddy follow me in a dodge van! and got hung up on that ledge,He woudn,t back down so I had to back down to him pass him a line and pull:O:O it was he,s last trip in that rig.
One good thing about going home everything was down-hill but than I coudn,t stop:lol::lol:.......But I did have a lot of fun on that road and always looked forward to next time:lol:
BAITCAST

David K - 4-23-2007 at 01:36 PM

Over the road south of Puertecitos to Gonzaga and back with my parents in 1965 and again in 1967 to L.A. Bay and back, in a Jeep Wagoneer.

I first drove it myself going north when I was 16 (1974) and again in 1975... in a dune buggy (VW Myers Manx)...

In '79 it was really trashed... hadn't been worked on in since all commercial traffic for Gonzaga was now coming in from the new Hwy. 1 (finished in Dec. '73)... just got through barely in my 4WD Subaru... went home on Hwy. 1 (less an exhaust system).

In '85 or '86 they built the new graded road and it uses different grades and all less steep so 2WD vehicles can climb them.

'runner: Doug has an automated system that prevents certain words from appearing intact... to keep Baja Nomad PG-13. N-zi (as in the German Socialist Part of the 1930's and 40's is also 'fixed' (as you will see when I post this).

[Edited on 4-23-2007 by David K]

Give us a list

thebajarunner - 4-23-2007 at 02:44 PM

David, and what might those words be (snicker, snicker)
can we get Doug to post an official list?

I have probably used most of those words (except N-zi) when traveling over the road aforementioned...

"THE DREADED LEDGE"

thebajarunner - 4-23-2007 at 02:47 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by baitcast
:lol::lol::lol: I don,t remember six climbs,heading south it seemed like everything was up hill:O,I guess it was the last climb that had the dreaded ledge,one year I had a buddy follow me in a dodge van! and got hung up on that ledge,He woudn,t back down so I had to back down to him pass him a line and pull:O:O it was he,s last trip in that rig.
One good thing about going home everything was down-hill but than I coudn,t stop:lol::lol:.......But I did have a lot of fun on that road and always looked forward to next time:lol:
BAITCAST



Baitcast- the truly dreaded ledge was between Rancho Cuarenta and La Purisima, after you came off the beach route headed South.

Now that one was all-time, hall of fame, world class UGLY!!