BajaNomad

FREAKY FOURTH: SUNDAY 7-3-11 (part a & b)

David K - 7-7-2011 at 08:28 AM

Continued from SATURDAY: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=53921

Well, it was quite a night with the hurricane blowing over Shell Island and our camp in a bit of a shamble... The pop up sun canopy was destroyed and our tent was ripped... Without a sunshade, we would need to leave and head for another location... We had planned to show Kristi Gonzaga Bay and El Rosario, we would just do it a day sooner, now!

Art and Nora walked across the empty lagoon with pots of food in hand... Lumpias and Ox Tail Soup... what a treat! We had a nice visit and Art and Nora walked out onto the sand bars looking for goodies... while we packed up to exit the island and head south.

As it was, we both re-met at Hwy. 5 at the Shell Island turnoff (Km. 26) for photos and final goodbyes... for this time.











If you recall last year... Art's first 4WD custom built motorhome did make it onto Shell Island on July 4th weekend:





We headed south on a strangely cooler, overcast day... We stopped at Colonia Delicias (Km. 35-36) for some ice and headed towards Puertecitos and beyond...

The Enchanted Islands... strangely in fog on a summer day. We had no idea that at this very moment over 30 people were in the water or had just been rescued from the sportfishing boat 'Erik'... capsized in the overnight storm that forced us to leave the beach that morning.




El Huerfanito Island

We took mileage notes this day and were on the new paved highway for 24.1 miles from the Puertecitos jcn.. The kilometer markers are from the San Felipe airport road (Km. 0) to El Huerfanito and then change to bigger numbers south of El Huerfanito... as if from Mexicali. The detour off the pavement was near Km. 318... and the older road has been regraded smoother (for highway crews) for another 7.9 miles (almost to Campo Delfines).

The pavement ends just 1.4 miles from the site of Okie's Landing...









The rough, older road lasts for just 10.4 miles to Papa Fernandez' road and improves greatly for the remaining 36 miles to Hwy. 1

The military checkpoint, 1.2 miles south of Papa Fernandez' road was open. It was after 2 pm and the Pemex at Alfonsina's was closed for siesta (2-4) as before. Because it was now high tide, the airport and driveway to Alfonsina's was underwater... so we drove to the Rancho Grande beach instead...


Kristi sees Gonzaga Bay for the first time (technically this is Ensenada de San Francisquito, as San Luis Gonzaga Bay is the smaller bay between Papa Fernandez' and Alfonsina's... but with a name like that, everyone calls the bigger bay 'Gonzaga', as well!




Really high tide!




The storm waves did a number on the sea wall.


Pilots have a 5,000 foot runway that is above the tide line, available at Rancho Grande.

We go to Campo Beluga and Sacrificio to check them out and consider staying the night at Gonzaga...

CONTINUED...

[Edited on 7-8-2011 by David K]

viabaja - 7-7-2011 at 08:55 AM

Dave, cross using the road the fishermen use. It's compacted from constant use. One may travel longer in the water, but it's much safer! It's the original road to the beach.

David K - 7-7-2011 at 09:09 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by viabaja
Dave, cross using the road the fishermen use. It's compacted from constant use. One may travel longer in the water, but it's much safer! It's the original road to the beach.


Yes, that is the route Esteban used... but it wasn't 'mud' as much as water that caused Art's tires to spin and not grab, just a few feet into the water by the bridge...

The ground was very compact just a few inches below the mud... Art's spinning tires exposed dry clay... then the sea water filled in and his heavy load/ non-mud tires couldn't get traction.

Bob and Pat Hale always used the old, original route onto the island in their bigger 2WD motorhome... no problems. I did too, before the causeway was built in '84.

Wow!

El Vergel - 7-7-2011 at 06:11 PM

Nice stuff! Always, an adventure in Mexico! Some freakier than others...but always rewarding!

Thanks for the great contextual imagery.

xoxBCMXxox

David K - 7-7-2011 at 07:42 PM

Thanks Vern... LOT'S MORE TO COME!

part b: Beluga and Sacrificio and away!

David K - 7-7-2011 at 09:25 PM

Rancho Grande and Beluga both offer palapa camping... If I were to choose, it would be Beluga... There are showers and flush toilets for the palapa campers.

The road for Beluga and Sacrificio is 1.2 miles south of the Pemex/ Rancho Grande Market. It is 2.0 miles into Beluga from the main road and 4.2 miles to Sacrificio.


Rancho Grande palapas


Beluga turnoff sign... Sacrificio shares the same road for the first 1 1/4 miles.

We stayed at Beluga in 2007 (photos in this web page: http://vivabaja.com/207/page3.html )

I was most curious about Sacrificio... We saw the signs for it in 2007 and only recently saw Preston's photos of it on Baja Nomad. Looked like a possibility?




Eduardo (shirtless) was the man in charge... there were several other men staring at us... the creep factor builds. Eduardo was nice... he tells us the rooms are 'refrigerated' (solar power AC)... and the rate is $60 (dollars)...

Here's the view...




Here's the 60 dollar room:




(nice shower head)

We are nice and say thank you to Eduardo and book it out of there for Baja Cactus in El Rosario!

The first boojum trees are seen 14.4 miles south of the Gonzaga Pemex...



The La Turquesa Canyon road is just beyond, at mile 14.6. Coco's Corner is at Mile 22.1 and Hwy. 1 is at Mile 34.8.

The road south of Coco's Corner was in good shape...



Looking towards Gonzaga from Hwy. 1:





We drive the 33 miles to Cataviņa with ease and need to buy 5 gallons (19 liters) of gas to not cut it too close getting to El Rosario. We learn that Alfonso no longer is in the gas selling business and his spot is now manned by Eduardo (yes, another one)... The 5 gallon can is full to the brim, so no getting short changed on the quantity. The price was bit more marked up over Pemex than Alfonso sold it for (typically a dollar over Pemex per gallon)... but what are you going to do, if you need it? It was $22 dollars for the 5 gallons ($4.40/ gallon) and the Pemex price that day was $2.99/ gallon. It was still appreciated in that they drive 152 miles round-trip to sell gas here!

On to El Rosario... with a stop at Km. 105 to get close to some cactus:





We arrive at Baja Cactus to get a room secured (we had a reservation for the following night, not this night!). Then we drive out to Ed's Baja's Best Restaurant and Bar for his outstanding Tequila Sunrises, with fresh squeezed orange juice! For dinner we go to Hugo's Tacos Mision and have stuffed baked potatoes... YUM!

Monday we will have a great, relaxing day showing Kristi some sites in the area (Mission, Punta Baja, La Bocana, La Lobera)... TO BE CONTINUED!

[Edited on 7-8-2011 by David K]

rubencastillo - 7-7-2011 at 10:06 PM

Dave you sure can write some good stuff, i can sit here and read all night..Be waiting for the next part..:):) Like the way You write down the miles,and Km. Thanks again.

David K - 7-8-2011 at 09:08 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by rubencastillo
Dave you sure can write some good stuff, i can sit here and read all night..Be waiting for the next part..:):) Like the way You write down the miles,and Km. Thanks again.


Mil Gracias Ruben!

I have a much more detailed road log with miles and kilometer markers from San Felipe to Laguna Chapala that will be posted in the Baja Road Conditions forum (as well as this trip report perhaps)...

The next part will be Monday July 4th where we had a great day showing Kristi the El Rosario area sites (well some of them, as there are just so many)!

Also, as mentioned, we had dinner at Tacos Mision owned by local artist Hugo Lopez... His taco/ potato cafe is also his art studio... To see his art, I have photos in this thread: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=52923

viabaja - 7-8-2011 at 04:04 PM

Great pix Dave,

Yes whenever I need to cross the mud/water, it's at the old access.

That is how I meant Bob & Patti in 1979 or 1980. There was a motorhome parked on the beach right off the old "S" slot road that we would use coming in from Santa Maria. I stopped and had to ask how in the world did they get that thing (2 wheel drive) onto the beach? Hence, our relationship with Bob & Patti started and flourished! Talked to them last month - doing great - spending alot of time in Maui at their place.

David K - 7-8-2011 at 07:37 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by viabaja
Great pix Dave,

Yes whenever I need to cross the mud/water, it's at the old access.

That is how I meant Bob & Patti in 1979 or 1980. There was a motorhome parked on the beach right off the old "S" slot road that we would use coming in from Santa Maria. I stopped and had to ask how in the world did they get that thing (2 wheel drive) onto the beach? Hence, our relationship with Bob & Patti started and flourished! Talked to them last month - doing great - spending alot of time in Maui at their place.


We saw Bob and Pat at Sunrise Cafe in Vista a couple weeks ago and chatted with them... Yes, not only their huge motorhome on that beach, but any other 'normal car' they had in their group... It really is all about AIR PRESSURE (but I sure like it better having 4WD, too)!!

[Edited on 7-26-2011 by David K]

Ken Bondy - 7-8-2011 at 07:51 PM

Fabulous report David. When are you gonna write YOUR book??

shari - 7-8-2011 at 08:12 PM

what a fun trip you all had...it was great to spend some time with Art & Nora...their rig is really cool...here is Art getting into the spirit of things after a couple of Pacificos at Loncheria Mari...we had a great meal...pulpo, pate de atun, crab tortas and my favorite crab pillows...they camped here at the Blowhole and last night in San Roque and are on the road today for Bahia Conception...good thing they have AC!

DSC09270-2.JPG - 49kB

David K - 7-8-2011 at 08:36 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by shari
what a fun trip you all had...it was great to spend some time with Art & Nora...their rig is really cool...here is Art getting into the spirit of things after a couple of Pacificos at Loncheria Mari...we had a great meal...pulpo, pate de atun, crab tortas and my favorite crab pillows...they camped here at the Blowhole and last night in San Roque and are on the road today for Bahia Conception...good thing they have AC!


That is awesome to see Art having fun... How cool of you Shari, thanks and thanks for adding his photo here! I bet they both had an aesome Baja Sur exprience at Bahia Asuncion!

David K - 7-8-2011 at 08:38 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Ken Bondy
Fabulous report David. When are you gonna write YOUR book??


Very kind of you to say so Ken! Maybe if we can work together, with your underwater photography included, it may have a chance!!?? LOL:light:

David K - 7-10-2011 at 04:24 PM

Here is the Road Log (also posted in the Road Conditions froum):

The following road log was made on the July 4th weekend, 2011.

MILE / KM. Marker

0.0 San Felipe (Traffic Circle by Pemex stations, south turn)

0.8 Pemex station and market on south side of town

6.0 Left Turn off Airport Road, Km. 0
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(add 6.0 miles to following for distance from traffic circle)

The next 45 miles are well paved, but many short, steep and unmarked dips will require reduced speed to avoid damage.

0.0 / Km. 0 Airport Road/ Puertecitos Road Jcn.

12.5 / Km. 20-21 Rancho Percebu Road

15.7 / Km. 26+ Shell Island Road

18.6 / Km. 31 Bahia Santa Maria Road

19.3 / Km. 32+ Nuevo Mazatlan Road

21.5 / Km. 35.5 Colonia Delicias (markets/ restaurants)

29.6 / Km. 49 El Coloradito Road

32.8 / Km. 54 Campo Cristina Road

35.4 / Km. 58.5 Los Olivos Road

36.1 / Km. 60 Arroyo Matomi

36.3 Rancho San Rafael (well)

43.4 / Km. 72 Playa Destiny

44.9 / Km. 74+ PUERTECITOS (paved) Road
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The newest paved additions to Hwy. 5 are well engineered, wide and are designed and signed for high speed. However, frequent rock slides onto pavement require caution.

0.0 / Km. 74+ Puertecitos Road

5.0 / Km. 83 Bahia Cristina

6.1 / Km. 84.5 La Costilla

7.2 mine road

16.4 El Huerfanito Road

18.9 Bridge at previous end of pavement (July 2010)

20.1 / Km. 311 Change of Km. markers, distance from Mexicali

23.6 / Km. 317

24.1 / Km. 318 END OF PAVED DRIVE, detour onto older road, regraded smooth. Pavement ends just ahead on new roadbed.

25.5 Okie Landing site.

32.0 END OF NEW ROAD CONSTRUCTION and end of smooth dirt detour on older road.

32.4 Campo Delfines Road

35.6 Las Encantadas Road

37.7 Punta Bufeo Road

42.4 Papa Fernandez' Road, roadbed south of here is better/ faster.

43.6 Miltary Checkpoint

45.0 GONZAGA BAY PEMEX/ ALFONSINA'S ROAD/ RANCHO GRANDE MARKET (Pemex closed from 2-4 pm for siesta)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

0.0 Gonzaga Bay Pemex

1.2 Campo Beluga (2.0 mi.) and El Sacrificio (4.2 mi.) Road

7.1 Las Palmitas Oasis (4.7 mi.) and Santa Maria Canyon (4.0 mi.) Road, right.

14.4 First Boojum Trees on Hwy. 5.

14.6 La Turquesa Canyon Road, right.

18.4 Las Arrastras (site) Road, right.

22.1 Coco's Corner (Puerto Calamajue and Mision Calamajue road left).

34.8 Hwy. 1, Laguna Chapala (Cataviņa is 33 miles north).

David K - 7-10-2011 at 09:53 PM

Trip Report continues with Monday, 7-4-11: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=53960

Marc - 7-11-2011 at 07:11 AM

To bad about the storm. That is the night the fishing boat Eric went down.

David K - 7-11-2011 at 07:59 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Marc
To bad about the storm. That is the night the fishing boat Eric went down.


Yes, and it was no surprise when I heard of it on Tuesday, when I got back home. That was some fierce wind all night.

edm1 - 7-26-2011 at 04:02 PM

David, you must have just left when we arrived at El Sacrificio in the afternoon. The breeze was very pleasant at the time and we felt the need for relief from the heat and decided to stay there for night. Being in a motorhome, there was no need for the $60 room, just a $20 camping fee. Marcos and Eduardo were both there to welcome us.

The problem there was at night when the breeze turned into absolute stillness. Even with an hourly dip in the water at night, it was hot, evn with no clothes at all in the dark ouside!!! We slept locked up in the motorhome, including the dog, Generator and A/C in full blast until we ran out of gas at 6Am. Luckily, at 7 we went back to the Rancho Grande Pemex and the man willingly sold us gas that early.

Marcos told us about the capsized sports fishing boat too.

[Edited on 7-26-2011 by edm1]

marv sherrill - 7-26-2011 at 04:08 PM

David - did you stop at Punta Bufeo? I used to go there every Easter break - haven't seen it in 20+ years.

David K - 7-26-2011 at 04:16 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by marv sherrill
David - did you stop at Punta Bufeo? I used to go there every Easter break - haven't seen it in 20+ years.


No, I have never driven in to Bufeo... always drive the extra 8 miles to Alfonsina's. One of these days, I would like to check it out...