BajaNomad

single female driving Tijuana to Cabo - insane??

asdfghjkl - 1-3-2008 at 02:26 AM

I am thinking of driving hwy 1 from the border to Cabo and back by myself. I'm blonde, female, and not super young but not very old. I'd drive my own car down from California, where it's registered.

I would plan the drive for each day in advance and have a hotel to stay at each night. I'm not interested in partying but simply seeing Baja and the history and culture.

What do you guys think? Too risky?

Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Elizabeth

Bajagypsy - 1-3-2008 at 05:24 AM

I would do it, but I would also travel with my big dog!!! Don't drive at night!

Elizabeth

Loretana - 1-3-2008 at 06:06 AM

Welcome to Nomad.

I made the drive by myself in October from Oregon to Loreto......

I found that fellow American and Canadian travelers on the Baja Highway seemed to fall in with me on the road and keep a "eye" on me.

One couple from BC even stopped to see if all was well with me when I pulled over outside Catavina to let my Pup take a pee pee. It was very reassuring! :dudette:

I guess that, since there is not a lot of traffic, we recognize each others' rigs and take note of each other as we progress further south. You pass them, they stop; then they pass you, and so on.

Just remember to "plan your drive and drive your plan".

Y que les vaya muy bien!! :saint:

Bob and Susan - 1-3-2008 at 06:28 AM

you NEED to learn to change a tire quickly in the dirt

bring a little water

otherwise...

go for it!!!

vacaenbaja - 1-3-2008 at 06:51 AM

Above all do not forget insurance. Get at least liability. An annual policy would be most econmical for the amount of time that you would be spending, especially if you plan on returning to Mexico, even if its TJ for the day, you would still be covered. Stop every two or three hours to rest the eyes and body.

jorgie - 1-3-2008 at 07:18 AM

as SWF I suggest crossing at Tecate, drive straight though to Esterio Beach resort south side of CBD Ensenada for 1st night. Early start then right though to GN Lots of pemex gas stops. If you log on and state your departure date it's a good bet someone else will be traveling that day and will hook up
Take good care, smile, have a great trip

shari - 1-3-2008 at 08:03 AM

the nice thing about getting a flat when you are blonde and alone is someone stops in about 5 seconds to change it for you!!!! I oved driving canada to baja by myself...singing loud, doing what I wanted when I wanted...but now you need to be a bit more careful for sure...life is a risk anyway....Have fun.

wilderone - 1-3-2008 at 10:02 AM

Go for it - just be extra careful driving and don't take any risks - obey street signs in town, slow down in curves, don't speed, don't pass unless you know it's absolutely safe, don't drive when you're tired. It'll be AWESOME.

fishbuck - 1-3-2008 at 10:10 AM

I know a guy by the name of Big John who might travel with you. You won't need a hotel because he has a van with a matress...;)
Sounds like a fun trip. Just follow the basic Baja safety rules and you should be fine.
So, you got a photo of yourself you can post on here. You know, for Big John.:)

wilderone - 1-3-2008 at 10:29 AM

fishbuck - you're scaring her.

rhintransit - 1-3-2008 at 10:49 AM

go for it. I'm the same, but brunette, and I've done it many times. other than totaling one vehicle in the middle of nowhere, all has gone well for me.

make sure the car is in good condition, be sure you can take care of the car and yourself, don't drive at night unless you absolutely have to (like the hotel was freezing and dawn was two hours away...), use good sense, trust in the universe and the kindness of strangers. take books on tape, good music, and travel light. cross at Tecate, smile and flirt nicely with the poor kids at the checkpoints, and trust in the kindness of strangers.

trust in God(dess), row away from the rocks! bien viaje!

rhintransit - 1-3-2008 at 10:51 AM

ps I might say that making Cabo your destination is insane, but that's my own bias...if that whole existence/experience is what you are looking for, you might as well fly and keep your fingernail polish unchipped.

bajadock - 1-3-2008 at 11:03 AM

1. Nice handle, asdfghjkl!
2. Your trip is more sane than daily commute to/fro office. Avoids carpal tunnel, too!
3. FB is referring to someone who was looking for female companionship on his tour of Baja. Still haven't seen results/pix of that alleged person nor his alleged adventure/mattress.
4. Per feedback to another Cabo drive adventurer, you'll need a good 3-4 weeks unless you enjoy windshield time. Suggest detachment from Cabo goal and go with the flow. Stay a few days in an area that fits you and really enjoy it.
5. What books/online resources are you using for assistance? Lots of good stuff in Nomad, including websites, listed in signatures of veterans. Those with lots of stars*** w/ their names have some solid websites for travel info.

Cardon Man - 1-3-2008 at 11:04 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by rhintransit
ps I might say that making Cabo your destination is insane, but that's my own bias...if that whole existence/experience is what you are looking for, you might as well fly and keep your fingernail polish unchipped.


Very true that Cabo itself is not for every one. But there is a ton to see and do along the way to Los Cabos: East Cape, Todos Santos, La Paz...and the list goes on. Worth making the trek to land's end

ElFaro - 1-3-2008 at 01:03 PM

Here are a few things I have gleaned from driving Baja since 1971...
I always take along a small portable ceramic heater for the cold hotel rooms since most of the hotels are const. of block and cement and the room heaters may not work very well if at all. Make sure you have a full sized spare tire (not the small temporary tire commonly sold with new cars today). Carry a spare fan belt. Carry an extra pair of sunglasses. Bring a couple of the straw brim hats to keep the sun off your head. In your car cover your items with a small tarp or blanket to keep prying eyes from seeing what you have. Don't leave your car unattended to go into a market to
look around for very long. Put a good club on the steering wheel preferably one that locks to the column rather than just the steering wheel. You might consider wearing a money belt to keep valuable papers, money on your person in case your car happens to get stolen. At least you will have
ID, papers, and money to get home. Be careful at inspection stops that you don't leave anything in a door pocket or on the seat of value that an inspector could steal. Arrange your "stuff" in your car and trunk ahead of time before you hit the road even after a rest stop because the inspections can be just around the next curve. Get a locking gas cap. It forces the gas attendant to wait for you to get out of the car and then you can make sure the pump is zeroed out 1st and you can tell him/her what you want for filling. Carry PESOS in 500 peso denominations or less and pay in pesos for everything. DO NOT take down $100 US bills and DO NOT accept $100 bills to give change to someone. Especially the old ones...they can be a real pain to get rid of. When you buy insurance make sure the VIN # on the insurance papers matches you car VIN#. I've had them copy the # down wrong! Stay out of banks if at all possible. Their hours can be a hassle and the lines can be very long eating up your
vacation time. Make sure your brakes are in good shape...you're going to need them. For changing a tire I recommend the "Gorilla Wrench". It makes removing lug nuts easy. Besides if someone helps you let them use your tire wrench. If you don't they might use a wrench that ends up
damaging your lug nuts. Bring a good tow strap. I prefer straps over chains. Chains don't give and can inflict underside damage during towing. Bring jumper cables and a good battery. Don't loan your tire jack to someone especially if they don't have a spare. You'll never see it again.

DENNIS - 1-3-2008 at 02:01 PM

You mentioned you are a blond. I'm only curious as to why?

comitan - 1-3-2008 at 02:15 PM

Very good and well thought out advise ElFaro, and Dennis Blonds draw more attention.:bounce::bounce::bounce:

fishbuck - 1-3-2008 at 02:23 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by wilderone
fishbuck - you're scaring her.

Oops! Sometimes I get scaring and teasing mixed up. I thought my little smiley face would cover me.;)

asdfghjkl - 1-3-2008 at 03:40 PM

Thanks everyone for all your advice and help. To answer your questions i only thought of Cabo as a destination because it is the end of the peninsula - I'd love any suggestions on other ways I could construct the trip. My point is to see and experience Baja - I am not interested in partying or even in socializing particularly. I mention the blonde part because, in my experience with dying my hair dark (on purpose to test this), blonde definitely turns more heads and gets you followed more. This certainly isn't a comment specific to Mexico or anything.

I'd love to go but i'm still not sure I could handle it. At this point I feel like I would hesitate to leave my car and essentially drive slowly from hotel to hotel. That's ok because I am confident I can see plenty that way still. My car is wonderfully reliable and in great shape and I'm a very competent driver.

Again, your thoughts are very helpful and very welcome.
Thank you!
E

bajaandy - 1-3-2008 at 04:41 PM

Sounds like a great trip! I say go for it.

I agree with the others to make your first day's journey to somewhere south of Ensenada. I'd say shoot for the Baja Cactus motel in El Rosario. Do some research on this board and you'll find that I'm not the only one to recommend it. You can make El Rosario easy in about six hours.

If you search some of the past posts, you can find lists of things that other Baja Nomads think are important to have along. The most important thing to take with you is common sense. That, and a little bit of respect for the culture will get you further than having a command of the language. (But it dosen't hurt to know a few phrases in Spanish as well.)

The advice to see if anyone else happens to be going when you do is excellent. Always safer to travel together, even if only for a day or two.

Enjoy your trip, and be sure to post a trip report when you get back. With lots of pictures!

DENNIS - 1-3-2008 at 07:42 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Cap
Of course the indiginous Red Bellied tequila sucking touristas


I've never heard of an indigenous tourist.

DENNIS - 1-3-2008 at 07:53 PM

You could post on the Travel and Convoy forum. Perhaps you could find some company on the road so you wouldn't feel so vulnerable and, that's what you will be traveling alone, especially blond, vulnerable. Don't take unnecessary chances here or anywhere. We don't want to hear of your trauma, only a b-tchen trip report. After all of this priceless advice, you owe us that.

Ladies, Start your Engines

debindesert - 1-3-2008 at 11:28 PM

I am so glad you asked this of the Honorable Nomads. I am also planning a trip sometime in June. Although the distance is not as optimistic as yours is, I plan to enjoy every moment. And, if I can’t find anyone who wants to go with me, I’ll just have to sing by myself. You see, I’m blond too.

I’ve driven many times alone to San Felipe during the 70s and 80s. But, a couple of decades have passed and while Mexico is a slower pace country, it is not amune to change (good or bad).

Still a “junior“, I read all that I can on the board. The information offered here is priceless. Sometimes, with tong-in-cheek the answers are given. But, eventually you will be able to identify the cut-ups and laugh your head off.

And, it’s always good to be humble when traveling a foreign country. Get a head start here and converse with the people who are in the know. After all, they did it first; flat tires, running out of gas, bad restaurants, bad motels, getting lost. My personal favorites are the trip reports and of course there is pictures. I can’t get enough pictures.

Like, ferr suurre,;) let us know what your plans are.

- Deb

P.S. If you’re a bit intimidated by it all (I think not), you can always send U2U.

fishbuck - 1-4-2008 at 01:42 AM

Something I have learned and am still working on is communication while alone in Baja.
I have stopped at internet cafes to log on to Nomad and check in. But so far I haven't found the right cafe because the computers won't let me log in. But I'll just keep trying. If anyone knows some good ones let us know.
The other thing is phone calls. I did manage to make a phone call on my last trip. A major accomplishment. I called Shari from the front desk at Desert Inn at Catavina.
So I learned you can make phone calls at the front desk of any decent motel/hotel. Also pharmacies.
But the isolation of not being able to get in contact with people in case you need help has always been a concern to me. But I kind of like that isolation too.

TMW - 1-4-2008 at 08:22 AM

If you want the security of being able to contact someone take a satellite phone along. They are not that expensive for a couple of weeks. Of course also bring your cell phone and make sure you have international calling.

fishbuck - 1-4-2008 at 10:11 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by TW
If you want the security of being able to contact someone take a satellite phone along. They are not that expensive for a couple of weeks. Of course also bring your cell phone and make sure you have international calling.

Ya, Sat. phone is probably best.
I'd like to try one. I will eventually buy a Baja cell phone but coverage is spotty. My other suggestions were sorta of "living of the land" ideas.
I have sprint and always get a little message on my phone when I cross over. I think it's like a dollar a minute though.
Every little town has public phones and most have internet cafes.

[Edited on 1-4-2008 by fishbuck]

amir - 1-5-2008 at 11:05 PM

asdfghjkl,

You asked for advice. Here's my 2-cents:

Don't go it alone. It's a long, ardous drive to Los Cabos.

If you were my mother, or my daughter, or my spouse, or my girl-friend, or a relative, or even just a distant acquaintance, or none of these, I would worry about ANYBODY with your self-described attributes being on the road alone for days.

Safety issues. Call me old-fahioned.

Good luck with whatever you decide. Hope to hear that it all went well and you had fun!