BajaNomad

BAJA 1/09... So super fine! Part 7 of 7: El Rosario

David K - 1-8-2009 at 11:15 AM

This is continued from Part 6 at: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=36278
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The drive north from Bahia de los Angeles was pretty easy... I was still 'pumped' from the discovery and fulfilment of a goal that stretched back to 1973... to see Choral Pepper's 'lost mission' of Santa Maria Magdalena.

The highway widening project about 20-32 miles south of El Rosario was great to see... It has been almost 33 years since the highway was built here, and finally the numerous accidents and semi truck rollovers in this section have caused a change for safety... Even bikes are safe with the added 3 feet to each side. Unfortunately the wide section begins and ends in the middle of 'nowhere', instead from the start of the narrow section (Lazaro Card##as) and to a logical destination.

We arrived at El Rosario about 7:15 Friday night looking forward to the best bed and shower in Baja... Antonio's Baja Cactus Motel. However, the place had become discovered and it looked as if all the tourists who were missing from the rest of Baja, were all here!

We were told they were all filled up and to go to the brand new Turista Motel back at the far end of town we had driven past. (photos all taken the next morning)



Located across from Ed Lusk's Baja's Best Bed & Breakfast and operated by English speaking Francisco (Frank) Flores who has been saving his earning from the copper mines he owns for this project. A restaurant is coming soon.



Wide parking spaces!




We looked at the room and found the bed nice and soft... just the opposite of the board-like mattress we slept on at Costa del Sol's new room in L.A. Bay! The room rate was only 300 pesos, and that day the exchange made it $25 dollars!





Shower had hot water and good pressure!



THIS was a hit, and we are happy to report that if you find Baja Cactus filled up, as we did... there now is a great back up motel in El Rosario.

Also, there is Ed's bed and breakfast across the street and Ed has totally remodeled the restaurant!

Ed has 6 beautiful rooms and the B&B rate is $60.

We had a delicious breakfast at Ed's... Here are some photos of his restaurant:







That's Ed serving guests at his new bar... Pacifico, Corona, Victoria, Negro Modelo... all available because of his new license.



Ed's private label salsas!



After filling up at Baja Cactus Pemex, we headed home... On the mesa and beyond is a bit more of the new wider Hwy. 1:



But, all too soon, it was back to the old!



Entering Tecate is quite the info sign!



Border wait Saturday afternoon was only 5 minutes... the best in years. They actually had all 4 new gates open... the commercial ones are the other two.

Fantastic trip... one of the best... as I call it Baja 1-09, so super fine!



[Edited on 1-8-2009 by David K]

Bajahowodd - 1-8-2009 at 12:59 PM

David-
Looks like it was a great trip. This new hotel in El Rosario is certainly a welcome event. I don't know if Tourista Restaurant is the best name, however....

Have a question. I know everyone who knows anything about the area thinks of Baja Cactus as just about the only place to stay. There's a hotel between Baja Cactus and Mama Espinozas- always thought they owned it. Never went in. Never seen any mention of it on this site. Noting that Antonio's folks sent you out to the new place, is the one next to Baja Cactus that bad?

BajaNomad - 1-8-2009 at 01:06 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bajahowodd
There's a hotel between Baja Cactus and Mama Espinozas- always thought they owned it... is the one next to Baja Cactus that bad?
The Espinoza's own the motel in-between (name escapes me). Antonio's referred me there in the past as well. We stayed there for one night in July '07. It was well-used, but certainly acceptable. As with David, I'd prefer the Baja Cactus - and like what I've seen of the Turista so far, if for no other reason than the "newness" of their rooms.

[Edited on 1-8-2009 by BajaNomad]

Widening

John M - 1-8-2009 at 02:48 PM

David, is the widening south or north of El Rosario - you wrote that is was south, then a photo was posted that is north of El Rosario....Both ways maybe?

With the remodel job at Ed's is it now easier to keep the pesky cats off the chairs and tables?

John M

David K - 1-8-2009 at 04:28 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bajahowodd
David-
Looks like it was a great trip. This new hotel in El Rosario is certainly a welcome event. I don't know if Tourista Restaurant is the best name, however....

Have a question. I know everyone who knows anything about the area thinks of Baja Cactus as just about the only place to stay. There's a hotel between Baja Cactus and Mama Espinozas- always thought they owned it. Never went in. Never seen any mention of it on this site. Noting that Antonio's folks sent you out to the new place, is the one next to Baja Cactus that bad?


The Espinoza motel name is Las Cabaņas... basic rooms, not new... When Ken and Suzanne stayed there a couple years ago, she told us about the mold in the bathroom... We showed them our Baja Cactus room, and Ken has never stayed anywhere else since, I do believe!

The next motel in El Rosario is the Sinahi Motel, right behind the Bocana Beach Restaurant... (there is an RV park behind the motel, as well.)

The Sinahi rooms are small and very plain... when we checked them a couple years ago. Perhaps better now?

David K - 1-8-2009 at 04:31 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by John M
David, is the widening south or north of El Rosario - you wrote that is was south, then a photo was posted that is north of El Rosario....Both ways maybe?

With the remodel job at Ed's is it now easier to keep the pesky cats off the chairs and tables?

John M


The long section is approx. 20-35 miles south from El Rosario. The short section is the climb up the Rosario Mesa from the Pacific coast to about the checkpoint, on top.

baja-chris - 1-10-2009 at 04:38 PM

Hey David, thanks for taking the time to share your awesome trip. Very nice to meet you in LA Bay. We drove right past that area on the way into Las Animas Bay a few days before you (the left fork).

David K - 1-10-2009 at 04:47 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by baja-chris
Hey David, thanks for taking the time to share your awesome trip. Very nice to meet you in LA Bay. We drove right past that area on the way into Las Animas Bay a few days before you (the left fork).


Hi Chris, it was great to meet you too at Costa del Sol! Yes, the next morning we found the 'lost' site Choral Pepper wrote so much about over the years.

I hope your rooms were better, because our bed was like sleeping on a door and the shower didn't work...

Let's talk off line about Baja mapping sometime! Oh, thanks for asking me to autograph your Baja Calendar... cool!:cool:

baja-chris - 1-10-2009 at 05:04 PM

Our bed was on the hard side but the shower was good. I'd stay there again.

KurtG - 1-10-2009 at 05:57 PM

We stayed at the Turista Motel in October and were very happy with the room and especially the 300 peso rate.

David K - 1-12-2009 at 09:41 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by baja-chris
Our bed was on the hard side but the shower was good. I'd stay there again.


10-4, I will give them another shot if any of the original 7 rooms are available (at Costa del Sol)... afterall her Corn Chowder soup, guacamole, and tacos were GREAT!

We were soo tired after the long drive south from Puertecitos over that road... I was perhaps too anxious to rent the room there after feeling how hard the bed was.

The Turista Motel in El Rosario, the next night, sure made up for it...!!!

By-the-way... I made a note on the HID light thread in the Nomad Off Road forum, but those 'cheap' 7" HID lights both cracked (the black plastic housing) after driving the Gonzaga Bay road... They are not 'Baja Proven'! Elizabeth's son will try an fabricate me metal housings for them at Stewart's Race Works. Made in China and sold through Kragen at about $119 each... they were very bright (HID) and worked fine on 2 earlier Baja trips... but 100 bumpy miles was too much.

David K - 2-7-2009 at 08:49 AM

Bump to bring together...