BajaNomad - Two Amigos in Outback Baja

Two Amigos in Outback Baja

TMW - 1-28-2014 at 04:15 PM

[Edited on 1-2-2015 by TMW]

shari - 1-28-2014 at 04:24 PM

whoa....that was some serious off roading...well done gentlemen

Ateo - 1-28-2014 at 04:31 PM

Dude, you do the best trip reports! Thanks. You did a ton of dirt road driving!

LaTijereta - 1-28-2014 at 04:36 PM

Great report w/ images!
What was your drive time from SF to Tecate on the hwy?

woody with a view - 1-28-2014 at 04:36 PM

seriously, sounds like a great trip!

Udo - 1-28-2014 at 04:44 PM

Best photos I've seen in a while...Thanks!

jimgrms - 1-28-2014 at 04:44 PM

Tw is Harley one of those poodle cross breed a golden doodle labradoodle ?? a friend has one and it is a great dog and very goofy

TMW - 1-28-2014 at 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by LaTijereta
Great report w/ images!
What was your drive time from SF to Tecate on the hwy?

I think it was about 4 hours at most. Going north I turned west on Hwy 3 to see the tire guy then returned. I took the toll road to Tecate all the way. Not much traffic and the military check on the toll road was short, like a wave thru.
Phil may know better.

JuniorFab - 1-28-2014 at 04:48 PM

Thanks so much for sharing TW. Will Junior see you at the clam bake?

TMW - 1-28-2014 at 04:49 PM

Jim I'll let Phil answer that. He told me but I forgot. Harley was really a great dog even around other dogs he was calm and not aggressive just a loveable dog.

TMW - 1-28-2014 at 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JuniorFab
Thanks so much for sharing TW. Will Junior see you at the clam bake?

Yes

Ateo - 1-28-2014 at 04:54 PM

How deep was the well?

TMW - 1-28-2014 at 05:01 PM

After we left I had wished we had dropped a rock down it . We could not see the bottom just looking down it. I'd bet it's pretty deep for a hand dug well.

dtbushpilot - 1-28-2014 at 05:30 PM

You're killing me TW, looks like I missed a fun trip. Great post and pictures, thanks for posting...

StuckSucks - 1-28-2014 at 06:02 PM

REALLY liked the photos and write-up. You definitely gave me some excellent travel ideas.

Whale-ista - 1-28-2014 at 06:19 PM

thank you for sharing a great trip and photos! wonderful offroad exploration. Beautiful scenery.

Loved all the info- But now I'm worried about those poor dogs... hope someone will check in on them.

motoged - 1-28-2014 at 09:44 PM

TW,
Killer trip....especially the No Wimps Trail...huevos, amigo !

Bajaboy - 1-28-2014 at 10:09 PM

why did I open this thread....I've been having enough Baja Adventure withdrawals without reading this.....now I really need to go!!!! Thanks for taking the time to share your adventure with us.

Ken Bondy - 1-28-2014 at 11:35 PM

Wonderful!!! Great job!!!

Skipjack Joe - 1-29-2014 at 01:16 AM

Harley looks like a great companion.

Cypress - 1-29-2014 at 04:17 AM

Thanks.

Pacifico - 1-29-2014 at 10:49 AM

Another great trip report TW! I didn't know that trail could handle vehicles. Love all the pics!

David K - 1-29-2014 at 01:40 PM

Great report and adventure TW... Roy (The squarecircle) has wanted us to go to Los Corrales and when Fernweh reported he got his Mercedes 4x4 from Los Corrales to La Trinidad, it made a loop trip an exciting idea. Thank you for doing that trip so I could vicariously go along!

tripledigitken - 1-29-2014 at 02:35 PM

TW,

Thanks for the great report. You mentioned GPS waypoints a couple of times. What map set are you using and can you recomend it?

Ken

TMW - 1-29-2014 at 04:04 PM

Ken, I was using the waypoints provided in Kasey Smiths GPS Guidebook
http://www.bajagpsguide.com/. Also I had added several waypoints on the Google Earth track made by Fernweh and printed it out. Kasey's guide is good except for where we lost the 4 wheel tracks. Her trail stays closer to the ocean at that point and a tighter trail too. The 4 wheel trail goes west around the moutains.

Here is the Google Earth track of the trail. Black is the 4 wheeler route and yellow is the MC route. It should be noted that the beginning from El Barril to the second yellow is probably the only route now as rain etc may have taken out the first yellow route. It followed a wash and may or not be passable.

Expanded view of where the 4 wheeler and MCs use different routes and where we were lost at first. They both may use the same route now.

These trip notes follow the black line route.

Updated 5-8-2014
El Barril to San Ignacio:
Note: Dump at El Barril is at 28-17.515x112-53.300 and is 3 miles from R. Illusion.

Rancho Illusion gate is 0 mileage for reference.

# Miles GPS and remarks
2 0.0 28-16.138x112-55.465 Rancho Ilusion, close gate

- 1.3 Y GL
- 1.7 28-13.387x112-56.209 The Old MC trail to L

- 2.8 Road from R and road off to R
3 2.9 Open metal gate
- 5.0 28-13.201x112-56.284 Rocky downhill
- 5.2 28-12.907x112-56.390 Y GL
- 8.2 Road from R
4 8.5 28-10.750x112-56.980 Top of Mtn.
- 9.0 28-10.453x112-56.580 Either/Or
- 9.2 28-10.385x112-56.500 Road from Either/Or

5 11.7 28-09.630x112-55.325
6 14.0 28-07.767x112-57.291 Metal Gate open
7 15.0 28-07.068x112-57.535 Y GL R. Santa Barbara & R. San Miguel

8 16.9 28-07.684x112-55.943 Open Gate
- 19.1 Y GR
- 19.7 28-08.270x112-53.801 Bear Right
9 20.5 28-07.832x112-53.472 Shrine
10 23.9 28-05.622x112-51.550 Y GR San Miguel to L

- 25.4 28-05.031x112-50.370 Y GR
11 27.8 28-04.600x112-48.270 T GR
- 29.2 28-03.719x112-47.632 Rocky Beach
- 31.8 28-01.926x112-48.306 Rock Corral near beach

- 32.1 28-01.439x112-48.279 Off Beach after 100 yards on beach

12 36.6 28-00.008x112-45.947 28 Parallel R in Wash thru Gate

- 37.1 27-59.195x112-46.261 Out of wash
13 37.6 27-57.820x112-45.480 Rd Turns R
- 38.5 27-57.730x112-45.482 Open Gate at Beach

14 40.0 27-57.080x112-45.895 R in Wash then L uphill out of Wash

15 40.2 27-56.960x112-46.010 Palapa on hill follow road up to it turning west.

16 40.5 27-56.915x112-46.332 Y GR
17 41.2 27-56.816x112-46.603
18 41.7 27-56.320x112-46.510
19 42.2 27-56.132x112-46.112 Green Sulfur Hill
20 43.2 27-55.770x112-46.140
21 44.4 27-55.500x112-45.890
- 45.3 27-55.213x112-45.800 around red rock & uphill GPS is top of hill

22 45.5 27-54.46x112-45.930
23 46.7 27-53.245x112-46.129
24 48.8 27-51.360x112-46.060
25 50.7 27-49.890x112-45.300
26 56.6 27-49.528x112-48.729
27 62.8 27-49.350x112-52.280 El Gato Corral
28 68.4 27-44.482x112-53.722 Rd from R GS
29 78.2 27-37.280x112-54.690 Rd from R GS
30 84.0 27-33.430x112-56.380 Rd from R GS
31 84.6 27-32.710x112-56.470 Santa Marta Jct. GL

32 94.7 27-29.260x112-48.400 Rd from R GS
33 107.2 27-21.590x112-42.700 Hwy 1 R to San Ignacio

[Edited on 1-31-2014 by TW]

[Edited on 5-8-2014 by TW]

Mexitron - 1-29-2014 at 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dtbushpilot
You're killing me TW, looks like I missed a fun trip. Great post and pictures, thanks for posting...

Exactly! Looked like fun...

The Area of TW and XR Phil's Expedition on AAA map

David K - 1-29-2014 at 06:34 PM

El Barril to Santa Marta (northeast of San Ignacio):

Zoom:

churro - 1-29-2014 at 10:42 PM

Thanks for posting!!!

TMW - 1-30-2014 at 09:04 AM

Here is another set of maps I used.

elgatoloco - 1-30-2014 at 09:32 AM

Wow! What a nice adventure. Thanks for sharing that.

Martyman - 1-30-2014 at 12:59 PM

Now I have another reason to get a 4 wheel drive vehicle. Great adventure!

Neal Johns - 1-30-2014 at 06:59 PM

TW,
You do pretty good for a kid! :yes:

Great trip and report.
Neal

TMW - 1-30-2014 at 08:35 PM

Thanks Neal, we were hoping to get you down there to show us where the dinosaur bones were.

David K - 1-31-2014 at 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by TW
Thanks Neal, we were hoping to get you down there to show us where the dinosaur bones were.

Does Neal remember where he buried his pet? :lol:

pappy - 2-2-2014 at 09:09 AM

great report and trip. thanks!

redhilltown - 2-10-2014 at 12:56 AM

Fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

cpg - 2-10-2014 at 09:35 AM

Great report thanks for sharing.

Desertbull - 2-10-2014 at 09:51 AM

Been doing this for quite some time in the Black Mamba ... It's not for those that can't support themselves and you have to have at least a 200 miles fuel range. Their is no one to help you if something goes sideways and it's a long way from somewhere. It's a 2 truck adventure for sure.

Besides the obvious, you will encounter several deep sand washes and a couple hill climbs out of those washes and of course the kicker is getting around the point in the deep shale just south of Los Corrales. You just gotta commit 100%.

Over the years the track has changed here and there, but it's basic and a good nose can find the 2 track, which is now burned in fairly solid.

We usually overnight at Oscars-Rancho Escondido and head out early to make it out to Hwy 1 south of San Ignacio before dark...we have also camped at P. Trinidad overnight...this is a great route...you can easily make it a 3 day adventure just exploring.

:cool:

Bob H - 2-10-2014 at 10:52 AM

Great report and photos TW. Love the maps too!!

fudscrud - 2-10-2014 at 10:04 PM

You guys are definitely not wimps doing the No Wimps Trail. I just rode that about 2 weeks before you guys so one of those tracks was probably mine!
Did you guys have any problem getting up that super soft (sugar sand) hill? It was a little tough on the bike.

great report

msawin - 2-10-2014 at 10:32 PM

Thanks for sharing the trip with us.. Awesome post..

TMW - 2-11-2014 at 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by fudscrud
You guys are definitely not wimps doing the No Wimps Trail. I just rode that about 2 weeks before you guys so one of those tracks was probably mine!
Did you guys have any problem getting up that super soft (sugar sand) hill? It was a little tough on the bike.

No we didn't have any problems anywhere along the trial. I did scare Phil when I was on an off camber and my right front wheel ran over a rock lifting the right side even more, for a moment I thought "what the !!!". He made sure to avoid the rock. We just took our time and enjoyed the scenery.

fudscrud - 2-11-2014 at 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by TW

Quote:

Excellent! Good job on your driving and on the report.
You're right, it's a long way from nowhere out there so you're on your own.

honda tom - 2-11-2014 at 09:02 PM

One of my all time favorite trails. Did this sometime in 2002 or 2003.... before I had ever heard of a book marking the trail. Charry at san francisquito gave me and a buddy the rough outline that she said Malcolm Smith had found years before. We packed Gatorade bottles with gasoline and left early. It was a long day but we made san Ignacio before nightfall. It was 2 wheels or nothing, really felt like the middle of nowhere. Mixed feelings about the ability for 4 wheels to do it now, heard about a group of trucks going through last year and it kind of took the adventure out of it. Guess that's the way it goes...... head farther south, or follow tracks.

honda tom - 2-11-2014 at 09:06 PM

And to me it will always be "The Malcolm Smith Trail"

motoged - 2-11-2014 at 11:17 PM

Bill Nichols bristled when I called it the Malcolm Smith Trail....probably because Bill developed it... :light:

David K - 2-11-2014 at 11:51 PM

There was a story that Malcolm was the first to ride a M/C between Gonzaga and Mission Santa Maria (via El Camino Real).

I do know that Kevin Ward rode his XR to the mission and back many years ago, and nearly destroyed the bike (and himself) in doing so. He described the route so well to me and a guesstimate map of his route, I knew it was the Camino Real (he didn't as of yet). Kevin was a location producer for Dust 2 Glory.

honda tom - 2-12-2014 at 09:57 AM

per Charry.... it was Malcolms. But Only those 2 guys know for sure :yes:

TMW - 2-12-2014 at 10:00 AM

I heard that the owner of Rice and Beans in San Ignacio (Ricardo I think is his name) owns property up near El Gato, maybe on the coast near Punta Trinidad, and wanted to build a facility for people to over night at. That was a couple of years ago.