BajaNomad - 2010 New Years: Clams, Friends and Four Wheel Drive!

2010 New Years: Clams, Friends and Four Wheel Drive!

David K - 1-5-2010 at 12:55 PM

Where have the past ten years gone...? In a flash, how much has happened!

One thing for sure, we can count on Baja for bringing us back to what's real!

At least for me and my Baja Angel, being with friends BajaRob and Connie over the New Years has become something we look forward to.

Last year, Rob's clam party was postponed so he and Connie could finaly attend BajaLou's famous turkey feast at El Dorado Ranch (they had always been heald on the same day). Being Lou's final turkey party, Rob told the South Campos amigos that the clams were getting a break that year. See my 1-09 trip report part 1 for photos of the last Turkey Feast!

Friday morning (Jan. 1) we left our home at about 6 am, had breakfast at Sunrise Cafe (Vista) and got to El Centro about 9 am... turned south on 111 for Mexicali and had almost zero traffic for the easy drive to San Felipe.

There is about a total of 5 miles of smooth dirt detour along Hwy. 5 in the area of El Chinero/ Hwy. 3 jcn. on both sides of the checkpoint. They check all cars southbound as well as northbound now. The highway is being rebuilt and they are working on a fancy bridge interchange with Hwy. 3 here.

San Felipe looked dead and void of tourists both going through on Friday and when we went into town yesterday (Monday) to do a little shopping. Very sad for those that have lived on vacation dollars spent in Mexico. The fish taco plaza on the Malecon that once was home to a dozen stalls, now has only two.

We arrived at Bahia Santa Maria (Km. 31) about 12:30, just ahead of the 1 pm clam event. Easily some 70 amigos from the region attended and brought many side dishes and deserts to accompany Rob's 100 dozen steamed clams, served by the bowl with drawn butter and garlic. See BajaRob's post and photos...

Saturday, I was anxious to test my new Tacoma on the infamous 'bottomless' sand beach found south of San Felipe. In order to improve traction and 'float' over the deep sand we always had to deflate the tires to about 15 psi... in the past. With open differentials in loose surfaces, one tire on each axle spins and the other does nothing. However, with Toyota's new TRAC and A-TRAC limited slip systems, no tire works alone or is allowed to dig you into oblivion!

I drove the truck around to the front side of the homes on the beach, and it just drove like it was no different than anything else. How fun and how great... Rob was on his quad in front, and took my camera to get a couple shots of me in the dry, loose sand... tires at full pressure (32 psi)... and not digging in... Oh, what a feeling!

Later, we drove over to the bay of Bahia Santa Maria and watched the wind surfers/ board sailors/ what-ever the term is now, playing on the bay.

I made several circles over the same place in the different drive modes of H4 and L4 (high range and low range 4WD) using TRAC, no TRAC, A-TRAC and no A-TRAC, Locking Rear Differntial and un-locked. A-TRAC (Active Traction Control) works only in L4, as does the Locking RR Diff.. TRAC works in H4 (and in 2WD). You can turn off the TRAC (limited Slip) if you need to spin the tires to work out from a stuck situation by rocking the vehicle if you want... or to spin donuts if you feel such a need for open differentials.

The only way I could get the truck stuck was to turn off the TRAC... and with tires fully inflated, one in the front and one in the rear began to spin and I soon stuck the truck so it could no longer move.

I put the truck in L4, pressed A-TRAC (Limited Slip), and pressed the rear locker... and applied the gas and the truck walked itself out from being stuck! It was amazing...

Later Baja Angel and I drove west to the sulfur mine along the old Puertecitos road and exlored around there. I found a really steep hill to climb and made great photo location.

(above: Bahia Santa Maria from the Sulfur Mine hilltop)

HAPPY NEW YEAR from Baja Angel and David K!

Saturday night we had a great follow up clam feast (there were a few left) with neighbors (Gary and Audrey) and watched the star filled sky before retiring.

Sunday, we all had breakfast at Chelo's (Colonia Delicias, Km. 35) and it was great. Photos at Chelo's taken in 2006 at http://vivabaja.com/618 After breakfast, Rob wanted to know if we would like to see the 'fossil beds'... YOU BET!

Rob secured directions from two sources and was assured a right turn at the red rock would take us there... Well, it sure was fun looking for the 'red rock' as we drove several miles on the Baja 1000 race course, towards Puertecitos. We then took a couple of possible roads west and one was newly graded to a large gravel mine with dozers parked in a canyon. That road continued on through to the Llanos de San Fermin and met the San Felipe 250 race road, which we took back to the sulfur mine area.

While we neglected to find the fossil beds, we sure did put the Tacoma through its paces! With four adults in the cab and an ice chest in the bed, I was NOT able to bottom out the rear suspension... This is a big improvement over my 2005 Tacoma, which I had to add air bags to in order to firm up the rear end enough. Also, we sloshed through many miles of soft arroyo sand and loose gravel. The new TRAC traction control system worked great.

We got back to Bahia Santa Maria in time to watch the second half of the Chargers/ Redskins game... What a great game... Go BOLTS! Rob cooked us a wonderful Corned Beef and cabbage dinner... the best I ever had!

Monday morning we made ready to leave, even though we would have loved to stay longer... We had such great fun and a great time... The corned beef hash and eggs was awesome that morning too! Thanks BajaRob and Connie for your hospitality.

Photos of Casa Rob Y Connie (taken 1-2-09):

View south:

View north:

Great place!

We got on the road about 11 am, spent a half hour in San Felipe shopping, saw no traffic and decided to cross at Mexicali downtown instead of Tecate (thinking it would be real short), and wound up waiting almost 2 hours in line (2:50-4:40pm)... Home at 8 pm (after dinner at the Golden Acorn Casino).

Happy New Year!

[Edited on 1-5-2010 by David K]

ELINVESTIG8R - 1-5-2010 at 01:03 PM

Hi David thanks you for sharing your La Baja trip report. That truck of yours sounds amazing. I bet it can do anything but cook. Hey wait a minute, I bet if you put a baked potato in tinfoil on the manifold it would even do that for you. :lol:

Gaucho - 1-5-2010 at 02:20 PM

Great pics! Thanks David.

chernefitter - 1-5-2010 at 03:27 PM

Man i can't wait to get back down there. Glad you two had a good New Years...your new truck seems to work well for you......

David K - 1-5-2010 at 04:38 PM

Thanks amigos... Yes, the truck was better than expected (and I expect a lot from Toyota)!

BajaRob - 1-5-2010 at 05:03 PM

Great truck and trip report. A good time was had by all. Only 360 days till the next Clam Fiesta.

David K - 1-5-2010 at 05:36 PM

Thanks... you guys made it possible!

Ken Bondy - 1-5-2010 at 06:18 PM

Nice report David! Happy New Year!

David K - 1-5-2010 at 07:04 PM

Thank you Ken... Same to you, amigo!

Bob H - 1-5-2010 at 08:10 PM

Great trip report and photos David! Looks like you had pretty decent weather, although maybe a little windy. Your truck 4x4 details were great!
Happy New Year from Bob and Audrey H

Looks like you guys are having way too much fun...

Mexray - 1-6-2010 at 12:32 AM

...with your new 'Toy'...great stuff, as always!

Both our daughter and son have Ford Explorers with their Trac-lok system and found it worked great, similar to your experience, on the sand at Pismo when we all spend Thanksgiving week there...

I put my big 325R65/18 Pro Comp Xterrains (aired down to 15) on our V-10 Excursion and blasted all over the dunes like a wild man! I even pulled our 28ft airstream up into the soft stuff without getting stuck!

11.09 Pismo dunes [640x480].JPG - 50kB

pal57 - 1-6-2010 at 04:10 AM

Hi David,
I see you've had a warm New 2010 Year, the fotos are great and Baja is still in our hearts.
We had a cold and snowy New Year, but things happen hear in Italy. We had a Christmas week sking in the Dolomites' Mountains, beautiful time.
If you want to see some fotos I have them on my facebook site.

Goodluck for your new truck it is wonderful and I think you be using it for a great time on Baja beaches.

Agian, bye.
Pal57

David K - 1-6-2010 at 09:29 AM

Bob... yes it was 'breezy', but the blue skys helped keep it nice during the day (low 70's). It was cold at night... maybe down in the low 50's! :biggrin:

Ray, always great to hear from you... That's some big rig you got there!

Pal, I will go have a new look at you Republic of San Marino web page/ http://sanmarinoguide.altervista.org/index.php blog. Thanks and Happy New Year!!

Cyanide41 - 1-6-2010 at 11:06 AM

looks like a fun trip. Thanks for sharing David.

David K - 1-6-2010 at 03:57 PM

El gusto es mio!

Come on and have some fun... Mision Santa Maria is next month!!

capt. mike - 1-6-2010 at 05:39 PM

nice homes.
what's the rent??
any recent transactions??

David K - 1-6-2010 at 08:34 PM

The airstrip is ditched at BSM, Mike... El Vergel is 2.4 miles south, however.

thx but didn't answer my Q

capt. mike - 1-7-2010 at 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
The airstrip is ditched at BSM, Mike... El Vergel is 2.4 miles south, however.

i know all about El Vergel.
i didn't ask about the/any strip at BSM - i wanted to know about the properties.
anyone else? :light:

David K - 1-7-2010 at 03:29 PM

Well, amigo... maybe u2u the Nomads who have homes there (one replied in this thread, and the other in Rob's clam party thread). I posted about the airstrip because I thought THAT was an important feature for you to have, that's all.

[Edited on 1-7-2010 by David K]

capt. mike - 1-7-2010 at 03:34 PM

no worries thx DK.

very nice area, i love that adobe mexican brick work.
there are some similar casotas just 3-5 miles norte de Portocitos....i know....i cant spel that place ever.... :lol:

yeah....airstrips are nice but with this economy and Obama's policies taking us down the toobes....who'll be flying small planes? not me probably....bummer....time to trade for a hummer....right Ken??

BajaRob - 1-8-2010 at 08:44 AM

Capt Mike,
Annual lot rent is $1620.
Price range is 100 to 200 K.
Gordy in Playa Hermosa just sold his house for $25,000.

capt. mike - 1-8-2010 at 09:52 AM

those are great deals!!
thx Rob.

mtgoat666 - 1-8-2010 at 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by capt. mike
yeah....airstrips are nice but with this economy and Obama's policies taking us down the toobes....who'll be flying small planes? not me probably....bummer....time to trade for a hummer....right Ken??

ha, you overweight republicans have short memories. i always thought elephants had good memories. obama's policies did not cause the economic meltdown, twas GWB. Obama administration is just picking up the pieces and holding things together until economy finishes the cycle and investor/consumer confidence returns.

and why would anybody buy a hummer? butt-ugly cars, crappy interiors and poor road manners. instead of buying a chinese 4wd, why don't you buy a well-made german 4wd like a g-wagon? or a well made japanese 4wd like 4runner or land cruiser?

David K - 1-8-2010 at 10:37 AM

How quickly you forget that we had a fantastic economy despite being attacked and in a war... thanks to the tax cuts that caused growth. It was my best business years.

What changed is that the dems got back in control of congress in the 2006 mid term elections ('cause Republicans were acting like dems and spending too much, and lost their support from us)... Congress controls the budget and spending and it was after 2007 (2008 mostly) that things went way bad. Bush was still president, but he wasn't in control... but the masses are deceived by the left wing media and blamed him.

Well, now it is WORSE, after 3 years of Democratic control of our budget. Can't wait for the 2010 elections to save America, before it is gone forever!

(PS, this is a reply to mtgoat666, in my thread... not a new out of the blue political rant)

tripledigitken - 1-8-2010 at 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mtgoat666
Obama administration is just picking up the pieces and holding things together until economy finishes the cycle and investor/consumer confidence returns.

If only that was the case. Instead they have tripled the debt, and taken over banks and auto companies. Hardly picking up pieces and holding things together. If left alone the economy will recover. By the way all that stimulus money they grabbed and haven't spent. Don't spend it!

Ken

ELINVESTIG8R - 1-8-2010 at 10:44 AM

Edit to clarify that I was not referring to DK. :lol:

[Edited on 1-8-2010 by ELINVESTI8]

Ken Bondy - 1-8-2010 at 10:49 AM

Hey goat, I resemble that

. "butt-ugly"??? How dare you??? My Hummer H1 is gorgeous (red with the best flames in car history), has a nice interior, and very nice road manners (everybody keeps their distance). It satisfied my belated mid-life crisis and I will never get rid of it for some "chinese 4WD or german g-wagon"!!!

mtgoat666 - 1-8-2010 at 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ken Bondy
Hey goat, I resemble that

kenny,
hummer is now chinese-owned :lol:

your car already has the red-china red paint :lol:

...can't really reply to dk's nonsense, except to say it is nonsense :lol:

David K - 1-8-2010 at 11:03 AM

Facts are the liberals' worst fear... they only can respond with rants and name-calling when faced with the truth. :lol:

wessongroup - 1-8-2010 at 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by tripledigitken

Quote:

Originally posted by mtgoat666
Obama administration is just picking up the pieces and holding things together until economy finishes the cycle and investor/consumer confidence returns.

Ditto's

[Edited on 1-8-2010 by wessongroup]

Ken Bondy - 1-8-2010 at 11:20 AM

Quote:

kenny,
hummer is now chinese-owned :lol:

your car already has the red-china red paint :lol:

So I already own a chinese 4WD??? Aaaargh, who knew??? The world has passed me by.

tripledigitken - 1-8-2010 at 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by wessongroup

Quote:

Originally posted by tripledigitken

Quote:

Originally posted by mtgoat666
Obama administration is just picking up the pieces and holding things together until economy finishes the cycle and investor/consumer confidence returns.

Wesson,

Don't mine you quoting me just don't change or edit them allright? Pretty weak comment (Ditto's), by the way.

Ken

U.S. CURRENCY SAYS IT ALL!

ELINVESTIG8R - 1-8-2010 at 11:31 AM

Correction made

wessongroup - 1-8-2010 at 11:41 AM

Ken, your right.. but, one does get a bit tired of point out the abject failure of this last go around... and my carpal tunnel in my left hand has got me to one handed posting... today.. and have been using most of my typing on up beat stuff, or at least trying to...

May be tomorrow, I can get back into the swing of things.. as I'm sure after the Non Farm Payroll numbers will have folks scratching their collective heads again...

And my error in putting my post below your post just goes to show you that I'm just like anyone else.. not perfect, not even close.. I usually shoot of low amount of errors per day, as I know I going to make a number every day.. if you don't think so just ask my wife, or anyone that knows me... :lol:

Have edited the first post... I stand corrected.. but, I did not change the text of your post, only posted my Ditto's above therefore within your post.. confusing, but no change in your point

[Edited on 1-8-2010 by wessongroup]

tripledigitken - 1-8-2010 at 11:52 AM

Thanks for the correction.

Regarding your simplifing my comment with the Ditto's.

As you well know, the conservative talking heads, incl. you know who, will not admit that the economy is on the mend.

A point of view I do not share. You make an error of judgement of me by trying to put me in that camp.

Ken

wessongroup - 1-8-2010 at 04:10 PM

not trying to put you in any camp, rather agree with the post, and rather than re-state or say I agree with your post, or something else.. I just used Ditto's

If you find this irritaing for some reason, sorry..

Your views are yours and you are welcomed to them.. I did not find anything objectionalbe in my reading

If I did, you would be the first to know

norte - 1-8-2010 at 07:33 PM

Nice pictures and all

BUT must ou continue to drive on the beach in front of peoples houses?
It is against the law after all.... and contributes to the ugly American image

BajaRob - 1-9-2010 at 04:54 AM

Norte,
Driving on the beach is one of the great pleasures of living here. The police have no problem with doing so nor should you.

norte - 1-9-2010 at 08:06 AM

The fact that it is against the law is not important, I guess. Normal for Mexico.Guess you also ay immigration extra as well.

OK I'm gone

805gregg - 1-28-2010 at 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
Thanks amigos... Yes, the truck was better than expected (and I expect a lot from Toyota)!

Wow poor timimg on buying a Toyota, looks like their days are numbered.

David K - 1-29-2010 at 09:51 AM

Not at all... and how do you figure? Unlike other car companies, Toyota is going above and beyond to ease the minds of their customers. How many Ford Pintos exploded before they were changed or fixed?

One Lexus loaner car had two floor mats where there should obviously only be one... thus getting caught under the accelerator. It was a terrible thing... Why did the dealer put a second mat in that car? I don't see it as a Toyota fault at all... but they are acting big time. My new truck had no floor mats available because of that... so I took the ones out of my '05 and put them in my '10.

If the trucks (and cars) they make weren't so good, then they wouldn't be the #1 car maker... With so many cars, it is amazing how few recalls Toyota has!

805gregg - 1-30-2010 at 06:59 PM

How many cars are they making and selling now? They have diverted the new redesigned gas pedals to the car factories instead of the recalled 8 million cars waiting for a fix. So the Americans are still driving around in possible death traps while Toyota wants to get car production up and running. If you can't design an accelerator pedal assembly, what other more complicated items are poorly designed. Read the LA Times 3 front page articles in the last month document Toyota's disregard for obvious safety problems. One is recalling cars in Japan that they left on the road in the US. The best thing is you will stop telling everyone what a great vehicle Toyota is, 19 deaths and over 2000 incidents says you are wrong.

rts551 - 1-30-2010 at 07:08 PM

David wake up. This has been going on for a long time. Kinda like ford and cruise control. Turns out maybe not the floor mat at all.. but that pedal you rely on so much

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
Not at all... and how do you figure? Unlike other car companies, Toyota is going above and beyond to ease the minds of their customers. How many Ford Pintos exploded before they were changed or fixed?

One Lexus loaner car had two floor mats where there should obviously only be one... thus getting caught under the accelerator. It was a terrible thing... Why did the dealer put a second mat in that car? I don't see it as a Toyota fault at all... but they are acting big time. My new truck had no floor mats available because of that... so I took the ones out of my '05 and put them in my '10.

If the trucks (and cars) they make weren't so good, then they wouldn't be the #1 car maker... With so many cars, it is amazing how few recalls Toyota has!

David K - 1-31-2010 at 09:46 AM

Well, we will wait and see... It sounds more like hysteria drumbed up by the new socialized GM (Government Motors Corp.) ... Funny how they already had commercials offering to buy back Toyotas in trade for a new GM piece of junk??? Let's see what else did they say? Oh yah, if we pass the stimulus bill, unemployment won't go over 8% :lol:

rts551 - 1-31-2010 at 09:58 AM

Earth to DK!! Toyota is already recalling the pedal assembly on most models that went through the floor mat recall.

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
Well, we will wait and see... It sounds more like hysteria drumbed up by the new socialized GM (Government Motors Corp.) ... Funny how they already had commercials offering to buy back Toyotas in trade for a new GM piece of junk??? Let's see what else did they say? Oh yah, if we pass the stimulus bill, unemployment won't go over 8% :lol:

David K - 1-31-2010 at 10:08 AM

Well, this is about MY truck, right? I say that beause this is in my trip report not in another thread/ or forum.

Well, I have NOT received any notice of a recall... okay?

IF I do, I will let you know... Toyota doesn't pay me to saynice things about them, afterall... In fact I pay them A LOT, every month!!! :rolleyes:

rts551 - 1-31-2010 at 10:18 AM

Just offering some balance to an unbalanced private thread on a public board

And by the way, conspiracy theorist. One of the reecalled vehicles is a Pontiac Vibe, A joint Toyota/GM venture.

Hope there is no problem while you wait.

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
Well, this is about MY truck, right? I say that beause this is in my trip report not in another thread/ or forum.

Well, I have NOT received any notice of a recall... okay?

IF I do, I will let you know... Toyota doesn't pay me to saynice things about them, afterall... In fact I pay them A LOT, every month!!! :rolleyes:

rts551 - 1-31-2010 at 10:21 AM

Just offering some balance to an unbalanced private thread on a public board

And by the way, conspiracy theorist. One of the reecalled vehicles is a Pontiac Vibe, A joint Toyota/GM venture.

Hope there is no problem while you wait.

Quote:

David K - 1-31-2010 at 11:31 AM

Thank you, as I said... no notice has been sent, and they do have my address... I have had my truck for 2+ months and have 2,700 miles on it... no accelerator issues.

wessongroup - 1-31-2010 at 11:36 AM

Now that is funny, you were the first person I thought of when I saw the "blurb" I knew you just got that "pretty" one.. just a short while back... and had been putting it through it's paces and reporting back on things.... is there a safety on the ignition to where one could not shut it down?? was reading about people with the pedal that got stuck.. in some cases it was too quick.. but in others .. seems like one could have just turned the engine off.. I just tried it my car and it worked yesterday.. it's not a Toyota.. it's a Ford Crown Vic.. just wondering .. have had that happen on a motorcycle too, pulled the plug wire.. now that was a shocking experience, but got it stopped..

Gaucho - 1-31-2010 at 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
How quickly you forget that we had a fantastic economy despite being attacked and in a war... thanks to the tax cuts that caused growth. It was my best business years.

Politics aside...

The reason the trades were so busy from 2002-2007 had nothing to do with tax cuts. The answer is pure and simple. Home equity. It was soooo easy to borrow against the actual or percieved equity in your home. If you had a pulse and a home you could get an equity line. People were becoming $100,000 to $500,000 richer literally overnight. They would take that money and remodel their homes, landscape (DK) or buy a second home or a piece of land down in Baja.

Tax cuts? No. Loose banking guidelines? Absolutely.