BajaNomad

Driving San Felipe to Cabo via Puertecitos

julietravels - 6-18-2009 at 07:35 PM

My husband and I are driving our Ford F150 pickup from San Felipe to Cabo and need advise. I have heard that you should let some air out of your tires for driving south of Puertecitos. There is a concern about nowhere to add air back in once on the pavement. Any advise on this would be appreciated. Also information on the time it takes to drive from San Felipe to Guerrero Negro. I have heard that it takes anywhere from 8 to 12 hours. A more accurate time would be nice to know. Thanks

osoflojo - 6-18-2009 at 10:26 PM

Cant help you with the air issue although I am sure someone will. It has been some time since I drove that way but that time element sounds about right depending on your driving habits and how much sightseeing and other stops you make. Emjoy the trip, I am sure you will.

bajagrouper - 6-19-2009 at 07:26 AM

You carry a small air compressor that plugs into your cig.lighter outlet and fill your tires, I did that drive in a 2000 Subaru in 8 hours and did not let any air out of my tires...good luck

David K - 6-19-2009 at 07:48 AM

You do not need to let any air out... I never have on that road. It may give a smoother ride on washboard roads, but the road south of Puertecitos is more rocks and ruts in the road... You will be lucky to get more than 15 MPH in any part of it south of the Pavement to Gonzaga Bay... Some air out will not increase your speed, but could risk a sidewall puncture if too much is let out.

Seriously, any Baja traveler should have a tire pump on board... Because you will need to let air out if you need to cross some deep sand. Also, if you have a flat and plug the hole with a tire plug kit (you have one of those in the truck?), you will need to add air back in.

Finally, if you don't buy a $25 air pump to have in the truck and do need to add air when you get to Hwy. 1, the tire shop at Laguna Chapala should be able to help you!

San Felipe to Guerrero Negro could take you 8 hours with no problems... What about a stop at Alfonsina's for shrimp or a drink? What about a stop to visit Coco? Things that you should do to add to the experience of driving 40 of the worst miles in Baja today! (end of pavement to Gonzaga)

ncampion - 6-19-2009 at 09:01 AM

I agree wiith David, don't let air out on the Gonzaga road, you will only invite rock pinch flats. Low air is for sand or other traction issues. Just take it slow and enjoy the view.

Get a good air compressor. The cheap ones will just overheat and take forever to actually fill a tire.

Do stop at Alfonsina's and Cocos. After driving all that way you have to at least stop to cool off.

Enjoy

pascuale - 6-19-2009 at 02:33 PM

I recommend lowering air pressure to 20psi for a much more comfortable ride. On the washboard go a bit faster and it will be smoother. When you arrive to highway 1 directly across the highway from the dirt road is a little mechanic shop. They are always there and will refill your tires for 2 or 3 bucks. bring extra spares because its still easy to pop tires, and a good jack. I always bring two tires when driving to cabo. May want to stay a night in Gozaga, youll love it!

My avatar is Gonzaga sunset. I have been to Gonzaga on that road 100 times and popped 3 tires. Just go slow on the rocky parts because its easier to push the tire off the rim with low psi.

[Edited on 6-19-2009 by pascuale]

KurtG - 6-19-2009 at 02:51 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
You do not need to let any air out... I never have on that road. It may give a smoother ride on washboard roads, but the road south of Puertecitos is more rocks and ruts in the road... You will be lucky to get more than 15 MPH in any part of it south of the Pavement to Gonzaga Bay... Some air out will not increase your speed, but could risk a sidewall puncture if too much is let out.

Seriously, any Baja traveler should have a tire pump on board... Because you will need to let air out if you need to cross some deep sand. Also, if you have a flat and plug the hole with a tire plug kit (you have one of those in the truck?), you will need to add air back in.

Finally, if you don't buy a $25 air pump to have in the truck and do need to add air when you get to Hwy. 1, the tire shop at Laguna Chapala should be able to help you!

San Felipe to Guerrero Negro could take you 8 hours with no problems... What about a stop at Alfonsina's for shrimp or a drink? What about a stop to visit Coco? Things that you should do to add to the experience of driving 40 of the worst miles in Baja today! (end of pavement to Gonzaga)


As of 10 days ago when I motorcycled past, the tire shop at Chapala was deserted and mostly torn down. Used to be a dependable gas source for me in days past.

Cypress - 6-19-2009 at 02:56 PM

Keep the air in your tires and hang on to your hats! You're in for a wild ride.:bounce:

tripledigitken - 6-19-2009 at 03:02 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by julietravels
My husband and I are driving our Ford F150 pickup from San Felipe to Cabo and need advise. I have heard that you should let some air out of your tires for driving south of Puertecitos. There is a concern about nowhere to add air back in once on the pavement. Any advise on this would be appreciated. Also information on the time it takes to drive from San Felipe to Guerrero Negro. I have heard that it takes anywhere from 8 to 12 hours. A more accurate time would be nice to know. Thanks


Are you driving this route to see the sights, or are you thinking it is the faster route to GN vs Tecate, Ens., GN via 1?

If you goal is to get to GN in one day I wouldn't take this route. If you truly want to experience this route do take at least 2 days to get to GN.

Ken

Paulclark - 6-19-2009 at 03:38 PM

We just drove that route -- count on 6 to 7 hours from San Felipe to Gonzaga Bay and do not deflate your tires until after Gonzaga Bay. The rocks on the road are just waiting to eat your sidewalls. After Gonzaga you can deflate to 20 lbs for the wash board as their is less side wall risk. The tire shop at Lake Chapala is closed - abandoned so take you own compressor and patch kit. We usually carry a plug kit which will repair small punctures. From Gonzaga to the highway is about 1 1/2 hours.--That is with a stop at Coco's. From Lake Chapala to Guerrero Negro is about 2 hours.
It is a pretty drive and well worth the bumps.
Paul

[Edited on 6-19-2009 by Paulclark]

redhilltown - 6-20-2009 at 12:13 AM

You'll get a lot of thoughts on this, obviously! But 6-7 hours from San Felipe to Gonzaga is a bit pessimistic...especially now that a good chunk of it is paved. On the other hand, this would be the IDEAL amount of time to do it right and enjoy that stretch of Baja that soon will be completely paved and the "adventure" (some call it hell) will be gone. I always lower down to 20 for the entire stretch and yes, after Gonzaga it is a tire eating road. The cheapie compressors are a waste of time and I agree to get a good one and 2 spares. Coco will tell you his as gospel as to the spare tires. Since the Chapala llantera is gone there are not a lot of options unless you air up enough to be safe into L.A. Bay (quite a detour) or maybe Jesus Maria? The little spur roads to the side are smoother but don't get lulled into thinking you can go fast because there are moguls that that 1000 racers don't even notice but YOU will. It is not a road to consider if time is of the essence.

baitcast - 6-20-2009 at 07:33 AM

If you concerned about time take 1,highway 5 is a walk in the park now,forget the air issues take your time and enjoy the country,for more info check road conditions,lots of stuff there.
Rob

Pacifico - 6-21-2009 at 12:11 PM

Julie,

To echo the thoughts of others - If time is not an issue plan a night at Alfonsina's.... You will be glad you did. It's a beautiful spot! Plus, you will be ready for a break by the time you get there.....

bufeo - 6-21-2009 at 01:00 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by julietravels... Any advise on this would be appreciated. ... Thanks


Julie, I won't give advice, but I will tell you what I did for nine years and will continue to do on our trips off-road.

During the time (1999 - 2008) that we had a house at Pta. Bufeo, I made 112 round trips from San Felipe. That was 223 times (once we went out the Pacific way) over that infamous road. The first few years the pavement south of the airport junction gave way to potholes large enough to have their own ZIP codes.

Not once during those trips did we ever suffer a damaged sidewall or puncture. We did have two flats in and around home owing to picking up nails, but never from rock damage. I'm of the school that deflation adds to flotation over rocks as well as sand. I believe a fully-inflated tire will give less when contacting a sharp rock than a deflated one. I'm not alone in this thinking.

The 'rule of thumb' I use is to air-down approximately 50% of your highway pressure. Our vehicles were Surbubans (1500 series) and pickups (¾-ton series); so this usually meant dropping the pressures from around 56 psi to 28 psi. If the vehicle happened to be heavily laden (i.e. Costco or Home Depot purchases in Mexicali) I might not go all the way to 50%, but close enough.

We always had air available. Three of our vehicles had (have in the case of the Excursion we now own) on-board compressors and this made airing-up on pavement easier. I think it's all right to drive on pavement with your lower pressure as long as you keep your speed down. Owing to my laziness, we often on our returns to San Felipe would drive from the beginning of the good pavement into town before airing up. Again, no problems.

I treat the backroads here in the lava beds of the Snake River Plain the same way. I always air-down.

Our tires were always in the best of shape. Plenty of tread and made for off pavement use.

Ultimately, you will have to decide what's best for you. You can always begin the dirt with slow speed and fully-inflated tires. If you can't bear the discomfort, then you can decide whether or not to air-down.

As far as the time from S.F. to Gonzaga Bay goes. That will depend entirely on the speed at which you will drive and the number of stops you make. It's approximately 100 miles. (NOTE EVERYONE: I say "approximately")

As a couple of others have recommended that you take your time and stop to take in some of the magnificent views, I concur. You might even see a chuckwalla or two tucked into the rocks along the road.

Have a great trip.

Cypress - 6-21-2009 at 01:11 PM

It's an adventure! Do it before it's paved. You won't regret it. Just don't drag any trailers etc. It'll be one of those things in life that you won't forget:yes:

julietravels - 6-21-2009 at 04:19 PM

Thank you to everyone for your comments and suggestions. We left San Felipe yesterday morning at 7:30am and chose the route via Ensenada and spent last night in Guerrero Negro. It was a 12 hour trip that included an hour stop in Ensenada for stocking up on necessities, tequila and mixer at Walmart, gas and the great pizza at Costco (darn I love their pizza). We also spent about an hour Geocaching along the way. For those of you who don't know what Geocaching is, take a look at www.geocaching.com. It is a hi-tech scavenger hunt that makes road trips really terrific. Our driving time was 10 hours. Today we left Guerrero Negro at 9:00am did some Geocachiing and drove thru some pretty great Mexican towns on the way, stopping at an incredible beach on a beautiful bay for a wade in the water, arriving in Loreto at about 4:30pm. Tomorrow we head to La Paz where we will be staying the night, then on to Cabo San Lucas on Tuesday where we will stay 6 nights. We a thinking that we will purchase an air compressor in Cabo and drive back to San Felipe via Gonzaga Bay. We have a good set of tires and a good spare. With the advise we received on this forum, we are optomistic about our chances of making it back to San Felipe "alive." We have loved our trip so far and will posting a trip report when we get home. Thanks again for all your help. JW

David K - 6-23-2009 at 09:37 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by julietravels
Thank you to everyone for your comments and suggestions. We left San Felipe yesterday morning at 7:30am and chose the route via Ensenada and spent last night in Guerrero Negro. It was a 12 hour trip that included an hour stop in Ensenada for stocking up on necessities, tequila and mixer at Walmart, gas and the great pizza at Costco (darn I love their pizza). We also spent about an hour Geocaching along the way. For those of you who don't know what Geocaching is, take a look at www.geocaching.com. It is a hi-tech scavenger hunt that makes road trips really terrific. Our driving time was 10 hours. Today we left Guerrero Negro at 9:00am did some Geocachiing and drove thru some pretty great Mexican towns on the way, stopping at an incredible beach on a beautiful bay for a wade in the water, arriving in Loreto at about 4:30pm. Tomorrow we head to La Paz where we will be staying the night, then on to Cabo San Lucas on Tuesday where we will stay 6 nights. We a thinking that we will purchase an air compressor in Cabo and drive back to San Felipe via Gonzaga Bay. We have a good set of tires and a good spare. With the advise we received on this forum, we are optomistic about our chances of making it back to San Felipe "alive." We have loved our trip so far and will posting a trip report when we get home. Thanks again for all your help. JW


Thank you for sharing your trip with us... Looking forward to hearing back from you after you see Coco, Gonzaga Bay and the 'road' to Puertecitos! :light:

BooJumMan - 6-23-2009 at 05:31 PM

I am a recreational offroader as well, and this is by far the best compressor for the buck:

http://www.amazon.com/Q-Industries-MV50-SuperFlow-Compressor...

You can also buy at pep boys.

I would advise NOT to use a compressor through the cig lighter as it often draws too many amps and blows fuses to the dash. This model uses alligator clips to the battery terminals.

These can blow a 35" truck tire from 20psi to 40psi in under 5 minutes... which is really fast. ;)


Oops, just realized you've already left... as far as anyone else is concerned, you won't be disapointed with this compressor!

[Edited on 6-24-2009 by BooJumMan]

David K - 6-23-2009 at 05:40 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by BooJumMan
I am a recreational offroader as well, and this is by far the best compressor for the buck:

http://www.amazon.com/Q-Industries-MV50-SuperFlow-Compressor...

You can also buy at pep boys.

I would advise NOT to use a compressor through the cig lighter as it often draws too many amps and blows fuses to the dash. This model uses alligator clips to the battery terminals.

These can blow a 35" truck tire from 20psi to 40psi in under 5 minutes... which is really fast. ;)


Oops, just realized you've already left... as far as anyone else is concerned, you won't be disapointed with this compressor!

[Edited on 6-24-2009 by BooJumMan]


That looks like the one Doug sells here on Nomad (Tienda BajaNomad, link on top of each page)...

I have the one from Harbor Freight after bajalou recommended it to me... $49 when on sale... looks and works about the same as the one you linked, as well: Amazon Fast Air Pump Link

julietravels - 6-23-2009 at 10:26 PM

We made it to Cabo today with a fantastic trip so forstaying the first night a Guerrero Negro, second night in Loreto, third night in La Paz, and now, tonight in Cabo San Lucas. We are here until the 29th, when we will head back to San Felipe, spending the night of the 29th again in La Paz, and the rest of the trip will be wherever we decide. When we get back, I will post a full trip report as we have some terrific stories to tell after only 4 days. Again, thanks for the suggestions and advise.

David K - 6-24-2009 at 08:31 AM

Fantastic!!! Thanks for posting 'on the road'!

Borregoman - 8-6-2009 at 04:07 PM

I have that exact air compressor, bought it at Costco a few years ago, it works great, and I agree it is better to have the clips direct to the battery terminals than going through the cigarette lighter.