BajaNomad

Gonzaga Loop Trip

preston - 5-19-2010 at 03:22 PM

I will be making my bi-annual San Diego - Gonzaga loop trip next week. Will be leaving the morning of May 27th and returning June 2nd. My wife will be coming with me this year (thanks to the road improvements) along with my golden retriever. General plan:

Day 1: San Diego to Mexicali to San Felipe (taco stop) and camping somewhere south or Puerticitos.

Day 2: to Gonzaga

Day 3 and 4: Gonzaga

Day 5 and 6: to Ensenada/Wine Country and return

I'll be driving a gray Tacoma with a windsurfer (stand-up paddleboard) on top.

Will either be at Alfonsina's or Beluga in Gonzaga (depending on which one looks less crazy).

If you see me, please stop by for a beer (I'll have plenty).

Haven't decided whether to come back via Highway 1 or back through San Felipe and Highway 3. With the progress on Highway 5 out of Gonzaga, I suspect that may be faster. Any confirmation?

I'll do a report when I return.

David K - 5-19-2010 at 03:44 PM

When you are there (at Gonzaga Bay) look to the hills to the west-southwest... We will be up in there May 29 & 30: Mision Santa Maria!

Have a fun trip... If you are camping, then Beluga should work... Rancho Grande turned their area into a dust bowl says other Nomads... and Alfonsina's has only a motel, unless you have friends there and can camp on their lot.

Take photos... note where the pavement end and then how much further new road work goes. Visit Coco if you return via Hwy. 1.

preston - 5-19-2010 at 04:13 PM

Yes, Rancho Grande has been "destroyed" by the wall they are building and the grading elsewhere. It's off my camp list for now.

Yep, always make a Coco stop if I am going out that way.

Are you coming down the 5 or the 1?

David K - 5-19-2010 at 04:58 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by preston
Yes, Rancho Grande has been "destroyed" by the wall they are building and the grading elsewhere. It's off my camp list for now.

Yep, always make a Coco stop if I am going out that way.

Are you coming down the 5 or the 1?


Oh, the 1, as the road to the mission begins at Santa Ynez (a mile from Cataviña) and we will be staying at Baja Cactus in El Rosario on the way down and back.

Alas, the only direct way between Gonzaga and Santa Maria is by foot or mule (El Camino Real)!






Chris next to a sign that was laying along the trail, just up the hill from the arroyo where the hike begins.




In 2003, my son and I hiked most of the way to the mission on the Camino Real from the Gonzaga Bay side... but ran out of daylight before we turned back. Allow 6 hours one way.




That's Punta Final... from the Camino Real.




The mission trail is barely visible along the side of the hill... high above the Santa Maria canyon.

Fun stuff... I would like to try again and do the entire trail... before I get too old. Don Jorge followed Chris and I, a couple weeks later and did it all the way to the mission... and returned via the canyon, which required a lot of water crossings.

[Edited on 5-20-2010 by David K]

David K - 5-19-2010 at 05:55 PM

I just posted some old, old maps of the Gonzaga Bay area here: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=45819

Edguero - 5-20-2010 at 08:46 AM

Check out Sacraficio south of Beluga, stopped by there a month ago and thought it was pretty nice, $15 a night you get a 3 room bungalow with queen/full size bed, bunk beds and a really nice bathroom with hot water, shade out front with a bbq. Eduardo who is the jefe there is quite a character who takes pride in work at the campo.

David K - 5-20-2010 at 09:23 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Edguero
Check out Sacraficio south of Beluga, stopped by there a month ago and thought it was pretty nice, $15 a night you get a 3 room bungalow with queen/full size bed, bunk beds and a really nice bathroom with hot water, shade out front with a bbq. Eduardo who is the jefe there is quite a character who takes pride in work at the campo.


Good to know! Just some small signs and an unusual name is what we saw for the tourist camp (Sacrifice?), last time we were at Beluga.

mcpuitar - 5-20-2010 at 11:52 AM

Preston, I'll be heading down to the Punta Chivato/Mulegé area at the same time with my girlfriend, another woman friend, and 2 friendly dogs. I live in Tucson and usually take the Santa Rosalía ferry from Guaymas, or take Hwy 1 down through Ensenada, but this time I've decided to drive Route 5 south from Mexicali just to try something different and check out the new roadwork. We'll also be making that taco stop in San Felipe on the 27th and then camping somewhere south of Puertecitos that night too. We'll be stopping by Gonzaga, but only briefly, on the 28th and then Coco's Corner on the way out to Hwy 1. Aiming to arrive Mulegé no later than Saturday afternoon of the 29th. We'll look for you along the way. We'll have plenty of cold beer with us as well. I'll be driving a green Honda Element with a few bags on the roof rack. Hope to see you!

I'm not positive about the best return route to San Diego but now that the road is paved to El Huerfanito I'm pretty sure it would be faster for you to backtrack north from Gonzaga instead of driving down to Hwy 1. Have a great trip! -Peter

preston - 5-20-2010 at 01:00 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Edguero
Check out Sacraficio south of Beluga, stopped by there a month ago and thought it was pretty nice, $15 a night you get a 3 room bungalow with queen/full size bed, bunk beds and a really nice bathroom with hot water, shade out front with a bbq. Eduardo who is the jefe there is quite a character who takes pride in work at the campo.


Thanks. As a minimum, I will check it out ...

preston - 5-20-2010 at 01:02 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
I just posted some old, old maps of the Gonzaga Bay area here: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=45819


David:

As always, thanks. I recognize the one from the Cross book (of which I have a copy). I'm always befuddled by the name changes and multiple names for locations in Baja. I guess it comes with the fact that this is still pretty much a remote area.

preston - 5-20-2010 at 01:09 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by mcpuitar
Preston, I'll be heading down to the Punta Chivato/Mulegé area at the same time with my girlfriend, another woman friend, and 2 friendly dogs. I live in Tucson and usually take the Santa Rosalía ferry from Guaymas, or take Hwy 1 down through Ensenada, but this time I've decided to drive Route 5 south from Mexicali just to try something different and check out the new roadwork. We'll also be making that taco stop in San Felipe on the 27th and then camping somewhere south of Puertecitos that night too. We'll be stopping by Gonzaga, but only briefly, on the 28th and then Coco's Corner on the way out to Hwy 1. Aiming to arrive Mulegé no later than Saturday afternoon of the 29th. We'll look for you along the way. We'll have plenty of cold beer with us as well. I'll be driving a green Honda Element with a few bags on the roof rack. Hope to see you!


Peter: My ETA in San Felipe will be between 3:00PM and 4:00PM. For camping south of Puerticitos, there is a small cove that has 5 or 6 Palapas and a restaurant (you drive down off the road). I want to say within 5 miles south of Puerticitos .. but not sure. I have plenty of firewood and will keep my eyes out for you. What is your ETA in San Felipe?

Thanks,

Preston

David K - 5-20-2010 at 01:12 PM

Playa La Costilla :light:

preston - 5-20-2010 at 01:30 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Playa La Costilla :light:


Gracias!!!

Peter: that would be my plan ... unless I find something better!

mcpuitar - 5-20-2010 at 04:10 PM

Thanks Preston (and David too for the campo-info),
I hope to get an early enough start on the 27th to make it to San Felipe by 4:00 pm. Two of the three of us don't have FM's so we'll need to stop and get our 180-day visas as we cross over (at Mexicali I suppose--I've never crossed there before), but I hope that won't take long. If we don't see you eating tacos in SF, we'll look for you down the road and we'll be sure to check out Playa la Costilla to see if you and your wife are there to raise a few cold ones with us by the Sea of Cortez and toast the beginning of a much-needed vacation. FYI: I have AZ plate 500-PTM.

BajaWarrior - 5-20-2010 at 04:20 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by mcpuitar
Thanks Preston (and David too for the campo-info),
I hope to get an early enough start on the 27th to make it to San Felipe by 4:00 pm. Two of the three of us don't have FM's so we'll need to stop and get our 180-day visas as we cross over (at Mexicali I suppose--I've never crossed there before), but I hope that won't take long. If we don't see you eating tacos in SF, we'll look for you down the road and we'll be sure to check out Playa la Costilla to see if you and your wife are there to raise a few cold ones with us by the Sea of Cortez and toast the beginning of a much-needed vacation. FYI: I have AZ plate 500-PTM.


On the subject of getting your FM-T at Mexicali East. When we were there last paying duty on goods we were bringing into Mexico the bank would not accept U.S. Dollars. Got lucky and a guy in line exchanged for me at no cost, really, wouldn't take a dime.

Anyone else have this experience at the bank window lately?

bajalou - 5-20-2010 at 05:30 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by BajaWarrior

On the subject of getting your FM-T at Mexicali East. When we were there last paying duty on goods we were bringing into Mexico the bank would not accept U.S. Dollars. Got lucky and a guy in line exchanged for me at no cost, really, wouldn't take a dime.

Anyone else have this experience at the bank window lately?


I once had a fine to pay to customs there and had to go to other banks to change $s to Pesos.

preston - 5-21-2010 at 01:51 PM

Never had a problem paying in dollars ANYWHERE in Baja ... of course many times I got screwed on the exchange rate ... so I always try to carry pesos and dollars to pay in the listed currency. A few times I have been able to screw the other side on the exchange rate. I consider it all part of the negotiation that is ingrained in the Mexican culture.

Of course, we're only talking about a few pesos

preston - 5-21-2010 at 01:53 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by mcpuitar
Thanks Preston (and David too for the campo-info),
I hope to get an early enough start on the 27th to make it to San Felipe by 4:00 pm. Two of the three of us don't have FM's so we'll need to stop and get our 180-day visas as we cross over (at Mexicali I suppose--I've never crossed there before), but I hope that won't take long. If we don't see you eating tacos in SF, we'll look for you down the road and we'll be sure to check out Playa la Costilla to see if you and your wife are there to raise a few cold ones with us by the Sea of Cortez and toast the beginning of a much-needed vacation. FYI: I have AZ plate 500-PTM.


Peter:

Thanks! Sounds like we'll cross paths for sure. Again, I'll be driving a Tacoma with a 12' windsurfer on top (impossible to miss me).

Preston

Beluga

yakyak2010 - 5-21-2010 at 06:47 PM

I'm leaving Monday for Gonzaga, 1st time since 1972. Can I get to Beluga from Rancho Grande via the beach or do I need to go by road?

yakyak2010 - 5-21-2010 at 06:50 PM

PS on finding Beluga. Are there any signs directing you to Beluga?

David K - 5-22-2010 at 09:59 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by yakyak2010
I'm leaving Monday for Gonzaga, 1st time since 1972. Can I get to Beluga from Rancho Grande via the beach or do I need to go by road?


Yes, there is/ was a dune buggy road between the two or drive the beach.

Here is the map I made after Thanksgiving 2002 trip where my son and I scouted out points of interest in the area (Molino de Lacy, Mission-era warehouse, El Camino Real, Las Palmitas, Green pools of La Turquesa, Onyx springs):



Most roads shown we drove that weekend.

Photos begin at http://vivabaja.com/1102/page2.html

[Edited on 5-22-2010 by David K]

David K - 5-22-2010 at 10:03 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by yakyak2010
PS on finding Beluga. Are there any signs directing you to Beluga?


Yes, the main road to Beluga is 1.2 miles south of Rancho Grande store & the Pemex station. Sacraficio is signed from the Beluga road as well... access off the old road south.

Photos of Beluga from Feb. 2007: http://vivabaja.com/207/page3.html

Beluga

yakyak2010 - 5-22-2010 at 10:40 AM

David, Thanks a bunch. Great map.

David K - 5-22-2010 at 10:45 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by yakyak2010
David, Thanks a bunch. Great map.


thanks... and there is more... a lot of things to do around Gonzaga Bay besides fishing!

The onyx springs are quite interesting... looks like a glacier!





yakyak2010 - 5-22-2010 at 03:50 PM

Thanks again David. We are taking our ATV's. I was looking at google earth and I'm wondering how far can we get into Punta Final. Looks like theres some neat beaches south of the Punta Final homes.
Any info on that area.

David K - 5-22-2010 at 04:59 PM

Well, the one sand beach just over the hill from the main Punta Final village is accessed by a road that Kevin (the owner at the time) bulldozed to... and I heard he is in trouble for that...

Then it is mostly solid mountain until Puerto Calamajue... accessed from Coco's Corner. On Google you can see another road to the coast southof Puerto Calamajue... road heads across the hills going east from the Pto. Calamajue road. The next access I know of is to Punta Candelero and Bahia Guadalupe (Remedios), coming from the L.A. Bay hwy. at Laguna Agua Amarga (GPS directions on my GPS web page).

preston - 5-25-2010 at 10:25 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Well, the one sand beach just over the hill from the main Punta Final village is accessed by a road that Kevin (the owner at the time) bulldozed to... and I heard he is in trouble for that...

Then it is mostly solid mountain until Puerto Calamajue... accessed from Coco's Corner. On Google you can see another road to the coast southof Puerto Calamajue... road heads across the hills going east from the Pto. Calamajue road. The next access I know of is to Punta Candelero and Bahia Guadalupe (Remedios), coming from the L.A. Bay hwy. at Laguna Agua Amarga (GPS directions on my GPS web page).


David:

I plan on exploring the area "over the hill" from Punta Final on this trip. My idea would be to drive (my 2WD Tacoma) to Punta Final Village and hike the area. Question: is the best way to get to Punta Final from the main Gonzaga-Cocos road or take the roads that cuts across as you are driving to Beluga. My concern would be getting stuck in the sand (again, I have a 2WD Tacoma)?

Any advice appreciated.

Thanks,

Preston

mcpuitar - 5-25-2010 at 01:37 PM

Hi Preston. Just a note to say there is now a possibility that we'll be getting out of Tucson tomorrow evening after work and trying to make it as far as Yuma (guess we're really itchin' to be on vacation!). If that happens we might be ahead of you by a few hours on Thursday but if that's the case we'll try to take our time in SF and keep a watch out for you. If we end up missing you it'll probably mean we went on down to somewhere around Gonzaga Bay for the night to put ourselves in position to be in Punta Chivato in time for dinner on Friday. Hope to see you though. Pete

preston - 5-25-2010 at 01:46 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by mcpuitar
Hi Preston. Just a note to say there is now a possibility that we'll be getting out of Tucson tomorrow evening after work and trying to make it as far as Yuma (guess we're really itchin' to be on vacation!). If that happens we might be ahead of you by a few hours on Thursday but if that's the case we'll try to take our time in SF and keep a watch out for you. If we end up missing you it'll probably mean we went on down to somewhere around Gonzaga Bay for the night to put ourselves in position to be in Punta Chivato in time for dinner on Friday. Hope to see you though. Pete


Pete:

Thanks for the note. NO PROBLEMO! To me, traveling in Baja is all about going with the flow to maximize your enjoyment. I almost never make any reservations as a result of that. If we connect up, great. If not, have a great trip and be safe. Chivato is a great place. Do you camp there? I've never stayed there overnight.

Preston

mcpuitar - 5-25-2010 at 02:36 PM

Yeah, I definitely agree about going with the flow when it comes to Baja travel. We'll see what happens. We'll still hope to be able to crack open a cold cerveza with you by the time the moon rises. I have a place on the beach at Chivato. That's where we're headed for a while. I really like it there but don't get to enjoy it nearly as often as I'd like. Just looking forward to retirement! You're always welcome if you get down that way.

preston - 5-25-2010 at 03:40 PM

Gracias!!

chsoder - 5-25-2010 at 06:38 PM

A quick word about El Sacrificio -- aside from the name making me scramble to my dictionary. Can anyone explain it???? We camped immediately north of their fence in February for three nights. We met Eduardo and totally fell for him. He kept a great eye on us -- two gringas tenting it. I humiliated the man by trying to pay him for his vigilance and will not make that mistake again. Next time, now that we know about the cost and the HOT showers we might spend a night or two there. We had never been to North East Baja and were a bit baffled by everything from San Felipe south. We found great camps but only by luck -- and trying lots of dirt tracks.

I look forward to hearing more reports about El Sacrificio.

The joy of that section of our trip was to finally meet Coco.

David K - 5-25-2010 at 06:57 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by chsoder
A quick word about El Sacrificio -- aside from the name making me scramble to my dictionary. Can anyone explain it???? We camped immediately north of their fence in February for three nights. We met Eduardo and totally fell for him. He kept a great eye on us -- two gringas tenting it. I humiliated the man by trying to pay him for his vigilance and will not make that mistake again. Next time, now that we know about the cost and the HOT showers we might spend a night or two there. We had never been to North East Baja and were a bit baffled by everything from San Felipe south. We found great camps but only by luck -- and trying lots of dirt tracks.

I look forward to hearing more reports about El Sacrificio.

The joy of that section of our trip was to finally meet Coco.



'The Sacrifice'... maybe a religious name, maybe they kill fish there a appease the gods? It isn't the best choice for a tourist camp name pehaps? When we saw the signs for it going to Beluga, it didn't make us want to check it out!

Playa Bonita, Nuevo Mazatlan, La Perla del Mar... now those are more typical!

David K - 5-25-2010 at 07:02 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by preston
Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Well, the one sand beach just over the hill from the main Punta Final village is accessed by a road that Kevin (the owner at the time) bulldozed to... and I heard he is in trouble for that...

Then it is mostly solid mountain until Puerto Calamajue... accessed from Coco's Corner. On Google you can see another road to the coast southof Puerto Calamajue... road heads across the hills going east from the Pto. Calamajue road. The next access I know of is to Punta Candelero and Bahia Guadalupe (Remedios), coming from the L.A. Bay hwy. at Laguna Agua Amarga (GPS directions on my GPS web page).


David:

I plan on exploring the area "over the hill" from Punta Final on this trip. My idea would be to drive (my 2WD Tacoma) to Punta Final Village and hike the area. Question: is the best way to get to Punta Final from the main Gonzaga-Cocos road or take the roads that cuts across as you are driving to Beluga. My concern would be getting stuck in the sand (again, I have a 2WD Tacoma)?

Any advice appreciated.

Thanks,

Preston


Just keep your speed up over sandy parts... IF you do get stuck, don't panic... let the air out of all four tires to about 15 psi (for starters, bring a GOOD gauge)... Turn your truck into a dune buggy!

mcpuitar - 5-26-2010 at 10:59 PM

Preston, We're still at home. Too much packing after working late. Leaving out from home tomorrow. Will try to get that early start in the morning to be at Playa la Costilla by night tomorrow. Peter

preston - 5-27-2010 at 08:32 AM

Peter:

You may not get this email ... but all our plans are on track. I'll be on the road in 2 hours and ETA in SF is still 3 to 4 and then Costilla 5 to 6.

Safe travels.

Preston