BajaNomad - San Francisquito, Gas, Beer, Food, Beds??

San Francisquito, Gas, Beer, Food, Beds??

DEVEAU - 11-13-2012 at 03:38 PM

Seven dirtbikers heading South over Thanksgiving for our annual trip. What's the status of San Francisqito? Would like to do a short loop from BofLA to San Francisquito and back. Any gas available these days? Thanks, Rich

KurtG - 11-13-2012 at 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DEVEAU
Seven dirtbikers heading South over Thanksgiving for our annual trip. What's the status of San Francisqito? Would like to do a short loop from BofLA to San Francisquito and back. Any gas available these days? Thanks, Rich

Don't know about gas but the place is open and serving food. Palapas for rent. Two weeks ago we were there and 2 KTM riders (690 & 990) came in from BOLA and said the road was very bad, took them about 5 hours to do the 85 miles. They were pretty heavily loaded with luggage and camping gear. There were two guys on xr400's with nothing but light backpacks going north, I suspect they had an easier time.

DEVEAU - 11-13-2012 at 05:09 PM

Thanks, we are on nothing larger than a couple BRPs, no camping gear. I think if they are open and serving we can get some gas.

David K - 11-13-2012 at 06:19 PM

LAST JULY:
Just a dozen miles west from San Francisquito, Rancho Escondido was advertising gas for sale (and other off road turista needs)... also Piedra Blanca was open up on the mountain, 19 more miles further west.

thebajarunner - 11-13-2012 at 07:19 PM

Hope it is better than two years ago,
We cruised in there and there was a ghost town look to the place
Someone rounded up some tostadas and that was it, drank our own beer,

Two scruffy looking guys down by the boat launch were smoking joints and there was a small Navy boat in there, but no sign of sailors.

Pretty bleak, I would say

Curt63 - 11-13-2012 at 07:50 PM

Pacifico is chasing B1K and will be spending time there this week. He can give a report when he gets back in a week or so. You should U2U him.

But, most likely Gas yes $6/gal. Ice $6/bag. Source Memo and Beto up on the hill over the bay. They have wifi too.

Beer? Not likely, but very expensive. Food very expensive and many local gringos wont eat there. Beds - I wouldnt sleep in those earthquake damaged cabanas.

There is a place called Piedra Blanco about ??13-16 miles?? from there with good rooms and showers

Sweetwater - 11-13-2012 at 09:25 PM

When I visited a year and a half ago, they were hosting a larger group of University folks. It was still a significant snafu. Our palapa had an electrical issue which was "fixed" in an unsafe manner. The agua caliente did not work, cold showers. There was beer and food due to the larger group. It was obviously a very scenic spot with minimal resources and not much motivation.

I think the pics I saw of the earthquake damage magnify these issues but haven't physically been there. I would sure enjoy swinging by that location again.

My question: Is there beach camping with access to amenities (food, fuel, beer) close to that spot?

David K - 11-13-2012 at 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Curt63
Pacifico is chasing B1K and will be spending time there this week. He can give a report when he gets back in a week or so. You should U2U him.

But, most likely Gas yes $6/gal. Ice $6/bag. Source Memo and Beto up on the hill over the bay. They have wifi too.

Beer? Not likely, but very expensive. Food very expensive and many local gringos wont eat there. Beds - I wouldnt sleep in those earthquake damaged cabanas.

There is a place called Piedra Blanco about ??13-16 miles?? from there with good rooms and showers

31 miles.

bajadogs - 11-13-2012 at 10:13 PM

Sounds like a perfect place to kick back and laugh at the high-maintenance gringos coming through. It is a beautiful spot for that.

motoged - 11-14-2012 at 02:29 AM

Always a primo spot for those who are not high maintenance...

uuuuh haa!

captkw - 11-14-2012 at 06:12 AM

Looks rather Barren,,bleak and boring !! I'll take it for the day!!

Curt63 - 11-14-2012 at 07:37 AM

Important note: Motoged pics were taken BEFORE the earthquake damage.

David K - 11-14-2012 at 09:27 AM

We arrived there while the sun was still up, last July... an man and woman were inside the cantina(?) watching TV. No effort was made to welcome us as potential customers (good TV show?). I walked in and saw a few beers in the cooler and asked about business... the señora's reply was nobody comes in the summer, too hot. We took some photos and had no reason to stay any longer there, as it was very windy and uninviting by the employees. We drove on and had a [perfect camp on the beach at Bahia San Rafael, arriving just as it was getting dark.

JULY, 2012:

12 miles west of Punta San Francisquito Resort is the signed road to Rancho Escondido.

[Edited on 11-14-2012 by David K]

DEVEAU - 11-14-2012 at 09:52 AM

Thanks for all the intel. We have found the accommodations quite nice after a day in the dirt. However we might give Piedra Blanco a try. Gas is our big concern, we did get gas at Escondido a couple of years ago, so sounds like we have a few options.

David K - 11-14-2012 at 10:11 AM

Deveau, have you considered trying the mission road between Rancho Santa Barabara and Mision Santa Gertrudis? This was a supply road to the coast for the mission built in the 1750's. It can be seen on Google Earth easily.

DEVEAU - 11-14-2012 at 10:24 AM

David, thanks for reminding me about that road. I think we rode some of it when we did the "Bill Nicols/Malcom Smith/No Whimps trail" a few years ago. I'll check into doing it the day after BofLA to Piedra Blanco.

This year's trip is my brothers 50th birthday so I'm letting him pick the route.

Bajatripper - 11-14-2012 at 10:49 AM

We passed Rancho Escondido last summer, stopping long enough to take these photos. There was nobody around but a couple of dogs.

We also stopped at Piedras Blancas resort, where we were able to buy some machaca burritos to go. Since I just happen to have their email handy, you might try emailing them to inquire about gas availability:

ranchopiedrablanca@hotmail.com

motoged - 11-14-2012 at 11:18 AM

I think Bahia de San Francisquito is one of my favourite places in Baja....the fewer the people there, the better :light:

DK, it is unfortunate the good folks there did not run up and make you feel like you were as important as you wanted to be....they may have just been showing you what "Tranquillo" really looks like...

Even after the earthquake damage the place has some cachet :cool:

Those of you who don't like the place just really shouldn't darken their doorway...it's NOT a resort, but rather an oasis....

Just sayin' .... :saint:

David K - 11-14-2012 at 11:37 AM

That wasn't it Ged, I am not 'needy', but there was an total lack of interest in doing any business. It was so unlike any other Baja destination in lack of hospitality, it was worth noting. I was really hoping for something better to impress Baja Angel for her first visit there. I camped there in 1983 and it was so wonderful, I was really hoping for a repeat experience... not so in 2012.

DEVEAU - 11-14-2012 at 04:43 PM

Bajatripper, thank you for the email address, Guadalupe from Rancho Piedras Blancas replied to my email and said they would have everything we need.

I love San Francisquito, but are always looking for something different, and we kind of wanted a longer ride from BofLA. Will report when we get back.

Our planned loop is San Quintin-Catavina-BofLA-Piedras Blancas_???-Catavina- and back to the truck in San Quintin. Bunch of the Bill Nicols stuff along the way.

KurtG - 11-14-2012 at 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DEVEAU
Bajatripper, thank you for the email address, Guadalupe from Rancho Piedras Blancas replied to my email and said they would have everything we need.

I love San Francisquito, but are always looking for something different, and we kind of wanted a longer ride from BofLA. Will report when we get back.

Our planned loop is San Quintin-Catavina-BofLA-Piedras Blancas_???-Catavina- and back to the truck in San Quintin. Bunch of the Bill Nicols stuff along the way.

We stopped at Rcho Piedra Blanca and were very impressed by the place. Nice campground area and also nice cabins starting at 500 pesos for two people, larger ones available. People were very pleasant and the ranch is in a lovely setting. We also stopped at Rcho Escondido which was likewise an impressive place but didn't really seem to be ready for guests unlike Piedra Blanca.

capt. mike - 11-15-2012 at 08:29 AM

recent report on BBP was pretty bleak.

Bajatripper - 11-16-2012 at 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by motoged

DK, it is unfortunate the good folks there did not run up and make you feel like you were as important as you wanted to be....they may have just been showing you what "Tranquillo" really looks like...

Actually, in fairness to DavidK, he isn't the first to make this observation about the cold reception received at San Francisquito. I've come across his sentiments about that place a few times, most recently in "Under the Volcano," a book which, ironically, was given to me by DavidK.

Bajatripper - 11-16-2012 at 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DEVEAU
Bajatripper, thank you for the email address, Guadalupe from Rancho Piedras Blancas replied to my email and said they would have everything we need.

Happy to have been of help to you, Deveau. A little background about Piedras Blancas that I found out by talking to Mr. Villavicencio, the co-owner. They are a working ranch, producing machaca commerically (their brand is 'Piedras Blancas'), which they dry in a screen room so as to keep the flies off it (never seen a ranch do that before). Although they'd like to expand the brand further, their demand is more than they can produce at present, so it's only available regionally.

I was curious as to how a rancher could get the money necessary to do the things they've done there, so I asked. He told me that the government has a program to help local people get into tourism, and his eco-lodge is the result. As Kurt said, they have a very nice setup out there.

Be sure to inquire about the local cave paintings, just a bit down the road. DavidK's summer trip report has some photos of them, if you'd care to see what you'd visit beforehand.

The main ranch house

Solar heat for the showers

Inside the head

Dining facility, kitchen

Machaca processing area

David K - 11-17-2012 at 08:33 AM

Wonderful photos and report Bajatripper!

The book mentioned earlier is Mike Humfreville's 'In the Shadow of the Volcano' and I have over 100 copies for sale...

Here is the ad for the book on the Nomad Classified Ads forum: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=56565

[Edited on 11-17-2012 by David K]

Bajatripper - 11-18-2012 at 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
Wonderful photos and report Bajatripper!

The book mentioned earlier is Mike Humfreville's 'In the Shadow of the Volcano' and I have over 100 copies for sale...

Here is the ad for the book on the Nomad Classified Ads forum: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=56565

[Edited on 11-17-2012 by David K]

David, for once you disappoint! I gave you the perfect opening to post some of your photos of the cave paintings, and you didn't. :lol:

David K - 11-18-2012 at 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajatripper

Quote:

David, for once you disappoint! I gave you the perfect opening to post some of your photos of the cave paintings, and you didn't. :lol:

Correcting the title you used: "Under the Volcano" seemed more important, in this case... :lol:

dtbushpilot - 11-18-2012 at 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajatripper

Quote:

David, for once you disappoint! I gave you the perfect opening to post some of your photos of the cave paintings, and you didn't. :lol:

Correcting the title you used: "Under the Volcano" seemed more important, in this case... :lol:

Yes, but he DID spell "under the Volcano" correctly. :lol:

[Edited on 11-18-2012 by dtbushpilot]

Barry A. - 11-18-2012 at 11:28 AM

Tripper---------

Many thanks for the excellent photos and reports on the Rancho's at Piedras Blancas and Escondito west of San Francisquito beach---------those are my kind of places, located in beautiful Country, and I was not even aware of either of them. Good options to the devastated resort on the beach. That general part of Baja has always fasinated me, and is so spectacular and secluded, so far. Reminds me of the Baja of old when I first started coming down (in the '50's).

Thanks again.

Barry