BajaNomad

'Baja California Atlas 2007' Review

David K - 8-26-2007 at 04:21 PM

Hello all,

Yesterday I received my copy of the new Baja California Atlas 2007, ordered from www.mexicomaps.com

It is a small paperback 80 page magazine-like map book, approx. 6 1/2 inches by 9 inches in size. It has 42 peninsula map pages plus some city and other specialty maps.

In the back are several pages of advertisements and throughout are many photographs.

This is NOT the Baja California Almanac or a revision of it or the original Baja Atlas of the 80's and 90's. The maps are not topographic (have elevation contour lines) or even show arroyos (streambeds). They are relief maps showing mountains and canyons like satellite images do.

This new Atlas does show the new Blvd. 2000 highway and the new toll road around Mexicali, but not all the dirt roads the Almanac shows. In fact, it doesn't even show El Marmol or any roads in that region of Baja.

It does show the road to Mision Santa Maria, but also shows the foot trail to San Ignacito from there to be an auto. road.

Many airstrips are shown, some with GPS waypoints, but not all... Bahia Asuncion's airstrip is missing. Some islands have GPS data...

The road to Bahia Tortugas from Vizcaino is incorrectly shown as all paved, and the Puertecitos road is shown as all dirt. Enough roads are shown to make it useful and longitude/ latitude lines are every degree and 15, 30 and 45 minutes of the degree.

The small size makes it ideal for the glovebox, and even though it has errors or missing data (what map doesn't?) I think the Baja enthusiast or map/ book collector will enjoy having it. It is published in Mexico and has English and Spanish writing.

Mexicomaps.com sent it out right away as I received mine in just days from ordering it...

woody with a view - 8-26-2007 at 04:26 PM

Quote:

even though it has errors or missing data (what map doesn't?


some of these errors are purposely put in place for copyright reasons. that way, when the next new map comes out every previous mapmaker looks to see if "their" mistakes are included or if the new maker infringed on their copyrighted "mistake".

Bob H - 8-26-2007 at 04:40 PM

Great! I will order myself a copy of this as my almanac is falling apart! We are driving down to Baja Sur for two or three weeks in October.... and, ofcourse, taking our time along the way to see things we have not seen before.

Thanks David!
Bob H

Crusoe - 8-26-2007 at 05:08 PM

Thank you for the good report David. It sounds like it will make a nice addition to any serious Baja travelers map collection and a good resource for information. ++C++

David, maybe I should start a new thread

Gypsy Jan - 8-26-2007 at 05:25 PM

What is, in your opinion, the best GPS chip for Baja/Mexico?

We bought one about eighteen months ago. It does well in showing/naming the streets in the established urban areas of TJ, but does not show Boulevard 2000 and gets Hwy 1 and 1D confused; also, it does recognize the non-tourist neighborhoods of Rosarito, but does not show the roads very well.

Lat/Long/elevation are all good in rural areas.

We haven't tested it in more remote areas, yet.

Any comments/recommendations?

ArvadaGeorge - 8-27-2007 at 06:41 AM

How much is it?

David K - 8-27-2007 at 09:14 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Gypsy Jan
What is, in your opinion, the best GPS chip for Baja/Mexico?

We bought one about eighteen months ago. It does well in showing/naming the streets in the established urban areas of TJ, but does not show Boulevard 2000 and gets Hwy 1 and 1D confused; also, it does recognize the non-tourist neighborhoods of Rosarito, but does not show the roads very well.

Lat/Long/elevation are all good in rural areas.

We haven't tested it in more remote areas, yet.

Any comments/recommendations?


The one Neal Johns (and others) use looks really good... I will try and find you the link, but it is LB maps (I think) and the guy is a Nomad who makes it. Hope another Nomad or Neal himself can give you the details sooner!

HERE IT IS: http://www.lbmaps.com/

[Edited on 8-27-2007 by David K]

David K - 8-27-2007 at 09:16 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by ArvadaGeorge
How much is it?


That's in the web site George.... www.mexicomaps.com

A note to those hoping for a replacement for the Almanac. The Almanac's scale is about 1 inch = 4 miles and the 2007 Atlas is only half that at 1 inch = 7.89 miles.

The Atlas does not show any arroyos or have contour lines so using it for exploring like we use topos or the Almanac isn't possible.

The Baja California Atlas maps are in color and it is full of photos... it looks nice, but we explorers still must hope that Landon puts out a new or even reprints the last Baja Almanac!






[Edited on 8-27-2007 by David K]

bajalou - 8-27-2007 at 11:00 AM

Several months ago, I saw some pages to be part of the new Baja Almanac. A friend brought them to San Felipe for some of us to look at and give comments. (colors etc) so I believe it's in the works.

Thanks for correcting me David, Baja Almanac is what it was.

[Edited on 8-27-2007 by bajalou]

David K - 8-27-2007 at 03:41 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajalou
Several months ago, I saw some pages to be part of the new Baja Atlas. A friend brought them to San Felipe for some of us to look at and give comments. (colors etc) so I believe it's in the works.


Baja Atlas (as in the one I just wrote about) or the Baja Almanac like shown at http://www.baja-almanac.com???




OR






Images above are NOT to scale! The book at the top (Baja Ca Atlas) is actually about 1/3 smaller than the Almanac.

[Edited on 8-27-2007 by David K]

You're right - ment Baja Almanac - Thanks

bajalou - 8-27-2007 at 04:08 PM

David K - 8-27-2007 at 04:09 PM

No worries amigo!

Got this this morning from Tony Telier

bajalou - 8-28-2007 at 07:31 AM

Subject: NEW Baja Almanac Announced Exclusively


Good Morning Sr. Cheese!




********** Mexico Club will announce later today that the new Baja Almanac is ready for shipping for all the Baja 1000 Teams and Fans!


The NEW document will be a prized document for those challenging the Worlds Longest Peninsula this Fall. baja ****** Mexico club is the leader in everything customer service delivery to its members. They were the first to offer their Newsletter and Mexico Club Auto Insurance, ONLINE. They are the ONLY Travel club to have an office in Baja California, Mexico.


Please see ************** for details.


Please contact the ********** people at ************ for details on the NEW Baja Almanac cost and shipping requirements.


Steve
SPEED Mex


This is all I know----

[Edited on 8-28-2007 by Hose A]

David K - 8-28-2007 at 08:48 AM

Lou, this is what is on the Baja Almanac web site today:

"We have sold out of all maps and map books.
If you would like to be notified when we publish the new edition, please send an email to our mailing list with the word subscribe in the title of the email.
We are unsure when our next edition will be published. Please watch this spot for more information."

If Landon has the new Baja Almanac completed, I think it would be posted in his web site before being sold by any travel club. You can ask Judy about Landon as well... (BajaBooksAndMaps.com) that there is no word from him.

[Edited on 8-28-2007 by David K]

bajalou - 8-28-2007 at 11:12 AM

That was the total of my knowledge. What was posted by TT

David K - 8-28-2007 at 09:30 PM

I don't know Tony Telier is Lou... Where did he post that? Does he work for that travel club?

When Landon publishes the Baja Almanac again, I think you will probably hear about it first, right here... the #1 Baja info site.

bajalou - 8-29-2007 at 10:05 AM

Tony T does a lot of forwarding of info regarding off road racing. He lives in San Felipe now, used to race Score etc. Puts lots of stuff out - mostly about races.

In following up on the info. what they have is the Baja Atlas - not the Almanac.

bajalera - 8-29-2007 at 04:12 PM

DK, is that new atlas published by Pemex?

Bob H - 8-29-2007 at 06:47 PM

Wow, mine arrived yesterday. Quick delivery for sure. I will be testing it out in October.
Bob H

Roberto - 8-29-2007 at 07:35 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajalera
DK, is that new atlas published by Pemex?


No, but the publisher used to publish the Pemex maps.

bajalera - 9-7-2007 at 03:43 PM

Thank you, Roberto [belatedlly--I haven't been Nomading for while].