BajaNomad

bola- san fran- el arco gn

honda tom - 6-25-2007 at 05:08 PM

crossed the border Fri 22 at 7:30am and got to BOLA about 3:30pm. Went out for yellowtail on a panga out of Daggets. $150.00. landed 25 yellows and some misc. fillet the fish grabbed some beers and headed to san fran. a little over 2 hours (the road is in pretty good shape). about halfway we run into a full blown 18 wheeler with a 40 foot + trailer. He's parked about 200 yards off the road and it looks like its being loaded ( nothing tied down and only half full). Thinking it might be a load of weed, we mind our business and continue on. At dinner Juan at San Francisquito says they are taking sand to Ensenada. WHAT? I dont know but if anyone has any info please chime in.
Met some cool guys with a couple of planes from sacramento, ate the yellowtail from our morning fishing and slept under the stars. Got a panga on Sun $120.00, and got skuned, lots of fish but not hungry. Loaded up and left SF about noon had lunch at Guerrero Negro and crossed the border at 2am. At san isidro we were detoured to otay mesa. I never thought too much about it but sun night at midnite is no time to try and cross headed north. weather was unseasonably cool.

BajaWarrior - 6-26-2007 at 06:44 AM

Sounds like a great quick trip!

Even at Midnight it was still backed up and you got diverted to Otay?

honda tom - 6-26-2007 at 11:22 AM

yea! the traffic was incredible and at the left hand turn light (maybe a 1/2 mile from the border?) it was total gridlock. 1 hour to travel 200 yards. then, we finally made it in the lane, and the cops put up a barricade and sent everyone off. the traffic out to Otay was hilarious with cars at half speed trying to read maps and roadsigns. we missed the turn twice ourselves.

Hook - 6-26-2007 at 11:42 AM

Tanks for the info, Honda Tom.

DianaT - 6-26-2007 at 05:20 PM

Thanks---we have not yet gone out to that area, but plan to do so. We appreciate the information regarding the roads.

Diane

Gadget - 6-27-2007 at 10:47 PM

Got the stinkin diversion track logged on my GPS now so to not miss the turns. There's 1 of the 5 turns with no sign. Everyone misses it. :fire:

wilderone - 6-28-2007 at 09:30 AM

There was a report a couple years ago about sand being taken from Baja arroyos and loaded on barges in Ensenada and then sent to Hawaii beaches. At that time, they were trying to put a stop to it.
Off the subject, but once I was camped at El Marmol and I saw a truck with flatbed coming in from the El Volcan road and they stopped near the clearing by the school and I went over to see what they were doing. A couple, who said they were from El Rosario, had a load of yucca that had been cut and they were offloading them, adding to the 30 ft. circumfrence pile already there. They said they were being sent to the United States. I asked where they cut them, and they described an area somewhere beyond El Volcan. They then set out for more.

DianaT - 6-28-2007 at 09:33 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Gadget
Got the stinkin diversion track logged on my GPS now so to not miss the turns. There's 1 of the 5 turns with no sign. Everyone misses it. :fire:


We are still learning to use our GPS, but would love to have any GPS information for that road. I have heard that going out from El Arco is confusing.

Thanks
Diane

honda tom - 6-28-2007 at 02:00 PM

JD no worries at all with a baja almanac. at el arco only two "well cut" roads continue, one to san fran and the other to mission santa gertrudis. once on the san fran road youd have to try pretty hard to get off of it. at el progresso (about 8 miles west of san fran) you will turn left for a 1/4 mile then right to san fran. both roads (BOLA to SAN FRAN) and (EL ARCO to SAN FRAN) are equal in sites and beauty. the BOLA road however does have a nice deserted beach stop at san rafael.

DianaT - 6-28-2007 at 02:01 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by honda tom
JD no worries at all with a baja almanac. at el arco only two "well cut" roads continue, one to san fran and the other to mission santa gertrudis. once on the san fran road youd have to try pretty hard to get off of it. at el progresso (about 8 miles west of san fran) you will turn left for a 1/4 mile then right to san fran. both roads (BOLA to SAN FRAN) and (EL ARCO to SAN FRAN) are equal in sites and beauty. the BOLA road however does have a nice deserted beach stop at san rafael.


Thanks!

David K - 6-28-2007 at 07:24 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by wilderone
There was a report a couple years ago about sand being taken from Baja arroyos and loaded on barges in Ensenada and then sent to Hawaii beaches. At that time, they were trying to put a stop to it.
Off the subject, but once I was camped at El Marmol and I saw a truck with flatbed coming in from the El Volcan road and they stopped near the clearing by the school and I went over to see what they were doing. A couple, who said they were from El Rosario, had a load of yucca that had been cut and they were offloading them, adding to the 30 ft. circumfrence pile already there. They said they were being sent to the United States. I asked where they cut them, and they described an area somewhere beyond El Volcan. They then set out for more.


I believe we were told it is used for the 'natural ingredients' personal care industry (shampoo, etc.).

This load was at the old dirt airplane runway 'El Arenoso', next to the road to San Juan de Dios, behind the Los Martires cafe on Hwy. 1, east of El Rosario.

Sad that people can't be happy using good chemicals or quickly renewable natural sources (such as tea tree oil shampoo).

More photos at http://vivabaja.com/406

406 022r.JPG - 49kB

wilderone - 6-29-2007 at 09:10 AM

YES!! The pile at El Marmol looked the same! When did you take that pic? How long have they been cutting these?? This is so wrong.

David K - 6-29-2007 at 09:15 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by wilderone
YES!! The pile at El Marmol looked the same! When did you take that pic? How long have they been cutting these?? This is so wrong.


As I mentioned in the reply: This load was at the old dirt airplane runway 'El Arenoso', next to the road to San Juan de Dios, behind the Los Martires cafe on Hwy. 1, east of El Rosario

see http://vivabaja.com/406 for more photos of the yucca masacre.... (406= April, 2006)

Baja&Back - 6-29-2007 at 09:42 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by wilderone

Off the subject, but once I was camped at El Marmol and I saw a truck with flatbed coming in from the El Volcan road and they stopped near the clearing by the school and I went over to see what they were doing. A couple, who said they were from El Rosario, had a load of yucca that had been cut and they were offloading them, adding to the 30 ft. circumfrence pile already there. They said they were being sent to the United States. I asked where they cut them, and they described an area somewhere beyond El Volcan. They then set out for more.


The guys from the Tres Hermanos ranch, who own the windmill beside the El Marmol road, are also culprits in cutting all the Datillo Yucca between their ranch and El Marmol.

One time, we saw a flatbed semi at Marmol, loading up those 4' cubed mined blocks of onyx that have lain around the desert for 50 years. A husband & wife team were dragging the blocks across the ground, 50' at a time, with a bumper winch on a pickup, to reach the semi. Then the pickup was used like a bulldozer to push the blocks up a ramp they made & along the flatdeck. Always amazes me that Mexicans are sooo inventive & no task is too daunting to try!
:bounce:

cpg - 7-13-2007 at 01:36 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by honda tom
crossed the border Fri 22 at 7:30am and got to BOLA about 3:30pm. Went out for yellowtail on a panga out of Daggets. $150.00. landed 25 yellows and some misc. fillet the fish grabbed some beers and headed to san fran. a little over 2 hours (the road is in pretty good shape). about halfway we run into a full blown 18 wheeler with a 40 foot + trailer. He's parked about 200 yards off the road and it looks like its being loaded ( nothing tied down and only half full). Thinking it might be a load of weed, we mind our business and continue on. At dinner Juan at San Francisquito says they are taking sand to Ensenada. WHAT? I dont know but if anyone has any info please chime in.
Met some cool guys with a couple of planes from sacramento, ate the yellowtail from our morning fishing and slept under the stars. Got a panga on Sun $120.00, and got skuned, lots of fish but not hungry. Loaded up and left SF about noon had lunch at Guerrero Negro and crossed the border at 2am. At san isidro we were detoured to otay mesa. I never thought too much about it but sun night at midnite is no time to try and cross headed north. weather was unseasonably cool.


Hey Tom how was San Fran? did they fix any of the blown away palapas? how about the new construction near the bar?

Thanks

honda tom - 7-20-2007 at 09:07 PM

as far as new construction by the bar... i didnt see it.

the palapas were all covered except for 1 still wide open.
gas was good.
food was what they got or what U brought.
plenty of beer and water and soda for sale.

I was impressed that the fishing boat was only 120 for 2. this is cheap for the location. HEY NOMADS, LETS KEEP IT THIS WAY! THAT MEANS ASKING FOR THAT PRICE AND ONLY OFFERING THAT OR LESS.

Hook - 7-20-2007 at 09:47 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by honda tom
as far as new construction by the bar... i didnt see it.

the palapas were all covered except for 1 still wide open.
gas was good.
food was what they got or what U brought.
plenty of beer and water and soda for sale.

I was impressed that the fishing boat was only 120 for 2. this is cheap for the location. HEY NOMADS, LETS KEEP IT THIS WAY! THAT MEANS ASKING FOR THAT PRICE AND ONLY OFFERING THAT OR LESS.


But still no ice for sale at the resort, Tom?

capt. mike - 7-21-2007 at 05:18 AM

Hook, i hear they got the freezer fixed so they have ice now for the resort, my guess is they can make it so they would sell it too.
yur in phx right? or Tucson?
so lets buzz over there for a night or 2 after the WX changes.

"Parque Nacional" mean anything?

thebajarunner - 7-21-2007 at 11:10 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Quote:
Originally posted by wilderone
There was a report a couple years ago about sand being taken from Baja arroyos and loaded on barges in Ensenada and then sent to Hawaii beaches. At that time, they were trying to put a stop to it.
Off the subject, but once I was camped at El Marmol and I saw a truck with flatbed coming in from the El Volcan road and they stopped near the clearing by the school and I went over to see what they were doing. A couple, who said they were from El Rosario, had a load of yucca that had been cut and they were offloading them, adding to the 30 ft. circumfrence pile already there. They said they were being sent to the United States. I asked where they cut them, and they described an area somewhere beyond El Volcan. They then set out for more.


I believe we were told it is used for the 'natural ingredients' personal care industry (shampoo, etc.).

This load was at the old dirt airplane runway 'El Arenoso', next to the road to San Juan de Dios, behind the Los Martires cafe on Hwy. 1, east of El Rosario.

Sad that people can't be happy using good chemicals or quickly renewable natural sources (such as tea tree oil shampoo).

More photos at http://vivabaja.com/406




On my maps that entire region is designated "Parque Nacional" and the signs along the carreterra through that entire midriff say "Valle de los cirios" and I think there are also signs designated the cardon valleys.

If the MexFeds don't want to enforce that region then they should take down the signs and scratch off the maps.

(I know, I know, park this post under "Pollyanna Lives")

Hook - 7-21-2007 at 11:27 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by capt. mike
Hook, i hear they got the freezer fixed so they have ice now for the resort, my guess is they can make it so they would sell it too.
yur in phx right? or Tucson?
so lets buzz over there for a night or 2 after the WX changes.


No Mike, I'm in SoCal, but let's talk about what it would cost to fly me and the missus to San Carlos (Sonora) from your area. U2U me. It would be a Friday afternoon out and a Saturday or Sunday return. Another RE opportunity has come up.

[Edited on 7-21-2007 by Hook]

Bob H - 7-21-2007 at 11:43 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Hook
Quote:
Originally posted by capt. mike
Hook, i hear they got the freezer fixed so they have ice now for the resort, my guess is they can make it so they would sell it too.
yur in phx right? or Tucson?
so lets buzz over there for a night or 2 after the WX changes.


No Mike, I'm in SoCal, but let's talk about what it would cost to fly me and the missus to San Carlos (Sonora) from your area. U2U me. It would be a Friday afternoon out and a Saturday or Sunday return. Another RE opportunity has come up.

[Edited on 7-21-2007 by Hook]


Another step closer to retirement!!!! :yes::spingrin:;)
Bob H