I was told that the road from San Felipe to Bahia de los Angeles is now paved. Has anyone driven it recently? Please advise, I plan to drive down
the week of March 19thdizzyspots - 3-12-2013 at 09:35 AM
San Felipe to Puertecitos...same paved road...lots of vados..no cruise control here
Puertecitos to Gonzaga Bay....nice wide new highway with pullouts, etc...almost to Papa Fernandez
Gonzaga Bay to Coco's normal washboard w/ parallel sand track
Coco's to Chapala....see other posts
Chapala to BOLA= paved?PYandre - 3-12-2013 at 09:48 AM
Then, the only road to Bahia de los Angeles from San Felipe is via Coco's corners to Mex 1 then to the turn off to Bahia Los Angeles?TMW - 3-12-2013 at 11:46 AM
YesDavid K - 3-12-2013 at 11:51 AM
Latest report shows 38 unpaved miles... from the bridge just north of Papa Fernandez' driveway (Bahia San Luis Gonzaga) to Hwy. 1 at Laguna Chapala
(via Coco's Corner). This is the shortest amount of dirt road, and it is a 2WD graded road... just not smooth!PYandre - 3-12-2013 at 04:32 PM
I just received this email today (3/12/13) from friends who drove from Chapala to Coco's Corners to San Felipe yesterday:
The road from Chapala to Gonzaga is quite rough, especially the 20km section between Coco's Corner and Chapala (Hwy 1). However, we felt it was well
worth it. We went slow to Coco's Corner but even then it took less than an hour. And the section between Coco's Corner and Gonzaga (almost 40 km) was
a lot easier, especially with some side sand roads which were easy to drive. The whole 60 km took about 2 hours, and that includes the obligatory beer
stop at Coco's Corner.
We stopped at Alfonsina's in Gonzaga Bay -- very pretty but decided to go on to San Felipe for the night. The road is paved almost all the way from
Gonzaga to San Felipe and it is a beautiful drive along the Sea of Cortez (except for the tacky little developments along the way). The only thing to
watch out for are the vados between San Felipe and Puertocitos -- a 70 km stretch or so. YOU HAVE TO SLOW DOWN FOR THEM, unless you want to really
shake things up in the car.
The advice you got on Baja Nomad about pulling a trailer over this sections was very good. I wouldn't want to pull between Chapala and Gonzaga. We met
one fellow who was doing that and he was fine, but said it was taking a long time.David K - 3-12-2013 at 04:37 PM
Spot on report!TMW - 3-12-2013 at 05:06 PM
This is what can happen when pulling a trailor on the highway from San Felipe thru Gonzaga to hwy 1.
buenasolas - 3-12-2013 at 05:23 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by dizzyspots
San Felipe to Puertecitos...same paved road...lots of vados..no cruise control here
Forgive my ignorance, but what's a vado?David K - 3-12-2013 at 05:43 PM
A DIP... and in the Puertecitos highway, they are sudden and steep... made for max speed of like 30 mph. South of Puertecitos to the end of pavement
by Gonzaga Bay (and north of San Felipe), the highway is modern, and good for 110 kph!Desertbull - 3-12-2013 at 09:59 PM
It's so dangerous as a herd of chupacabra are stealing beer and small children from the area. Pass the word to all travelers not to go south of San
Felipe during the months of April and May (I will be there but it's dangerous) I swear! Bwahhhhhhmicah202 - 3-12-2013 at 10:28 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by TW
This is what can happen when pulling a trailor on the highway from San Felipe thru Gonzaga to hwy 1.
.....OUCH!!!
.dizzyspots - 3-13-2013 at 06:58 AM
Interesting drivers mirror reinforcement as well...buenasolas - 3-13-2013 at 02:39 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by David K
A DIP... and in the Puertecitos highway, they are sudden and steep... made for max speed of like 30 mph. South of Puertecitos to the end of pavement
by Gonzaga Bay (and north of San Felipe), the highway is modern, and good for 110 kph!
Thanks, good to know! I am venturing over to the sea of Cortez side for the first time soon, so I'm doing my research. David K - 3-13-2013 at 02:48 PM
Yah, the first one isn't as bad as it used to be... just south of the Valley of the Giants turnoff (just south of Punta Estrella Beach road)... they
are sacttered from there south to Campo Cristina road... then you get many as you cross the Arroyo Matomi flood plain, which begins about 11 miles
north of Puertecitos. About a 40 mile stretch where the pavement is narrow and has these sudden dips (vados), so keep your speed to 50 mph or less.
Once you have passed the paved junction for Puertecitos, you are then on NEW highway, and it is great (if that's what you like, lol)... The only
concern is the next 20 miles as the highway cuts through the volcanic ridges, as there is a lot of falling rocks you may need to dodge. Retireded - 3-13-2013 at 10:39 PM
We turned off highway 1 onto 5 this afternoon. after the first 3 miles, we turned around and put off visiting San Felipe until another time. Wife
has a bad back and that road was too much for her. I found it interesting when I saw a tire standing in the road, went around it, and saw it was
there to mark a large hole in the road. Mexican ingenuity? The tire was about 1 foot into the hole and certainly warned me away from it. Could have
done serious damage to the suspension.David K - 3-14-2013 at 10:41 AM
They like to built up roadbeds in Mexico, but in the case of Laguna Chapala, that is near a large lake bed, so maybe a good idea there for a wet year.
Lack of maintenance is why the wet season erosion into the road is refilled, so a tire will do! It may be 6 more years for the last 38 miles to get
paved, but since money is going to that work, don't look for any fixes to the older road before then. Come back with a better vehicle or when your
wife's back is better... Lower the air pressure to about 20 psi to improve the ride, and also prevent flats. Sharp rocks poke through a high inflated
tire easier than a softer one... I know, I have until recently never deflated for graded roads (the Tacoma suspension is great, so no ride softening
needed)... but I have gotten my last 4 flat tires on Baja graded roads, and all from rock punctures, as I was at full street pressure.
Here's where Hwy. 5 (mis-labeled as Hwy. 1) meets the Transpeninsular road, northbound on Hwy. 1 at Laguna Chapala:
[Edited on 3-14-2013 by David K]Retireded - 3-14-2013 at 10:47 PM
Thanks for the tips. I lowered the tire pressure when I had gone about a mile, then turned back and had a long drive on under-inflated tires before I
was able to get air. I'll never do that again unless I know how far I'm going on the road and am willing to commit to it. LOL After whale watching
with Shari Saturday and three nights camped in a waterfront palapa in BOLA, We were definitely up for some more adventure. Just too bad Merrys back
was not tuned in to her brain.She was very much looking forward to visiting San Felipe in the same trip. A neighbor tells me the tire in the hole
trick is common here in Baja. I thought it was ingenious. Great warning for the hole in the road. We met up with a couple on bicycles on their way
from Argentina to Alaska, they shared what they had been told that the road got worse the farther one ventured. Based on that, we cancelled that part
of our trip and will go to San Felipe at a later date.David K - 3-14-2013 at 11:25 PM
Too bad her back wasn't feeling great... it is only 38 dirt miles, but that is maybe 2 hours driving slow to normal, and that wouldn't be fun for her
(or you)! Coco is a hoot, and his Corner is just 13 miles from Highway 1, making it a good break and beer stop...
Sign his guest book... after you leave, he draws a cartoon of you next to your log in. See it the next time you go there!
Here is a sample showing the couple who walked to Cabo pulling a wagon, last year:
mcfez - 3-19-2013 at 08:52 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by buenasolas
Quote:
Originally posted by dizzyspots
San Felipe to Puertecitos...same paved road...lots of vados..no cruise control here
Forgive my ignorance, but what's a vado?
David K - 3-20-2013 at 10:30 AM
That is a good 3-D photo Deno!
A ltttle late seeing this
mcfez - 4-4-2013 at 12:52 PM
Most of us will carry a unit like this...they cost around $40..00. Once you are finished with sand stuff......just re inflate your tires on location.
These units works great.
Quote:
Originally posted by Retireded
Thanks for the tips. I lowered the tire pressure when I had gone about a mile, then turned back and had a long drive on under-inflated tires before I
was able to get air.
bryanmckenzie - 10-26-2013 at 10:09 AM
DK, nice pics & update. I shall miss Coco's Corner on my upcoming trip (rental vehicle).
These photos and videos are from April 2012, Bahia Gonzaga to Coco's Corner to Laguna Chapala junction.
